"So let me get this straight. You're a Unicorn."
Rocky pointed at a trembling unicorn mare who could barely hold her cup of tea.
"You're a Pegasus."
Rocky swung his arm over to a stallion sitting next to her who was also trembling and trying to pour their uninvited guest some fresh tea.
"And that there is your son."
Rocky finally motioned at an Earth pony colt who was currently giggling and hopping up and down on a changeling Rocky had pummeled through their living room wall.
"Y-yes sir." Replied the Pegasus stallion, trying and failing to maintain his composure. "P-Please don't hurt us."
Rocky sighed deeply, rubbing sweat off his temple with a forehoof. The changeling he was currently using as a makeshift seat, stirred. A swift jab with his staff put it back to sleep. The nervous couple winced.
"I don't mean you any harm." Rocky exclaimed trying his best to ignore the massive hole in the wall in their living room. The Wall was practically gone. "Really I don't. It's just that this place...this time... It's confusing to me." Rocky downed his tea and smacked his lips in satisfaction. "Thank you very much for the drink, But I'd better be off. More bugs to fight...you know how it goes."
With a flourish of his hoof and a bow, Rocky grabbed his staff and leapt out of the destroyed living room and onto the chaotic streets of Canterlot streets leaving the stunned couple in silence. The giggling laughter of their foal mingling with the sound of fighting outside.
====
Rocky charged through the streets doing his best to settle the anxiety in his heart.
"Unicorn. Earth Pony. Pegasi. Together. How long have I been gone?"
A changeling made the mistake of getting in his way. Without breaking stride Rocky dispatched the bug with an arcing blow from his staff, knocking the offending changeling through yet another living room wall. The blow felt cathartic as battle once again seemed to soothe his troubled soul. The more he fought, the less he had to think about everything he left behind. Everything he sacrificed for. Rocky grunted as he turned the corner forcing himself to shake off the feelings welling up in his soul. He found the distraction he was looking for.
A Pegasus Knight surrounded and subdued by eight or so changelings. Rocky felt his shame and anger at being bested, and couldn't help but feel sorry for him. With a running start he leapt onto the walls of the houses, then onto the roofs before landing in their midst, staff in hoof.
"Approach and you'll regret it." Rocky spat out a warning as he assumed his first gate stance with staff in hoof.
"What are you doing? Run! Get out of here!" The Pegasus barked. Rocky only smirked, musing that at least the pride of Pegasi still remained. The Royal Guard Pegasi looked on helplessly as the earth pony ignored his warning and assumed what looked like a dancers pose. The earth pony stood upright in perfect balance presenting his left side to his attackers. His front legs were outstretched to either side and angled downward slightly. The staff was balanced almost perfectly on his shoulders and showed no signs of tipping over.
When the first changeling charged, the earth pony executed what can only be described as a spinning dodge which turned into a rear hoof strike to the changelings head. It was lights out before the changeling even hit the ground.
Undeterred, the rest of the changelings all charged at once.
Rocky nimbly ducked and dived at the last minute resulting in many of the changelings crashing into each other. Before they could recover, each changeling was picked off one by one with well executed staff strikes and kicks. Before long, all changelings were sprawled out onto the cobblestone street.
Once Rocky was sure that they were secure, he untied the stunned guard.
"That was...That was AMAZING! WOW! I don't know what that was but you've gotta teach me some of that."
The pegasi pumped a hoof into the air and looked around taking in the sight of the defeated changelings.
"My name is Flash. Flash Sentry. Royal Guard Initiate. What's yours?"
The Pegasi's excitement gave Rocky pause.
"Oh...two names...uh." Rocky looked around before noting the street under his hooves.
"Road. Rocky Road." He said quickly, giving a respectful bow.
"Ah! Like the ice-cream?"
"Ice cream?" You know what? Never mind. Listen we don't have much time. Have you ever heard of the fighting arts of Tei-Rah-Do?"
Flash shook his head.
Rocky's heart sunk. But he continued to press hoping somepony, anypony would recognize it. "What about the first gate? The Resonance Gate? Does that ring a bell? The Striking Gate? Maybe the Flash Gate?" Deep down he already knew but just had to be sure. When he got no response Rocky sighed.
"In your studies of warfare have you ever learned anything to counter earth pony magic or martial arts?"
"Earth Ponies can do magic?" Flash Sentry muttered dumbfounded.
Rocky placed a hoof to his face and groaned. Unable to ignore his worst fear any longer. He was a stranger here, a complete stranger. A Sojourner in a foreign land. Before he could ask further questions. Sounds of mares screaming for help caught their attention.
"Looks like break time is over." Flash said, his carefree nature suddenly dropped.
"Agreed."
With a mutual nod the two warriors headed in the direction where several ponies were yelling in distress.
========
As Rocky and his new side-kick battled their way through Canterlot, a creeping sadness threatened to cloud his focus. It was clear to him now. He was far from home and he was pretty sure he could never ever go back. Rocky continued to fight back those thoughts even as he fought the growing horde of changelings. He observed his new companionThe Pegasus knight Flash Sentry, though unrefined, was effective at disrupting changeling formations and ambushes. It felt nice to have somepony to watch his back for a change, even if he was a Pegasus.
"Watch the roof!" Came Flash's warning.
Rocky rolled just in time to avoid a paralyzing spell before launching his staff like a javelin at the offending attacker. It connected and sent the changeling sprawling down the other side of the building and out of sight. Flash deflected another spell bolt with a trash can lid before slamming it against another charging changeling who nimbly dodged the attack before tackling Flash into a pile of garbage.
Flash Sentry emerged from the pile followed by another Flash Sentry. Rocky raised his eyebrow and approached. It was one thing to hear about a changeling's abilities it was another thing to see it in action.
"Woah! Not me! He's the changeling! Get hi..." Flash didn't get to finish his sentence before he was upper-cutted into the ceiling by a dismissive Rocky. A green flash later and the limply hanging hooves from the ceiling transformed back into the black chitin of a changeling.
The other flash rolled out of the garbage and accepted Rocky's outstretched hoof.
"How did you know it wasn't me?"
Rocky shrugged. "Fake emotions are not the same as real emotion." Before Rocky could explain further they heard more fighting coming from beyond the alley.
"It just doesn't stop does it?" Flash quipped.
Rocky grunted an affirmative as they dashed out of the alley. That was when Rocky saw...HER.
She was fighting in the form of the second gate. The striking gate. Her form was imperfect, the strikes lacked true power, but it was undeniably the second gate. The earth pony mare was currently dueling what appeared to be a drone captain, as the markings on his shell seemed to indicate rank not to mention he was much more adept at combat than the others. It was effective at mimicking the earth ponies moves. Just when it looked like Rocky would have to intervene. The earth pony mare got the changeling in a rear chokehold and ended the fight.
That's when the reinforcements showed up.
"That's our cue!" Rocky exclaimed launching himself into the maelstrom of changelings converging into the square.
"Tally HO!" Flash cried as he followed Rocky's lead.