A/N: I'm pretty excited for Slayer's performance on the 15th this month at the Mayhem Festival. Also, a new Cradle of Filth album release tomorrow with BTBAM's new album that same day. Not to mention how I just began watching Game of Thrones on Tuesday this week.

Holy cow, I don't even realize how fast I was typing and thinking it took to write this chapter. (In five days, no less.)

Review Responses:

sonic3461: Thank you. Damn well, you'll get ready for the next chapter after this. :)

Guest: Thank you for the two reviews. Read on and you will see.

Raven 105: Hmmm, I actually am thinking of making her say something like that for the next chapter at the beginning. Read on and find out! :)

jvs12: Thank you.

4theworldman: Thanks for the two reviews.

Billykilly: Thank you. :)

Steve103: I might pull off something involving Coco finding out about this long after my hiatus is done. All I just need by then is two adventure chapters long and then short for an idea I have which follows the main story.

Guest: Yes, I saw Discord's house cause I've seen the episode. ;) We should never be afraid to gain hope from a single show or band we like, cause I watch this song and listen to a lot of metal.

Twilight's POV

Ponyville

The sun had already risen over the eastern horizon, transitioning itself into a blue afternoon, yet infinite sky above. It seemed like a rather beautiful day outside, but outside from what I was thinking: I wasn't paying too much attention to the weather and its humid settled weather nor temperature of summer.

I was lying right there on the couch I had positioned earlier this morning to think over what happened for the last few days regarding the occurrence for which I had ended up raising my voice and shouting directly at Brayden. All over because of him cheating on me which on his end was a bit of a mistake that he made. I wasn't mad though when he came to my mind…

Somehow, it must have been the look of pain on his face when he was trying to talk to me and tell me it was a mistake. I ended up using my magic to cast a spell to keep his mouth silent while I did all of the yelling. He made his promise not to hurt me or anypony else when he took up the Song of Order and even before that… he swore to protect me…

I can hear steps accompanied with the sound of hooves right by the balcony archways behind me. My ears perk up and in my mind, I am guessing that this is Brayden coming back to see me with one of my friends joining him. I lift up my head and turn it right to see who was at the open door. Well, by those steps I had heard, I looked very disappointed and sad when I saw somepony else that I thought was him coming in.

It was only my assistant Spike who had been coming outside from the interiors of the castle we were both living in. Beside him was our friend Rainbow Dash, who came along with him from inside most likely. At times when the library was still around, she would either fly in onto the balcony at the rarest times or just enter in through the door which is the most common of her. I assume she went through those doors at the bottom of the castle.

My ears flop down sadly once again and I turn and look away from the both of them, closing my eyes. With only the sound of the gentle wind and my friends coming forward to talk to me, I can only think about Brayden and why he had to run away. Why does this feel like I have made a mistake?

"Twilight," I can hear Spike's voice say to me on my right side. I can feel the couch's cushion moving for a moment as I could tell Spike was hopping up onto the couch to join me. "Is everything alright?"

I shook my head, giving him the answer that he and Rainbow were looking for, to their disappointment. "No Spike… I'm not alright." I said to him.

"What's the matter then?" He asks me again. I open my eyes and can see Rainbow Dash trotting on the crystalline tiles to my left, comforting me with Spike.

"I feel like… whatever I did to Brayden… it was wrong." I said to him, sounding like I had made a mistake.

"Well I was there when you yelled at him, and you broke off your relationship with him." Spike said to me, crossing the both of his arms and looking like a stallion father was mildly scolding his child for stealing from them.

"I know that," I said to him. When the event replayed in my mind, I just felt sorrow and the regret of ever having to yell at him in such a rage after viewing those memories he had. "But what if I went a little too far on breaking it up with without trying to fix it with him and just argue with him?"

"You know Twilight, it wasn't his fault nor yours," I can hear Rainbow Dash say to me on my left. I can feel her fuzzy hoof touching my shoulder, so I turn my saddened face to look at her. "I think what Fluttershy told me is that it was only an accident and things like this can be resolved in no time. No door should be slammed on a relationship that way."

"That's just what she is thinking," I responded to her. "I don't know… do you think I was a bit too harsh?"

I couldn't see Spike shrugging the both of his claws behind me, but I presumed he was wearing a look that just about said 'I guess so' on it. "Come on Twilight, you've been on this balcony for at least last night. You've already slept on it as of the night." He says to me.

Sitting there, I close my eyes and let out a sigh that made me sound a little down. "I don't know Spike…" I said to him, starting to get an unusual feeling inside that I never did feel before when reflecting on what I did between me and Brayden.

Somewhere inside of my heart, it was beginning to hurt. This hurt was different, not like it was the heart attack of medical conditions… this was more emotional in that way for my relationship between me and him for I ended up holding him inside my mind. It was in pain for what I had done… this was the feeling of regret that I was facing for the first time that involved him in this.

"I know this is hard to go through a time of regret," Rainbow began to speak to me. I turn my head left and open up my eyes to look at her as she went on. "But when you first yelled at him at one point for him lying to you about where he was, he was in tears from that as well."

"I was only disappointed in him at that time for not telling me the truth about that. But I could never… think of even hitting him for dishonoring the relationship we've been in…" I said to her.

"The relationship didn't end and it still hasn't gone yet," She says to me. "You're a princess and you are proud to have him in your life. He's your special somepony."

"He may be different, but there were some stuff I remember while the both of us went on dates," I spoke out, being reminded of those happy times which now seems too far now since it happened. "One time, the both of us had gone to an amusement park by the lake. I let out an outburst in front of security there for calling him a 'thing' which is very sensitive because…"

I can sense that my eyes were starting to develop a little bit of a misty look to them. I still hold the courage inside to continue explaining what happened. "He's different from everypony else. After that outburst I was in tears and he held me close, promising that everything was okay and that it was just… a mistake I made. I thought I ruined the date. Then there was that kiss we shared on the Ferris wheel... and the promise that came from it…"

Rainbow Dash and Spike were both in silence while I was slowly telling them this story in a rather brief way, there isn't really any way that I could explain the whole thing to them on how it worked. Rainbow Dash looks a little concerned when she saw how misty that my eyes were looking right about now. It is the one face that asked me if I was going to start crying.

No. I have to be brave about this… I'm not going to start shedding tears.

"Twilight, I know it hurts you inside. But if you remember his promise, you know that he's never going to hurt any of us no matter what." Rainbow says to me while I get up and off of the couch trotting to the end of the balcony.

I set a hoof over the balcony's railing, observing all of Ponyville below with the shadow of Canterlot on the mountainside, looking majestic even if it was far away. "I shouldn't have yelled and broke it off with him…" I said to the both of them with regret making its full move on the board.

Accompanied with a sniffle, a tear rolls down my left cheek and I can feel it drop down from there and down towards the grass of green lush down below to support them as a water source. But that doesn't matter to me now… what does most is that I made a big mistake in my relationship big time and I am not sure if he will forgive me for what I did to yell at him and cast my silence spell to keep him from talking.

I can hear both Spike and Rainbow coming closer towards me from behind. I turn myself around to face the both of them, and they also hold saddened looks upon their faces. I can see Rainbow open up a hoof and puts them around me, as I knew this was comforting and friendly hug that she was giving me. Spike also came forward and hugged at my leg. It does explain his size, because he is still a baby dragon after all.

Comforting hugs were what I needed at this moment from the both of my friends. It did help very little, but without the nearby warmth of my special somepony: it just doesn't feel complete. It's like playing a puzzle game but with a single piece missing to leave the picture just partially done. Oh Brayden, how will I ever find you if you've run away?

It came to me. I found that spark in me that gave me a little bit of hope inside. If he's run away, maybe he had gone somewhere around Ponyville on his way out. So I think if I am able to find him on time, I would beg him that what I did to yell at him was wrong, and then apologize to him. If he does tend to listen to me; it's what happens next if he believes me or not.

"We have to find Brayden and immediately before he is torn up by whatever dangerous creature he should cross whether its timberwolves, hydras… anything!" I said to the both of my friends, releasing the hug that they gave me for those few moments.

Rainbow nods her head. "I'll spread out and search overhead of the Everfree Forest and Froggy Bottom Bogg." She tells me, flapping her wings and levitating upward into the air. "If there's any hydra out today, I'm sure that I'll be the first to notice him then running from one."

I looked at her for a few moments while opening up my wings and flapping them to join up with her in the sky. "Okay, you check the forest and bog," I said to her with understanding in my tone. I turn my head back towards Spike. "Spike, you go and notify the rest of the girls on the search. I'm going to look and see if he is anywhere in Ponyville."

"I'll get right on it Twilight!" Spike says to me, zooming off into the castle to head downstairs.

I begin making flight progression towards the top skies of Ponyville, rushing down from the balcony. My wings could feel the warm summer air as it breezes past my feathered wings while I am on my way down from the crystalline castle. After leaving the airspace of my own castle, I figured that this search will be best to begin in the town square.

I lower my eyes down from the skies and unto the streets of Ponyville which looked busiest by its time of the season. Oh wait; there was that day today where 30% would be off of the sales prices in every single building or spending purchase. There wasn't a school day for the colts nor fillies today at school, guess it must be a Saturday after all.

A few of the fillies look up at me and watch as I fly about above of the streets, keeping my eyes and ears all out for any sight of Brayden. There are a few stallions out there with brown manes, but Brayden was much different from them so I made sure to keep my eyes off of anypony who was male or with a brown mane at all times. Well, there was Time Turner, but I don't think he would even know who Brayden was anyway minus only seeing him in town walking with me or any of his other friends. But he nor anypony with a brown mane are who I am looking for.

"Brayden?" I call out from down below. "Brayden, where are you?"

A few ponies had been trotting by just stop and take the time to listen to my desperate calls before I flew off again. At first, none of them knew what I was talking about. A few though show grave concern for what was happening and why I was in a hurry to look for him.

At another part of town I was searching, I can see that familiar unicorn sitting there on the bench with her friend. Perhaps either Lyra Heartstrings or Bon Bon know something about Brayden running away and that they can provide some information on this and where he ran off to. I set down onto the dry ground below and approach the two on that bench they always sat on.

"Morning Princess Twilight," Lyra says to me with a smile along with Bon Bon growing that smile on her face as well. "This looks like another really beautiful day today right? Nothing bad to happen or nothing… Well, there's that sale today but neither of us are interested in any new sales."

I trot up closer to the bench and I asked "Lyra, Bon Bon, when is the last time that you saw Brayden coming around town?"

Bon Bon doesn't show any concern as of yet, but she says "Last time we saw him it was a few days ago with Fluttershy. Other than that, nothing else much happened really."

"Well, while Bon Bon stepped into the Sugarcube Corner for a few minutes to grab a snack for us: I recall that Brayden ran away crying back out of town," Lyra says to me, knowing she had something to say after her friend was done talking about when she last saw him. "I don't know what happened and why he would be upset. I don't think I ever saw him cry before and this worries me."

"He's run away Lyra. I need to go and find him before he gets hurt." I told her, worried about Brayden getting torn apart, captured for a monster's buffet… or worse.

She gasped with fear striking her heart when she found her friend ran away. "Oh no!" Lyra says, sounding very scared for him. That doesn't help me though as it makes my fear of his death being worsened.

"Thank you for the help anyway," I said to the both of them. "If you want to join in the search, feel free to do so." I spread open my wings and take off to the skies once again, continuing my search.

I kept soaring over the rooftops and kept an eye out. I can see Spike running about to gather the last of my friends who were following him around town in search for him as well, but still no luck in finding him though. I make haste into another direction, headed out towards the Ponyville train station, hoping to ask the train directory if he was seen heading outside of Ponyville just in case.

I am above the train station right about now as passing over the many houses before. I flew downward onto the station platform and land on all four hooves. I turn towards the directory window at the stain building, galloping as fast as my hooves could take me.

The station directory turns her head from the paperwork that she had been filing when I placed the both of my hooves onto the open counter at the window. I don't really know what she would be filing anyway in there, maybe some work on the cancelled train schedules over the past few days that were going on due to political business I presume. "How can I help you?" She asked me.

"I need your help finding somepony that last rode a train by the name of Brayden," I said to her with a bit of fraught sounding off in voice upon my face which held sad, yet worried look in place. "I don't know if he got on one of the trains anywhere, but if it was anywhere that he had gone off to: let me know as fast as you can, please."

The station directory leaves the open filing cabinet and opens up another filing cabinet under the letter of 'B' which is his first name after all. Opening up the files, she places her hoof onto the paper, scanning through it and flipping past a few pages when she had to. Finally, she looks up at me and says. "The last record of Brayden ever getting onto a train was the Southern Equestria train that heads down to both Dodge City Junction and Appleloosa."

Wait a minute… SOUTHERN EQUESTRIA?!

"That's impossible; he couldn't have gone onto the train on the way there." I said, sounding like I could not believe it with my own ears that heard what she told me.

The directory checked again. "He did so Princess Twilight," She tells me. "Since it is by the Equestrian law that he is a foreign creature of the sort not listed in the species names for those that are known in Equestria: it is that we allow him to ride it for free."

Panic stirred up inside of me, but it wasn't driving me absolutely crazy like at one point as a student. That was a long time ago though, so I didn't really want to think about that. I trotted backwards for a few steps, and then then turn with my head and ears down, trotting to the end of the station.

I can hear a whooshing sound above me and I can sense that it is Rainbow Dash returning with news on if she had found Brayden or not.

"I checked the Everfree Forest and Froggy Bottom Bogg. He is nowhere to be seen Twilight." She says to me, landing on her four hooves and trotting beside me.

"I found out that he isn't here nor would he be there anyway Rainbow," I said to her sounding like as if all hope was lost. "He boarded a train bound for the South of Equestria."

"What?!" She shouts in a really big surprise by the sound of it. "Why would he run away there?"

"I think I did drive it a bit too farther than I thought…" I quietly said to myself, feeling the regret build up inside of me.

"Well, don't ya worry 'bout him yet. Ya'll of us will make dang sure that he will get back to Ponyville as safe as ya'll of us can." I can hear Applejack's voice say to me.

My head rose to the sound of her voice. I can see the rest of my friends joining up with me by the end of the train station's platform. Everypony was there to join alongside me in the search: Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike. My ears are still flopped with disappointment, but I will listen from what one of them would say next.

"Twilight, I am open to helping you find our dear friend no matter how far he has gone," Rarity says to me with a smile on her face. Her face turns into a frown with only a mild glare, so I knew that couldn't be good. "But first you owe us a bit of an apology for snapping at us and the rest of the princesses, even Brayden no doubt."

I took a look at all of my friends who no doubt had dropped their helpful looks upon their faces by Rarity's words. All glares and frowns were followed along, staring at me and just waiting for me to say something that would refer to an apology.

I move my left front hoof, placing it right onto the elbow of my right front hoof. "Girls," I began to speak and I can see as their glares disappear for a moment and give a better look that could tell they were listening to me. "What I did to yell at Brayden was wrong and I should have thought about it before I even accidentally slipped out about breaking up with him. It was something I didn't mean."

Fluttershy 's frown and glare had disappeared entirely while she was listening to my public apology to my friends. "I guess that I might have overreacted when I found out that he was kissing Coco Pommel out of my own line of sight. But even then, I forgive her as well."

"But most of all, I'm sorry to all of you. I shouldn't have snapped at you all, I just felt really stressed after having to deal with all of the anger inside before the regret came settling in," I said to them as the rest of the glares from all my other friends disappear and begin to perk up a smile. "With that, I am sorry."

There are a few moments of silence, and I can see my friends trot up closer to me, joining me on the platform. Rainbow Dash was already there beside me, but she understood what I had gone through emotionally. "We forgive you Twilight." I can hear Fluttershy's soft voice say to me. My ears perk upward once again.

"We'll always forgive you Twilight, it's not like we'll turn our back on you and not help you find our friend Brayden," Pinkie says to me. "Besides, next few weeks both I and him are supposed to get together and make some cupcakes at the Sugarcube Corner for the upcoming autumn festival."

"The Autumn festival is really that close?" I questioned.

"You still haven't got out more Princess Twilight." Pinkie states to me in a bland, yet joking about way.

"Well, with Brayden gone down south, it's no doubt that he is probably hiding somewhere in either Dodge City or Appleloosa." I turn to the rest of my friends and said this to them from what I just learned.

"What in tarnation? Down south?!" Applejack says with a bit of surprise. "That's where ma cousin Braeburn is!"

"Do you suspect that he would react differently to seeing Brayden not as a pony?" Rarity asked.

Applejack shrugs. "He'd probably hold him 'gainst his own will from leavin'. If Brayden ain't there, ya'll of us will assume that Brayden was in Dodge City Junction where Cherry Jubilee lives. Ah helped her once after all." She tells us.

"The Southern Equestrian train doesn't arrive until later, but I think we have a bit of a plan to develop while the train is on its way here," I began to explain. "We'll have at least two hours to think this over before making a move on his whereabouts."

"Well so much for me getting some new ingredients at the marketplace for 30% off," Pinkie comments to herself out loud for all of us to hear. "But we managed to get a plan down in motion alright!"

I nodded my head to all of my friends with a smile growing on my face. Maybe there is hope after all in finding my special somepony out there in the south if he isn't hiding. He must be scared to be face to face after all I had done. But he won't be scared of me now that I realized what was wrong. I love him, and I still love him deep in my heart. I would resolve our relationship's problem once and for all.

Spike lets out a burp, with a green flame that followed it in the process. Out of this green flame came a written letter presuming to be from Princess Celestia herself, with the exact same red ribbon she used to deliver me to wrap up the letters. It floats there and then lands onto the wooden planks where our hooves stood upon.

Why would Princess Celestia send me a letter of urgency at this very moment when my special somepony is out there, feeling lonely with me or the rest of us by his side. I ignite my horn and with my magic, pick up and remove the ribbon from the Princess' letter. Then my magic opens up the rolled up paper and I begin to read it silently.

Princess Twilight,

I am required to tell you that you are to come immediately to Canterlot and head to the castle as soon as you come or more rather right away. The queen of the changelings has returned to attack Canterlot, and is sending an army to make a move against Ponyville. The guards dispatched in Ponyville will distract them, but not for too long.

I do not know what the queen wants, but apparently she is hiding something while confronting both me and my sister. Nightmare Moon just came into the room as I am writing this. Please hurry, I do know that she is planning something behind her back but it is yet a mystery to me.

Princess Celestia

I move the letter down from my face after I was done reading it and I look in shock after realized what was happening in Canterlot before I could even set out a plan.

The queen of the changelings was here? What was she even doing here and with an army of her changeling drones no less! After the last incident with the royal wedding with Princess Cadence and my brother Shining Armor, she dare set hoof back into Equestria for another attack?! But what else is she planning.

"What is it Twilight?" Fluttershy asks me, showing a bit of concern as to how shocked my face looked after reading the letter.

"Princess Celestia just notified me that the changelings have returned to Equestria!" I exclaimed with a bit of shock in my voice. "There's going to be two attacks. Canterlot and here in Ponyville,"

"We dealt with them last time; those changelings could use a good pounding again!" Rainbow Dash says, sounding brave, and getting up on her two back hooves, slamming her two front hooves together with a smack.

"No Rainbow Dash, we're not taking care of any here," I said to her. "The Ponyville guard will be of assistance to fighting these changelings so we have enough time to get to Canterlot. That is our main focus as of yet and now."

"Is there even a fast train that runs to get to Canterlot?" Rainbow responded sounding really annoyed.

Pinkie lets out a giggle and says "Silly Rainbow Dash. There's a train coming right up in about thirty seconds and no less, no more. This one is one of the newest trains they installed the last few days ago for quick rush transit between here and Canterlot."

I can hear the oncoming panicked screaming of the ponyfolk in town, when they heard the sound of the changelings coming from Canterlot to intercept and attack there. Then there is the faint sound of buzzing coming downward from the skies and getting closer. Even though what Pinkie says could be correct, we hope it is true because we don't want to risk ourselves getting involved in the fight here. We'll save that for when we get to Canterlot.

I can hear the train's whistle roaring out in the small distance and we turn our heads to the left where the sound had emerged from. We can see the train coming up there at an incredibly fast rate, so I guess Pinkie does have a good sense of when it is bound to arrive and depart after all.

The train lets out a bit of a screech as it pulled on the brakes to make a complete stop at the train station's platform. The screech hurt all of our ears for a moment, and we reacted harshly to that sound while it carried on. When it did stop to our relief, the doors swing open and the conductor is seen trotting to the train car's entrance.

"Hurry all of you!" He calls out to us in desperate measures judging by how he looked up at the sky to see the changelings above descending towards Ponyville. "Get inside! We're on route to Canterlot!"

All of us gallop forward, towards the open train car. I pass through first and past the conductor. After passing him, I slow down and turn to face the rest of my friends galloping to get aboard with me. Fluttershy is the first behind me to board for she holds a worried look upon her face, Applejack comes forth after that. Pinkie Pie comes next, and then Rarity; and Rainbow Dash with Spike last to enter the train.

All of us took seats on these comfy train seats that would no doubt close its doors after all of us had boarded. The train starts and the train began to move, starting off slow and then at the fastest rate began to accelerate it's a fast pace.

I had my seat by the window so I could observe what was happening outside in Ponyville. Out of the station, the entire sky came into my view and there were numbers of what seemed to be thousands of changeling drones leading an attack by the orders of their queen. A laser fight could be seen with a few of the pegasi guards in the air, assaulting them in battle. Those in the laser fight resorted to changelings firing their green sickly rays back to those fighting them with their own magic.

I would have seen what it is like in town, but with our way towards Canterlot, bound to be a bigger victim of the attack I would definitely see worse there. My friends also wait patiently for the moments to pass as the train moves at the fastest rate to get to Canterlot in the high mountains.

My search for Brayden will have to wait momentarily; we've already got enough trouble with a queen who is leading another attack in Equestria.

Nightmare Moon's POV

A few minutes before the invasion…

I am in my private chambers, just taking a look out at the stars so far away. Wait a minute; I know what you're thinking… it's already night time?

No of course not, I was in another part of my private chambers that Princess Luna allowed me to have in my time here. It is to what they call a star observatory to which I can view the cosmos and such from afar, and there is advancements to this that help a whole lot more like being able to look about the galaxy for other life beyond ours.

I was looking at one other star surrounded by various rocks with approximately eight planetary bodies in the system that it was accompanied with. This third planet of blue and green was probably where Brayden came from and where Princess Luna found him.

The other planets were interesting, as to being called gas giants according to his race's language and science that they use. However I do not understand the use of their technology such as using various buttons such as a laptop or computer desktop. Phones were that of a common use by when reading this planet's history from where it had evolved over time to a point of where it used to be like Equestria which is going on now.

But with magic on our side, we do not necessarily need to evolve into more technological states like computers and machines being built when we have our current state to always live in. That is the proof of difference between us and the humans from Planet Earth.

His race is quite interesting just like him, so I have my pros on it and my cons on them as well. I would never have any cons with Brayden. Telling him that I had one on humanity could hurt his feelings pretty bad, so it is something that I don't want to do. I've already heard how upset and in tears he was, so I am not going to risk it until the time is right.

My con on humanity was all based on wars that had developed and were still developing today as far history on Earth can go. World War I and II, the American Civil War, you name it. It was sad seeing how when I was learning about this that most others were killing most others off and the fascism that took place during the 1940's. Nopony deserves that, should something like that eventually happen here in Equestria. There was war years ago between us and the griffons, but eventually made peace with one another; though there are few that still hold a grudge towards us. But Earth's story though is different as if they are allowing hatred and power to accelerate as fast as it can.

There are few out there who wish for only the peace to exist in humanity like famous celebrities in the biography of Earth and Humanity that Princess Luna jotted down in a research journal that she gave to me while I had observed Brayden's first world.

Then I stop for a moment and I can feel something come to my mind for a few brief moments. I remembered for a moment that when I last stepped into Celestia's private chambers, I could see a vial of what seems to be a rather different color inside. Celestia noted me that it was the experiment that Princess Luna had told me of when she was trying out with Brayden's blood that had spilled in the Everfree Forest.

What exactly was in that vial, to my curiosity? Luna had only told me that the others that she had placed inside of the vial were the blood of an earth pony, pegasus and a unicorn. But why is it different? What else did she put in there that I don't know of?

If so, why is Princess Celestia, the co-ruler of Equestria, keeping quiet about this news behind the rest of Equestria and Brayden himself?

The observatory makes another move across the solar system and I can see that large gas giant as to what is called "Jupiter" that hold a giant red storm swirling at the southern hemisphere of the planet, slowly closing down and becoming small with every chance that it got. It was a rather beautiful sight, seeing that Princess Luna knew well enough herself that life existed beyond Equestria's skies.

It isn't possible for anypony to get out in space, for if we were to get to Earth, it would take millions of years to travel there, exceeding by many light-years possible. Even if we were to get up out of Equus' atmosphere, we are unsure to have the ability to use oxygen up there. It's all like a vacuum that takes away the one thing capable of life out there, but Princess Luna somehow made it possible to bring him here.

I don't know how she did it… but what she did was a miracle in the end. It couldn't have been some sort of forbidden spell she had used in the castle library to do the trick.

The observatory moves again while I lose my attention off of it, fading the environment of the cosmos to a black, knowing that I had stopped using the data to observe and study the worlds beyond our own. My mind strays off from what was happening when I had anything else on my mind.

I was just thinking more blankly like I ran out of things to even think about. Not much could be on my mind anyway that would bring a bit of stress inside, when all seemed to be a peace around the enchanted lands, with the exception of sadness on my friend who disappeared.

Why couldn't I have been there for him while he was under that time of depression after Twilight broke it off with him? I could have talked to him and helped him out with dealing with the problem… thank goodness Fluttershy was some help to him. I've only talked with her briefly once, but other than that she seemed to be rather friendly and always there to support somepony in need.

I remembered that he once thought that he was going to end up having a crush on me when he first discovered us through that show on his world, but it seems as if it's the opposite way around from what I used to be. I was developing a crush on him, but if I do talk to him about it I hope he will understand dearly about my feelings towards him, even if Twilight is always in his heart.

A shout is sounded off with the emerging sound of buzzing filling the hallway outside of the observatory room. I am snapped out of my own thoughts when my ears had picked up the frequency of this sound and the buzzing noise. Wait a minute; haven't I heard that buzzing before?

I get up off of the giant pillow that I had been lying on for the whole session with the observatory. All four of my hooves trot forward towards the door at the end of the room. I crept up slowly, pressing my right ear against the door to hear what was going on outside in the halls of the castle.

Outside of the door, I can hear shouting from the guards with the accompaniment of magical blasts firing from their horns at whoever was dared to even set foot and attack the castle staff, or even planned to attack Celestia or Luna. I am not even sure if they are aware that I exist as of yet, but whoever is leading the attack: it sounds similar to that of insects.

"Block off their entrances, don't let these Changeling intruders get in!" I can hear a voice shout with the buzzing attempting to drown it out.

Changelings? I remembered reading in a book of Equestrian creatures once and its inhabitants. I was already aware of the history before my return of the Changeling queen leading her armies to Canterlot for an attempt to take over via the wedding plans between Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadence long after I was defeated by the Elements of Harmony. Seriously though, don't want to be reminded of that.

My hooves trot backwards for a few steps. I can feel my wavy mane moving forth and covering the entirety of my body, dissolving me into my cloud form. I had to observe what was happening outside of the room rather than just listening in on what was happening outside in this heated battle.

I can feel myself floating towards the end of the door's corner and myself seeping in right through between the door and its frame. It doesn't feel like such a squeeze but nevertheless, it's not exactly comfortable sneaking out of the room like this. But I manage to seep in just fine while in that dark nightly cloud form.

I turn to my left and could see the soldiers of Canterlot blasting away at those insect-like equines which in offense were firing back and going as far to pouncing on them to capture them with the green slime they use to capture their enemies. But the heat wasn't going to die down when I turn towards the window.

There were changelings everywhere in the Canterlot airspace, with flight down towards the city and attacking its civilians, really bound on using their ability to leech love out of them. Yes, I remembered reading that in the book as well. A few of the Canterlot citizens could be seen being grabbed by their backs and lifted up and off into the air where more love was available for those bugs air-born in the blue clear skies.

Turning my head towards the battle in the hallway on my left, I have the thoughts of wanting to help out those soldiers. One soldier is bound to be captured by them, but another stopped the changeling drone from dragging him away to one of their love-draining pods of the sort. I guess that they are doing well off on their own by the look of it.

I dissolve from out of my cloud form and my mane whips back, revealing my true alicorn form once again. Now you're asking yourself probably: what was the point of being in cloud form when you came through the door? What do you expect, I am Nightmare Moon. I shan't be questioned by such things. My hooves go forward and I find myself galloping down the hallways to find the throne room where Princess Celestia probably was.

A few of the drones noticed me while I galloped down the halls. I can hear them loudly clicking before making flight towards me, bound on capturing me for the sake of their own good. I wasn't having any of that though when they were gaining on me. I honestly wish I still had those lightning powers to offensively attack them in order to defend myself, but I remember that Brayden used the Song of Order to get rid of that when it cleansed me in a rainbow beam.

Two changelings were gaining up on me, almost ready to grab me with hissing sounding out from the both of them. I react quickly and flip right up into the open air with my two back hooves kicking back to buck them in their faces.

The bucking was really intense and I think I ended up knocking a sharp tooth from one of the two, that had been sent flying out and onto the hallway's floors to rot there. They were sent backwards by the impact, and they still yet weren't going to give up the desire to grab a hold of me and from behind me, I can hear the same buzzing again. They were taking pursue again.

More clicking could be heard from behind me, but in a more aggressive part of their own native Badlands tongue. I turn down another hallway which I know will take me to the next hall down towards the throne room doors. From behind, I can see one of their magic beams firing right past my head, just missing me.

"Bugs!" I insult at them as I continue galloping forward to avoid them. I can hear a few growls from behind me in pursue as in hearing my insult to them.

Right at the corner of the hallway, I turn a sharp right and I can see those golden double doors from down the hallway, as I continue, feeling my adrenaline inside of me. It was pumping violently the more closer the Changelings were from behind. I practically had ending up turning my head around to fire rounds of simple attack spells to counter them, and fall to distraction for while trying not to take my eyes off the carpet or miss the throne room doors.

A few guards swoop in from around a corner though, and ignite their horn's magic as well to fight back with the Changelings. It's pretty useful for me at the moment, as I need to make my get-away and just in case neither Celestia nor Luna are aware of this attack on Canterlot… I had to inform them immediately of it.

I slow myself down when I approach those golden doors and place a hoof on the left side of the doors. My left front hoof pushes open the doors and I enter past under the arch and into the throne room to see the princesses at once.

Both Princesses Celestia and Luna were standing there on the west side of the throne room, looking really concerned for the safety of their own subjects in the city of Canterlot while the Changelings attack. This kind of look on their faces gave away that there didn't seem to be too much for them to do anything about it while their royal guards were taking care of the situation.

I gallop towards them, and stop right there when Celestia turned her head to look at me. "Celestia, there are changeling drones everywhere!" I said to her, sounding very alarmed by this.

"I am quite aware of that Nightmare Moon," She says to me. "But I have no idea how the changelings have got here in the first place or where they came from."

Luna turns her head away from the view of the attack outdoors and looks at me. "We aren't even sure how they managed to get past the Badlands once again," She says. "Last time that I saw them here in Equestria, they were the ones trying to foil Cadence's wedding."

"That I am aware of." I commented, pretty much knowing about that event already.

"There is no doubt there are more drones here in the attack than the last time they were here," She responded to me. "But I was still asleep in bed during the wedding attack."

"That does explain how you didn't show up until the wedding party," I said to her, knowing this because I still read information that event and who was involved and where they were. "But what about the ones attacking now, there is so many!"

Celestia turned away from the window and faced me with her sister. "Twilight and her friends will be well aware of an attack here soon enough, but with more than an army to face, the Song of Order would be required for this kind of battle." She says to me.

I lowered my head when she mentioned the Song of Order. It no doubtingly reminded me of Brayden who had still gone missing. Luna trots forward towards me, placing her hoof onto my black coated shoulder. "Do not fret Nightmare Moon," She tells me. "The search teams are doing all that they can to find our dear friend and bring him back to us wherever he is."

Wait a minute… what if Brayden has been caught by a changeling and has already had every love leeched out of him by any or all?

"The changelings… don't tell me that he ran into them on the way while running away!" I said to her with a bit of a panic in my tone, worried about the loss of my friend and love. Celestia and Luna most likely aren't aware of that though.

"If he had gone down the path to where the changelings were, then he would have had the love inside of him gone out and absorbed." Celestia says to me.

Princess Luna was about to say more, but then there was a cackle of laughter from the other side of the room, and it really caught our attention. But to my shock, I let out a horrified gasp when I realized who it was just before Princess Celestia's throne.

It was none other than Queen Chrysalis herself, standing up on the platform where the throne to all of Equestria lie. "Surprise!" She exclaims to us with a joke of sarcasm hidden in her tone of voice. None of us really reacted to that for a few seconds though, and we just kept our shocked faces at her 'big reveal' of coming in that way. But I kind of saw that coming, no offense to her.

She smirks at us with a glare upon her sharp and deceiving green eyes. "What?" She says to us, like we had been tricked again. "Aren't you all happy that I am back after gathering enough information in secret to get back into Equestria for revenge?"

Princess Celestia trots forward a few steps, ready to attack the queen at any moment, but it didn't seem like it would be coming. "What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be back in the Badlands where you and the rest of the hive belong!" She shouted at her, still sounding surprised but yet getting angry at even seeing the Changeling queen's face again, in her own throne room no doubt.

"I'm supposed to be there, aren't I? Well I have my reason why I am here," She says, flapping her quiet insect wings. The queen's was different as her wings weren't as buzzing as those children of hers, as they were much louder. For her flight, it was more as if they were softer beats pumped in the air. Once much closer to us, her wings reside again and close while continuing. "What I want for the sake of my empire and hive together is revenge against your ponies for what happened last time we were trying to invade."

Princess Luna slams a hoof onto the hard tiles below and with a fuming anger, shouts "You were trying to spoil Cadence's wedding!"

"That is true, I was trying to…" She said. "But unfortunately, little Twilight Sparkle ended up ruining it with the help of Princess Cadence. She's another one that I want to seek revenge on. Plus I already know about her new status as a princess."

"Her new status is none of your business," I said to her with a glare upon my own eyes staring darts at her. "Leave her alone."

The queen herself trots forward right at me, releasing a chuckle as I knew I was brave enough to even defend one of my friends who was once my enemy. "Ah, another alicorn princess I presume?" She asks me, with the hint of sarcastic suspicion in her tone. "I do not even remember there now being a fifth princess in your castle, Princess Celestia."

"I am not a princess." I growled at her, beginning to feel intimidated to clash my black horn against her jagged horn in battle.

Her horn began to emit a green glow, and under the aura floating right behind and past my ears were the tools of parchment paper used for sending letters, a unique-looking quill that was of the rarest kind of birds that Equestria has and a ink bottle from the eastern oceans off of Equestria's coast. The queen has a smirk upon her face when she turned her face away from me for a moment, giving the items in accordance over to Princess Celestia.

She states "You better start writing for Princess Twilight Sparkle to come here. She'll be in for the surprise of her life."

Princess Celestia is reluctant to say no to her own request. But nevertheless begins to start writing away at the letter while the Queen turns her head back to face me in the process.

"Don't think you'll be able to run like cowards this time!" She proclaimed herself. "I have a secret weapon that I am hiding, and this is something that I want to show Twilight and her friends."

"What secret weapon?" I questioned. I can feel myself raising my eyebrows in suspicion as to what kind of weapon she would be hiding from us.

"It is classified as of right now, but you'll well see soon enough when Twilight gets here," She told me, a deceiving smile once again upon her face. "It's in the back at the moment."

"Why waste yourself to have revenge on our enchanted lands when you have your own land to tend to?" Luna responded to her.

"You ponies ask too many questions," She blandly states and clears her throat as brief as she can to explain to us. "For years, we have been starving because we seek the finest in love which come from pony souls so dearly. Shining Armor's love for Cadence was strong when he last was here, but he's somewhere else now to my own disappointment."

"You do not need to remind him of what happened last time, nor Princess Cadence." I said to her.

"Do I?" The queen said to me. "All thanks to leaked information, I was able to track them down to the Crystal Empire where the dark King Sombra used to rule."

"He was a foolish ruler, and rather dreadful. It is best not to mention him in here anymore." I said, my tone rising a bit at even the mention of the shadow king himself during those dark times.

The queen turns her head towards the window, trotting forward a couple of steps and then stopping by the sound of her slimy hooves. There was nothing more left to said between both me nor her, but she does state "Say whatever you want to say, but I know more facts than you should yourself, alicorn princess."

"Did I not tell you I am not a princess?" I said to her again. I am so tempted now to fire a magic blast at that flank of hers and watch her yowl in pain while I laugh. Princess Celestia finishes writing the letter and sends it off as quickly as she can, while turning to join the conversation. "I also happen to have a name for myself. Nightmare Moon."

"I see," The queen says to me, not even bothering to turn and look at any of us. "The Mare in the Moon. I know all about that legend already. You are the mare who wanted to let 'the night last forever'." She had mocked my voice and manically laughing as in she was imitating me from what I was in the past.

A fuse broke off inside and I attempt to charge at her, but Princess Luna being right there, was quick enough to stop my offensive move. She knew very well that attacking her was not going to solve anything especially after she had insulted me for what I used to be. Luna kept me there with a hoof stretched out to prevent me going further towards her.

"My moving forces have separated in this battle with the other majority of the army headed straight for Ponyville," I could hear her to both Celestia and Luna. "No more disguises this time, because we're serious about our threat and revenge by our own hearts."

The minutes afterward passed between us and the queen in silence, just watching the battle outside of the castle grounds and on the city below. We weren't saying anything but yet we are forced to watch as the Changelings were making their biggest move yet.

Fillies were galloping frightened and separated from their families in the attack, getting chased down by our invaders bound with a hunger for their young love. The younger the filly or colt was, the more love that could be fed to strengthen the hive. A few of the mares were trying their best to fight back with or without magic, but they are overpowered by the leeching power that the changelings had.

All we could do was watch in horror as the battle for Canterlot was being lost slowly to the Changeling Empire. There is no doubt that the attack will cause a traumatizing impact on the rest of Equestria's lives.

The queen is distracted with this, so it would be a good chance for me to strike at her. I carefully sneak towards her from behind with my hooves much quieter and more cautious.

There is a knocking on the door though, and I am quick to slip back and wait for another shot to come again when the Changeling is distracted. The queen's ears perked up to the sound of the knocking and turns to the door, to see it open up, revealing one of the royal changeling guards for her and her alone working by her side.

There was bit of unintelligible clicking coming from the changeling guard itself as it had something to say to its queen. The queen communicates back to the changeling in that language again, as it was of the same kind of tongue they natively spoke in. A few clicking later, the changeling guard leaves the room.

"Prepare yourselves princesses," Queen Chrysalis stated to the both of us. "We have our guests arriving right about now."

The double doors into the throne had perched themselves open with the changeling guards and drones accompanied with them when I turned my head back to look. A couple of them had some prisoners that were unharmed and I knew I had recognized them before. It's Princess Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and the baby dragon Spike. They must have received the letter as soon as Celestia sent it.

The queen trots past us with the sound of her hooves sounding wet with every step her hooves took. She is clicking at the changeling guards and her drones for a moment, for which they nod. They fall back from the room, closing the doors behind them. It was only me, the princesses, our friends and the dreaded queen herself with whatever she is planning behind our flanks.

"Must I say that it is wonderful to see that we have guests to join us!" She greets them with dark sarcasm in her voice, taking a look at all of them before setting eyes on Princess Twilight. "I didn't expect that you would be coming to Canterlot so quickly, but nevertheless you've joined the party… especially you Twilight Sparkle. Just look how you've grown."

"What are you doing here?" Twilight threatens to her.

The queen moves her head down a bit to look at her. "Well, I've got a plan all straight out. Revenge. You're one of those ponies that I want to have mine on, but Princess Cadence and Shining Armor as well. It's a huge shame that they couldn't join this confrontation." She says.

"Cadence and my brother are in the Crystal Empire, away from you!" Twilight exclaims to her.

"Well, no doubt that is where my changeling armies with attack after we're all done here in Canterlot and Ponyville. She wouldn't suspect anything," The queen responded to her, moving her slime-like hoof onto Twilight's chin. "Congratulations on becoming a Princess by the way. There is no doubt that everypony before the attack was going crazy over those wings of yours."

"I got the wings because I earned them," Twilight moves her right front hoof, placing it onto Chrysalis' hoof touching her chin, and then shoving it off from her. "If you were planning anything on taking Equestria again, it's not happening on our watch."

"You're outnumbered queenie!" Rainbow Dash exclaims with a brave tone. "It's just all but you and us, and the princesses over there!"

"And that other alicorn Nightmare Moon?" The queen laughs again. "What good will she be able to do to stand and fight me! She doesn't even hold a title by her own state, she's no princess!"

"I might be an alicorn myself, but I am also a good friend and their new friend!" I shout at the queen with a fiery glare written upon my face.

"I for one agree with what Nightmare has to say about herself and her thoughts," Rarity comments to stand up for me. I can tell that even after I had ended up capturing her, her friend Coco Pommel and her sister Sweetie Belle; she still forgave me in the end. "She is our friend; and no matter what she had done before. Even the simplest apology can slowly build up a wonderful friendship."

"You are lucky that we didn't leave Ponyville to find our good friend Brayden who has run away," Pinkie says to the queen. "We were just about to go looking for him in Southern Equestria."

A smirk rose up on the queen's face when Pinkie Pie had mentioned my friend and love's name right there. There was something mysterious hiding behind that smirk though, and I was curious as to why she would be smiling and chuckling lightly about that. I think that she is hiding something that must be involving Brayden.

"A friend named Brayden, you say?" She speaks out in question.

Twilight's anger was rising when she was guessing what that tone was hiding for the queen. "Keep my special somepony out of this! He is not of your concern, but rather mine and our concern!" She growls at her.

"Oh now that you have brought him up, he is definitely something for my concern," Chrysalis speaks out again. "I am curious, how did you find this 'friend' of yours? Besides, he's broken up with you, so it shouldn't matter to you."

"How did you know that I broke up with him?!" She asks with fury and question mixed in that tone, an eyebrow rising in suspicion.

"Leaked information, but that doesn't matter anymore." The queen responded.

"Well, give up yer plans of conquest!" Applejack spoke in that recognizable accent that I knew of. "Ya and yer changelin' army ain't takin' Equestria. Ya are outnumbered by all ten of us!"

Spike commented with a glare "Don't make me burn your flank off, Queen Meanie!"

"You are right about that Spike," Pinkie whispers to him, but loud enough for all of us to hear. "And when this queen becomes queen meanie, it turns into a whole new different level!"

"I wouldn't count on attacking me at first, for I know that not all of you are going to best me for my numbers of children that follow me," The queen said, turning away from Twilight and the rest of her friends. She trots up towards the carpeted lush steps to lead to Celestia's throne; but she turns around to look back at all of us. "I don't think you really know that I managed to get my hooves on something really special… a secret weapon."

"What do you mean a secret weapon?" Twilight asked, almost close to having ignited her horn and fired a magic spell at the queen as in an offensive attack. She still holds a glare upon her face.

"Oh you'll see just about now…" The queen says with a dark chuckle.

Through quick clicks of her changeling tongue, she claps the both of her hooves together after she was done making communicative clicks. After that was all done with, she moves to the side to make way for whoever was going to come out. A wicked smile is upon her face, with those glaring green eyes.

We can hear footsteps in the distance from behind the throne of Princess Celestia. All of us are in silence, but listen in while the queen stood there waiting for her secret weapon which seems to be more living than inanimate to be brought in by her changeling drones. But why would she be using somepony living as her secret weapon?

A shadow emerges over the throne room wall, and I can see a cloaked being as tall as your usual alicorn, coming in from behind past the throne. We couldn't see much of who this was, for it was hiding its face by the black cloak it was wearing, covering the majority of its body. After the figure passes by the throne, it heads down the steps and right beside Queen Chrysalis, stopping and remaining there motionless with the exception of its breathing.

"No…" I can hear Twilight say with a bit of a gasp. "It can't be…" I didn't know what she meant when laying eyes upon this creature, it sounded like she didn't want to believe it.

The queen chuckles and then says "Well, I think it is about time that 'he' reveal himself to all of you, shouldn't he?"

The figure's cloak moves for a moment, with the tears being processed with the torn clothing shreds of changeling design that covered the figure, falling to the floor and then making a flop right onto the carpet, leaving the design there to be torn and rotted away. Rarity at the sight doesn't say anything, but if she did she would have said that kind of fashion was disturbing.

The figure was quick to reveal himself in the complete afternoon daylight to all of us. It was a tall figure wearing a mixture of dark green and black for his shirt and pants with those boots of his. He is armed with a black claymore right behind him that he slid out and grappled onto with his two hands, revealing the green glow of that carved writing that the blade had before, that he shone a bright gold. His eyes were that of changeling color, but more green to resemble closely to the queen and were like daggers, aimed right at all of us.

Even after Twilight had gasped, all of us gasp in horror when we realized the claymore was something good that we knew about. It was a corrupted Song of Order itself; taken over by a dark magic that most of us seem unaware of. But there are still mysteries in Equestria yet to be solved. What matters the most though is the user and figure holding the Song of Order. I knew that I recognized his face when I saw it before our own eyes.

It was Brayden!