//------------------------------// // Ch. 5-1: Warning! // Story: Changing Odds // by Melody Brush //------------------------------// Part Five Invasion Chapter One Warning! Dear diary, Everything is set and in place for the wedding! Just a rehearsal or two, and then the big "I do!" I am so excited! I wonder if dad felt this way when he and mom formed their union. Anyway, apart from the wedding, Angel and I have Dili for the month and she's gonna be our flower girl. Jet's gonna be my best colt and he couldn't be more honored. Mom and dad will try to get there, but they say things have been unusual around the hive lately and Dulcis has been uneasy. I can't help but feel like something terrible is about to happen. I just hope it has nothing to do with the wedding if anything does happen. Anyway, Angel is sleeping with Dili right now in our bed and I can't help, but grin at the most adorable site. I should get some sleep too. Angel and I have a huge day tomorrow and despite all the love energy I have I still need sleep. Good night. Zuro signed his diary and put it away with the rest of his life captured books on his desk. He then turned to the sleeping mare and filly on his bed and a large grin grew on his face. They are so adorable. He thought as he smiled at little Dili wrapped in Angel's forehooves as they both slept in peace. He got up from his seat and quietly walked over to the bed and lay behind Angel, wrapping his forehooves around both of them and nuzzle the back of her neck. He hummed happily as he closed his eyes. The minute his eyes closed a flash of Gnator's face glaring directly at him flashed through his vision. He opened his eyes and looked up with a start, being extremely careful not to wake Angel and Dili only to find they were alone in the room. He closed his eyes again and opened his mind to the whole house. They were the only ones there. He waited a few minutes before he settled down enough to close his eyes again and soon he fell asleep. ~~)oOo(~~ Gnator hovered outside the upstairs window of Zuro's house, glaring at the pregnant pegasus mare asleep with his little sister in his big brother's bed. He had developed a hatred to ponies since the day Zuro left nearly four years ago he considered all who sought a pony life was an outcast and any breed mixed between pony and changeling was an abomination to life. Gnator wanted nothing more than to end the lives of the pegasus and abomination she carried, but he knew if he did he would loose all hope of convincing his older brother to come back to the changeling race and he needed him now more than ever. Inside, Zuro wrapped his forehooves around the pegasus mare and at that moment Gnator sent his energy to him then flew away as fast as he could toward Canterlot Castle. He changed to a griffon as he approached the tower of the west wing, where a pink alicorn mare stood on the balcony with a stern look on her face. He landed beside the tall figure and lowered his head in a deep respectful bow. "Did you speak with him?" She asked. "I regret to say I have not, my queen." Gnator answered. "And why not?" She continued. "Because if I had remained I would have done more harm than good. That mare is with him and our little sister." His anger boiling at the memory of the sight. "I can sense your anger, child." Gnator's fear started to rise. He knew she did not approve failure and he failed to get Zuro back. "You'll get another chance child." Gnator looked up curiously. "You made the right choice in this matter. The pegasus mare upsets you and you do not wish to loose our hope of better success." "Yes, my queen." He said with a bow. "Go with the others. And as long as we're here you are to address me as Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." She stated. "Yes, my... Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." He said as he gets to all fours. "And change to a pony." She looks to the sky. "But..." "I know you hate them, but how often do you see griffons in this country?" She asked. Gnator dropped his head in defeat. "Rarely." He said as he changed to a black pegasus with blue hair. "Now go. My dear fiancée will be raising his shield very soon." She said. "Yes, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." He bowed one more time before taking off. She watched the young changeling as he flew away from the castle and make it outside the barrier just before a large pink bubble surrounded the city, followed by a second bubble for extra protection. Cadenza smirked. Everything is going according to plan. She thought.Soon those who wield the Elements of Harmony will be here and they won't be able to stop me with all the power I've gained by Shining Armor's love. She chuckles. This is going to be perfect. "Is everything alright, dear?" A male voice called. She turned back to see a white unircorn with a two tone blue mane. He was held his hoof against his temple as if he had a headache. "I... ugh... heard somepony was here." "Are you having a headache?" She asked as she stepped closer to him, her horn glowing a menacing green. Before he could answer she shot a beam of green light at his head and he fell to the ground, groaning. After a few seconds the spell died and the unircorn stood up, his eyes green and slightly glowing. "Feeling better, Shining?" She asked. He nodded. "What did you do?" He asked as he rubbed his temple. "I just used my magic to heal you. Any good bride with magic would do it." She lied. Shining smiled. "Thank you, Cadence." He said as he nuzzled her. She smiled as she felt pure, true energy empower her. "Let's go inside. It's cold out here." She said. Instantly the love from Shining Armor spiked as he nodded and guided her inside. ~~)oOo(~~ "Aahhh!" Zuro and Angel both woke up with a scare as Dili screamed. They both turned their attention to the little filly to comfort her. "Shh. It's okay, Dili." Angel said. "They... they wanna hurt bobba." Dili said through tears. "Who?" Angel asked defensively. Dili looked up at Zuro with tears. Zuro saw and felt the pain of heartbreak in his little sister. That kind of heartbreak was the heartbreak was the kind of betrayal. Betrayal from close family. "Honey, stay with Dili." Zuro ordered as he got out of bed while transforming to his ponysona. "Where're you going?" Angel asked. "To find out who's threatening my family." He answered. "When the rehearsal's today?" Angel continued. "If I don't do anything there may not even be a church to meet at." Zuro turned back to them. "Look, Angel. I'm sorry, but something is very wrong and I just know we're gonna be a part of it. I have to find out what's going on." "Then go." Angel said. Zuro looked at her blankly for a minute. "Sweetie, you've been so caring to pones for years. Ponyville calls you Guardian because of your impulse to help others. You've never turned your back on anypony before, so why start now?" Zuro smiled. "I'll be back. I promise." He said as he nuzzled them. Then he trotted out of the room. He rushed out of the house and just outside the door was Jet Blast. Zuro did not notice his best friend until he ran right into the red pegasus' chest and they both fell to the ground. "Guard!?" Jet called as he got to his hooves. "What's the deal!?" "I dunno, Jet." Zuro answered as he got to his hooves while rubbing his temple. "All I know is something's wrong." "You can say that again." Jet stated. "Those two pegasi from work just flew off without a word and I can't get a hold of them or find anypony related to them to find out what's up." Zuro looks up. "Did anypony come see them?" Zuro asked. "The only thing I could find out was a black pegasus came in and they all flew off." Jet explained. Zuro blinked and face hoofed. "I knew something was wrong! C'mon!" He took off. "What?" Jet asked as he flew after him. "I'll explain later." Zuro answered. The two flew up toward the clouds when a black griffon flew in front of them. Zuro and Jet stopped. "A griffon?" Jet asked. "Yeah, I'm a griffon. You gotta problem with that?" He glared at Jet. "Don't you dare try anything to my best friend, Gnator." Zuro offered sharply. "You know him?" Jet asked. "Are you really gonna choose them over your own kind, Zu?" Gnator asked. "Wait. Gnator?" Jet asked. "Aren't you one of Guard's old friends?" "Oh, you're stronger than I first assumed." Gnator snarled. He turned to Zuro. "You still haven't told your 'best friend' after four years?" "What's he talking about?" Jet asked Zuro. "What's going on, Gnator?" Zuro asked. "How can you live with yourself when you don't even trust the one you've known since you left our hive?" Gnator continued. "Guard, what's he talking about?" Jet asked. "And you still haven't figured it out." Gnator mused. Jet looked up at Gnator curiously. "Your so called 'best friend' has done nothing, but lie to you this whole time. He's not a pegasus. He isn't even a pony!" "What?" Jet asked in disbelief. "Gnator, what are you planning?" Zuro asked again. "Zuro, the Guardian is what's called a changeling." Gnator said as he let his head shift to his normal form while keeping the body of a griffon. Jet gasped and nearly fell to the ground before catching himself in the air again. "And I'm not his griffon friend. I'm his brother." Gnator explain. "Why are you doing this, Gnator?" Zuro asked, struggling to stay calm and not attack his brother for telling his best friend what he should have told him years ago. "To show your pony friend what we really are, Zu." Gnator answered. "And maybe you'll finally see they'll never accept us as we are." he glared at the red stallion staring at him in shock. "You know they are different now." Zuro stated. "Angel knows everything." "What!?" Jet asked. "You told my cousin, but not me?" Zuro looked at him apologetically. "It's his way." Gnator said. "We were bread to lie." "Don't." Zuro ordered as he glared at Gnator. "To hide among the others." Gnator continued. Jet looked between them. "Gnator, please." Zuro pleaded. "And..." "Gnator." "Most important of all." "Gnator, don't!" "We feed on love." "What?" Jet asked. "We feed on love to gain strength and power" Gnator explained. "Zuro," Jet looked to the blue stallion. "... is this true?" Zuro looked into the red stallion's eyes. "The only truth that will ever be spoken from his lips." Gnator answered. After a minute Zuro let his head drop. "I was going to tell you, but..." Zuro began. "But he knew you would never accept him." Gnator interrupted. Zuro shot him a glare. Jet looked between them for a minute before he turned to Jet. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything there was a green flash of light with a loud crack and Jet started to fall to the ground unconscious. "Jet!" Zuro cried. Before he could do anything Gnator caught him and laid him on a nearby cloud. "What did you do!?" Zuro cried. "He'll have no memory of this encounter." Gnator explained. "For now." "Why are you doing this?" Zuro asked more calmly. "Let this serve as a warning, Zu." Gnator turned to him. "Our brothers are gathered outside of the castle awaiting Queen Chrysalis to break the barrier so we may finally feed." "You can't do that!" Zuro shouted. "You now have a choice to make, brother." Gnator continued. "Meet up with the rest of us outside the castle, or I'll let it slip to every pony that you've been hiding here to learn more about them while our queen slipped into the castle. You can reunite with your brothers, or be an exile to ponies and changelings alike. It's your choice." Gnator flew off faster than Zuro could blink and was out of sight. Zuro turned to Jet, who was waking up with a groan. Zuro flew to his side. "Jet, you okay?" "Ugh... what happened?" Jet asked as he rubbed his temple. Zuro bit his bottom lip upon hearing the question. Oh, Buck Rogers. He thought. Now what?