Just in time for my birthday.

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I awoke to the familiar sensation of being embraced from both sides. And I think I slept later than I normally do. And no wonder. It took a few seconds, but my most recent memories started to come to the forefront of my mind. I gazed at the ceiling with my mind processing everything that happened yesterday. The king and queen of Equestria themselves. The revelation that the emperor is sustaining himself through my own life force. And the fact that the queen attempted to...

How I managed to slip out of their arms and out of bed I will never know, but Ocellus and Smolder remained dead asleep in bed behind me. I went into the bathroom and locked the door before staring at myself in the mirror. I did not sleep well at all. My dreams were a mess and uncomfortable. Not quite a nightmare, but not enjoyable either. Surely a result of the anxiety and close brush with death I experienced yesterday. I stared at my exhausted face. I do not remember myself looking so bad since shortly before everyone else caught up to Nightmare Moon and I. Hands planted on the bathroom sink, I glared at myself in the mirror. "This is all your fault..."

No matter what I thought or what I did or how I bathed in the shower that morning, I could not shake that lingering sense of guilt. The emperor basically rose from the grave because I was in Equestria. I know I told myself yesterday that this did not change anything. A statement I immortalized in text. That the situation remains the same and that our tactics and goals remain unaltered. Our mission is to reach the Heaven's Pillar and put the emperor back where he came from. The goal is simple. The fact that he is alive because of me being in this world should be a nonfactor. But I could not convince my heart. Everything that happens from here on out... Anyone who gets hurt. Anyone who...does not make it home alive... It will all be on my shoulders. And I am not so certain I would ever be able to forgive myself if that ever happened to Equestria's people.

The existential horror of knowing that these innocent people of Equestria were now on a proper battlefield hit me in the face once I looked out the window. Those rows upon rows of tents out in the encampment. At least five thousand personnel in total. Five thousand lives from across the world now gathered here to take up arms against this invasion. I had grown accustomed to seeing these wonderful people of Equestria in full armor with weapons in their teeth, wings, and magic auras. Even ready and capable, they were still themselves. Nothing had changed with them. And I had hoped that by the time the war ends and everyone gets to go home, they will go right back to their lives in Equestria with the only changes being the new stories they will have to tell their friends. But if they would be tainted by the horrors of war... It would be my fault. Perhaps the one thing I hate more than the concept of any of my comrades not surviving this war is that of my allies returning home as anything but who they are. War...does things to people.

I took a deep breath to settle my nerves. Several breaths. If any casualties of war were to be on my head, then I had to do what I could to prevent any loss of life. We have numerous advantages. Even with the king and queen insisting that they do not directly intervene if they can help it, the odds are still in our favor. I steeled my heart. I needed to be ready to do what I had to. This war was not about my needs. It was about theirs. I love this world and knew I had the power to do something about this.

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. For just a moment, I forgot about who was out there. And with a towel wrapped around my waist, I opened the door. And there... Smolder gazed up at me with eyes filled with concern. "You didn't wake us up... You OK?"

"Sorry... Really didn't want to disturb you this morning." I replied before I went about my room to get dressed. I found myself actively trying to avoid eye contact with Smolder and even Ocellus as the latter dispelled her preferred dragoness disguise. Once I had a shirt on, I found out there was a good reason for this. I felt my hand being grasped by a formless hand before being dragged towards my bed. Ocellus had her horn coated in her magic aura and was casting her levitation spell on my hand. I sighed in resignation and took a seat beside the Changeling mare with her blank blue eyes gazing up at me. Smolder then hopped onto my bed with the two of them bordering me on each side. And so I asked, "Something wrong?"

"That's our line. What's wrong? You never get outta bed without us." Smolder said firmly with her hand grasping mine. I glanced at her and then over at Ocellus. Those blank pale eyes... If anyone could sense something was not right with me, it was her. Smolder then said more softly, "Ocellus kept telling me you weren't OK yesterday. You still not feeling all right?"

"I just...have a lot on my mind right now... Stuff I can't really explain to you." I replied as I knew they surely would not be able to comprehend.

Ocellus then asked with her voice quiet and uneasy, "Yesterday at dinner... They said that... Is it true? You and the emperor are connected?"

I hesitated. There was no way of knowing how the confirmation of that fact would effect anyone. I had every reason to believe that anyone I told could suddenly go from being a friend to an enemy. I had gotten lucky so far. No one resented me for it. I knew for sure that some of my comrades among the ranks of the militia were definitely starting to question my presence, but no one hated me yet. But I could not lie to these two precious little ladies. Unable to look at them, I turned my gaze to the floor. "That's correct... I saw it myself yesterday. The emperor is leeching off of my own life force and has been for the past year. As long as I'm alive...he won't die. Which means...anyone who gets hurt out here or worse...will be my fault."

Smolder's hand grasped my hand tightly. She then whispered to me, "You know that's not true, right? This isn't your fault..."

"I want to believe that. I really do. I shouldn't be upset over this..." I retorted while unable to lift my head. "But the more I think about it.....the more it feels like that isn't the case..."

I think I noticed Smolder look past me at Ocellus. Relaying a message to her? When I glanced at the little Changeling beside me, she glanced up at me and smiled. And then she placed her hooves on my shoulder before closing the distance between our faces. "Let me help..."

Her lips found their way to mine. But this was not a mere kiss. I felt...something flowing into me through her lips. Warm... Comforting. Her love. She was siphoning it into me. Under normal circumstances, that would have been a good thing. Sharing love with me to bolster my mood by bringing my feelings of adoration to the surface. But...

This hurt. Somewhere in my heart, this growing love was only instilling heartache. Those wonderful positive emotions were clashing hard with the budding guilt in my mind. The desire to love while feeling like I did not deserve it at the time. The kiss thankfully did not last long, but Ocellus then gazed into my eyes as her smile quickly faded. "Did that...help?"

I could not speak. It was a struggle to keep my composure. The love in my heart was locked in combat with the doubts and guilt in my mind. As that battle raged on with neither side yielding, I brought a hand to my head. I sharply inhaled through my nose as my throat clenched. In the end, that stalemate remained as I could not contain myself any longer. I buried my face in my hands as a most pathetic wheeze and whimper escaped my throat, tears flowing heavily into my palms.

"Wha... James...? You... Don't you feel better now?" Smolder asked in bewilderment as I wept quietly before her. I had no idea what to even say. It was a perplexing dilemma. I should not have been upset. But I was. Smolder quickly deduced what the problem was and looked past me. "Ocellus, quick! Suck it outta him!"

"OK!" Ocellus yelped before resting her head against me. I felt the turmoil in my heart beginning to fade as that faint familiar sensation of my love being drained out of me was detected. A moment later, my tears ceased to flow while I sniffled with a hand wiping my face dry. I was by no means happy, but at least I was stable again. Ocellus then asked meekly, "Why didn't that work...? You're always so happy whenever I give you my love. Why...are you crying?"

"I think...this is what depression is... When you get stuck in a funk so bad that there's no easy way to be happy. And it's a bad idea to try and force it." I explained in brief with a hand still holding my head up. "I thought I could convince myself that this war was not my fault. That I shouldn't feel responsible for what is happening. And...I can't."

What I felt next was a bit of a surprise. I felt the dragoness and the Changeling mare embrace me from both sides. And in a flash of harmless green fire, Ocellus' hooves became hands once again to hold me. Smolder then whispered boldly to me, "Then that means we just gotta get this war over with so you can be happy again. Right?"

I scowled at how simple Smolder made the whole thing sound. Although she had a point. Reach the Heaven's Pillar and put an end to the emperor. We do that and this war is over. And we can all go home like nothing even happened. Simple as that statement was, it was not factually incorrect. And I could only nod. "Good point."

"And...you'll always have us." Ocellus whispered directly into my ear. She then nuzzled the tip of her dragon muzzle against my cheek. I noticed her look past me and asked, "Smolder? Could you...um..."

Smolder chuckled a little before she hopped down from the bed. "Right, I got it. Love bug time. I'll just head on downstairs. They're probably getting breakfast ready now anyway. See you soon, OK?"

In a few seconds, Smolder was gone and I was left alone with Ocellus. I was surprised that Smolder was so willing to trust our newest friend with my care so quickly. Knowing I should not ignore her after requesting to be left alone with me, I forced myself to sit up and look down at the precious little false dragoness beside me. "Well...?"

"I thought you weren't OK yesterday... Now you feel even worse." Ocellus said softly with her hand lifting my face from underneath. "You were always the person who was so sure about things happening around us. Now it...feels like you're not sure of anything anymore. Your heart is...just a mess. All that love is being pushed down by...such awful feelings. Is there anything I can do to bring that love to the surface?"

She was just so eager to help. And being able to read my emotional state by sensing what my internal love supplies were like made Ocellus much keener to my well-being than most. And as much as I hoped she could help me, I knew there was no shaking this dread from my heart so easily. "I hope you can... I hate feeling this way."

"Then...if I can't make you feel better by giving you my love..." Ocellus muttered worryingly before she leaned against me and grasped my hand. "Then how about...this?"

I thought she only wanted to hold my hand since that usually feels pleasant and comforting. But I then noticed something around me. I could not see it, but I could feel it. A type of aura... Wonderfully comforting. Like the softest embrace possible coming from all sides. "Ocellus... What is this I'm feeling?"

"If giving you my love hurts, then...how does it feel to bask in my love? I'm just...letting it ooze out of me passively in all directions. Do you feel it? Does it...feel nice?" Ocellus explained softly before she turned her gaze up at me just out of the corner of her eye. She then gently brushed a lock of her brunette hair away from her face and whispered, "Because all this love... It's all for you."

I took a moment to evaluate this sensation that was engulfing me. It was a lovely sensation. And not as concentrated as the love she had basically injected me with. Where that was too much and actively clashed with the awful emotions that had taken hold of my heart, this aura was...comforting. Like I was being held. "It...does feel nice... Just...right..."

"Then let me be your comfort bug." Ocellus whispered as her love continued to just radiate out of her. It was so...encapsulating. How many other Changelings out there could contain so much? Almost as if she could read what I was thinking, she then spoke softly to me. "I've never had so much in me before... You've given me so much. The least I can do is use it to help you when you really need it."

This was a trait that was entirely her own. And...it really was something I appreciated. It helped. Where my heart was fearful of where these recent discoveries would lead, this embrace of sheer love was exactly what I needed. "Thanks, love bug..."

"Huh?" She asked before looking up at me with a distinctly whimsical smile. "I didn't catch that. What was that?"

"Huh? I said thanks, lo... Oh." I started to say before letting out a genuine snicker of amusement escaped my lips and through my clenched teeth. "Right... Thanks, my little love bug."

"Mmhm. I'm your little love bug. Don't forget that, all right?" Ocellus whispered with such a tender smile upon her lips. And so we sat there. Minutes upon minutes as I basked in the love radiating off that tender little mare. I had always been there when she needed me. Now it was my turn to need her.

For at least ten minutes, we did not move from that spot. And nothing was spoken between us. That warm aura of purest love. In such a short while, she had grown. Love does that to people. At last, I knew that we could not stay there all day. I stroked my fingers through her head of hair and said, "You ready to head downstairs?"

"Are you feeling better now?" Ocellus asked without pulling away from me. I just nodded without a word. This prompted a smile from her before she said, "That's good. I should...probably let you get dressed too, right? Don't take too long, please. I'll see you down there."

I waved goodbye with Ocellus very reluctantly leaving my side and walking out the door and down the stairs. But once she was gone and the door closed, that subtle smile on my face faded. Because I was not feeling better. Far from it. And now that I was alone, a dark memory and impulse filled my mind. My eyes fell upon the Lunar Shield propped up nearby. And then the hilt of the Celestial Sword jutting up past the top.

My towel fell to my feet when I stood up, now clad in only my boxers. So exposed yet concealed in my own little haven out there on the Empty Plains. And I firmly took hold of the Celestial Sword's hilt before pulling it free from its scabbard. I took a seat on my bed with the blade resting across my lap. It glowed dimly in the morning light. I placed my hand upon the blade. It was warm to the touch. I wondered how it would feel...to have such warmth plunged deep through my body.

Ugly thoughts filled my head. Thoughts I rarely experience. Just four years before I arrived in Equestria, those floodgates opened for the first time. The bedlam that is suicidal urges. I sincerely considered ending my life at the time since I had become convinced I was nothing but a burden for everyone around me. Those urges eventually did pass and thankfully so. But I learned...that once those floodgates open in full, they can never be fully closed. There will always be a trickle flowing from the cracks that can grow at any time. And that trickle was starting to babble more vigorously than it had in some time.

I knew I was not a burden to those around me. I knew I was loved. I knew that I was appreciated by others. But being a burden to loved ones cannot be compared to knowing that I am a genuine threat to the lives of everyone around me. My very life force is fueling this war. And just yesterday, two individuals who should have been my allies or even friends made separate attempts on my life to try and end this war before anyone could really get hurt. With so much resting on whether or not I died... Was it wrong to contemplate doing the deed myself for their sakes?

With a sigh, I took the blade of my sword into both hands and lifted the blade before me. I directed the tip of my sword towards where my heart likely was buried in my chest. It remained there as I tried to gauge my resolve. The urge was there. Louder than it had been in quite a while. But after a moment longer, I shook my head and lowered my sword. I did not have the will to do it. "Not this time... Not yet. Too soon to say."

Taking hold of whatever hope I could find in my heart, I returned the Celestial Sword to its scabbard. I did not want to believe my death was the only way out. Not yet. We still have time. Still have enough distance to travel. I must keep those thoughts out of my head for now. I lazily dressed myself as the scent of breakfast cooking leaked in past my door, my emotional lows distracted by the smell of a tasty meal. I hoped that a good morning meal would be just what I needed to get my mind off of things and headed on down the stairs.

Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, I froze upon seeing who was standing in the buffet line. And I had all but forgotten about them. King Orbash and Queen Sunflare were in line while lining their trays with breakfast staples. Seeing the mare who nearly destroyed me just yesterday sent a chill down my spine. But in my close proximity to the main table in the common area, my wrist was grabbed before I was pulled down to a seat. And sitting beside me was Ember. She said little, but tried to smile. "Good morning."

"Oh... Hey, Ember. Morning." I retorted while hardly able to bring a smile to my face. I recalled what happened yesterday evening and said, "Sorry if I wasn't here for dinner... I needed as much company as I could get last night and joined my friends at one of the mess halls."

"I hear you. It's fine, I wasn't sure if we should see each other last night anyway." Ember replied before her grasp on my wrist loosened before sliding down and wrapping her fingers around mine. She whispered to me, "I'm here for you. If anyone takes a swing at you, I'll make sure they regret it."

"In that case..." I replied before pointing at Sunflare while she was preoccupied with the serving dishes. "Would you mind keeping an eye on her? Sunflare...kind of scares me."

"Got it." Ember said in brief while also taking the time to crack her knuckles. Was she seriously considering throwing down with the queen herself? And without any show of fear? I very nearly questioned it, but chose not to. I was aware by now of how deeply dragons value loyalty. Ember would throw her life on the line if it meant protecting me. I only hope I can do the same if the need arises...

At the very least, I knew there was something I needed to say while the opportunity was there. I brought my hand to Ember's shoulder to get her attention and said softly, "Ember... Don't go getting yourself killed for my sake. I'm not worth dying for, all right?"

My words prompted a shocked glance from her scarlet eyes. But not a look of being offended. More like...she had been caught doing something she did not want anyone finding out about. After a moment of silence between us, she then sighed and turned her gaze to her half finished tray of breakfast morsels. "True... You're not worth dying for."

That almost sounded like an insult with how she put it. I knew that was not the case and turned my gaze away from her. But I then felt Ember grasp my hand. When I glanced at her, she glanced at me with a heartfelt smile on her lips. "But you are worth dying with."

I do not know what it was about those words, but it hit me in a way I did not expect. I reached out and pulled Ember into my arms for an embrace to the point of almost tilting her seat over enough to topple her. And she returned my affections all the same. That was all I needed to know that regardless of circumstances, Ember would always be by my side. That devotion was exactly what I needed to see to be reminded that I was wanted and needed.

"You two OK there?" I heard Smolder say from across the table. She and Ocellus were dining together and I had completely overlooked them. Ocellus, as usual, did not have much. Just enough to sample the flavors that were available.

Ember returned to a stable sitting position while I felt uneasy over Smolder seeing me embracing another dragon female. I know that she is willing and able to become a part of my unorthodox web of relationships, but knowing that dragons mate for life and take romance deadly seriously left me concerned that seeing me with another female might prompt a primal sort of rivalry. Ember showed no such qualms with what she knew about Smolder though and just said to her, "Things are probably going to get...crazy out here before long. New stuff has come up. And I'll be with James more often to make sure he's OK."

"Yeah... We heard." Smolder muttered as she and Ocellus turned their gazes to me. They heard last night at dinner. I knew that much. The little dragoness then looked at Ember and spoke with a smile of gratitude. "Thanks for keeping an eye on him, Ember. You rock."

"Well, I try. And I'll do my best." Ember replied as Orbash and Sunflare made their way over to the table. Orbash took a seat right beside me while Sunflare was to his left. Ember spoke up in greeting, "Good morning, your majesties."

"And a fine good morning to you, Dragon Lord." Orbash spoke kindly in that endearing tone of his. Sunflare nodded in confirmation while allowing her husband to speak as he turned his eyes towards me. "And good morning to you, Sir James. Sleep well last night? Did my daughters provide your dreams with pleasant sights?"

"I'm just...hanging in there, your majesty." I replied before suddenly realizing that everyone at that table beside me had a tray of food before them. "Oh, um... I'd best get in line. I'll be right back."

Orbash got a chuckle over my lack of awareness. Ember dragging me to that seat was quite the distraction. And once I was in line, the three daughters of the king and queen were before me and loading up on a filling meal. Celestia was directly before and looked back with a smile. "Morning, James. Sleep well?"

"Not sure." I retorted as I scooped some scrambled eggs onto my tray. I then glanced over at Sunflare and was relieved to see she was not paying me any mind. I then asked with a whisper, "Celestia... Does your mom hate me? Please be honest. I feel like she's always wondering if she might take another shot at me."

"No, James... I swear she does not feel any real animosity towards you." Celestia explained while keeping her voice down. But she then said, "However...she does not let go of grudges easily. And she remains the most bitter over humanity's betrayal so long ago. Please give her time. When this war is all over, I'm sure she will finally allow herself to open up to you. She is most kind when the situation is not a time of crisis."

"I'll take your word for it... For someone who looks so warm, she's been very cold." I replied while hoping Sunflare really was much kinder than she was letting on. I had seen glimmers of a softer side. Usually when she interacted with her daughters. But it would remain to be seen if that would ever happen.

I eventually returned to the table with the entire royal family joining us as well. Before long, Rain Shine entered the command center and gathered up a tray of food for breakfast as well. But she never once took her eyes off of Sunflare. A constant scowl was on her face as my beautiful kirin shield-sister looked ready to interfere at a second's notice. And she was quite silent at the table. Only speaking when spoken to and only occasionally looking away from the queen. She happened to take a seat beside Ocellus and her emotional state proved so volatile that Ocellus was visibly unnerved by her and scooted her seat a little closer to Smolder. Sunflare had made a powerful enemy yesterday and she was not even aware of it.

Sunflare hardly paid me any mind and frequently engaged in conversation with her daughters. She was at least cordial towards Nightmare Moon, although I noticed a subtle tension between them. As things were at the moment, it was strictly business between them. As for Orbash, he appeared to be focused entirely on me. He spoke softly to me almost as if he was trying to be discreet. "Are you well this morning? I'm certain yesterday gave you a lot to think about."

"Yeah... I've been thinking. And about nothing that's good." I mumbled while trying to keep my mood up with some good eating. Orbash was just being kind and his tone was not at all accusatory towards me. "All I can do is hang in there..."

"You're a good man with many good friends, James. Believe me when I say we hope you will still be with us by the end of this journey." The good king replied while taking a long and savoring sip of his tea. Out of sheer curiosity, I dragged my fingers through his wavering silvery mane. I could feel every single strand of shimmering hair and their constant movement like waves of shifting sand. And they always came back together in perfect symmetry in the wake of my combing fingers. Orbash finally noticed and cast me a knowing smirk. "I see that you are fond of my mane."

"Um... I guess you could say that?" I muttered in embarrassment over getting caught by the king himself. He clearly did not mind, but it was a little mortifying regardless. I then said, "It's just...I never thought I would meet a stallion in the royal family..."

"Yes, there is a bit of an imbalance in that ratio, isn't there? Not that I can do anything about it. I would have been quite happy with having a son, but my wife and I were blessed with daughters instead." He retorted jovially while casting me that glorious smile of his. Although he then spoke with a chuckle, "Although I do suppose being the only stallion in the family serves to make me stand out even more."

"No argument there, your majesty. And you do stand out quite well." I spoke while admiring how his shimmering silver mane complimented his black coat all too well. Unbelievably handsome. "I bet you were popular with the ladies back when you were single. I've even caught some of the mares around here swooning over you."

This actually got quite the suppressed laugh out of the guy. Orbash struggled to hold in his laughter as it only came out as a wheezing snicker. "Ooooh, you have no idea. I broke so many hearts that day when I proposed to Sunflare. And not just among my fellow ponies. Even ladies of other species were quite taken with my form. Why I distinctly remember one particular human lass who wanted to know what it was like to be in bed with king of a stallion when..."

"Orbash, you're not dwelling on some harlot, are you?" Sunflare suddenly spoke up from behind him. Hearing that bold feminine voice instilled fear in my heart, but Orbash looked more amused than intimidated.

With a laugh, Orbash turned to his wife and smiled almost lustfully. "Oh, perish the thought, my queen. You know I have only had eyes for your radiance. For this moon has always longed for his sun."

"Hmph. Good answer, my love." She retorted with equal whimsicality before I saw the two of them share a brief kiss. She did not even look at me. Sunflare and Orbash, regardless of how their personalities differed, really were meant for each other. It was good to see a more womanly side to the sun queen and served as a reminder that she was not a simple walking force of nature. Behind all that power was still a woman's mind.

As breakfast started to wind down, Shining Armor brought up an important point. "With all due respect, your majesties... While I know we should probably discuss recent events further, our aerial units are insisting that we move immediately. There seems to be rain approaching and we are trying to avoid tampering with the weather patterns out here if we can help it. If it rains out here in this...wasteland you created yesterday, we'll get bogged down in the mud. We'd best move while we have time."

All eyes fell upon the king and queen of Equestria. And they both shared a gaze of knowing that they might have made the situation for us less ideal than it needed to be. Orbash chuckled uneasily while he said, "Heheh... Well, we can't have our cake and eat it too. Yes, we'd best move and discuss things later once we are on more ideal ground."

A long walk in a gentle rainstorm across the grassy meadows of the Empty Plains would be good for my mind. Just as long as the rain did not come down too hard. And while dust from scorched earth is one thing, mud is another thing entirely. We needed to move immediately. Once I had returned to my dorm and fetched my armor and gear, I stepped outside to find that the sky was getting dark with gray clouds. The air pressure had changed as well. Rain was approaching.

Ember had departed first to fetch her armor and spear. Once I was standing just outside the command center, I saw her descend and land before me. She glanced over at Rain Shine's hut and asked, "You think she'll be much longer?"

I was about to respond, but noticed something unusual about the way Ember sounded. Whenever she wore her helmet, her voice was partially muffled and sounded like she was talking with her head inside a metal bucket. But now her voice was completely clear. I then asked, "You...sound different..."

"I do? I didn't do anyth... Oh, you mean this!" Ember replied before tilting her head back so I could see the underside. I was immediately reminded of what she wanted the blacksmiths to do to it. The plate affixed to the underside that covered her lower jaw had been removed to reveal her blue scales. Her mouth was unobstructed to let her jaw open downward. "I just got this back. Now I won't have to remove my helmet to use my flame breath. Just the right compromise, right?"

"Oh right, you did say you were gonna have the blacksmiths take a look at that. Just be sure to mind your chin in close quarters." I replied while Ember hoisted her spear over her shoulder. I noticed by then that she had a habit of propping it straight up on its pommel and just leaning on it when she had nothing to do, but I suppose even she was not interested in getting the dust of the scorched earth beneath us caked over the pommel. A moment later, we heard the rustling of leaves and found Rain Shine emerging from her hut in full armor. The Viper Fang was secured to her side by a tightly wound cluster of vines while the blade was wrapped in large leaves. I asked softly, "Ready to head out?"

"Yes. And I shall stay by your side. We should have a clear path ahead of us to the east." She replied before we began to head east to join the militia at the eastern gates. The skies looked like it could start raining at any time. We needed to get moving.

I was in for a pleasant surprise when we emerged from the encampment. Rain Shine had stayed true to her word when she said she would restore the meadow that had been razed during the arrival of Orbash and Sunflare. A very wide stretch of fresh green grass laid spread out before us and spanned all the way to the edge of this artificial wasteland ahead of us. If we maintained a tighter formation, we could stay on the grass without getting stuck in the mud.

I watched as the camp was magically packed up into its traveling case behind us with the only sign of it having ever been there were the pair of huts that served as housing for Rain Shine and the king and queen. They would make for effective landmarks on the return trip. As would that conspicuous bare spot out in the middle of the Empty Plains. It would take some years for new grass to spread across it, but it was nothing to fret over. With nothing else to deal with, we all began to march east.

Ember and Rain Shine remained at my sides at all times. The higher officers were careful to keep us in formation to not step past the edge of that path of grass. Especially when the rain began to fall. I saw countless darker spots starting to form on the wasteland beyond my comrades. And the subtle vibrations of something striking my helmet and armor. And before much more time had passed, we were all caught in a gentle downpour.

Our pegasi personnel were careful to tend to the clouds as well as retrieve our sensor crystals as we proceeded. The rain should not be interrupted, but we could not allow the rainfall to get too heavy. But I did appreciate the relaxing stroll in the rain. I needed it. And it was an unexpected joy to once again be trekking across the pristine grassy plains after a day spent in the middle of a dusty desert.

This respite did not last long for me. While the change of pace and scenery was welcome, that novelty wore off after the first hour. My comrades were eventually allowed to spread out once clear of the wasteland so that we were not so densely packed together. But the somber tone of the rainfall eventually began to exasperate my anxiety over the knowledge that had been bestowed upon me. The relaxation I was feeling started to fade in the face of a growing sense of gloom.

Rain Shine drifted closer to me as she surely detected the angst in my heart. She whispered to me over the pattering of the rain and thumping tempo of the countless hooves around us. "Be strong, my dear. Nothing has changed. And we are here for you."

"I really appreciate that, Rain... Rain... OK, that's funny." I retorted before finding myself foolishly chuckling at the silly coincidence of who was talking to me while her namesake was falling all over us. It was a lame situational pun, but I was willing to take any humor I could get.

My kirin companion cocked her head to one side in confusion over why I was suddenly snickering over the mention of her name. It went completely over her head at first, but Ember was quick to join in on it. "Are you talking to Rain Shine or the weather right now?"

That did it. Rain Shine let out a chuckle before we resumed our march uninterrupted. But we were not left alone for much longer. A pair of winged figures descended before I found a pair of alicorns walking alongside me. Orbash and Sunflare now bordered me with Rain Shine and Ember having stepped further away. But once she realized who had just joined us, Rain Shine flashed a frightful glare past me at the sun queen herself. Orbash was quick to intervene and spoke up with a smile. "Calm yourself, chieftain. I will see to it Sunflare behaves herself."

She hesitated and even I was unnerved to be standing so close to someone who made an attempt on my life not even a full day ago. Ember too was not so sure of Sunflare's presence and gazed up at the queen out of the corner of her eye, her hand ready to swing her spear's shaft low to trip her up at a moment's notice. We continued to march along with Rain Shine and Ember keeping a constant vigil on the two royal alicorns beside me. Were they serving as my escorts?

Orbash's silvery mane and tail were resisting the weight of the rain for now. As for Sunflare... I saw steam rising from her as her wavering scarlet mane and tail were left entirely unaffected. I finally found the will to speak. "Can I help you?"

Sunflare merely cast me a rather cool glance that shut me up right away. I doubt she was there to converse. Instead, I turned my attention to Orbash, who immediately greeted me with a smile. "You seem to be in low spirits, so my wife and I wanted to stay nearby for...how you say...positive reinforcement?"

I glanced over at Sunflare while she glanced back over at me. Hardly a friendly face and the steam rising from her body carried with it some menacing implications. I then looked over at Orbash and said, "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to thrilled or terrified to have her right next to me..."

"Still dwelling on that? I can hardly blame you. Most who antagonize Sunflare rarely live long enough to do anything else." Orbash chuckled while doing little to soothe my concerns. Sunflare merely rolled her eyes at her husband's observations as she remained worryingly silent. Perhaps she had a lot on her mind. Perhaps she was never that much of a speaker to begin with outside of formal speeches. But her silence only intimidated me further.

"That's it. Get behind me, your majesty. You're scaring him." Ember suddenly spoke up as she practically muscled her way between Sunflare and myself. The queen did not object and allowed the Dragon Lord to return to her place on my left. She then glanced up at me from behind her helmet and asked, "Better?"

"Much. Thank you." I retorted while I was certain she was smiling at me. Sunflare's close proximity to me still made me uneasy, but at least I could trust Ember to trip her up if the queen tried anything.

Before much longer, my eyes glanced to my right as I leaned to one side. A just about walked into something. Or so I had thought at first. "Oh, excuse me... Wait... That was... Oh no, not this again..."

There they were again. Those shades of humanity long past. A temporal anomaly allowing my eyes to see the denizens of a dead empire who had long since left this world. They went about their daily routines on a day so long ago, some standing on higher elevations as if unseen floors supported them. These were uncomfortable to see before on their own merits. But seeing this now... Now that I knew of exactly what was happening out here... I felt like these visions were condemning me. Because the emperor and I were now connected.

Rain Shine did not take long to notice something was wrong with me. She turned to gaze at me and asked, "You spirit is disturbed... Is it the ghosts again?"

"Yeah... There must've been a town here at one point." I retorted as I tried to focus my eyes what was ahead and pay no mind to the shades that were around me. I did not want to break formation now just to get away from them.

"Now that you mention it, I do believe there was a settlement around this area at one point. I do believe it was called... Wait..." Orbash began to say before he suddenly realized what had just been said. He abruptly glanced at me and reached out to touch his wing to me. And those kind eyes... Narrowing in bitter disappointment. "Oh my... This is... These were better times... I even vaguely recognize a few of these faces..."

"Stand aside, Dragon Lord. I need to see this." Sunflare demanded before she stepped closer to me and also reached out with her wing. Ember relented and did not object. And the moment her wing came in contact with my pauldron... Those stern yellow eyes glanced about with such a profound look of melancholy. "How are you seeing this.. Is the Element of Humanity bestowing this vision upon you?"

"It's only happened a few times out here... I just wish it wouldn't. I don't need to see this..." I replied while Rain Shine and Ember only appeared puzzled by the mention of the polished white stone set into my helmet's brow. I doubt the Elements of Harmony are known to many, so the Element of Humanity must have been heard of by virtually no one outside of the Equestrian royal family.

The king and queen's gazes kept shifting as they tracked the ghosts of humanity passing us by. Sunflare soon closed her eyes and let out a wistful sigh. "I will never understand the fickleness of the human mind... Everything was as it should be. They had it all. Was the temptation of what could have been truly so much more enticing than what already was? You pathetic fool, your excellency..."

Seeing and hearing her sound like that... The sun queen sounded genuinely pained as well as deeply disappointed. Although she soon turned her gaze right at me. I flinched as I expected a strong how of hostility. Instead, she spoke with a stern gaze and tone, but her words were far from angry. "My daughters took a grave risk in bringing you to this world, child. Do not disappoint us."

"I hope I won't..." I muttered before casting my gaze to the ground. Anything to get my eyes off of what I was seeing around me. I still caught sight of the legs of these human illusions around me when they passed close enough. "I don't want to see this anymore... I don't want to feel associated with this..."

"Then close your eyes, friend. Close them and let us guide you." Orbash spoke softly before I felt the subtle movement of his and Sunflare's wings moving down from my pauldrons and pressing against my back to push me along. And so I did close my eyes and gazed ahead. And it was...pleasant. Closing my eyes as if to take a nap while walking along, hearing and feeling the gentle caress of rain and the thumping vibrations of countless hooves marching as well as smelling the lovely aroma of freshly wet earth and grass. All while the king and queen made certain I would not stray from my path by keeping my body centered in the embrace of their wings. If it is indeed possible to fall asleep while standing or walking, I am very sure I came exceptionally close to doing so. Nothing was said around me and that was how I wanted it to be.

For the next hour or two, I marched blindly as I was guided along by the outreaching wings of the moon king and sun queen. I must have been half asleep during the walk since it felt like they must have only stopped me long after we had passed the borders of that ghost town. So much so that I only really came back to my senses and stumbled forward and right onto several infantrymen right in front of me in a clatter of metal. "What?! Where that... Eh?! Oh crap, sorry! How long was I out?!"

"Did you seriously fall asleep while walking?! How do you do that?!" Ember shouted in disbelief while pulling me back up onto my feet by my wings while my comrades could only look back at me in irritation. And Orbash was getting quite the laugh out of it. The rainstorm had let up some time ago and I was left in a confused and admittedly sleepy stupor. I cannot say I did not need it though. All I could do was let out a yawn as I felt surprisingly good despite such a long walk. My armor's enchantments must have helped me stay upright and ease my fatigue. The infantrymen just looked back at me in annoyance while Ember only cast me a cockeyed and bewildered gaze from behind her helmet. "Well, someone's a lot more rested than everyone else around here. We've been marching for close to five hours."

"Five hours?! That was some nap." I retorted as even Sunflare snorted in some amusement. Although it was only then that I noticed everyone else around us had come to a stop. "Wait... Are we already setting up camp? The sun hasn't even started setting yet."

"True, but we departed as soon as possible to avoid getting bogged down in that mud pit. We're setting up early to compensate and to further discuss these recent turns of events. Would you be willing to join us in the war room?" Orbash asked while I could only yawn again while nodding in agreement. Minutes later, the camp was unpacked from its confinement and we all filed in to settle in for the evening while Smolder and Ocellus were seen departing with their satchels of sensor crystals draped over their shoulders.

I was a little too eager to go right back to sleep. Ember had to guide me into the war room and help me take a seat. Orbash then passed me a small cup of something once we were all seated. He insisted that I drink it all in one go and I did exactly that. But my taste buds were promptly assailed by a very warm and extremely bitter bite that made me gag and quiver violently. "Gah, what the hell was that?! Ugh, get me something sweet!"

Orbash got a hearty laugh out of my reaction before he replied, "A double shot of espresso, my friend! I take it you're not one for coffee?"

"God, no. Never could stand that devil's brew. I'll only chug it if I need the caffeine kick and nothing else is available." I explained before quickly scarfing down a scone that even had a delicious bright pink dried icing covering it. That was just what I needed to get that awful aftertaste out. "So then... What's there to talk about?"

The bunch of familiar faces were all around me. Anyone with any sort of a leadership role over battlefield activities were present. Spitfire spoke up first as she downed a cup of coffee, "There's nothing to report on my end. My wingmen are staying sharp with drills and we've ironed out any potential overachievers in the ranks. We won't be having anymore Lightning Dust incidents."

"You've had some rebellious volunteers in your ranks? I can't say the same for mine. Although perhaps that has more to do with archery demanding patience and precision that does not allow for such arrogance." Seaspray added while stirring some honey into his cup of tea. Surely a taste that reminded him of home if all those honey products back on Capricorn Island were anything to go by.

Luna then added, "Good news on my front though. Any potential disasters in the making were vetted thoroughly from the ranks of my mages before we could move last time. There will be no more problems from my division. Although didn't you say that all further acceptance of volunteers would be closed, Celestia?"

"Yes, I sent word to Cadence last night to see to it no further volunteers are to be accepted from here on out. It would take too long to train any new arrivals to get them caught up to the rest of us and the enemy opposition will most likely become more aggressive the closer we get to our destination. I don't want us receiving anymore newcomers if they won't be ready for the worst of what's to come." Celestia explained while I juts watched what was happening around me with a growing sense of awareness. Awful as that shot of espresso was, it was really starting to work.

Sunflare was next to speak. "That would be wise. If the emperor is aware that Orbash and I are among you, he may grow more desperate to hold our approach off. It would be wise to expect more extreme and ruthless measures to be utilized against us for the foreseeable future. Although I must say that in terms of formations and tactics, you all seem well prepared for future engagements."

"With that said... Might I make a suggestion? And may I especially get your input as well, Captain Seaspray?" Orbash asked with his eyes focusing mostly on the one hippogriff amongst us.

Seaspray was predictably annoyed by the king using the wrong terminology in addressing him, but he was less forward in correcting him. "Admiral Seaspray, if you please. And yes, I'm all ears."

Orbash took Seaspray's shift in tone well and almost laughed at his own blunder. "Ah, yes. Admiral. My apologies. In any case, we have reason to believe that as the opposition increases, our enemy may begin to phase out lighter armor for heavier plate armor. Should that happen, standard arrows will be near useless. That will leave you and your fellow archers at a critical disadvantage."

That was quite the observation to make. For as hard as arrows hit to the point where even brigandine may potentially not hold up to them, he was right in that dedicated plate arrow is nearly impervious to arrow strikes and even crossbow bolts. All our archers would do to the heaviest infantry is line their armor with dents. Seaspray held a hand to the underside of his beak as he muttered, "Hm... Yes, you are quite right about that... And that just won't do. Granted, I'm convinced my fellow hippogriffs could still land a lethal blow through the few gaps in the armor that will surely be present, but I can't say the same about our unicorn archers. What do you suggest?"

"If I may?" Nightmare Moon spoke up before all eyes fell upon her. "If armor renders standard arrows useless, perhaps it would be wise to replace those arrows with those that carry the same explosive charges our aerial units use for their single-shot crossbows. Plate armor will do little to cushion the impact of an explosion."

This sounded like a great idea to me, but Spitfire was not so sure. She quickly spoke up while waving a hoof in objection. "Whoa, hold on there. Are you sure that's a good idea? Part of the reason my wingmen only carry one shot is because carrying around a bunch of them sounds dangerous. Are you sure it would be safe for our archers to carry a bunch of those around in a quiver that keeps swaying all the time with them bumping into each other?"

That made me instantly reconsider my thoughts on the matter. I glanced at Ember, who was seated beside me, while she also looked at me with an unnerved gaze. If one of those quivers full of explosive arrows went off, that would cause a chain reaction throughout the entire battalion of archers and leave...a horrific mess in its wake. Was it worth the risk?

To my surprise, Luna let out a laugh. "Ha! Most unlikely. I take it our researchers have not explained to you how those explosive crystals function? They are entirely inert on their own. Even a hard impact won't detonate them easily. They only become volatile when exposed to friction with the air by traveling at high speed. The sort of speed an arrow travels when launched from its string. That, or the heat of an exposed flame. Both of which are unlikely to occur when inside a quiver."

I let out a quiet sigh of relief. A frightful possibility that was not so frightful after all. Seaspray then said, "If that is the case... Then yes. Yes, I do believe my men would appreciate having some extra firepower to counter the hardiest opponents we may face."

Ember and I had little to add and generally only spoke when spoken to. But what we did hear was reaffirming. And it gave me hope for the coming battles. We have gotten as far as we have with only a handful of minor injuries. Even if the king and queen are duty bound to not intervene unless absolutely necessary, we may not need their help at this rate.

Shining Armor departed from the war room for a short while and soon returned with a few documents that he passed to the royal sisters. They appeared to be messages sent from airships that had been waiting for the militia to stop for the day so they could come in and dock for the sake of carrying out their supply runs. Celestia soon looked my way and said, "Looks to me like the Zephyrus and the Alabaster are en route. They should be here any time."

"Alabaster... Wait, that's Novo's airship, right?" Ember asked with a look of intrigue in her eyes. I too felt a flutter in my heart now that my beloved queen was about to dock. I glanced at Ember while she glanced at me, the two of us sharing a smile. We were both fond of the hippogriff queen for different reasons and were eager to say hello.

"It is. Oh, and that one only just came in, your highness." Shining Armor added before he returned to his seat, his hoof tapping on one of the scrolls he had brought in. He then returned to his seat with another cup of coffee in his magical grasp.

"This one? Let's see then..." Celestia muttered before reading over the most recent scroll after having unfurled it. And I was not expecting what she was about to say. Celestia's face lit up as she said, "Well...! This is a surprise. Cadence is coming in on one of the next cargo ships. She says paying a visit might be good for morale and wanted it to be a surprise."

"Cadence?! Here?! Oh man, never thought I'd be so happy to see her in a war zone." Shining Armor exclaimed while almost spilling his coffee. Even I was shocked to hear that Cadence would be arriving soon. I thought she had been filling in for the royal sisters while they were out here fighting the good fight with Spike serving as her assistant and connection to the princesses. For her to just up and catch the next transport out here to check in and say hello... To be honest, I would expect that from her. And I bet she is popular among the royal guardsmen in Canterlot since she is the wife of their boss.

Not everyone was familiar with that name, although Seaspray was quick to chime in. "Really now?! The missus is paying us a visit?"

"Um... Fill me in here? Who's Cadence?" Ember asked with her head tilted to one side. The name most definitely had never met her ears before.

"She's Shining Armor's wife. A princess by connection. She's been handling all the paperwork back in Canterlot while we're out here. Really lovely lady, I promise you'll like her." I replied while also liking the sound of meeting Cadence for the first time in a while. And it was a good opportunity for our newest allies to become acquainted with the wife of the captain of the guard.

With nothing else to discuss, the meeting was adjourned and we all began to file out of the command center. All except for Shining Armor, strangely enough. This was a rare occasion that pretty much the highest officers would need to be present for. Ember and Rain Shine accompanied the royal family and I towards the airship docks. Although Celestia then brought up a very important point as we walked along. "Before we see her, I must say right now that everything that happened when you two arrived must not be mentioned to Novo. Can I please ask that of you?"

Celestia's gaze was focused on her parents and I understood why. While Orbash nodded in agreement, Sunflare was not so certain of why that incident should not be mentioned. "I suppose we can keep that to ourselves, but may I ask why?"

I decided it was best if I reveal that information. "If Novo finds out you made an attempt on my life, she'll assassinate you herself or die trying. Or at the very least never forgive you."

The sheer look of confused disbelief on Sunflare's face... She could not comprehend a mortal having the audacity to try and kill her directly. Celestia then spoke in confirmation. "She will. If word gets out about that, Novo absolutely will hate you and seek to make you pay for it, Mother. Please do not give her reason to despise you."

"Very well then. Whatever happened between this man and I? Let's forget it even transpired." Sunflare replied with a noticeable crooked grimace on her face that almost got a chuckle out of me. As if she was contemplating whether or not trying to take the quickest and most direct way out of this conflict might have been a stupid idea in the long run. Even if Novo is a weakling compared to the likes of Sunflare, I know that Novo is not easily intimidated and would be a little too eager to introduce her prized rapier to the queen's throat.

One cargo ship had already been docked by the time we arrived. And the forms of the Zephyrus and Alabaster could already be seen on the horizon as they buzzed our way. Rain Shine and Ember especially were fixated on the forms of the drifting airships. Orbash then spoke up, "The Alabaster certainly retains that polished white visage of the Capricorn Island aesthetic. And that plumage on the gas sack there... Definitely a staple of the Republic of Aquila."

"Aquila...? That... Wait, is that what they call the homeland of the harpies?" I asked upon hearing that term and not recognizing it at all. When considering how long the king and queen have been around and how they have most likely traveled the entire planet by now, they must be especially worldly in their knowledge.

Sunflare was the one to reply. "It is. Very colorful folk down there and I do suppose you have heard that they pioneered the modern airship."

The Alabaster came in first while the Zephyrus drifted to a stop. They were probably radioing to the crew for them to take turns in order to avoid risking a collision. And no sooner had the gangplank been lowered did a familiar beautiful face peer over the side of the deck. I raised my hand and waved as glee filled my heart. Just like that, my concerns and worries disappeared for the moment as a beautiful bird of paradise came swooping down to us. "Hello there, honey! Did you miss me?"

"More than you know." I retorted before hastily stepping forward and throwing my arms around Novo. That embrace of plush feathers... I had no idea how much I needed that. And everyone was respectfully quiet to allow us to indulge in this reunion.

Although Novo did eventually happen to see who was standing behind me. She began to release me from her grasp with her eyes going wide in intrigue. "Hm? Wait a minute... Who is... Celestia, don't tell me these are..."

"Yes, Novo. It's exactly what it looks like. I have some introductions to make." Celestia spoke with a tone of giddy nervousness in her voice. This was a big moment for her, introducing her best friend to her own parents for what was surely the first time. We all stood to the side to allow the royal families to mingle. Celestia extended her wing towards the king and queen before saying, "Novo... I'd like you to meet my mother and father. Queen Sunflare and King Orbash. I know I've never said much about them..."

"Charmed." Sunflare spoke cordially yet firmly as she bowed her head towards Novo in greeting. While they both bore the title of queen, it was clear who reigned over the other.

Orbash maintained his friendly smile and also bowed. "A pleasure, Novo. You've reigned quite well over your people for... Um... Is something wrong?"

Novo was... For quite possibly the first time since I had known her, Novo looked absolutely awestruck. She was uncharacteristically silent. To be fair, I could understand why. Almost no one had any knowledge of the existence of these godly alicorns. But she did finally start to shake her head from side to side while letting out a quiet and long whistle. She then glanced over at Celestia and...said something that we all should have seen coming. "My my, Celestia. Now I see where you and your sisters get your good looks from. Your daddy's quite the stud."

I... I cracked. It was so like Novo to say something like that and I hunkered over in laughter. Everyone around me either laughed, recoiled in disbelief, or had no idea how to even respond to that statement. Sunflare especially looked utter stunned by such a brazen observation of her husband, but Orbash took it even better as he threw his head back and howled in laughter. "Bwaaaaahahahahaha my goodness! It's been far too long since someone said anything like that about me!"

"Father, please... Novo's just being Novo..." Celestia said while looking more than just uncomfortable with her best friend all but hitting on her own father. Almost like she knew the hippogriff queen would say something like that.

Sunflare was nowhere near as amused by this as she took a defiant and domineering step toward the hippogriff queen. "Yes, he is quite the stallion. And he's mine, so don't get any ideas!"

Now it was Novo's turn to laugh. She snickered hard before throwing up a hand in a dismissive fashion. "Oh, perish the thought! I'm quite happy with my own sugar bear right now, your grace. You can keep your hunky man of a stallion. Him and those chiseled onyx haunches and ungodly sexy silver mane."

Orbash sounded like he was going to faint if he laughed any harder. Even I could not keep a straight face. If I did not know Novo as well as I did by then, I would have been concerned that she was sincerely planning on stealing Orbash away from Sunflare for herself. But I knew where Novo's heart lied. She was just having fun and making quite the first impression with the parents of her best friend. Luna and Nightmare Moon cringed and grimaced at the hippogriff queen, having no idea how they should take this ridiculous first encounter. Sunflare then finally rolled her eyes and groaned, "I suppose this is something I will just have to get accustomed to, I suppose."

"You better believe it, honey. I've never seen a stallion as studly as your man and I'm not going to let him forget it anytime soon." Novo retorted with such a smug smirk on her beak. Was she just really liking what she was seeing, or was she really just having some fun at the expense of Celestia's admittedly humor-lacking mother?

Orbash finally tried to reel in his raucous laughter and thumped on his chest with his wrist. His dark face bore a brilliant white toothy smile as he said, "Ooooh, the days when I was a simple bachelor with so many mares fawning over me. Ha, that really takes me back! I mean I do appreciate the praise, but my heart belongs only to my queen here. So I am so very sorry to disappoint, your majesty."

In a quick moment, Novo reached out and touched her talon to Orbash's nose. The king visibly recoiled in surprise while Novo bore a constant smirk on her beak. "And what a lucky lady she is! You be good to your wife, honey. Hunks like you don't come around often enough."

"Novo, please! That's enough! Too many of our personnel have been swooning over my father already!" Celestia spoke up loudly before cringing over letting that bit of information slip. She was not wrong. Many mares I have passed have been gossiping over the moon king. And Orbash was finally brought to his knees as he could no longer stay standing from sheer laughter. I wonder if one of the reasons he and Sunflare have stayed behind the scenes of history is because of just how unbelievably handsome he is... Does he ever get sick of the attention?

"Right, I'd say I've gotten enough laughs out of this crowd. Anyway..." Novo finally said as she relented. She then bowed gracefully to the king and queen before her with a hand upon her chest. "It's an honor, your majesties. And let me say right now you've raised some fine daughters here. Especially Miss Sunbutt right there."

"Really, Novo?! Now?!" Celestia shrieked as... How many of us were on our knees by that point? Even Sunflare could not help bursting into awkward laughter. The Princess of the Dawn then shouted, "If I had known this is how your first encounter with my parents would go, I would've shooed them out of the camp before you arrived!"

"My goodness, Celestia... Quite the friend you've made. Very...colorful. Very entertaining. I see why she's reigned over Capricorn Island for as long as she has. Her people must love her." Sunflare spoke as her husband gasped for breath on the ground. That crooked grimace on her lips... Even she was trying to maintain a straight face and was failing.

Celestia rolled her eyes and let out a groan of exasperation. "I'll never know how we've stayed friends for this long..."

"Oh come on, Sunbutt. You're such a killjoy far too often. How long has your daddy being staying out of the spotlight? That kinda gorgeousness shouldn't be ignored." Novo flippantly declared while continuing to push her best friend's buttons in front of all of us.

"He had to deal with that quite enough over the millennia already! He doesn't need you piling on too!" Celestia shouted back as the situation started to become more heated. And in a matter of seconds, the two of them descended into a vocal argument as we all started to take several steps back.

"Come to think of it, it's been a while since I last saw them bicker like this..." I said quietly as Celestia and Novo got right up into each other's faces and just squabbled away. I was not even trying to follow what they were saying anymore. Seeing the Princess of the Dawn and the queen of Capricorn Island locked in a petty argument like a couple of gossiping commoners is its own kind of entertaining.

Ember finally found something to say as she watched the surreal spectacle before us. "I knew they always got along well, but I never saw them bounce off each other like this... Is this normal for them?"

"Yes. Yes it is. Don't mind the tension in the air. They're just being friends in a way only they can be." Luna spoke dryly while squinting her eyes in amusement. I doubt she and Nightmare Moon would ever bond with Novo in the same way that Celestia had. And in all fairness, theirs is a friendship that has spanned millennia. That would be nearly impossible to replicate.

Rain Shine then said softly as if afraid to be heard by the bickering royals, "They appear furious, but the fury I feel is not particularly bitter. They almost appear to be enjoying themselves in some...strange way."

Orbash chuckled heartily as the Zephyrus finally started to come in for a landing nearby. "It's good to see Celestia has such a good friend and for so long. And a little fire at times is exactly what those two need. Not to mention they're fun to watch."

"Yes, quite... They can bicker as long as they want so long as they continue to make us laugh..." Nightmare Moon added before we all turned to face the descending Zephyrus. Anchors were dropped as the colorful airship was moored and the gangplank lowered. And sure enough, I noticed a familiar hat with a very wide rim come up over the edge of the deck. "Oh, here she comes now."

Seconds after noticing our presence on the ground, someone came swooping down the side of the Zephyrus while holding onto an exceptionally long rope. It was just the right length too as a familiar harpy hen came in for a firm landing before us. She then lifted the brim of her hat to reveal her rosy eyes. "Ahoy there! What's been happening since... Whoa there, I'm seeing some new faces here..."

By then, I was much more comfortable around Sunflare due to the levity of minutes earlier. I found myself smirking at Celaeno as she beheld the king and queen of Equestria themselves. And so I extended my hand in their general direction and said, "Hey there, captain. And it's exactly what it looks like. King pa. Queen mum."

Celaeno's beak dropped open after a moment of staring at the two godly alicorns before her. Everyone remained silent to allow her to speak while Orbash and Sunflare waited patiently with matching smiles on their faces. The harpy captain then raised a hand and pointed dumbly at them before asking, "You mean to tell me...you're the mom and dad of the princesses of Equestria?! It never even occurred to me that they had parents..."

Sunflare for once let out a laugh. "Ha! They had to come from somewhere. Although I suppose it is understandable that the origins of the most ancient entities of this world can be lost to the ages."

"Although that does beg the question of where you and I came from, my love. I just can't recall... Can you?" Orbash then asked as an awkward silence fell over all of us. A very amusing silence as we all pondered that statement. As we all pondered and wondered about who or what may have birthed the mightiest ponies who had ever lived, Orbash then stammered with his impressive wings flittering rapidly like those of a spastic sparrow. "Let's not ponder that too hard, yes?! There are some blank periods in this world even I have no knowledge of!"

Celaeno cracked an uneven grin on her beak before glancing over at me. "For being the king and queen, they're already kinda funny."

"Yes, they have...very defined and colorful personalities. You won't be forgetting about them anytime soon." I replied before stepping back to allow Celaeno to introduce herself.

Having an eye for protocol, Celaeno kneeled before the king and queen with her head bowed. "It's an honor, your majesties. Celaeno, captain of the Zephyrus. A pleasure to meet you."

The king and queen bowed their heads in greeting. But the moment Celaeno lifted her head, her eyes fell upon the only other person among us she had yet to meet. "Whoa, hold on. You're really far from home. Or did we really go that far east already? I can't remember the last time I saw a kirin... It's been years since we last flew that far out there..."

She was right about one thing. Celaeno and her crew had departed before Rain Shine could arrive. And they most likely had no idea the Grove of Silence even existed. It must be impossible to see from the air. But the kirin chieftain still approached with a smile and said, "Actually, I approached from the west. My home is on the Empty Plains among a village of my people. If you only travel by air, you couldn't have possibly seen it. I am Rain Shine, chieftain of the Grove of Silence."

"That's...definitely not a kirin village I've ever heard of. You're a long way from home." Celaeno replied before stepping over to the one kirin in the entire militia. But she still smiled and said, "But I do remember how amazing your cooking is way out east. Great stuff there."

That prompted a giggle from my friend. It is impressive just how much distance the Zephyrus has covered over the years with Celaeno at the helm. Before long, the dock crewmen began to unload the cargo being brought in aboard the Alabaster and Zephyrus. Celaeno's crew assisted as usual and very quickly took notice of Orbash and Sunflare before they too were eager to meet Equestria's true king and queen.

I watched the royals discuss amongst themselves once Novo and Celestia's bickering had come to a close. Just catching up on important matters with the hippogriff queen. Celaeno and I just watched from nearby. There was not much to do until Cadence arrived. But while Celaeno was occupied with watching the members of royalty, I finally remembered what I had heard just before she could arrive. "So then... Republic of Aquila, huh?"

Celaeno's eyes opened even wider before she glanced over at me. She then cracked quite a cheeky grin before saying, "Finally heard about that, huh? Yeah, that's where I'm from. Homeland of the harpies. Rainforests and sunny beaches. You should stop by when you can. We harpies know how to make tourists happy."

"I have a suspicion that you birds are a festive bunch." I retorted while that delighted grin on her beak told me I was not too far off. But I then happened to notice the hilt of Celaeno's saber on her hip. This brought a small memory to the forefront of my mind. "Before I forget... Didn't you say that harpies tend to make for excellent swordsmen?"

Celaeno noticed the intrigue in my tone and where my eyes were looking. She then said, "Mmhm, that's something my people have always been known for. We're pretty quick with our hands, so swordsmanship is something we tend to excel in. What about you? What are humans known for?"

"That's a...really good question. If I had to give a simple answer, I'd say that humans are jacks of all trades. We're adept in just about everything, though it varies from person to person." I retorted while really unsure of how to elaborate. Hippogriffs are excellent archers, harpies excel at swordplay, unicorns are natural mages, but humans? Not the best nor worst, though I suppose that results in consistency and versatility. I then asked, "If harpies are the best swordsmen in Equestria, then who would you say is one of the best right now?"

Celaeno crossed her arms in thought before she muttered contemplatively. "Now? Hm... That's always a good question, but there is one guy I've heard of in fencing circles. He's supposedly one of the best of his generation. I haven't actually met him myself, but he goes by the alias of Rey del Sol. Some even say there's someone he specifically wants to beat in a duel someday, but he's pretty good at hiding his tracks. Not the sort of guy who loves to bask in the spotlight, I guess."

With what little I had seen from Celaeno and her crew thus far, I was not particularly surprised to hear that harpy culture has a distinctive Hispanic vibe. Or at the very least Equestrian equivalent to my world's Hispanic culture. Although Celaeno then cast me a whimsical smirk for a second as the cogs turned in her head. When Boyle started to pass us on his way back for more cargo to unload, she called out to him. "Hey, Boyle! Let James borrow your saber for a minute."

"Sure thing, captain!" Boyle replied promptly before pulling his sword from its scabbard with his one good hand before turning it around with a light toss in the air and handing it to me by the blade. "Here you go, mate. Take good care of her."

"Uh... Sure." I mumbled while taking hold of the saber by its hilt. As Boyle walked away, I turned my gaze to Celaeno. "And what am I supposed to do with this?"

"I thought I'd show you a little Aquilan technique in how we use a sword. Or at least a saber." Celaeno replied before she proceeded to draw her own sword from its scabbard. Her resulting stance showed she knew exactly what she was doing. Her left hand was clenched into a fist and rested against her lower back. A technique I knew as a means to keep the off-hand out of the way. "You know how to take a proper stance, right?"

"Yeah, I had a freestyle duel once..." I replied as I tried to recall that one time I had a duel of sorts with Blueblood during my first time attending the Grand Galloping Gala. I mirrored Celaeno the best I could, my saber matching hers while being held on a 45 degree angle, and with my left hand behind my back. Although having spent so much time using a sword and shield or even a longsword, this felt so very unfitting for me. "I gotta say this doesn't feel at all like how I use my usual gear... You sure this can teach me something useful that I can use on the battlefield?"

"Probably not, but I'm sure learning a little something new might sharpen your reflexes. Saber dueling is fast and frantic. If you can keep up with a saber specialist, you can probably put that technique to good use with other swords." Celaeno explained while I did see where she was coming from. She then pointed the curved blade of her weapon at me and said, "Before you start swinging that around, there are some guidelines to using these in a duel. It all comes down to how you swing it."

I watched as Celaeno made slow cuts through the air that were easy to follow. And they all followed a six-direction grid. Left or right and up and down on 45 degree angles. It was simple, yet efficient. And I found myself appreciating the swift simplicity of wielding a saber. "This is generally how you swing a saber. One of these six directions. Come on, try and parry my swings."

"Gotcha, captain." I retorted after performing six swings in each of the six directions to get a feel of how to flex my wrist. I doubted I needed to get the exact angle right at all times. Once I was ready, Celaeno came in with a swing on a downward angle. I matched that one with a horizontal swing to push it away as our blades clacked lightly. She then tried a horizontal swing to my left, which I countered with a downward swing in its direction. She then tried a horizontal slice in the other direction. Since my sword arm was still pushed to my left and angled down, I countered with an upward diagonal swing to push it away. I quickly found myself learning that which direction one swings in is dependant on the positioning of the arm and the direction the opponent's blade was coming from.

Bit by bit, our swings picked up speed. From a slow and methodical waltz before quickening into a more reasonably paced tango. Celaeno and I engaged in what practically a saber dance as our blades clicked and clacked against each other with the two of us even having a bit of a spring in our steps while we adjusted our feet to maintain balance. It almost felt like a game with our blades cutting and countering. Neither side was trying to overpower the other. We were simply testing each other's defenses. I did eventually speak up and said, "You really know your saber swings, captain."

"When your papa's one of the local blacksmith's back home, you tend to learn a few things. My dad taught me everything I know about a sword." Celaeno replied with a big smile on her beak. She was having a good time. "Anyway, look's like you've caught your stride. Ready to step it up?"

"Um... Step it up how... Gah! Too fast! Too fast!" I started to say before I was suddenly forced to step back. Celaeno's tempo suddenly reached an allegro as she began to swing her sword with much briefer intervals between strikes. I struggled to match her speed, our blades colliding with much more force than before. It was then that I realized just how much the saber is built for speed. My eyes darted around in my head, trying to read the alignment of her sword in time to parry it. This was much too fast for anyone with the patience for a shield on one arm. I could only barely keep up.

"Captain! Captain, stop! I'm gonna... Agh!" I pleaded as I tried to concede defeat, but I finally had to practically fall to the ground as I was sure she was about to take a slice at my face. Her swings were starting to aim worryingly high.

Once I was down, Celaeno ceased her assault immediately and even approached me with an outstretched arm to help me up. "Whoa, whoa, you all right there? I told you saber duels get fast! Too much on your first go?"

"You can say that. Good god, I wasn't ready for that..." I retorted with my hand grasping hers. Celaeno steadily pulled me back up to my feet with her peg leg firmly planted into the ground for some very solid leverage. I then asked, "I seriously thought you were going to slice my forehead open."

"Huh? First of all, no I wasn't. And secondly, the worst I'd leave on you is a bruise. These aren't even sharp, James. We carry dress swords on our persons during peacetime. The good stuff is locked up in the armory." Celaeno replied as she lifted her saber and ran a finger along the edge. Only for me to see there was no edge to speak of. The blade was entirely blunt. As was mine. Was her sword dull every time I had seen it so far? I could not recall.

"These...are blunt? Huh... Just for training purposes?" I muttered before closely examining Boyle's saber in my hand. It was very well made. High quality steel. There just was not an edge to cut with. I then glanced at Celaeno and said, "You know your way with a saber a lot more than I do. I bet none of your crew can keep up."

"True, true. But you're not too shabby either for a first try." Celaeno replied with a big smile on her beak. That duel was meaningful and she clearly enjoyed herself. She then asked, "How about this? Every time we dock here after a supply run, you and I have another spar? I'd like to see how much better you can get if it'll help you stay sharp out there."

I would have hesitated under normal circumstances, but I could see where she was coming from. Even if saber techniques would not benefit me on the battlefield, the sharpening of my senses would serve me well. And so I nodded and said, "Sounds like a plan, captain. Just...uh...make sure our swords are always dull, all right?"

Celaeno reached up and rested her hand on my shoulder while a more sincere smile spread across her beak. "James, you really don't have to call me that. You know I consider you a part of the crew, but I'm not your boss. Can you try to phase that out? Just a little something between friends."

"I can try... Just feel compelled to be professional around those who hold some kind of authority." I explained as I took in Celaeno's sincere tone. She has always been the captain of the Zephyrus and that was hard for me to look past.

It was then that Celaeno smirked at me before grabbing my cheek with some sort of pinch between her fingers. "Captains don't play around with their crew like this. You know my name. Do me a favor and start saying it more often, all right? Or do I need to start calling you 'boy' from now on?"

"You're only old enough to be my big sister!" I retorted loudly before Celaeno lost her grip on me in a bout of laughter. I knew that, at most, she is only fifteen years my senior even if she really does not look like it. But Celaeno then looked past me at something that was apparently not there before. And upon turning to look, I found all of my companions just lined up in a row while watching. "Uh...yes?"

"Don't mind us! We're just enjoying the show." Ember replied while waving at us with a big smile. I guess they were just watching as a distraction while waiting for Cadence to arrive.

Celaeno and I looked to the west and could not make out any airships on the horizon yet. She then looked at me and asked, "Wanna go another round to pass the time?"

"Since we have nothing better to do... Sure." I replied while I readied myself with saber in hand. For the next ten minutes or so, Celaeno and I put on a show for our audience. The clinking and clacking of steel blades slapping against each other filled the air while we tried to maintain a stalemate. Every now and then, one of us would pressure the other with harder and faster swings. Celaeno did a better job of telegraphing her moves when she was about to speed up to force me back and she too looked like she was starting to struggle whenever I upped the tempo of my own saber dance. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of this."

"Looks like it. Keep it up, keep it up..." Celaeno retorted with her saber swinging and peg leg firmly rooted to one spot. I started to wonder if that stick of solid emerald had advantages and drawbacks for a saber duel. It could probably provide extra leverage for remaining in one place, but might get in the way if she had to adjust her footing to retreat when the defensive. I can only hope that there really is a way to restore her missing leg when the time comes.

It was around then that we both stopped with our blades locked. We both noticed something out of the corner of our eyes. An airship was approaching on a low altitude. It looked almost indistinguishable from the cargo ships that kept coming and going. Was that the one?

Everyone watched intently as that one ship came buzzing over the docking area and began to descend. The ground crews helped guide it down and took hold of the mooring ropes to secure it. I passed Boyle's saber back to Celaeno and said, "I think I learned something from you today. We'll do this again sometime, right?"

"Every time we drop anchor. I'm always ready to throw down blades with you." Celaeno replied with her hand returning her saber to its scabbard. She then took Boyle's saber in hand before lifting her other hand to her brow to gaze up at the deck of the ship that was docking before us. And once the gangplank was lowered, Celaeno spoke up. "Ooh, she's a pretty one. That's who you're waiting for?"

Sure enough, I recognized a very familiar mare I had not seen in a while. Cadence stood at the edge of the gangplank while glancing around at the camp that lay spread out before her. It was almost surreal to see her out there. The last place anyone so full of love had any business visiting. But perhaps that paradox was exactly why she was out there. I have never heard anyone say a single bad thing about Cadence. Someone that pleasant with connections to our leaders paying a visit would surely be good for us all. "Huh... She really is here."

Cadence quickly descended the gangplank and trotted our way with a wing outstretch like a waving hand. "Hello! Hello, it's been weeks! So sorry for not sending word sooner. I wanted this all to be a big surprise! How is everyone?"

Celestia stepped forward and lowered her head to that of her niece for a traditional equine greeting. And she responded with a smile. "Things are going about as well as we could possibly hope. And it's so good to see you out here after so long."

I watched with a smile as Cadence greeted her three aunts while Celaeno also watched in respectful silence. But then Cadence faced the king and queen themselves. And she gazed up at them in awe. "Oh my... Are you who you think you are? You... You are, aren't you?"

Luna then took the opportunity to provide an answer. "Yes, child. Allow me to introduce you to Mother and Father. King Orbash and Queen Sunflare. I understand if my sister said little of them."

"And it's a pleasure, little Cadence! And seeing as how our dear Celestia took you under her wing as her own... I suppose that would make you our granddaughter?" Orbash then added before breaking out into a hearty laugh. That certainly never occurred to me. Since Celestia did technically adopt Cadence, I suppose that would make sense. Sunflare just cracked an amused smirk at her husband's suggestion, but did not appear against it.

Cadence's response was as adorable as it was funny. She brought her hooves to her chin in confused glee as she exclaimed, "I wasn't ready for this! I never once considered that I had grandparents!"

"I suddenly feel so much older now that you've mentioned that term..." Sunflare grumbled as we all laughed or at least chuckled at that observation. I wonder if I will feel conspicuously older once I become a grandfather... Probably not the best feeling in the world. Regardless, the queen snorted in amusement and brought her head down to touch her horn to Cadence's. "Regardless, a pleasure to meet you, child."

Celaeno and I watched as the entire Equestrian royal family finally got to properly meet each other for the first time. Nightmare Moon had the least to say, no doubt to avoid revealing the strained connection between her and Sunflare. That was a topic for another time. Although Ember then found the opportunity to approach. Cadence noticed her before she could speak and turned to face the Dragon Lord. "Oh, hello. Are you... I'm sorry, remind me who else is here?"

Ember brought a hand to her chest and bowed her head to the niece of her superior. "I am the Dragon Lord. Ember. A cadre of my men and I are participating in the war effort."

"The Dragon Lord?! Aunt Celestia, you didn't mention anything about the ruler of dragons taking part. But I guess this was the sort of thing I'd be better off finding out about in person, right?" Cadence replied aghast before just chuckling at the minor oversight of Celestia not necessarily telling her everything that was happening out there. Although she then turned to face a very amused Novo and gazed up at the hippogriff queen. "Oh my... You... You're Novo, yes?"

"I most definitely am, honey." The queen of Capricorn Island declared before lightly patting the most diminutive alicorn among us on the head. "I know you don't remember me, but I met you just once when you were still the littlest sweet pea. Sweetest little thing, I swear. And my, how you've grown. I could never forgive a sweet little thing like you. Especially since I changed your diapers during your visit."

"I...didn't need to know that." Cadence muttered before bursting into awkward laughter. As did just about everyone else. At last, she turned to face Rain Shine. And he was in awe of who she was seeing. "You... It's coming back to me... A kirin? Yes, a kirin! From far to the east! It's an honor to meet you! Miss... Your name, please?"

Cadence waited patiently for a response. But Rain Shine... She said nothing. And she did nothing. When I noticed how long it was taking for her to reply, I looked at my beautiful friend. And her face... She stood perplexed. Not shocked or afraid. But...more confused than anything. Why? There was nothing wrong with Cadence. Regardless, the kirin chieftain did finally vocalize a response. "I am Rain Shine... A pleasure to meet you."

The new arrival understood Rain Shine was not in the most talkative mood and cut the conversation short by bowing to her in greeting. She then finally turned to me and bowed in greeting once more. "Long time no see, James. And still bursting at the seams with love like always."

"Good to see you too, Cadence. It really has been a while. We should catch up at dinner with Twilight." I replied while waving at her. I was tempted to give her a hug, but it felt like that was not the right time for it. This was a largely professional visit.

Now that introductions were out of the way, it was then that Celestia began to step past everyone and said, "Let's not waste too much time now. If introductions are finished, we should rendezvous at the command center. There is much we need to catch up on. And I know Shining Armor is eager to reunite with you."

"Oh my goodness, yes! I can't keep Shiny waiting! Let's go!" Cadence replied with a giddy spring in her step. I was about to follow, but took the time to bid Celaeno farewell for now. But when I turned to follow the royals, I found Rain Shine standing right where she was as her eyes remained focused on Cadence.

I studied the gaze of the kirin before me. She seldom blinked. As if she sensed something was not right. I then asked, "Something up? Were you getting some strange vibes off of Cadence?"

Rain Shine's gaze did not leave Cadence no matter how far she trotted. And her response confused me. "I did not sense...anything from her. At all. As if something was interfering with my senses. I could sense the emotional energies of everyone else around me, but...not her."

I almost forgot about how kirin are able to detect the emotional state of those around them. And I quickly put together an hypothesis. "Maybe it's because...of her unique magic? Cadence possesses unusual magical abilities that are centered around love. Maybe that's creating a certain kind of flux that clashes with her natural emotional vibes."

"Hm. I had not considered that. I did not even know about her until today, so there is that..." Rain Shine muttered before shaking her head to clear her thoughts. She then smiled at me and said, "Do not let me distract you. I am sure there is much to discuss with your friend."

I glanced back at the airships behind us one more time to see the ground crews and the airship personnel collaborating to remove cargo from the airship hulls. There was definitely nothing amiss there and I was finally in a good mood again. I turned to Rain Shine and nodded before we hurried to catch up with everyone. I wanted to be there when Shining Armor and Cadence finally got to see each other for the first time in weeks.

Cadence got a lot of attention as we walked through the camp. Probably because she was probably one of the more relatable princesses of Equestria. I never really saw her engaging in royal duties for as long as I have known her. A civilian who bears such a title by connection rather than royal blood. And she was quick to throw a smile at everyone who greeted her in passing. I was especially grateful that she was taking attention away from me. It was nice to not be getting wary glances everywhere I went.

Upon reaching the command center, Cadence was allowed to enter first. And she stopped short after stepping past the door. "Shiny, I'm here! And...hello, gentlemen. There's...um...a lot of you for one place, isn't there?"

Once I had followed her inside, I quickly saw what was up. And abnormally large number o guardsmen were stationed in the common area with spears at their sides. Shining Armor too was armed and was keeping a safe distance from his own wife. Nightmare Moon then asked, "What is the meaning of this, captain?"

"Can't take chances. We get a surprise visit out of nowhere? Maybe I'm overthinking this, but I've got a gut feeling something's not right." Shining Armor replied while casting a most uncharacteristically wary gaze towards his very confused wife. But he then spoke with a bit of a smug smirk, "No worries though. I've already called for someone to test if that's really you, Cadence. Quick and easy and completely foolproof."

"Well, if you really want to be safe instead of sorry. I mean goodness knows it wouldn't be the first time someone's impersonated me." Cadence retorted while taking this all in good grace. I know I was not there when it happened, but their wedding day... What kind of mess was I fortunate enough to miss by just not being there?

The rest of the royal family spread out around the room as Cadence was kept squarely in the middle of it. Ember, understandably out of the loop, crossed her arms while standing near me. She then glanced up at me and asked, "Am I missing something here? Is that Cadence or not?"

"I wasn't here to see it, but there was apparently some party crashers who invaded Canterlot on their wedding day. And that someone disguised themselves as Cadence. You'll have to ask them for the full details." I explained with my eyes also falling upon Cadence. Ember just shrugged her shoulders and watched. The guardsmen around us never once pointed their spears at their commander's wife, but they were ready to act at the first sign of trouble.

Only a couple of minutes later, there was a knock at the door. And Shining Armor was quick to smirk at it. "Here we go..."

I really should have seen what was coming. The door opened to reveal none other than Twilight Sparkle. And the instant her eyes fell upon Cadence, she beamed at her longtime friend. "Cadence!"

"Twilight!" The Princess of Love squealed in equal glee before Twilight rushed up to her. But first, they had a little ritual to perform. And it put a big smile on my face when they recited that adorable chant. "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

"Yep, that's Cadence. Didn't miss a single beat." Shining Armor chuckled with his men starting to disperse. That was a very cunning test for him to set her up for. Only the real Cadence would get that ritual entirely right. The captain of the guard walked over to his wife and sister as they embraced in giggling joy. "Sorry for having to put you through that. Just had to be sure."

"Shiny, you know this never gets old. I never get tired of it!" Cadence replied before placing a kiss on each cheek of her husband's face. "And I've missed you so much! It's awful having to go to sleep alone every night wondering if you'll really be OK out here... How's the war effort going? Should I be worried? Is everything going to be fine?"

Shining Armor tenderly pulled his wife into a loving embrace and spoke softly to her. He looked utterly relieved to have her in his arms again and it made me long for life in Ponyville with my beloved Fluttershy. "Easy there, dear. Easy. Yes, things are going about as smoothly as we could've hoped for. We've had two major engagements so far and both have been fairly one-sided. The only advantage the enemy has over us is sheer numbers, but we keep trumping them in everything else."

"Phew, good to know... But while we have time, why don't you show me around? I'd love to see exactly how prepared you all are. I'll be able to sleep better at night if I can see exactly how you're ready to send the enemy packing every time they show up." Cadence requested while batting her husband an adorable pleading gaze. With how many lonely nights she must have had by now, I could understand why she wanted visual confirmation of our superior preparations for the coming battles.

"I'd be more than happy to! The men would love to get to meet you too. Twilight, you wanna come along?" Shining Armor said in delight before beginning to step towards the doors with his wife in tow.

"Yes! We've got so much to talk about!" Twilight replied as she trotted along to catch up. "By the way, where's Spike? He was being your little helper while we are away, right?"

"He's staying back in Canterlot since I won't be gone very long. I left him with our secretaries for the meantime." Cadence replied before they were out the door and gone. Thank goodness the situation is calm for the moment.

Ember cracked a smirk up at me and said, "Well, that was kind of cute. Is it normal for ponies to be like that?"

"It varies, but you get used to that cuteness after a while." I replied as the common room started to become more empty. Only Rain Shine remained while the five members of Equestria's royal family departed for the war room with Novo in tow. There was likely much to discuss. I then looked at Rain Shine and saw that she did not appear so troubled anymore. She was probably feeling some wonderful vibes from Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle that soothed her concerns over Cadence not being so easy to read.

It was only then that Smolder and Ocellus entered the command center. I was wondering why they were out there until I saw the satchels slung over their shoulders. Smolder then pointed back towards the door with her thumb and asked, "Oh, hey! Who's the new pretty pink pony out there? Kinda looked like a princess with the wings and the horns and all that glittering gold."

"Well, that's because she is. Kind of. That's Cadence and she's Shining Armor's wife. You should say hello to her while she's here." I explained with all eyes falling upon the two young dragonesses near the doorway. They probably just passed them without the time to really talk.

Ocellus then smiled as she said, "I felt so much love coming off of her. She was bursting with it. I bet Shining Armor is really happy with her back home."

Ember then cocked her head to one side and asked, "You felt love coming off of her? I thought only the kirin could pick up on stuff like that. Right, Rain Shine?"

The kirin chieftain's eyes went wide with unease. She knew about Ocellus. It is hard to hide anything from a kirin. And Ocellus was quick to try to deflect the question. "Oh, I mean... She just looks really loving! The way she talked to Shining Armor and Twilight... They looked really...really..."

"It's OK, love bug. I think you can show Ember. She's trustworthy." I interrupted now that Ember had reason to suspect Ocellus was not what she seemed to be. I then looked at the Dragon Lord and said, "Can I trust you to keep a secret?"

"Of course. You know you can trust me with anything." Ember declared without hesitation, her hand reaching out to grasp mine with those beautiful scarlet eyes gazing up at me.

The two of us shared a smile. I had no reason to doubt her at all. And so I looked at the only false dragoness in the room and said, "All right, Ocellus. Show her. It'll be OK."

"All right... Please don't freak out." Ocellus muttered in unease before she was abruptly and briefly engulfed in a veil of green fire. Smolder looked ready to jump in at the first sign of hostility. And once those flames faded, a humble little Changeling mare stood before us. "Um... Is this OK? This is the real me..."

Rather than be alarmed, Ember was more confused and intrigued than anything else. "Huh?! Say, aren't you... Yeah, you are! You're Smolder's pet bug...pony...thing I saw that one time! Except you're...also a dragon?"

Smolder cracked a grin as she tried to not laugh. Yes, Ember did see Ocellus without a disguise before, but they clearly tried to keep up the facade by coming up with a cover story. And for once, Ocellus looked hilariously offended as her pale blue eyes narrowed with such an annoyed frown on her lips. "Excuse me?"

"Nah, she's no pet of mine! She's just my gal pal!" Smolder said with a laugh before pulling the scowling Changeling into a hug. "She's a Changeling. And changing...looks is kind of their thing. And they eat love. Like...literally eat it. That's what keeps them going. I don't know how it works, but that's what they have to eat to live. Did I get that all right, Ocellus?"

"Yes, you did." Ocellus retorted dryly while Ember started to look more than a little embarrassed that she had offended our little friend. That nervous toothy grin said enough. Ocellus then sighed and regained a much more demure expression on her face. "I just use that dragon form mostly because...everyone outside wouldn't like it if they knew what I really am. Can you please not tell anyone who isn't usually in here?"

"Hmmm... I think I recall hearing that Changeling's have a really bad rep in Equestria... But you're actually helping Smolder in her duties..." Ember muttered contemplatively. I could see that she held no ill will towards Ocellus. She had seen her true colors so far with no reason to doubt our new friend.

"It's OK, Ember. Ocellus is a defector. A runaway. She doesn't want to go back to the hive. I bumped into her entirely by accident and brought her back here. And she's been nothing but a good love bug. Don't tell anyone, OK? I swear she's a good girl." I explained carefully while turning my gaze to a very thankful Ocellus. That smile meant everything to me then.

Ember did not hesitate and nodded towards Ocellus. "I'll take your word for it. I'll keep everything I've seen to myself."

That was good to hear. But just before Ocellus could assume her favorite disguise, Rain Shine then approached her with a most inquisitive look in her eyes. "Child, I must ask while I have the chance... You say you felt love from the one called Cadence, yes? Did you feel...anything else? Anything unusual?"

Ocellus cocked her head to one side as she likely thought back to that brief encounter. "Ummm... No, not really. All I felt was a lot of love in her. Like...a lot of love. I think the only person around here I've felt more love from was James. Why? Did she do something weird?"

"No, she has not done anything to rouse suspicion. It is just..." Rain Shine began to speak before pausing in thought for a few seconds. "It s just... I cannot feel anything from her. I should be able to sense her spiritual aura and all the joy she surely felt upon seeing her loved ones, but I feel nothing. Do you suspect there may be more to that?"

I then spoke up and said, "I suspect it's her own unusual love magic that's interfering with her natural emotional state being readable. I could be wrong thought. Was there anything else you detected when you passed Cadence?"

"You can't sense anything? Then why are you... Ooooooh, you mean you think she might be a Changeling in disguise?" Ocellus asked as her eyes opened wide in realization. That was not exactly what we were suspecting, but we then nodded now that we both realized that we should have considered it. And what Ocellus said next was a big surprise. "Nope. No, she's not a Changeling."

Smolder was especially surprised by this and asked, "She's not? Just like that? How're you so sure?"

"I know she's not because I would've known if she was. We Changeling's all share a hive connection. So if there was another Changeling nearby, I would've noticed. Especially if she was the queen. Our queen has...a very noticeable unique presence." Ocellus explained very matter-of-factly. She was very sure of her words and proved she was very knowledgeable about the workings of the Changeling hive. And I had no reason to doubt her.

Ember then asked with a raised eyebrow on her face, "But if there was an intruding Changeling among us... Would you have said something?"

Ocellus hesitated, but then spoke with her head bowed. "Yes... If there were other Changelings here, I'd tell you. I'd be afraid they would be here to take me back. And I don't wanna go back..."

"Well, I guess that settles it then. If Ocellus says Cadence isn't a Changeling, then she's not a Changeling and we have nothing to worry about." I stated while glad that this mystery had been put to rest.

"What do we have nothing to worry about?" A familiar voice spoke that caused us all to freeze. We all glanced over at the door leading into the war room and stared aghast. King Orbash himself was the first one out and Ocellus had absolutely no time to assume her preferred disguise. The moon king's eyes immediately fell upon her. But instead of immediately assuming the worst, he merely stared in curiosity. His eyes then glanced my way and then over at Rain Shine. "Hm. One lost little Changeling here with us and not an ounce of hostile tension in the air. That's rare."

Smolder immediately threw her arms around the little Changeling in a protective manner and pleaded in an almost panicked tone. "That's because she's a good love bug! I swear, she's just our friend! Don't hurt her!"

"Hurt her?! My dear, the thought never crossed my mind. Calm yourself." Orbash retorted before making his way over to the frightened Changeling and dragoness. Smolder only then started to release her grip, but then tightened it even further when we all saw Sunflare following right behind Orbash. And she would be far less forgiving towards Equestria's enemies. But she still allowed Orbash to speak first. He gazed down at the dark little insect pony and asked, "And what brings you here? Ocellus, was it? I thought there was something not quite right about your name... Not at all fitting for a dragon, not one bit."

Even from the moment they met, Orbash knew something was amiss... When considering how long he and Sunflare have been around, I suppose even they would have become familiar with Changeling naming conventions. The king then glanced around at us again as if to read us. "No one here seems to have any grievances towards you. Have you made friends with our people?"

"Mmhm! Mmhm, lots of friends! Everyone who knows me likes me! I think..." Ocellus was quick to say in the hopes of appeasing the exceedingly powerful stallion before her. "I'm just here to help! I help Smolder set out those crystal things! I'm not a part of the hive anymore! I don't wanna go back! Please...don't make me leave..."

"Why would I want that, my dear? And I suspect it would be most unwise to do so. I would likely have to fight tooth and claw to hold off everyone around me. They most certainly wouldn't be in favor of that, would they?" Orbash cheerfully replied as he glanced around at all of us and even flashing a whimsically wink with one eye. He was completely on board with what kind of person Ocellus is and wanted us to all know.

But now it was Sunflare's turn to pass judgement. Orbash stepped aside and allowed his wife to come forward. Both Ocellus and Smolder cowered before the imposing form of the sun queen while she held her head high. The queen cast her gaze down upon them from her piercing yellow eyes. And we all froze as she raised a hoof. Was she going to strike Ocellus?

The results of this action surprised us all. Sunflare gently rested her hoof upon Ocellus' smooth rounded head. And her gaze and tone softened drastically in a manner I had not yet seen from her. "Such a long and sordid history your kind has... Have you found love without having to pry it from those around you by force?"

Rain Shine especially appeared to be in utter disbelief over what she was seeing. Even I could not believe Sunflare had the capacity to be so gentle, let alone towards someone who has ties to a race of creatures that have been branded enemies of Equestria. Ocellus gazed up at the queen in confusion while never speaking once. But she did nod in confirmation to answer her words. Sunflare...smiled. Most sincerely. "Then you and I have no quarrel, child. You have attained what all Changelings desired. It is so rare for that to happen without ulterior motives playing a part."

I then asked in caution, "You...really don't hold anything against her? Even after everything that's happened over time?"

"You must understand. We have been around since ten very beginning." Orbash explained with a most forlorn gaze set into those beautiful blue eyes. He then said, "There was a time when these creatures we call Changelings were not even called anything. In hindsight, it was almost as if fate itself played them a cruel hand for some twisted irony. Creatures who feed on love, but are too frightening and unnatural in appearance to allow anyone to trust them enough to get close. A most tragic history, these Changelings have... Frightful, yet not at all monstrous by nature."

Sunflare gently rubbed her hoof over Ocellus' head as she then said, "Those were very different times. Dark times where superstitions ran rampant. A product of the world Equestria used to be before Orbash and I crafted the sun and moon. But by the time the world was led out of the darkness, that wretched queen had risen to power and everything about her people changed for the worst. To see that it is still possible for a Changeling to succeed in attaining what they always wanted from so long ago... It is inspiring to see. May happy days be in your future, child."

"Tha... Thank you, your majesties..." Ocellus muttered softly with her head lowering in a bow. Smolder finally released her friend from her protective embrace and stepped back. Sunflare then lowered her head and tenderly touched her central horn to Ocellus' brow with it touching her tiny curved horn. Celestia did say her mother could be most kind... And I was finally seeing that side of her in action.

While we watched this unfurl before us, I failed to notice someone approaching me out of the corner of my eye. I only really noticed when they rested a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look and saw her there. Novo stood beside me. And with such a worrying gaze in those beautiful eyes. I was sure of it. She had been told everything. She knew. And I felt a horrible sinking feeling in my gut as she gazed upon me with those deeply worried eyes. But the words that came next... "I'll be seeing you tonight, right? My place?"

Nothing had changed. Her face said otherwise, but Novo's insistence on sticking to our usual routine remained in place. And I was...so very conflicted on it. Like I felt I should not even be in her company. But I nodded regardless. Perhaps a night with my beloved queen was exactly what my downtrodden heart needed. "Yeah... I'll be there."

This time, Novo made no attempt to conceal our relationship from prying eyes. She placed a kiss right on my cheek before heading out the door. I brought my fingers to that cheek, finding that sensation so surreal after all we had discovered. Was I even worthy of that wonderful mare anymore? I happened to notice Orbash near me while he gazed upon me with a knowing smile. "You saw that?"

"Did that mean what I assume it did?" The king asked while I just nodded. He then chuckled and said, "Hm. I must say, I did not peg you as one of those types of men, but if the queen of Capricorn Island longs for you in the way I saw... Do carry on, my good man. I doubt you will disappoint her or anyone else."

With how long he had been around, I was not surprised he had seen such things before. I then felt the need to ask. "You've seen these kinds of relationships before?"

Orbash nodded as he explained, "Oh, absolutely. One stallion to a pair or even many mares? Used to be quite a bit more common. That eventually fell out of favor when more and more people began to see it more as a sign of a man's ego than of any genuine love, but I can see that is not the case with you. Although I never had room in my heart for anyone besides my queen, even back then."

I glanced over at Sunflare while she conversed with Ocellus and Smolder. Ember had drawn near to speak up as well. Probably to get more answers about what Ocellus really is. It was clear to me by then. "You two really do belong together. I can see how well you and her compliment each other."

"Heh, we get that a lot. Or at least we did before she and I retreated to the shadows." Orbash explained while he cast a smile over at his wife. "We really do not get to interact with our people often."

A rather sad thought then came to my mind. One that I needed to convey. "Will you leave after the war has ended?"

He did not hesitate in giving a response. "Of course. We abdicated the throne to the people and then to our daughters. That choice was final and we will not ever be backtracking on it. We will depart once our services or no longer needed and watch over Equestria for the next dire crisis like we have always done."

Orbash said that so casually. Too easily. For being one so pleasant and eager to mingle with his people, why so distant? And I found myself dreading seeing him leave possibly forever after having gotten to know him. I said softly after a moment of unease, "But...I don't want to see you leave, your majesty..."

His eyes opened wide in surprise. As if he truly did not expect to hear anyone sincerely object to that. "But...our power is great. We must avoid using it too freely. You saw exactly what we are capable of, my boy. Such power must only be used when needed. You know this, yes?"

I nodded, but did not relent. This wonderful stallion had saved my life and proven to be one of the finest men I had ever known in my life. "I know, but...I don't want to see you leave..."

The king paused in thought, his blue eyes never glancing away from me. He then finally asked softly, "You would truly wish for us to stay?"

This time, I found no words to say. So I did the only thing I could. I stepped forward and put my arms around the moon king. Holding him. Embracing him in pleading. "You will be missed..."

For a moment, Orbash said nothing. And I did not let go with my face lightly pushed into his silvery mane. And he finally acted. I felt his wing drape itself around. me. And his words were barely more than a whisper. "Keep this to yourself... I will...discuss this heavily with Sunflare. I can make no promises, but...we will see."

All I could do was nod. He felt the subtle movement of my head against him and released me from his embrace. But he did not look at me once while he departed from the command center. Did I upset him? Or did he just have a lot to think about? But I did not have much time to think on this before I found Celestia approaching me. She surely saw what just happened. And she asked with a cautious smile, "Is something wrong?"

"No... Not really. It's just that..." I muttered before looking over at the door Orbash had just departed through. I then looked back at Celestia and decided to just speak my heart. "I think I love your father. He's...a great man."

Celestia too looked over at the door before turning her gaze back to me as well. And her smile brightened in those few seconds. "I think he loves you too. He's been very doting on you since he arrived."

My eyes then fell upon Sunflare while she continued to discuss things with the two dragonesses and the Changeling before her. She sounded like she was lamenting how things could have been very different with the Changelings in Equestria's society had their queen not led them down the wrong path so long ago. Rain Shine had even drawn near to listen in, but she still cast Sunflare a wary stare. I doubt she would even leave the room unless Sunflare departed first. I then asked, "Do you think your mother will ever love me too?"

"Someday. I promise she will if you give her enough time." Celestia said assuredly without much doubt in her voice. But when our gazes met again, she then spoke in a whisper. "I want them to love you. You are my king after all."

"Whoa, careful there. It's probably not safe to bring that up around your mom. Not when she's in the same room." I retorted while Celestia burst into a giggling fit. Thank goodness Sunflare did not notice.

With nothing to do for the time being, I decided to head up to my dorm and sat myself down at my typewriter. Just to help process everything that had happened thus far and to pass the time. I felt safer up there as well with the door locked. My own little sanctuary from the outside world while everything I had come to known about Equestria was gradually crumbling around me.

I eventually looked over at the far window. Cadence was out there somewhere with her husband and sister-in-law. Perhaps once they were done showing her around the encampment and introducing her to the militiamen, we could all sit down for a nice dinner. I have never had anything bad to say about Cadence and she always has such a pleasant atmosphere around her. We could always expect a good time at the dinner table if she was attending.

After a while longer, I went back downstairs to take a break for documenting this day. I found the common area fairly empty with only the three royal sisters seated around the main table. There were still a few guardsmen stationed nearby. The three sisters appeared to be looking over some documents. Possibly discussing various tactics. While I fetched myself some tea from the beverage table nearby, I heard Nightmare Moon speak softly to her sisters. "Yes, the parabolic trajectories of our mages would arc nicely into enemy positions if launched from these formations..."

Just when I was about to take a seat, a thin trail of smoke snaked its way into the room by slipping right under the front door. I watched with intrigue as it floated over to Celestia quickly before compacting into a scroll in the air. The Princess of the Dawn glanced up and caught the scroll in her magical grasp. "Ah, a message from Spike. Let's see here..."

"Such a diligent little dragon, carrying such a workload during trying times. We must see to it the boy is compensated once this is all over." Luna said with a smile while I too shared the sentiment. The little guy tends to have a lot of chores to handle when he is with Twilight, but handling all of this as well? A daunting task for most, I am sure. However, we began to notice Celestia giving the scroll a very strange stare. Luna then asked, "Celestia... Is something amiss?"

"Dear Aunt Celestia... I have ordered the royal guard to close all registration for..." Celestia muttered as her eyes read over the same spot on the scroll over and over. She soon lowered the scroll while just staring into space, the cogs in her head ticking. "What...?"

Nightmare Moon then asked, "You mean to say...that came from Cadence just now? From Canterlot? But Cadence is out there in the camp with Shining Armor as we speak..."

"Unless..." Luna spoke grimly before suddenly slamming her hoof down on the table in a manner that caused every guard in the room to glance our way. "She's an imposter?!"

I felt this was a good time to speak up. "Hang on now, I've already heard testimony from Ocellus. She says all Changelings are linked with some sort of hive connection. If Cadence was a Changeling in disguise, she would've known and told us by now. And she hasn't felt anything like that from Cadence."

"Is that so?" Nightmare Moon asked while the three royal sisters glanced at each other with very skeptical stares. The Princess of Dreams then rubbed her chin with the back of her wrist. "Now that you mention it... Sisters. You have known Cadence longer than I have. Has she displayed any behaviors today that seem...off?"

"With the benefit of hindsight... No, not in the slightest. There were some things about her just before her wedding that should have seemed off to me back then...but not this time. She even perfectly performed that little ritual with Twilight like they always do. I can't imagine a Changeling just happening to get that right on the first try out of sheer luck." Celestia replied with a most contemplative look in her eyes. She was thinking hard over how Cadence behaved after arrival. Even I did not notice anything unusual about her.

"Yes, there was nothing to be suspicious of when it came to her behavior today..." Luna added before she suddenly glanced at Celestia again. Her own blue magic aura then coated the scroll along with Celestia golden yellow aura. "Sister, may I see that for a moment?"

Celestia did not refuse and allowed Luna to take hold of the scroll. Her eyes very carefully scanned it while we looked on. "Hmmm... This message is not dated... Do you suppose this was written immediately after you contacted her and it just happened to get buried under a backlog of messages?"

"Considering that Spike is just one kid... It really wouldn't surprise me. And this doesn't look like that urgent a message..." I spoke while I peeked over Luna to read the message myself. It appeared to be just a confirmation for what Celestia had just recently requested of Cadence.

The tension quickly faded as we all decided it was best to give this situation the benefit of the doubt. If Cadence really was an imposter, then everyone who could detect if there was something not right with her could find nothing to be alarmed by. Everyone except Rain Shine. But if even Ocellus could not detect that Cadence was a Changeling, then anything Rain Shine had to say about it needed to be taken with a grain of salt.

Ember soon reentered the command center with Smolder and Ocellus in her company with the latter having returned to donning her dragoness persona. The two of them headed upstairs to my dorm with ice cream bars in hand. Ember must have escorted them to one of the mess halls in order to get a cold snack. Even she had an ice cream bar in hand only to down the whole thing in one chomp, stick and all. She looked our way and waved at us in greeting. "I'm just dropping the kids off. Don't mind me."

"It's quite all right, Ember." Nightmare Moon replied while Ember started to see herself out. But just before she could reach the door, she yelled as the door swung inward suddenly and violently while launching her backward across the room. She must have traveled at least twelve feet before landing on her back. "What the...?! Who did that?!"

"My sincerest apologies, but this is urgent!" Seaspray spoke from the doorway before he turned to us with a look of near panic in his eyes. "Your highnesses! There's a situation at the docks!"

The three royal sisters suddenly rose from their seats with looks of alarm in their eyes. Luna then turned to me and said, "James, fetch your armor and weapons. Meet us there immediately."

"Got it!" I retorted before hurrying up to my rooming and doing just that. I had no time to really explain anything to Ocellus and Smolder, but I did insist that they stay locked in my room for the moment. This sudden report reeked of bad news.

Once fully suited up and with the Lunar Shield on my left arm, I used the teleportation spell to get myself over to the airship docks in an instant. I beat royal sisters there by a matter of seconds and saw that Ember and Seaspray were in tow. I found Celaeno and Novo standing near the bottom of the gangplank that connected to...the airship that Cadence came in on? I then asked, "Hey, what's happening? Seaspray just paid us a visit and sounded like there's trouble."

Celaeno turned to face me first and her eyes were narrowed and on edge. "Sounds like it. I heard they found the entire crew bound and gagged inside the captain's quarters. Which begs the question of who the rest of the crew was who came here with Cadence. They just up and disappeared a little while ago."

"Someone hijacked the entire ship?!" I yelped in disbelief as this hit me entirely out of left field. We had enough to worry about when it came to the emperor and his Hollow soldiers. Now we had intruders who commandeered a cargo ship and used it to enter the camp?! I was not ready for this.

"Yes, that is exactly what happened!" Seaspray called out as they came in for a landing. He trotted our way and explained, "The crew was thankfully no worse for the wear, but they are a bit rattled. I shall bring the captain down at once."

"Go easy on him, admiral. Sounds like the boys have been through a lot today." Novo declared while Seaspray bowed in acknowledgement. The captain of Capricorn's elite archers flew up to the deck and out of sight. Novo then shook her head and turned to face all of us. "Fine time for us to show up. We stop by to say hello and then this mess happens. Who did you tick off this time?"

"That's what I wanna know! Something about intruders? And where's the crew?" Ember asked while completely ignorant to what was happening. But the looks of unease in the eyes of the three sisters... They already had their suspicions.

Seaspray soon came into view with a pegasus stallion who was sporting quite the beard. That uniform looked like it had seen better days. Once he was brought over to us, Celestia approached the captain and asked, "Are you well? What happened?"

Despite his recent troubles and haggard appearance, the stallion spoke coherently to us. "Changelings, your highness... They swarmed the ship while we were en route and locked us all in my cabin."

"I feared as much..." Nightmare Moon grumbled as she bared her teeth with a frustrated snarl. I was left dumbfounded. If there were indeed Changelings in the camp, why did Ocellus not notice? Were they just too far away for her to detect? Or...could she simply not detect them for whatever reason?

There was no point in asking if Cadence was ever aboard the ship by that point. The answer was obvious by then. Luna then turned to Seaspray and commanded, "Admiral! Take to the sky and locate Cadence at once!"

"Yes, your highness!" The hippogriff commander shouted before shooting up into the air with a great flap of his wings. He hovered high above, his keen eyes scanning his surroundings. Someone like Cadence would be very easy to spot among those rows of tents. Indeed, he did not take long to find his target. "She... She's passing through the east gate at this moment! And she is alone!"

"Sound the alarm! After her! That is not Cadence!" Celestia declared as she and her sisters took to the air while I followed. I did not have a good feeling about this at all. Whoever that was, she was trying to make an escape out of the camp. She must have known her cover had been blown and was using what little subterfuge she had left to slip past the borders after having likely slipped away. I was just bewildered over the fact that Changelings were going out of their way to mess with us at such a time. I could only hope that if we did end up having to clash with the intruders that Thorax would not be among them.

We soon set down just past the walls as sirens began to go off in the camp. Cadence appeared to have her sights set on some woods up ahead that were not too far from the encampment. But she was not getting away now. Nightmare Moon led the charge as she called out, "You there! Halt!"

Seasoned members of the royal guard in full armor charged forth from the open gates behind us. They all had their trusty spears ready. This was not a situation for any of the militia's volunteers. Only guardsmen who knew what they were doing were needed for this situation. Shining Armor was among them and I saw Twilight following. Did they know by now? Cadence took one glanced back at us all before breaking into a full gallop towards the woods. Twilight then called out, "Wait! Who are you?!"

She did not get far. A bright light shot overhead before slamming into the ground just ahead of Cadence. And when it did hit the ground, a pillar of scorching white solar magic erupted skyward as the false princess came to a frightened sliding stop. Once the flames faded, two winged figures swooped overhead that filled me with a sense of relief. "That's far enough, imposter!"

Sunflare and Orbash were on the scene and landed in the circle of scorched earth left behind by the queen's warning shot. If there was any hope for an escape before, Cadence most certainly would not be getting away now. Not with these paragons of magical might bearing down on her. I was entirely unsure of what to even make of the situation and hesitated in drawing my sword. In retrospect, I was tragically naive of the situation at hand.

The king and queen stood beside each other in equal displays of prominence. For once, even Orbash showed no levity in regards to the situation. Sunflare then spoke, "You are no friend of ours. You hijack one of our vessels and bind the crew out of sight. And you alone have explored and seen all that can be seen in our people's efforts in this war. Explain yourself! Who are you?!"

"Your majesties..." Cadence spoke almost meekly as she appeared to cower before them. But only for a moment. I suspected she began to smile. Or even smirk as that tone of her voice gained a most unsettling inflection. That was still Cadence's voice, but...it did not sound like her. And the horn on her head... She enshrouded it in her billowing magic aura. But it was not a color I recognized. It was...green. "It's been too long!"

We all jumped back as a ring of green fire suddenly surrounded the false princess on the ground before it suddenly and very violently exploded upward in a pillar of unnatural and malevolent green fire. Everything about this display, especially those surging green flames, reeked of something foul. I could only stare in awe and unease as I bore witness to this unexpected turn of events that had nothing to do with what was happening on the Empty Plains.

Within that prison of flames, I could still vaguely make out Cadence's silhouette. And it was...changing. Growing taller. Her wings shed their feathers to take on the unsettling look of something akin to an insect's wings lined with holes and clips. And then... The eyes. Her eyes shone through the flames in a truly startling manner. And they... They were not the eyes of a pony. They were...too round. Too large. And they appeared to have two irises instead of one with the outer ring showing gradient hues of lime with the central iris being a brilliant emerald green. The pupils were also unnaturally narrow, but not quite in the nearly feline way Nightmare Moon's eyes are. Even the sclera of her eyes looked wrong with the color being an extremely pale green instead of white. And when her eyes met mine, her eyes narrowed as she displayed a pair of fangs with a most giddy grin. She cackled in delight, her voice twisting as the tone and pitch warped while gaining a subtle distorted effect that was...disturbingly familiar to me.

The flames finally faded to reveal the twisted creature within as she faced us all. And I was wracked by a wretched sense of fascination and outright horror. I was thoroughly convinced that she had been Cadence a very short while earlier. And now...seeing her reveal herself to be entirely something else, something very clearly wicked, disturbed me in a deeply visceral manner I could not explain that is still eating at me as I write this hours later. The creature before me... There was no doubt in my mind. Her physical features were most definitely in line with Ocellus' natural form. That dark gray body with insect elements... A Changeling, but not like the rest. This one looked much closer to a proper mare than other Changelings with bodily proportions akin to those of the Equestrian royal family. Long flowing dark cerulean hair and tail, but unkempt with a few conspicuous holes in them. The horn on her head was impressively longer, but crooked and twisted that only served to further reveal her twisted nature. Her lanky limbs below the knees were marred by holes that left entire gaps trough her limbs... In fact, there was something about her frame that was very abnormal even for a mare. She matched the height and general proportions of Equestria's royal family, but she... She looked too lanky. Too slender to the point of looking almost frail. Everything... Everything about this mare just felt...off. And yet, I could not deny that she exuded a strange bewitching type of allure. Unsettling, yet bizarrely enticing. And there atop her head... A crown. A strange tiny black crown with the spires topped with round orbs that bore a turquoise hue. A crown... A queen. Changeling queen. Sunflare mirrored my thoughts as she spoke with a scowl, "Chrysalis... What have we done to deserve your presence, Changeling queen?"

The Changeling queen turned her unnaturally round eyes to the king and queen of Equestria as we all looked on in either unease or outright disgust. I was transfixed, unable to look away from the queen of all Changelings herself. Half intrigued and half horrified. And she spoke with that distorted voice that I could swear I had heard before. "Sunflare. Orbash. My goodness, it's been millennia. How long has it been since you disappeared from the spotlight? And you... Orbash. You're as ravishing as I remember. If only I got to you first..."

I jumped as Orbash responded to the approaching Changeling queen in a manner I did not at all expect. With a sudden flash of his silvery magic aura around his six horns, a bolt of magic lightning was launched from the tip of his horn and struck the ground just before her. She stepped back in alarm before a half circle of icy spikes shot up from the ground to ward her off. There was nothing but contempt in those formerly kind blue eyes. And it was then I saw it. Much like how Sunflare boasted superior mastery over the elemental forces Celestia and I wield, Orbash was the same for the other end of the spectrum. The lightning and ice magic Luna, Nightmare Moon, and I wield are always tinted by a blue hue. But the lightning that shot forth from Orbash's horn and the ice spikes before him were as pale as death. And the lightning... I almost did not even see it. It was there and gone in an eye blink like actual real lighting. Our lightning magic is certainly fast, but nowhere near as fast as the real deal. This proved to me that while Orbash may not have access to something as destructive as solar magic, he was by no means weaker than his wife. He then spoke with the iciest tone I had ever heard from him, "Keep your hooves off me, wench. My heart is not yours to claim."

Sunflare flashed her king a most confident smile upon seeing him reject the noticeably flirtatious advances of the bewitching Changeling queen. Only when Chrysalis stepped back further did he dismiss the icy barrier. No matter how powerful she might have been, the Changeling queen would be crushed if she challenged either of them. But she then haughtily looked away from the two of them with eyes closed, revealing some rather fitting dark green eyeshadow covering her eyelids. "Hmph! True love is not so easily swayed when tempered by the eons. Even I know this. And besides..."

I flinched as the foul queen turned her gaze towards us. Or rather...towards me. Her actions constantly reeked of a twisted lust that made her feel dangerous in ways that are not easy to describe. She grinned broadly as she declared, "I have my sights set on something...much bigger."

Now that she was looking right at me... Where... Where had I seen those eyes before? That form... That voice... Those eyes... My god, I had! The realization hit me hard as it all came back to me. I pointed at the approaching Changeling queen and spoke in a near panic. "You... You're the one from... The Everfree Forest!"

"You remember! Yes, we have crossed paths before, haven't we? How long has it been since the last time? Feels like it's been longer than it has, hasn't it?" Chrysalis cackled almost gleefully. As if she was actually delighted to know that I had not forgotten the very few times I had seen, or at least heard her during the few excursions I had made deep into the Everfree Forest. I could never forget that silhouette. Or those striking green eyes and sultry distorted voice.

This sudden revelation caused all eyes to fall upon me. Luna then barked in shock, "James, you've seen her before?! Why say nothing of it?!"

"I thought she was just some forest nymph! I didn't even get a good look at her in the shadows the one time I actually saw her! I didn't even know what Changelings were until just a few months ago!" I desperately tried to explain in equal disbelief. If only I had known... If I had known that the leader of an enemy faction was looming near me those few times, I would have told someone. But it did not matter now that she was there before us.

"Oh, don't fault the boy. It's not like I meant any harm to him. Besides..." Chrysalis spoke dismissively in a strange act of standing up for me. Although she then grinned viciously at me, her two fangs on display, as she spoke with a most unsettling inflection in that voice. "He is simply far too valuable to be harmed."

I noticed intense glares of utter hatred from some those around me. Especially from Twilight Sparkle, Celestia, and Shining Armor. There was a legitimate air of animosity between them. A very personal level of aggression. But with a sudden flash of green fire, Chrysalis abruptly closed the gap between the two of us with a teleportation spell and was right up in my face. She grinned most hungrily as I was left unsure if I should be afraid or flattered. "Mm, I haven't felt such a deep well of love in a long time. Even with that enchanted shell keeping it locked away from me, I can still...taste it from here."

It would seem that my armor carried the unexpected attribute of preventing Changelings from passively feeding on my love. Nightmare Moon snarled as the queen with her eyes filled with a frightful white glow. "You will take a step back at once!"

Chrysalis glanced over at the Princess of Dreams and looked like she was about to say something, but her eyes then opened wide in shock before she suddenly threw herself backwards with the rapid fluttering of her wings. And it was not because of Nightmare Moon. Someone came rushing between us with a swift lunge before coming out of that swoop and sliding to a stop nearby. My heart skipped a beat when I saw who stood before us. "I missed... That almost never happens."

Novo. The hippogriff queen herself stood ready with her glorious rapier in hand. Just seeing her ready for a fight made me all the more confident that this situation was rapidly coming under our control. Chrysalis would need a death wish to tangle with the finest swordswoman on the planet. And yet... The Changeling queen grinned most...curiously at the hippogriff queen. "Well now... Novo. Queen of Capricorn Island. I've always wanted to pay a visit and sample the boundless joyful love of your people. Just a shame your turf is so isolated and hard for my people to reach."

The eyes of my beloved queen glared at Chrysalis with a frightful cold rage. Novo had never even seen Chrysalis before, but she had already assumed the worst and was ready to raise her sword in my defense. "Then you better stay far away from us because I'll make sure my men squish you on sight. And hands off the boy."

"Oooohoohoohoooo! Just feel the love coming off you! So fiery and spicy!" Chrysalis spoke while letting out...a surprisingly adorable giggle in the process. She then glanced my way for a second before starting to reach one hoof in my direction. "Hotter...and hotter...ohoho how hot does your heart burn for him?"

"I'll mount you on my wall if you keep pushing your luck, skank! Do not test me!" Novo suddenly roared while looking like she was ready to run Chrysalis through on her sword. Such a sleazy conniving creature, that queen...

Before Chrysalis could even get another word in, I saw her once again responding to a sudden shift in the air. Her eyes glanced down at the ground before suddenly teleporting a short distance away in another flash of green fire. And we all found out why. The instant she left that spot on the ground, a thick cluster of long narrow thorns burst from the ground like a vicious tripwire trap. Thorns... Not thick roots, but narrow thorns... Rain Shine?!

Sure enough, the beautiful and fully armed and armored kirin matriarch rushed forth from the crowd with her glaive floating by her side. I was alarmed by just how vicious that attack from below was. That was not simply an attack to cause harm as a warning. That was an outright kill shot. Chrysalis would have been fatally and gruesomely skewered had she not been so quick to react. Even she panted lightly in alarm as she said, "That was too close..."

I felt that it was for the best that I did not intervene. My allies had this situation quite under control. Rain Shine twirling the Viper Edge through the air and readied it for battle as she stood her ground. The thorns she summoned retracted back into the ground, but her fierce eyes and what I just saw told me enough. She was more than ready to slay this foul queen and definitely had the means to. But once again, after she regained her composure, Chrysalis showed that she was more familiar with her foes more than we expected. "Ah, yes... Rain Shine. Child of Sequoia Valley. My, how you've grown."

This did not faze her. Rain Shine placed herself between me and the Changeling queen as she declared, "You are wracked by...a twisted infatuation. Stay away from him."

"Ha, and I can see why. You really are the spitting image of your mother. After all..." Chrysalis chuckled before flashing another mocking grin at her opponent. "She had excellent taste in men."

That statement triggered something in Rain Shine. Something terrifying. Her mane and tail began to transition into a halfway ignited state like several times before. But they began to waver even more fiercely as even the patches of her coat I could see past her armor were starting...to darken. Like every individual hair on her body was starting to be charred by an open flame. She then spoke with a growl, "You will show discretion or this will be your last day alive."

Chrysalis' eyes narrowed in wariness, but Rain Shine's threat did not quite silence her. And she provided an answer to a question I forgot I wanted an answer for. "I must admit... I never would've expected a kirin to be among the lot of you. Your kind were always far too pacifistic to have any place on a battlefield. It was exhausting keeping my own nerves hidden from you. I'm not sure how much longer I could've keep it up."

Just when I feared Rain Shine was about to do something that we would all regret, a fortunate interruption occurred. A flash of pink above us cast a glow over the area. The glow of a flame. An impressively large fireball made up of a vibrant pink color was falling towards the Changeling queen. This sudden distraction prompted Rain Shine to forget about her rage as she stepped back with her body returning to normal. Chrysalis responded just in time by summoning a translucent green magic barrier that the fireball exploded into in a flash of embers. A flash of blue and gold dropped to the ground before us with spear in hand. Ember had wasted no time in fetching her armor and weapon. Spear ready, she called back to us. "What'd I miss?!"

"Not much! Except that...this thing was Cadence!" I replied with my hand pointing towards the unmasked intruder. Ember looked back towards the Changeling queen while that twisted mare started to cast the Dragon Lord that smug smirk of knowing familiarity. They had never met, yet I could see she was very knowledgeable of who was before her.

Even after having to defend herself from yet another surprise attack, Chrysalis maintained her slithering smugness. As if she was in more control of the situation than she thought she was. "Well now... Ember. Daughter of Torch and Blaze. You really have inherited your mother's beauty. And your father's proud horns and ferocity."

"You... You knew my mother?" Ember asked with an unexpected show of weakness. Her tone softened and spear was lowered, but she quickly caught herself and readied her spear once again. "No, forget it! I don't need to know! Not from a freak like you! How do you know them anyway?!"

"I think the better question is...who don't I know by now?" The foul queen asked in retort with such a devious smirk upon her lips. "My reign predates this world's first sunrise. And I have a very long memory. And... Hmmmm..."

Chrysalis' unnaturally round eyes opened wide in intrigue. She turned her gaze to me before looking back towards Ember. "Oh my, what's this? I knew that a dragon's heart as beats hotly for their sworn mate, but this... Mmmmhmhmhm, what are you hiding, Dragon Lord?"

"Don't...you dare..." I heard Ember growl as a loud crack reached my ears. Her grasp on her spear shaft tightened far too much. Her powerful grasp was starting to crush and crack the thick pike shaft in her hands. Chrysalis... What was she implying?

The Changeling queen let out a brief cackle. She was having far too much fun with this. "Haha, what are you waiting for? I am fully aware of your rituals bound to your very blood. Go ahead. Say it. Say what you..."

It all happened so fast. With one sudden snap movement that could only be possible with a reptile's reflexes, Ember was upon Chrysalis. And she clamped her powerful hand right around the Changeling queen's throat. That look of shock in those large green eyes. Ember was strangling the breath right out of her! "That's not for you to say!"

After a good five seconds or so of the Dragon Lord crushing her windpipe, Chrysalis escaped Ember's lethal grip the only way she could. In a quick flash of green fire, Chrysalis suddenly warped several paces back with the use of a teleportation spell. And she did not escape unscathed. She held a hoof to her throat and coughed with wheezing breaths. After another close brush with death, her swagger was gone.

It was at this point that Novo stepped forward and placed herself between Rain Shine and Ember while brandishing her rapier. She glanced at them both before speaking with a grim yet whimsical tone. "Ladies, I've seen some ugly bugs in my time, but this one is in desperate need of a good squishing. Shall we?"

"Gladly. Nothing good will come of sparing this demon." Rain Shine replied as the Viper Edge floated up beside her on an angle that was perfect for lashing out for a quick slice. Ember said nothing, but was most likely itching to get her hands of Chrysalis again while she stood ready with spear in hand.

A part of me was thrilled over how this would go. No matter how ancient or powerful the Changeling queen was, this was about to turn into a hilariously one-sided brawl. Chrysalis was about to face a mighty kirin warrior, the Dragon Lord, and the duelist queen herself. And that scowl on her face showed that she knew this was not going to end well. But instead of trying to escape or plead for mercy, Chrysalis just rolled her eyes and let out a groan of annoyance. "All right, I suppose that's enough. Weapons down, I'm not here to start trouble. Not any big trouble, at least."

"Excuse me?" Orbash retorted as he and Sunflare watched from nearby while ready to intervene should our enemy try to escape.

Shining Armor was especially not willing to give the Changeling queen the benefit of the doubt. Even I had doubts about this. Why else would she and her men hijack an airship to infiltrate our base of operations during a war that did not concern them? The captain of the guard shouted, "Gimme a break! Why else would you be here, you scum?! How'd you even infiltrate us so well?! I couldn't tell at all that you weren't Cadence this time! None of us did! How?!"

Was he referring to his wedding day? I heard that there were all sorts of clues over Cadence not acting right that tipped Twilight off that something was off. And Chrysalis knew this as she spoke with a satisfied smirk on her face. "You mean how even your sister couldn't notice anything unusual about your dear wife? Quite frankly, I wasn't taking chances this time. The last time we crossed paths, that was a perfect storm. There were so many places where someone could've picked up that I was struggling with my facade. I should've been found out. But that didn't happen until it was finally too late. I got lucky. Because you were all a bunch of fools who didn't want to believe that someone like me could infiltrate so high up into the capital of Equestria itself. But no one gets lucky twice in the exact same way."

No one looked more disgusted and frustrated than Twilight Sparkle herself. After probably being the only one who kind of saw through Chrysalis' disguise the last time around, she looked utterly furious that our hated enemy found a way to improve her mimicry skills to the point even those who were familiar with her would not be able to detect her while masquerading as another. And that...only made the concept all the more horrifying to me.

Novo suddenly pointed her sword at the Changeling queen and spoke firmly with her deep soulful voice. "How about you shut up and start getting to the point. You want our weapons down? Fine. Now start talking. What do you want, vermin?"

"My, your style is entirely your own, Novo. I'm really not use to dealing with royalty who act the way you do." Chrysalis retorted with a smirk of amusement. Even she could not ignore how unorthodox Novo's behavior is for a queen. But she then sighed in relief now that she was not in danger of being assaulted and said, "In any case... I am not here to stir up trouble. I'm here to deliver a message."

Celestia began to step forward. Her eyes were locked in a constant glare, but she still maintained civility. "And that message is...?"

"I'll only tell you if you allow me to leave unscathed once my work here is done. And trust me, you don't want to refuse this. It's about...the emperor." Chrysalis retorted as we all stared in shock. What had she been up to out here that we were unaware of? This sounded too important to turn down. She knew something we did not. As reluctant as everyone was to cooperate with a longtime enemy of Equestria, a quick glance at her companions caused Celestia to silently nod in agreement. Chrysalis smirked in satisfaction and continued, "Wise choice. I'll have you know that the war out here has not gone unnoticed by my people. And we've been doing a little investigating on our own. We have seen the Heaven's Pillar. And we have seen what the emperor seeks to accomplish."

Sunflare stomped her hoof to signal an opportunity to interject. "And what is it he seeks?"

Chrysalis bowed her head, almost looking troubled. She then proceeded to let out a distorted chuckle that was difficult to tell if it was the product of nervousness or amusement. She cast her gaze at us all and said, "Oh, trust me. You would not believe me even if I tried to explain it to you. You all need to see it in order to understand it."

This was vexing to hear. A goal...that is incomprehensible to put together into words? Nightmare Moon then stepped forward and spoke most threateningly, "Then what would you have us do?"

The Changeling queen's tone and even her gaze changed. There was no levity or smugness. Her voice spoke with an alarming sincerity. "Send out a reconnaissance team to survey the situation. This isn't a war of manpower anymore. Don't wait until it's too late. Time is not on your side here. Learn what is happening at the Heaven's Pillar and revise your tactics accordingly. Only when you see it will you understand it."

This was not a joke. Not from our enemy. Orbash was the next to speak as he took these words with a healthy dose of skepticism. "And why exactly would you be so willing to give us this information?"

Chrysalis' response only added an extra layer of unease to her revelation. "Because even my people will not benefit from the outcome of this war if the emperor has his way. If he triumphs here, there will be significantly less love to go around in hits world. It will be much more difficult to sustain ourselves. We may very well starve. And it is my duty to preserve my hive however I must."

A reasonable enough motive. And almost respectable too. But Shining Armor then brought up one last point that we all were wondering. "Then explain what you and your goons were doing running around in our encampment. If you weren't scoping us out to plan an attack...then why?!"

"Oh, that? We were simply surveying the situation to see if you needed any assistance. After seeing what the emperor is up too, I was willing to declare a truce for the time being in order to assist you in the war effort. Because we share a common enemy." Chrysalis revealed with utter seriousness. But she then cast a confident smirk at us. "But after a thorough evaluation, I've come to the conclusion that our assistance is unnecessary. You are all exceedingly well prepared. You outclass the emperor's armies in nearly every category. Kudos."

It was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic, but she did not seem. to be joking. Everyone had no idea how to take that praise. But the Changeling queen's tone darkened once more as she said, "Just let me remind you that having the edge on the battlefield won't be enough to win this war. Superior tactics and manpower won't be enough once you actually get to the Heaven's Pillar. Remember my words. You'll be grateful I risked my life to give you this information eventually."

Rain Shine took a step forward and locked eyes with the Changeling queen. They just...stared at each other. But after a moment, Rain Shine looked back at us. "She speaks the truth. I sense...no lies in her words. It is...a perplexing sincerity."

This...was disturbing. It would have been easy to dismiss the words of an ancient enemy of Equestria as an attempt to mislead us, but if even a kirin could sense no deception within her, then...it was all true. What sort of horrors had Chrysalis uncovered out there?

Chrysalis then spoke again with a very sincere tone, even as that strange distortion in her voice warped her words. "That is all I have to tell you. I will just be on my way now, if there's nothing else to discuss... Best of luck out there. The entirety of Equestria and everyone in it is at risk here."

Heavy words indeed. Although should we let her go? We all turned our gazes to the most wizened and knowledgeable people among us. Orbash and Sunflare looked our way and then at each other. They soon nodded with Sunflare speaking towards Chrysalis. "Very well. We will heavily evaluate your revelations. Now, begone."

"Wise decision. But before I depart..." The Changeling queen replied before her unnatural eyes fell upon me. I actually flinched when I saw those round eyes looking right at me. Those nearest me readied themselves for an approach, but she did not leave that spot. "Take care of yourself out there, boy. You and I will be seeing each other again in due time."

With a quiet chuckle, Chrysalis summoned yet another towering pillar of green fire around herself. We waited, ready for an attack. But when that pillar of flames receded to nothing, she was gone. Her mission fulfilled, the ancient Changeling queen had returned to the shadows. As the tension in the air began to fade, I finally allowed myself to breathe, "Well, that was...something."

"Disgusting freak... What's your take on it, your highness? You think that was all a trick?" Shining Armor grumbled before he glanced up at Celestia.

Celestia let out a frustrated sigh, the scowl on her face showing just how uncomfortable the whole experience was for her. "As much as I'd like to believe that... I really do not believe she was trying to deceive us. For even a bitter enemy to provide us information that may aid us in winning this war... Just what is the emperor up to out there?"

"A world with less love... What sort of madness could do that to Equestria?" Luna asked as everyone around us began to make their way back into the camp now that the danger had passed. But those words... It only added to the enigma that was the Forgotten Emperor. What was he aiming for? Would reaching the Heaven's Pillar and taking him out just not be enough after all?

While I stood there pondering what I had heard, someone approached me as a tall figure loomed over me. I glanced up and found Novo standing tall before me before she rested a hand on my pauldron. I felt my heart swell as a concerned smile crossed her beak. When the enemy drew near me, she was the first to enter the fray. With so few ears around to hear her, she asked softly, "You all right there, honey? I got here just in time, right?"

"Phew, yeah... That was quite the entrance there. Thank you, Novo." I replied while gazing up at the beautiful and brave duelist queen. Although I was still a little rattled by what I had just seen. The only times I had seen a Changeling use their shapeshifting abilities was to take on the form of innocuous objects to evade detection or to assume an entirely unique form shared by no one else. This was the first time I had seen one assume the form of someone I am familiar with and for entirely dubious reasons. To be so thoroughly deceived why someone who can wear another person's face... It disturbed me far more in practice than it ever had on paper. The body snatcher scenario may be on of my more feared horror genres... And I could not have been more grateful that I had such capable allies at my side during such an unsettling encounter. "I'm glad you were here, even if you were out of your element."

"Baby, I would've shown my best if that ugly bug made a move on us. I haven't killed before, but I'd be willing to try for your sake." Novo declared boldly before turning her attention towards Celestia and her sisters. "Well then, Celestia... What now? You think we should take what she said seriously?"

"Under any other circumstances, I would be taking the words of our enemy with a heaping dose of salt. But if Rain Shine's insistence is anything to go by..." Celestia began to say before she glanced at her sisters. Luna and Nightmare Moon only responded with a nod as if to convey that they should not disregard what the Changeling queen had told us. Celestia then said, "Let us meet in the war room in thirty minutes. This turn of events needs to be discussed."

Everyone began to head back towards the camp while Novo flew off to return her sword to the Alabaster. Ember was the last to pass me while I stood there to collect my thoughts. And as I looked at her, I remembered what she just did. Whatever Chrysalis was implying as she spoke to the Dragon Lord was more than enough to provoke a nearly murderous response from Ember. She would have crushed the queen's throat had she not been able to teleport out of Ember's vice of a grip. When Ember glanced at me from behind her helmet, I began to ask, "Ember..."

"Not now. I don't have an answer." She hastily retorted in an almost uncharacteristic manner before quickening her pace to get away from me. But not as if she did not want to be around me. Whatever was on her mind, it was best not to pry. Not this time. But just before I could start to follow, I noticed someone behind me had not started to head back yet. Rain Shine remained where she was while facing east. The Viper Edge had been set upon the ground by her hooves.

She did not turn to face me. Rain Shine's gaze never looked away from the east. I approached my shield-sister and asked, "You all right?"

"Her presence was most foul...but she spoke not a hint of deception... What sort of circumstances could provoke the vile into aiding their enemies?" Rain Shine muttered in confusion with her eyes narrow and pondering. She was unsettled and not by the fact that Chrysalis had infiltrated us to the point where she was even able to evade a kirin's spiritual senses. She then closed her eyes and said, "Perhaps I can listen in through the flora near the Heaven's Pillar... See if I can get a feel for what is happening."

"You can? Nice." I retorted before falling silent. Rain Shine closed her eyes. Her horn's runes became aglow as she remained entirely still. No doubt becoming one with nature. Moments passed before I felt it was safe to speak. "Hear anything? See anything?"

"The many blades of grass cannot see, my friend. But they can hear. And I hear...nothing unusual. Nor do I feel anything unusual..." The wise and ancient kirin muttered without once opening her eyes. "It is quiet... Much too quiet. But...there is icy nearby. Snaking its way up the tower... It has grown ever so high over the centuries... Let me see if I can...feel higher..."

This was a curious observation. And not entirely unexpected. Even if the Heaven's Pillar stood the test of time by not being reclaimed by nature, there was no stopping the encroachment of wild flora. Much of the lower sections of the tower must have surely been overrun by ivy growing over the walls by now. It must be a beautiful sight, if not somewhat melancholy.

"Wha... What is this..." Rain Shine muttered with a gasp as I saw her face's expression begin to change. First to curiosity. Then into a display of growing discomfort. And then...pain. Genuine pain as she bared her teeth. "This... How could this... What am I sensing...? Stop... Stop, I don't want..."

"Rain...?" I muttered in concern before I began to carefully reach out to her.

"What is this negativity?!" Rain Shine suddenly shouted as her eyes shot open with a look of utter horror. Even with her eyes open to see around her, she did not sever the link with the flora. She swung her head as if something had dug its hooks into her with fresh torrents of tears flowing from her eyes. "Too much! Too much hatred! Please stop! I don't want to feel this! I beg of you, I do not wish to know this!"

She was in agony. Whatever she was sensing out there... I did not take time to question it. I waited for an opportunity and grabbed Rain Shine in a firm armored embrace. I did all I could to secure her in my arms, even folding my armor's wings around her. "Rain! Rain, what is it?!"

My embrace gradually soothed her and the glow in her horn's runes faded in seconds. Stunned and still reeling from whatever just assaulted her senses, she leaned limply into my embrace while dragging us both down to the ground. "Hold me... Let me bask in your aura... Yes... Yes, much better... So warm..."

"Shhh... It's OK. I'm here." I whispered to her in the hopes that no one saw that frantic display. And I asked carefully, "What did you sense? Was it coming from the emperor?"

"No... No, that could not have been him... He has never been the sort to be ruled by bitterness..." Rain Shine muttered softly with her tears slowly came to a stop. Even as those trails of salty liquid still stained her face. "It came from above... Far above. But it was so strong... Strong enough to feel so far below... A miasma of horrible desires and ill will... Like nothing I have ever felt across the world of Equestria... I refuse to believe such a thing could ever be the product of something from this world... What has the emperor willed upon this world?"

This only added to the horror of what the Changeling queen revealed to us. Something so foul and that it even frightened her? Something that could be a threat to literally everyone in this world? I tried to not think to hard about it, but now my nerves were alight with a dreadful sense of unwanted ignorance. The fact that we simply did not know what was happening was the worst thing about this situation. Desperate for answers, I started to help Rain Shine to her feet. "We'll be finding out soon... You should take the rest of the evening off to pamper yourself or something. Get some good vibes going after that."

"I... I shall. I must rest my soul in time for the next engagement with the enemy..." Rain Shine muttered as she shakily lifted her glaive to her side with a very shaky levitation spell. She had nothing else to say while I walked her back to the encampment and to her personal hut. Although she did bid me farewell with a kiss between the eyes. Once she was tucked away safe and sound, I headed into the command center to wait for the meeting in the war room.

What I found upon entering was not what I expected. A number of guards were standing around with short spears at their sides. It was just like when Chrysalis first arrived while disguised as Cadence, but she was gone now. Why the extra security? That answer came immediately when I heard the clopping of hooves coming down the stairs leading up to my room. And I should have seen this coming in retrospect. Shining Armor emerged from the stairwell with Ocellus following behind in her dragon facade with her arms bound securely with rope. Smolder followed closely behind with a look of great irritation in her eyes. "I swear, if you guys do anything to her..."

"She is not going to be harmed, Miss Smolder. We just need to talk with her." Shining Armor replied bluntly while guiding a very uneasy Ocellus to a stool and had her take a seat on it. His men drew in closer while he looked over at me. "James, I'm glad you could be here. I think you should be here for this."

"They came in and tied her up. Saying something about her maybe being a spy for the Changelings that snuck into the camp today. I think that's what happened, at least?" Smolder explained while sounding as confused as she was frustrated. I should have expected this. It was far to easy to assume Ocellus had been used by her former allies. Or to have not been as innocent as we had assumed. But I refused to believe Ocellus had any ulterior motives for getting caught in the first place. She was too genuine... Too sincere. At least that was what I had hoped after seeing the Changeling queen herself.

Ocellus said nothing, but that pleading gaze in her eyes told me she had no idea why she had been brought downstairs in cuffs. I tried pushing my doubts out of my head. She was much too young to be skilled enough in the art of deception to fake that gaze. I then took a seat at the table in the common area and listened in while Smolder stood by me.

Shining Armor let out a sigh of frustration before he spoke with a softer tone than expected. "Look... I really want to give you the benefit of the doubt on this, but I can't ignore the coincidences. We were infiltrated today by a group of Changelings. And their queen was with them. She was the one who looked like Cadence."

The look of utter shock in her eyes... This was entirely unexpected to her. There was no faking that alarm. "She... She was here?! And she was Miss Cadence?! But...how?! If the queen was here, I would've sensed her! I walked right by her! There's no way I wouldn't have no noticed her presence!"

I strongly doubt the Changelings have a means of hiding their own inherent hive connection to each other so easily. They may be able to hide from a kirin if they try hard enough, but hiding from Ocellus? It did not sound possible. And Shining Armor believed her. "OK, OK, I get it. But if you couldn't sense her... Why couldn't you detect your queen right next to you? Is there a way to prevent other Changelings from noticing?"

"We Changelings have an intrinsic... I think that's the right word? An intrinsic connection to every other Changeling in the hive? If we get close enough, we can literally feel the connection to know it's them even when they're disguised. The only way...I couldn't feel the queen nearby would be..." Ocellus started to explain before she looked completely crestfallen. A look of sorrow in her eyes. "It means...I've been cut out of the connection... I...can't go back anymore..."

I too felt my heart sink upon understanding what she meant. The Changeling hive had essentially exiled her by this point. There was no going back now. I looked at Smolder and saw that she too was mildly distressed by this claim. Our little friend was distraught and it hurt to see her like this. Even Shining Armor reached out and placed his hoof on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"It... I guess it's OK though... I didn't even want to go back... But then...why does it sting so much knowing this?" Ocellus muttered as long wet tears trickled down her draconian muzzled. The guards immediately released her from her binds and returned to their duties. They knew to not disturb her now.

"Hey... Hey, it's OK... You hear me, Ocellus?" Smolder said softly while she approached. The little dragoness then put her arms around her friend and said, "Who cares if that ugly old hive doesn't want you back? Just wait until we get back to Ponyville. You'll be living the dream when we get there."

"Thank you... I just...need some time to take this in..." Ocellus muttered with a pitiable attempt at a smile creeping across her face. She knew she was safe and loved where she was. But I knew the hive was the only home she had ever known. And it was not like she had any enemies there. It was not ideal, but it was still familiar and safe, that much I am certain of. And now we were all she had.

I wanted to hold Ocellus after all that had happened. I needed to be reminded that she is a wonderful little lady who is nothing like the twisted queen I saw that afternoon. And she needed me too. Ocellus reached out to me with her arms, wordlessly pleading for me to take her into mine. But just when I started to approach, the door to the war room opened while Shining Armor stood in the doorway. "James... We need you in here. Can't get started without you."

"Right... I'm coming." I grumbled while Shining Armor stepped back inside. Ocellus and I gazed at each other in bitter disappointment. I then reached out and rested my hand on her head. "I'll be up as soon as we're done in there, all right?"

Ocellus could only nod with a tearful whimper. Smolder then smiled at me, albeit weakly, and said, "I'll keep an eye on her. Don't keep us waiting."

In an attempt to ease Ocellus before departing, I placed a kiss on her head before heading into the war room with my helmet held in my left arm. I locked the door behind me as I found just about everyone I would expect to be there for such a heavy topic. The entire Equestrian royal family was present. As was Novo and Seaspray. Ember rested her helmet on the table while Spitfire was seated beside her. Shining Armor and Estoc were muttering quietly to each other, as was Twilight Sparkle for some reason. Like the last time, Orbash saved a seat for me and beckoned me to sit by him. I left the Lunar Shield by the door to free up my left arm and placed my helmet on the table before me. More than anything, my eyes fell upon Twilight. Why was she there?

"Are we all present here? Good." Sunflare spoke as the sun queen took charge of the situation. "I never dreamed we would have to be discussing an old enemy like the Changeling queen during this war. Were there truly no signs of anything being amiss after they arrived?"

"Not at all, your majesty. The crew that arrived with the false Cadence gave us no reason for concern and even cooperated with handling with unloading the cargo. We only checked the captain's cabin when one of our men just happened to pass by and heard muffled sounds from within." Seaspray explained at length over what happened aboard that cargo ship at the docks. The captain's cabin would certainly have no business being entered by anyone who was there just to deal with the cargo. The last place anyone would look. It bought the intruders an ample amount of time.

Twilight then decided to speak up. "I can't believe Chrysalis even fooled me... She performed that little ritual Cadence and I have completely flawlessly! How does anypony do that?! How do you memorize something like that?!"

Indeed, that was the first thing Shining Armor thought of as a test to see if Cadence was the real deal. The fact that the Changeling queen's mimicry skills had improved to the point where she could even pass for someone she had been caught impersonating rather poorly before was unsettling. Truly, she had reached the point where she was taking no chances. A high profile failure like an invasion of Equestria's capital might do that to one's ego...

"Before we forget about that... James. You seemed to recognize Chrysalis. From the Everfree Forest, you said?" Nightmare Moon began to speak with all eyes falling upon me. In hindsight, I felt really stupid for not having ever mentioned what I saw and heard to anyone. Although I doubt it would have made a difference in the grand scheme of things. "Tell us. What did you see out there and when did it happen."

Even though it has only been a couple of years since that time, thinking back to when it all started feels like half a lifetime ago. But I could never forget that first day out there. "It was during that judicial mess where I hid out in the Everfree Forest regarding...a weird law that made me jump to conclusions. You remember, right?"

Celestia and Luna glanced at each other in embarrassment other the mess that outdated law caused me back then. Luna then said, "We do. And what of that day?"

"I never actually saw anyone, but...during my first full day out there, I swear I felt like I was being watched at times... Not being hunted by beasts. Just...the feeling that I was being observed." I explained as I recalled that uncanny sensation at the time. I then continued, "I felt it again the on the night Nightmare Moon returned. I ended up lagging behind the girls for a bit and I felt that creepy feeling again. That was when I kind of saw her. It was hard to make her out in the shadows, but that silhouette... And those eyes... It was her. She was watching me from a distance. Just like at the start..."

"You mean to tell me the Changeling queen has been keeping a close eye on you...since only your eighth day in Equestria?!" Celestia exclaimed as she suddenly leaned forward over the table with a tone of shock in her voice. When she put it like that... It only made Chrysalis' familiarity with me all the more unsettling. Celestia then asked, "But...why? What does she see in you? She had quite the fixation on you when she revealed herself today..."

"I...should probably explain why I wanted to join this meeting now. I have something important to say about Chrysalis." Twilight Sparkle then spoke with all eyes falling upon her. She did hesitate, breathing a harsh sigh with her eyes directed at the table for a moment. "The truth is...I saw her that night too. But after everything was said and done about Nightmare Moon. Do you remember that night, your highness? When you...felt something nearby while we were waiting for Rainbow Dash to come back?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. I don't suppose what I felt was...her?" Nightmare Moon replied as I was left wondering just what happened after I passed out from sheer blood loss after that fateful night. If there was a time to bring something like that up, now was the time to do it.

Twilight nodded before she continued. "They surrounded me before I even knew they were there. I tried pressing the queen for information, but she said that she would have to kill me if she told me. I was only allowed to leave without trouble by promising not to mention seeing her to anypony. I was inclined to believe she really wasn't up to anything out there in the middle of a place like the Everfree Forest, but...I guess it was only a matter of time before she revealed why she wanted us to take very good care of James..."

"We're not mad at you, Twily. You had to do what you had to in order to stay alive." Shining Armor replied with his hoof on his sister's shoulder. It did sound like nothing worth mentioning did happen that night. Although I still was left baffled... How long was the Changeling queen keeping tabs on me? The more I thought about how many times we might have passed each other in the streets without me even knowing she was there... Paranoia inducing indeed. Although Shining Armor then directed his attention to all of us and said, "We've already questioned the defector and it's not likely she was involved in the queen's activities today. By all accounts, it looks like she's been completely exiled from the hive by this point."

"An unfortunate possibility, but good to see that was not the case. The child does not appear to possess ulterior motives..." Sunflare retorted while I noticed her eyes glance at me. They narrowed for a moment before the sun queen asked, "Although it does seem plausible that our enemy has been monitoring your activity in this world, James. And for a worrying amount of time. I would assume that your status as the only human in this world... Well, aside from the emperor. I would assume you being the only one of your kind is a significant factor in this situation, but I would be a fool to assume that is the only factor here..."

It really was worrying... And I remembered what Thorax had told me at our prior encounter. I could not mention him to everyone there, but... What he said. The one their queen is looking for. Was it me? And what for? What is so special about me that she could view me as a valuable resource? And why has she not acted yet? Waiting for a certain opportunity? To keep this subterfuge and surveillance going for this long... She is a very patient enemy. And the patient ones are easily the most dangerous.

Nightmare Moon then spoke to Shining Armor with a most stern gaze. "Captain. Until further notice, you and your men are to perform sporadic checks on our personnel at your discretion. We cannot take chances out here."

This sounded unnecessary after even Rain Shine could not detect any deception in the words of Chrysalis. I could not imagine them trying to sabotage our efforts in the war. But they know her better than I do, so who knows? I looked over at Ember while she looked back at me. We said nothing, but both nodded. We both knew the other was listening closely even if we had little to say thus far.

"If no one else has anything to say about this Changeling business, I say we focus on why we're actually here." Novo finally spoke up while tapping her talons loudly on the table to get everyone's attention. "If that ugly bug is to be believed, there's something weird going down at the Heaven's Pillar. The enemy headquarters, am I right? And I have to say a recon operation wouldn't be a bad idea."

Spitfire was quick to raise her hoof. "Leave it to me, your majesties. I'll round up some of our fastest fliers tomorrow and be in and out of there with the information you need in no time."

"Well said, captain. And yes, tomorrow may be best. It is already getting too late in the day and we shouldn't hold the sun back just for this. We need you to actually be able to see what's happening out there after all." Orbash replied while I expected nothing less from the captain of the Wonderbolts.

But that was not all she had to say on the matter. Spitfire then extended her hoof to me before saying, "And I'd really appreciate it if you could come with us, James."

I certainly did not expect this invitation. I had already found myself completely not cut out for the Best Young Fliers competition in Cloudsdale the last time Rainbow Dash wanted me to tryout for it. I stood no chance in keeping up with pegasi of Wonderbolt caliber. I then asked, "I'm pretty sure I'm nowhere near fast enough to keep up with you guys. You sure I won't just slow you down?"

Spitfire did not hesitate in her explanation. "It's just a straight line east, right? You don't have to worry about fancy acrobatics here. And besides, the emperor's men won't attack you directly. If you lead, we'll be safe behind you if we just happen to come under attack once we get there. And you've got enough power in that armor to handle anything that comes our way. Please? I'll feel a lot better about us rushing into uncharted enemy territory if we've got you backing us up."

There was one thing to consider about our aerial units. They were very lightly armored and not at all meant for combat. They only carried a single explosive dart for emergency situations. If they ended up in a situation where their speed could not save them, they would be as good as dead. Having faith in my friend's logic, I nodded at her. "All right, I'm in. Just let me know when you're ready to head out tomorrow."

Celestia then took charge of the conversation while Spitfire grinned in delight at my cooperation. The Princess of the Dawn then explained, "Then it's settled. You head out shortly past noon tomorrow. Let me remind you that this is strictly reconnaissance. While you shouldn't have anything to worry about if you maintain a high enough altitude, do not engage the enemy under any circumstances. Get in there, find out whatever you can, then report back here. Understood?"

"Understood, your highness. I'll see to it there are no problems with my wingmen." Spitfire replied with a confident smile. The meeting continued for a short while longer while other matters were discussed. But once the meeting was over and everyone started to head out, Novo was the last to leave. I waited in my seat since my armor's wings made wiggling around so many in confined spaces a bit cumbersome.

Once I was on my feet, Novo approached me and rested her hand on my pauldron. Her eyes were filled with a type of uneasiness I could not quite place. She peered over my shoulder to wait for the door to close before closing her eyes and resting her brow against mine. I too closed my eyes, savoring this moment of loving courtship. "First this war and now some creepy shapeshifter has her eyes on you... And I'm not sure which one I'm more worried about."

I gently rested my armored hand upon her shoulder while we leaned against each other. She was so bold with how she came swooping in with sword in hand when I might have been in danger. I felt so fortunate to know I was in good hands whenever that mighty swordswoman of a queen was nearby. "I don't think we have to worry about her being a problem right now... I'm just more concerned over what she saw out there. Something that's bad enough news for everyone that she would collaborate with her enemies to prevent it? That can't be good..."

"I've been around a long time, but something just felt ancient about that one... Something...primordial... From so far back that I can't wrap my head around it. She better stay away from you." Novo grumbled while we continued to bask in each other's presence. Before much longer, the door started to creak open behind me. Novo quickly lifted her head to look ahead in case someone was walking in who should not see what we were up to, but she relaxed when it was revealed to be Celestia. "Phew, spooked me for a moment there. Something you need, Celestia?"

"Yes, Novo..." The Princess of the Dawn replied before closing and locking the door behind her. We both turned to face her as she asked, "If it's not too much trouble to ask... May I watch over James tonight in my personal chambers?"

Novo and I stared in surprise at her before our eyes turned to each other. Celestia knew full well that Novo and I have an agreement. Whenever the Alabaster is docked overnight, I am to spend the night with her. And every night there is wonderful. While I was not exactly against spending an evening with Celestia, Novo was not quite so ready to concede. "Hold on a minute, Celestia. I seem to recall that James is supposed to stay with me whenever I stay the night. Isn't that what we agreed on?"

"Yes, I'm aware of that. It's just... How do I say..." Celestia began to speak before taking a moment to better articulate her coming words. "With everything that's happened over these past couple of days... I think it would be wise to have him stay somewhere that is safer for the night. The Alabaster is docked right by the northwestern walls while the command center is in the middle of the encampment. He will be much safer here, especially with me. Please, Novo... Just for tonight. We'll be here at least for another day, so I will trust you with him tomorrow. But please... Please, old friend?"

Something had Celestia uneasy. And I could not fault her. With everything I had on my mind, I too would appreciate some extra security that night. I waited for Novo to respond, knowing it was up to her and not me. After some contemplation with her eyes closed, Novo finally nodded towards her best friend. "All right then, Celestia. I get why you're freaked out and I won't fault you for that. He can stay with you tonight so long as you keep him safe. But tomorrow night, he's all mine."

"Agreed. And thank you for understanding, Novo." Celestia replied before stepping past me to give her friend a hug.

Before she could leave the room, Novo reached out and placed a kiss upon my cheek before I sweetly caresses the feathers lining her face. She spoke sweetly to me, "There was a lot I wanted to talk to you about tonight, but that'll just have to wait until tomorrow night. Be safe, love. I know these are trying times."

"Thank you, Novo... Love you." I whispered with dear sincerity as I tried to ignore the insecurities that had taken root in my heart. I wanted to believe that I would not make her regret falling in love with me.

"Love you too, my king. Always." Novo whispered with such a lovely gaze in her eyes. She only then left the war room while I gathered up my helmet and weapons. Now that I was free, someone needed me upstairs.

Upon stepping into my dorm, I found who I was looking for. Smolder was seated on my bed while Ocellus had abandoned her disguise. The unmasked little Changeling laid across Smolder's lap while the little dragoness constantly stroked Ocellus' rounded head. The poor thing looked so forlorn, no doubt reeling from having learned she could never go home again. I then asked while setting aside my helmet and shield, "How's she holding up?"

"She hasn't said much... The love bug needs a good cuddle." Smolder explained softly with her hand constantly stroking the Changeling like a small lapdog. I got my armor off of me as quickly as it would melt into its tub and took a seat by the two of them on the bed. "Here he is. You need a snack?"

Ocellus only responded with a muffled whimper. She could hardly bring herself to move. Smolder then helped lift her into my arms before I cradled the little love bug against my chest. I may have had a lot on my mind at the time, but I knew she needed me then and I was happy to help. "Hey... It'll be all right. You didn't even want to go back. Things will get better once we get you back to Ponyville."

My words hardly lifted her spirits. I was wondering if there was something I needed to say. Smolder was quick to catch on as her eyes narrowed in solemn realization. "She just needs a little while to adjust. I...kinda went through the same thing. I don't wanna go back to the dragon lands, but it still stung for a while."

"Right... Just know that we're here for you, love bug." I said quietly while noticing the distinct lack of any love being drained out of me. She was so miserable that Ocellus had lost her appetite. Smolder leaned against me while we allowed the little love to bask in our presence. Leaving her in isolation would not benefit her at the time.

Before much longer, my ears picked up an odd sound. Light tapping on glass. Smolder eventually picked up on it too. "You hear that...?"

"It sounds like.....the window?" I retorted before we both looked back at the window set in the wall by my bed. A bird was out there and it was occasionally tapping on the window with its beak. It stepped back and forth with a slightly jittery and jerky strut. "Is that a crow? No, wait... That white with the black... A magpie?"

"Whaddya think it wants? Aren't wild birds kinda skittish?" Smolder asked while even Ocellus lifted her head in curiosity. No matter how long we watched, the magpie never departed. It just kept pacing back and forth before the window while occasionally pecking at the glass.

I too was surprised by the courage of this wayward magpie. "Usually, but corvids can be very bold birds. Very intelligent too. Maybe the little guy sees something in here it wants to check out?"

"As long as it doesn't wanna cause trouble." Smolder said before crawling over to the window and getting it open with the curtains out of the way. The little bird hardly paid her any mind as it strut by her and fluttered its wings to hop down to the floor. "Heh. Pretty brave little dude. Whatcha want, bird?"

The magpie lifted its wing before pecking at its feathers for a spot of grooming. It then rapidly shook itself with all those feathers fluffing up for just a second. Perfectly natural bird behavior. But then...it looked up to us as a voice came from its beak. "Hello again."

We all just stared. Even Ocellus gawked at the crow with wide eyes. For a moment, we had nothing to say. At least until it suddenly dawned on me. "Oh, right! Corvids are also skilled at mimicking speech! They do it even better than parrots, come to think of it..."

Smolder looked away from our little guest and asked, "Whoa, really? I wonder where this little guy picked up on that?"

Much to my confusion, the magpie then practically facepalmed right into its own wing. Almost like it was annoyed with us misinterpreting something. It then lowered its wing and said, "No, I mean..."

We all leaned back in surprise as something unexpected happened. A flash of green fire, far bigger than necessary to enshroud the little big, shot up past it. And when the flames faded, a Changeling stallion stood before us. But he then just looked at us and said, "So, uh... Hi. It's been a while. Remember? The Everfree Forest?"

"You... Thorax? But... Smolder, the window. Lock the door." I quickly said before realizing that this familiar face was taking a great risk just stopping by to say hello. Smolder was quick to lock the window and close the curtains over it before hurrying over to the door leading downstairs and secured the lock. At least I knew he was not there to cause trouble. I then looked at our guest and asked, "You've gotta be crazy to come here when the place is already on high alert after what your queen pulled. What brings you here?"

"I know... I was there with the others. I just... I wanted to check on you and Ocellus. Is that OK?" He asked with a tone of shame in his voice. Just as soft-spoken as I recalled.

I just nodded to let him know that his arrival was not unappreciated. Ocellus looked at her old acquaintance with wide eyes. Although she then asked, "I can see you...but I can't sense you. Am I...really...?"

"Yes... I'm sorry. Once we found out you were here, the queen let you go. You're...not valuable enough to take back, she said. But you don't know too much either, so you're not in danger." Thorax explained with such a look of dismay in his featureless blue eyes. Ocellus bowed her head with eyes nearly squinting shut. But Thorax then spoke some much needed kinder words. "But at least you're in good company."

"Yeah, you got that right. And you're still being a good little bug too, right?" Smolder asked while standing by the door. She had her back pressed to it just in case someone might try to open it. Thorax would be in for hell if anyone found out he was there.

"I'm...trying. I signed up for that operation because I'd be able to see you all again. I promise I didn't hurt anyone though. I was the one who piloted the airship after everyone was locked up." Thorax explained before he looked at Ocellus again. He then lifted his face to look at me and said, "Please take good care of her. She deserves a better life than what she had with us. The hive doesn't suit her."

My hold on Ocellus tightened while keeping her cradled in my arms. "I'll do everything I can for her when we get back home. You know what it's like back at my place."

"Yeah... I do." Thorax muttered with his eyes lifting their gaze at Ocellus. They shared a stare for a moment before he spoke with a soft smile. "It's really nice over there. I'm sure that when you go home... To your real home... You'll be very happy there. Don't worry about us anymore. Focus on what's ahead, all right?"

"I'll try..." She finally mumbled with such a tired sigh. Ocellus then waved her little hoof at her old friend and said, "Thanks for coming to see me one more time... You were always nice to me, Thorax."

"I'm just glad you're going to a happier place now. I hope everyone there will be good to you." Thorax said while touching his hoof to hers. Even among a hive commanded by a truly unsettling queen, it was comforting to see genuine goodness among Changelings. It only made me feel sorry for their lot in being marked as enemies of Equestria.

Knowing Thorax could not stay long and would most likely head out soon, I knew that if I was going to ask question it would need to happen now. And so I said, "Thorax... Your queen... You mentioned at one point she was looking for someone the last time we met. Am I the one she's after?"

Thorax lifted his head to look at me, but then suddenly became stiff as if a sudden chill flowed through his body. "I... I can't tell you..."

"I know she's been watching me, Thorax. I hadn't even been in Equestria for ten days before I started feeling like someone was stalking me at times in the Everfree Forest." I explained while thinking back to what happened out there barely an hour ago. My eyes narrowed as I asked, "What does she want from me?"

"Please...stop..." Thorax muttered in utter fright. We all looked at him in confusion. He was displaying a very unusual response to a simple question. But then he muttered, "She's...listening..."

That hive connection... Was Chrysalis listening in at that moment? Thorax looked at me and pleaded, "I can feel her... She's listening in very closely... Please don't make me talk. If I say the wrong things... I'll have to run. They'll hunt me. I'll never be safe..."

I looked at Ocellus and then at Smolder. They all looked equally alarmed. Whatever Chrysalis was after, she wanted no word of that master plan getting out until the proper time. And anyone who would dare reveal it to the wrong person...would surely be silenced. I took Thorax's words at face value and placed my hand on his head. "OK, OK... You don't have to tell me. I have a hunch I'll be finding out in due time anyway."

Thorax let out a huge sigh of relief as his body relaxed. A few seconds later, he then said, "I don't feel her anymore... I hate it when she does that. Makes it feel like she's always right behind me. I don't think she'll listen in if we...don't talk about that."

"That's fine. I'd hate to get you in trouble. You were always a nice guy that day." I replied with my fingers lightly patting his head. "Anyway...is it time to go?"

"Yeah. But first... If it's all right..." Thorax muttered before turning his gaze up to me. "May I...have a snack before I leave? I can almost taste all that love in you?"

"Peh, just can't resist, huh?" I almost said with a laugh before gently setting Ocellus aside. She was in better enough spirits to cooperate and rested beside me. I then patted my lap and said, "Come on up, love bug. Help yourself."

Thorax was a little too happy to do so. He bounded up onto me and draped himself across my lap to get comfortable. And then I felt it. My love being gradually siphoned out of me while that cozy little guy remained on my lap. I stroked my hand down his back while Ocellus asked, "Isn't it delicious?"

"Mmhm, it's the best... And there's so much of it..." Thorax muttered dreamily with his eyes closed. Smolder was just smirking in amusement as our guest got a bit too comfortable with this. "It's so filling and flavorful... And it just makes me happy."

Minutes went by while Thorax drank away. While my lap was occupied, Ocellus leaned into my embrace to make up for that. Although Thorax eventually spoke quietly to me. "I hope everything will be all right for you out there, James... I want to see you again sometimes. When things are better..."

"Yeah, me too. You're a good guy, Thorax." I replied while keeping my hand sliding over his elytra. I had to do some research to figure out what those hardened panels that cover the wings are. Once he finally had his fill, Thorax stood up. But he then surprised me by bringing his head to the side of mine and resting his jaw on my shoulder with his head tilting into mine. "Um... Thorax?"

"Be safe out there... It's...not looking good out there by the Heaven's Pillar." He replied softly before stepping around me and holding Ocellus in his arms for a hug. "Goodbye, Ocellus... It'll be OK. Things will get better."

"I hope so... Goodbye, Thorax." She whimpered softly before having to let her friend leave. He once again assumed the form of a magpie and took flight once we let him out through the window. I remained there with Smolder and Ocellus until dinner time. It was such a long afternoon...

Dinner went by well enough, but conversation was sparse. With everything that happened the day prior followed by the mess that was the surprise arrival of the Changeling queen, there was a certain discomfort in the air. A feeling of dreadful uncertainty. I almost envied the militiamen outside the command center. They had very little grasp of the gravity of the situation. What I would give for a little blissful ignorance right now...

Ocellus and Smolder were understanding in my insistence of needing some more protective company that night. After a hot shower, I headed downstairs with a large towel draped around me while clad in my boxers. The common area was all but deserted. No signs of enemy movement on the crystal display panels. I walked quietly down the hall with only the subtle ambience of the command center breaking the silent of the night. Everyone had turned in for the night.

The door was locked when I arrived at Celestia's chambers. A light knock on the door followed by quiet words was all I needed. "I'm alone."

The door opened to reveal Celestia relaxing upon her bed. It was still surprising to see just how much simpler the personal aesthetics were for even royalty out there in the field. The Princess of the Dawn was bare, the sheets of her bed pulled down. Her gaze was far from a happy one, but there was no sorrow in her eyes either. "How are you tonight? I know it's been a long day..."

"It has... I can't remember the last time my body felt this ready to just give out and sleep just from psychological fatigue..." I muttered while setting my towel aside. I laid myself upon the mattress with Celestia's wing draped over me. It was comforting to finally be able to spend such personal time with just my beloved. And for a moment, everything felt better in her presence. She used her levitation magic to pull the sheets over us and turned out the lamp nearby. Only the glow of her horn's magic aura illuminated us then, its gentle din soothing my ears. "I want to be optimistic about tomorrow... It's the 'not knowing' part that hurts most."

"It really is... Nothing really makes sense with what the emperor is doing... Who is he trying to conquer Equestria for anymore? It just doesn't add up..." She muttered in quiet contemplation before I felt a kiss upon my cheek. "But with my mother and father here, I have little reason to believe this war will not end in our favor. I hope you will grow to have faith in them, my dear."

"Oh, I do. Your father is a wonderful man. And a very powerful one too, from what I saw today. Your mother is much more intimidating, but she's righteous. I have nothing but respect for her in spite of how things went at first." I replied while thinking of the two mightiest ponies in the world...who were right on the other side of the wall sleeping in their own hut. A sudden realization hit me as I asked, "Do you...think they'll approve of us? What if they find out?"

Celestia's response was an uneasy giggle. "Oh my, that hadn't occurred to me until you said that... I know Father will love you, but... Hm. It's hard to say about Mother. They're very old fashioned when it comes to how their relationship works. A heart for a heart. Although I suppose now is not the time to be speculating about that... But have faith. I want to believe this relationship will work, my king."

"Yeah... Me too." I whispered back to her upon hearing those honeyed words. I felt her lips upon mine as that golden yellow glow faded, the room being claimed by the darkness of the night. "Sweet dreams, my queen. Love you."

Celestia's words were but a loving whisper as her voice moved to right beside my ear with her body shifting next to mine to get comfortable for the night. "Sweet dreams, my love. I will keep you safe tonight."

Morning came. Breakfast was well enough and I awoke in good enough spirits and the presence of my dear Celestia. But I did end up putting off my morning shower to document this on my typewriter.

Today is the day we learn something that has been kept from us. In a matter of hours, I will be departing with Spitfire and whoever she could find to round out the team needed for some speedy reconnaissance. Whatever it is the emperor is up to, it was enough to prompt an enemy of Equestria to set aside hostilities to relay this vital information to us. Our own enemy conspired against another enemy for mutual benefit for us all. Just how dire and desperate has the situation become?

I want to believe things are going to be just fine. We have superior tactics and versatility on our side, superior intelligence resources, and now even the king and queen of Equestria themselves have stepped in to assist us. This should all be the ingredients of a decisive and swift victory in this war. And yet...why do I feel like everything about this war will change once I finally see the Heaven's Pillar with my own eyes?

Rain Shine... What did you detect yesterday? What sort of malevolence did you feel around the Heaven's Pillar? I am afraid to ask... And there is no point in doing so. For in only a few hours, the truth will come out. Best to wait and see for ourselves. May fortune favor us all.