It's been twenty years since the invasion of Canterlot by the Changeling Swarm. In those years, the Mane Six have grown up and most have had foals of their own. One day, a pegasus named Surprise, the daughter of Pinkie Pie, visits the Canterlot War Memorial where she meets a retired veteran named Swiftwing. After a brief discussion, Swiftwing tells a story about what happened to him and his best friend just before, and during, the invasion.