Part Five
Invasion
Chapter Three
Betrayal And Captured
Zuro glared at his brother in his disguise. His anger rising to a broil as the fresh memory of his best friend being knocked from the sky replaying in his mind again and again. Soon only one question was visible in his head and it had to be given an answer here and now.
"Why are you doing this?!" Zuro asked. Gnator only snorted.
"You already know the answer to that!" Gnator spat.
"Gnator, you know this won't work!" Zuro cried.
"Give me a solid reason why not, Zu!" Gnator countered. "The ponies despise us! The griffons don't care about us! The dragons are too proud and ruthless! And we are dying! We have no other choice, and you know it!" Before Zuro could say anything else, Gnator bolted with full force at him, ramming right into his chest and sending them both toward the high mountains where Canterlot stood proudly.
"Gnator, stop!" Zuro pleaded as he was pushed back. They flew through some trees and soon it was obvious what he had to do before they got too far. "Forgive me, brother." He said as he pulled up his forehooves. He put full force in his limbs as he swung his hooves back down on Gnator's back between the shoulder blades, causing him to yelp and the both of them started downward and skidded along the earth, kicking up dirt and grass as they hit the ground before coming to a stop with their faces in the grass. Zuro groaned as he lifted his head up to see Gnator getting up, glaring at him the whole time as he stood upright.
"This isn't a game anymore, Zu!" Gnator said. "The hive will thrive once again! Weather you're a part of it or not." Gnator bolted for him with his hooves pulled back. Zuro did not have time to blink before he found himself flying backwards and a soaring pain in his right cheek. He never felt the ground before he was sent farther back with another powerful punch to his chest, then a third hit sent him straight into the ground. When he opened his eyes he found himself in a small crater with Gnator standing over him.
"H... how did you...?" Zuro stuttered.
"I've been training, Zu." Gnator answered. "For many months I've been striving to get better. Now I'm the best in Chrysalis' army."
"Gnator, you need to stop." Zuro said as he struggled to get up. Gnator took a few steps back while keeping his glare locked. Zuro looked up into his brother's eyes when he got to his hooves.
"Who's going to stop me, Zu?" Gnator asked mockingly. "You? The ponies? I've mastered my skills now. What have you done for the last four years?" Zuro sensed a hint of anger at that moment, but it was not Gnator's. It was coming from behind Gnator, fast. Zuro smiled.
"I've made friends." Zuro answered. Gnator narrowed his eyes then looked back just in time to get a glimpse of red as he was slammed back by Jet Blast. Gnator went flying back until he hit a large rock, causing it to crack against him.
"Nopony messes with my friends!" Jet growled. He bolted for him again only to be hit in the face with a right cross and flew back to the ground. Zuro saw Jet's attack as an opportunity and dashed for Gnator. As Jet flew back Zuro came up from under Jet and swung an uppercut to Gnator's chin, sending him up into the air. Zuro kicked off the ground, taking some dirt and grass with him and swung at Gnator again, sending him farther up.
Jet made a speedy recovery and found the two putting distance between them and the earth and took off at top speed to catch up with them.
Zuro grabbed Gnator's hind hooves and flung him back down to the earth. Jet met him half way and snatched his tail in his teeth with a strong grip and spun around a few times before letting him go and sending him flying toward the ground. Both Zuro and Jet flew after him at top speed.
Gnator looked to the ground a little dazed and confused until he noticed the earth growing in mass at which point his eyes widened with realization then he looked back to Zuro and Jet flying after him. He glared and growled. "Not this time, brother!" He turned to face the ground and quickly opened his wings putting his fall to a stop. By the time Jet and Zuro noticed this it was too late. Gnator reached them and bucked Jet with full force in his chest, sending the stallion spinning to a downward angle towards the earth. Zuro saw his friend flying and did not notice Gnator swinging a white hoof at his face. Zuro went flying the opposite direction with no control and a numbing pain through his face.
"We both know how this ends, brother!" Gnator screamed as he bolted after him. "Your death!!" Gnator closed the gap between them in an instant and started pelting Zuro with punch after punch to the blue pegasus before him, each one filled with rage and anger. Then Gnator grabbed his wings and threw him straight to the ground, causing a huge crater and cloud of dust to form as Zuro hit the earth. Gnator landed a few feet away and waited for the dust to clear. After a few minutes Gnator growled and hissed when he saw Zuro standing, bruised and bleeding from the fight.
"Please... huff... stop..." Zuro pleaded. Gnator only snorted.
"The only way this will end is in death!" Gnator replied. He took in a deep breath and a flash of green flame engulfed his entire body and after a moment a well built, perfectly fit, tall changeling stood before Zuro. The crowd of ponies who had come out to see the commotion gasped as they saw this creature. Soon after cries and screams could be heard from the mountain top. Zuro looked up to see the force field protecting Canterlot was gone and smoke was rising to the sky.
"What have you done?" Zuro asked.
"What should have been done long ago." Gnator answered. Zuro glared at Gnator for a moment before kicking off the ground toward his brother, sending them up to the castle in a furious hoof fight as they flew through the air. They flew above the mountain where more battle sounds could be heard from the ground as many other ponies and changelings were locked in combat for control of the capital. In the distance Zuro could feel the great joy of a single, powerful changeling. Gnator punched Zuro to a large building wall, where he was forced into the bricks with the wind knocked out of him. He looked up in time to see Gnator fly right up to his face, placing his hoof against his throat and causing him to struggle to breathe.
"You feel that, brother?" Gnator asked. Zuro choked. "Queen Chysalis is watching this invasion and is pleased." Zuro's eyes met Gnator's. "Now I'll make her even more proud by ridding us of a deserter!" He pulled back his spare hoof, aiming for Zuro's horn.
Zuro could not react. He was still dazed from the blow and the windpipe in his throat was being blocked. His eyes started to close as he waited for his end. Soon he felt air flowing through his lungs again and he coughed the old air out while taking the new air in. Zuro opened his eyes and searched for his brother. He saw a flash of red zoom by in front of him then a flash of black behind it after witch he followed them back down the mountain. At the base of the mountain he found Gnator standing over Jet's bruised and limp body. Zuro's heart sank at the sight and he bolted full force to intervene before Gnator could finish the job.
"You've been poisoning my family long enough!" Gnator said as he prepared to deal the final blow. Zuro smashed Gnator away from Jet into the ground a few feet away from the red pegasus. Gnator looked up at Zuro who was glaring at him.
"Why can't you let it go?!" Zuro asked. Gnator kicked up with his hind hooves, sending Zuro back, after witch he got to his hooves.
"You're getting tired, brother." Gnator said as he started walking toward him. "Your friend's broken. Our family imprisoned. You're all alone. Just give up and it'll all be over."
"Imprisoned?" Zuro asked.
"They had it coming." Gnator answered. "They spoke out against the queen in favor of your decision." Zuro looked up. "They've been branded as traitors to the hive as you. They will be punished as so."
"You'd even punish a youngling?" Zuro asked.
"Our new sister has been taken from their care." Gnator answered. "It's all for the better." He crouched low to meet Zuro's gaze. Zuro stared. "Oh, don't worry, Zu. I'll make sure she'll live a better life." Gnator's horn started to glow.
"Bubba?!"
Gnator and Zuro looked back to see Dili being held back by a struggling, pregnant, pegasus mare who looked at Zuro with regret and heartbreak. Gnator observed the mare slowly. A look of disgust, then confusion, and slowly rage filled his expression as he glared at her.
"So." Gnator snarled. "You've gone and given a pony a youngling." He turned his gaze back to Zuro. "You lit-" He stopped. His anger slowly building into a smile. "Oh, that'll be much better."
"Gnator?" Zuro looked him in the eye.
"Your punishment won't be to die." Gnator said.
"Gnator, don't." Zuro pleaded. Gnator used his magic to suspend Zuro into the air facing his fiancée and sister.
"Now watch as I take away the one thing you care about most." Gnator said. He turned to Angel and Dili and started walking toward them.
"Gnator, no!" Zuro pleaded again as he started struggling against Gnator's magic. Gnator ignored and continued on. Dili looked at him with sadness as Angel held her protectively. "Stop!" One hoof after another Gnator got closer and closer. "Please!" Gnator's horn began to glow as he approached the girls. Zuro began to tear up and closed his eyes as he poured all of his energy into his horn, directing it to his only brother. He released all the energy and in a flash of yellow light he fell to the ground and looked up to see Gnator standing over Angel and Dili. After a few second Gnator turned back to his brother with a look of shock.
"Y... you..." Gnator struggled before falling to the ground, all his energy gone as he laid there, unable to move or do anything but breathe and stare in disbelief.
Zuro was spent. He was soar from the fight and he used all his magic to bind Gnator's magic. He closed his eyes and let his head drop. A roar from above could be heard and he felt all the energy from the changeling armada fade away as a shield was reformed around the castle. After that he felt strong love from both his sister and fiancée as they rushed to his side. Gasps could be heard along with whispers of changeling and monster along with "call the guards!" as he lay there. He felt strong sadness as he heard Angel crying.
"A... Angel..." Zuro struggled.
"Shut up." She cried.
"Take... take care..."
"Don't speak honey."
"Take care of Dili..." He finished. Angel choked on her tears.
After a few minutes the guards made their way to the changelings and placed them in cuffs and magic blocking braces while putting Jet on a stretcher before taking them away, leaving the ponies alone while Angel and Dili cried in each other's hold.