Family Love

by Amethyst-ACE

Defending Love

“What exactly were you thinking?”

The imposter Wisteria brought the boy to the outskirts of town near the Everfree Forest where she revealed herself to be another changeling in disguise.

“What have you done with the ponies?!” The boy cracked as he returned to his true form.

“They're asleep” answered the doppelganger. “We didn't want any interruptions.”

“We?” He returned.

The changeling confronting Onyx took a few steps back, and two more changelings emerged from the forest. One on the insects left, and one to the right. As they stood aligned with one another the middle one began to speak once again.

“First your brother elopes with a pony and abandons the brood, now you are taking the form of a larva in an attempt to live among a family? Is insanity a common trait in your family's gene code?”

Onyx smirked. “You tell me, you're bred from the same genetic code I am. We all are.”

“Don't give me that!” His accuser snapped. “You're a first born which is why you're so different from us!” He motioned towards Onyx's hair and sickle-like horn.”

“Do I detect a hint of jealousy in your tone?” Onyx's satisfied smirk showed no signs of submersing.

“You truly are crazy.” The other changeling accused. “Perhaps it is time we put an end to this experiment of yours.”

“What I'm doing is for the good and benefit of all the changelings.” Onyx assured. “Those two ponies took me in as a changeling child and treated me as a loved member of their family. It was my crazed brother who purposed that changelings could coexist with ponies, and now I have proof of that!”

“You've proven nothing!” The changeling on the right snapped.

“They accepted you when you were an impressionable child.” The left most changeling explained. “But they do not know the real you, and the real you they will not accept.”

“You don't know that.” Onyx returned.

“Oh but we do.” Answered the center changeling. “Say you were to return right now and talk to those two ponies. What would you say to them? 'I'm sorry for lying to you, but I'm secretly a-”

“Enough!” He demanded. “These things take time! And if all you've done is come here to harass me then you are currently wasting mine!” The boy turned around and once again assumed is childlike figure. Only to be stopped by the all too familiar sounds of magical transformation. He turned back to see that the three changelings that were antagonizing him had been replaced with 3 large timber wolves.

“You've given us no choice boy, so now we have an ultimatum. We are going to attack the village, you can stay out of our way and let it happen. Or you can protect your precious family, and be branded as a traitor to your kind! The choice is yours.” With a last little snarl the three wolves stormed off towards the city.

~~~

Iron Lance and Wisteria were awoken that night by the sounds of screams and howling. Iron Lance without a second thought rushed outside while Wisteria ran to the room of her changeling son to check on him. When Lance got outside he was greeted by the sight of several ponies running around in a panic as three large wolves snarled, growled, and stomped their way around the city.

Only three brave ponies stood between the wolves and the center of town. A pegasus and two earth ponies, all three close friends with the princess if Lance recalled correctly.

“Where the hoof is that egg-head and her dragon when you need her?”

“She's spending the night in Canterlot with Celestia. We're on our own y’all!”

The kicks of the orange and blue ponies were doing little more than causing minor irritations. Thankfully one of the three wolves was completely distracted trying to desperately catch a bouncy pink pony that was jumping all over and around him.

Iron Lance prepared himself to leap into the fray, but was stopped by the sounds of shrieking coming from the house.

“Wisteria?!” Lance turned around just at the bright purple mare ran from the house.

“It's Onyx! He's gone! I can't find him anywhere!”

“What?!” Lance looked all over the surrounding area, hoping to catch even a glimpse of the child. “Where could he have gone?!”

“Mom! Up!”

Both Wisteria and Lance looked up to see their little baby changeling slowly descending down towards them. He positioned himself just above Wisteria then cut his wings, dropping down onto his 'mother's' back.

“Oh thank Celestia! We were so worried!” Wisteria wiped a single tear from her eye using her front left hoof.

“What are those?” Asked the child. “They're scary!”

“Their timber wolves.” Wisteria explained with a noticeable tone of fear taking root in her voice. “They're dangerous creatures from the forest.”

“But what are they doing here?” Iron Lance asked himself as he observed the three brave heroes. “Timber wolves only come into town during Zap-apple season...Something must have provoked them.” Iron Lance took a few steps forward, but was stopped by Wisteria calling out to him.

“Don't Lance! It's too dangerous!”

“I'm not THAT old Wisteria. I've still got some fight left in me!” Iron Lance shut his eyes, and his horn began to glow with an energy that matched the color of his mane and tail. There was a bright blinding flash of light, and when it settled Iron Lance stood among the three heroes. He was outfitted head to hoof in the armor of the Canterlot Night Guard. The armor was mostly Ceremonial, but it was better than no armor at all.

“Daddy looks cool!” Onyx shouted out.

Wisteria smiled. “Your father was once a member of the Night Guard, under the command of the Princess of the Night. He might not look it, but your father is as brave as they come!”

“Everypony stand back!” Iron Lance shouted from behind a plated face mask.

The pegasus and the two earth ponies galloped and flew off to the side as Iron Lance began a full speed charge. His horn began to glow once again and soon his whole body was enveloped by the same colored energy. The energy took the form of a massive gray spearhead as Iron Lance leaped at one of the timber wolves; attempting to drive himself into the heart of the creature like a lance piercing flesh. Unfortunately despite their size, the massive wolves possessed enough agility to all jump out of the way of the attack. Two of them smashing into buildings as they jumped, resulting in massive collateral damage.

“Something ain’t right 'bout these wolves.” Commented the orange earth pony.

“How so?” Replied her pink friend.

“Well normally them tender wolves would just take whatever ya throw at 'em. Then they'd just rebuild themselves. They're too stupid to know what 'ill actually harm 'em.”

The three wolves turned and snarled at the pony who took several steps back, and hid her flush red face behind her hat.

“And they certainly don't know when you're insultin' 'em!”

One of the three wolves attempted to crush the pony with his wooden paw, only to be knocked off balance by another one of Iron Lance's charges.

Maybe I wont have to get involved at all. The child changeling thought to himself. Maybe Iorn Lance and the others will be enough to drive them away.

The timber wolf reared it's head back, and Iron Lance and the other pony prepared themselves for another attack from the wolf's paw, or possibly an attempt to bite them. Unfortunately what they didn't count on was a magical attack. The timber wolf lunged it's head forward, and a sea of bright green fire erupted from it's maw.