Aftermath: A Changeling's Punishment

by Kastrinn

Lunar View Point

Luna's view of the attack on Canterlot

Luna awoke, hearing screams among the streets of Canterlot. She immediately went towards her window, seeing the streets flooded with Changelings and ponies. With the sudden look of anger on her face, armor materialized onto her, and then levitating a sword next to her as she jumped out of the window, flying to the streets to help with the defense of Canterlot.

While Luna was flying around taking out the Changelings in the air, there were even more on the ground, surrounding a small family of ponies into a alley way. This did not go unnoticed as for Luna landed on top of the leader of the Changeling squad, knocking him unconscious.

"Are thy wretches ready for a beating!" Luna said loudly, looking at the changelings now surrounding her, seeing a total of seven. They stood guard as they planned their new plan of attack on Luna. Suddenly two Changelings charged at her, trying to take her on from both sides, but Luna struck the first Changeling with a beam, going through it's chest, as she swung her sword at the other changeling, slicing off it's head and watches the body stagger back, then falling to the ground, then she looked at the other Changelings. Few staggered back, but still keeping attack distance, then four of them charged again, but abiding her attack motions. Luna swung her sword, but the Changeling dodged and shot at her. Thinking quickly, she levitated the other Changeling in front of the beam, and threw the body at the Changeling that shot at her. But while she was distracted by the two other Changelings, one pounced on her, trying to get a bite at her neck, but was stopped by Luna's armor. Luna shook him off quickly, rearing her hind leg and kicked him into the wall. She then was struck by a punch from the third Changeling, who was hopping from hoof to the other, throwing a few punches into the air.

"Get em Balboa!" yelled the first Changeling, now getting the body of his dead comrade off him. Luna threw her sword at the Changeling, striking him in the head.

"Hoof to Hoof combat, eh?" She pointed out, getting into fighting stance. "Hit us with your best shot." she said smugly. She charged at him, throwing her hoof at him. But he side stepped, grabbing her foreleg and tried throwing her, but failed, only to be the one thrown to the ground. Luna then stepped on his neck, choking the Changeling out, then looked at the last Changeling. He looked in fear, then tried to fly away, but was grabbed by the tail from Luna's magic, and was slammed into the ground. Then looking to the family of ponies, she ordered, "Get to the castle, it'll be safer there." The family nodded and ran to safety.

Then a squad of Canterlot Guards ran by, one spotting Luna. "Princess Luna, what are you doing out here?"

"We are protecting the citizens of Canterlot." Luna replied hastily, then asked where they were going, pulling out her sword from the Changeling's skull.

"There's a group of Changelings trying to break into the armory, Princess Luna." He said, "Are you going to join us?"

"We shall stop the Changelings, your squad shall protect and escort any pony outside the walls of Canterlot." She ordered, then she flew off to the armory, taking out a few flying changelings on the way. When she reached the armory, there was bodies of both Changelings and Royal Guards, the sight made her swell with anger. Right then and there, a Changeling Solider attacked from behind her, but Luna was quick enough to dodge and swing her sword at him, decapitating it.

"You have good reflexes, I must say." a voice called out from atop the armory.

Luna looked up to see the Changeling General, who was wearing a helmet and armor, going along with the Changeling theme. and called back.

"It's nice to see that some pony takes notice in our acquired skills, mind telling us thy name before your untimely death?" She threatens, readying a magic blast to shoot at him.

"My name and rank is General Bellose, and I'm afraid to tell thy Princess that she will be the one to die today." He replies mockingly, smirking.

Luna shoots at him, but is taken aback. General Bellose deflects it with a scythe. As if he wanted to piss her off more, he obnoxiously spins the scythe around, and stabs the blade into the roof, showing off how skilled he was too.

"If you were thinking that this was going to be an easy fight for you, then I am sorry to disappoint you, Princess Luna." He smirks, and adds on, "But if you want to fight me, then you shall show you are worthy by fighting through the masses."

Luna was annoyed and pissed off, and she was going to enjoy killing him now, she tried to fly up to him, but she was tied to a post by her tail, looking behind her, she saw the Changeling who did it, and kicked his muzzle in, sending him back to a lamp post. She then cut the rope, and slid it off her tail, and when she turned to the General, he was gone. But what had replaced him was another group of Changelings. They ran at her all at once, getting her off guard.

"Get away from the Princess!" a Guard yelled, followed by more battle cries. They now had the Changelings attention, and Luna was able to get free of their grasp.

She quickly ran into the armory, busting down the doors and the Changelings behind it. To make sure no other Changelings got in, Luna placed a magical barrier around the building. Making sure no pony gets in or out. Luna walked slowly, levitating her sword in front of herself, preparing for any attack. But when she walked into the main section of the armory, she saw the General standing in the middle of the room, a bit of light shining on him.

"It seems that you've taken care of my comrades, not that impressive for you are an alicorn." General Bellose stated, looking down at his weapon. "Did you know that the scythe was originally used for farming?" he asked, turning over the scythe. "Kind of funny that it would be used by the Grim Reaper, the guy doesn't seem like a farmer."

"Stop the chit chat and get on with your death!" Luna spat, throwing her sword at his head. But he dodged it by only moving his head to the side.

"Oh so eager now, why not calm yourself down, and think of what could happen if you join us." he said, taking her aback.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked, looking confused.

"We know about Nightmare moon, Princess Luna." General Bellose said, striking her where it hurt. "Think about, you can rule in eternal night, and we would help you accomplish that in return, letting us feed off the love of your subjects."

"NEVER!" Luna screamed, ramming into the General, catching him off guard. "I WILL NEVER BETRAY SISTER AGAIN!"

Luna grabbed her sword and had tried to stab him, but he kicked her stomach, launching her off him. He then grabbed the scythe, readying for a fight.

"I will make you wish you joined us." He threatened, charging at her, trying to land a hit on her, but she blocked it with her sword.

They both backed away from each other, regaining ground. Luna took the first shot, creating a bright flash, blinding him. Luna then swung at him, landing her hit, but it didn't do much for the armor he was wearing. But then he struck her jaw, knocking off her helmet, the punch knocking her back a few feet. Bellose stood up, recovering from the sword cut, he was about to make another move when he saw Luna duplicating her sword, and launching them at him. He quickly deflected it with his scythe, but one managed to cut half of his ear off. Howling in pain, he ripped off the helmet to get a better hold of his ear, trying to stop the bleeding. Luna took this as her chance to finally kill General Ballose, so she began charging her magic again, firing at him again, but he quickly put up a magical shield, but it wasn't strong enough to withstand the time length of the blast, so he was shot through the wall outside.

"It seems as though you lost to us." Luna said looking down at him outside the armory, holding a smirk on her face as she placed her sword against his neck.

Ballose then gave out a bright flash of light, blinding the princess this time, and he punched her foreleg, making her fall down to her knees. The sword with drew from his neck, he jumped up into the air, hovering above her. But as soon as he prepared to shoot at Luna again, there was a bright flash from the castle of Canterlot, blasting away every Changeling away.

When the princess regained vision, she saw that the General was gone, and wanting to find him, she flew into the air, seeing that there was no Changeling to be found in sight.

Present Day

"And so we had captured a Changeling after the attack." Princess Celestia was talking to Luna about the Changeling prisoner in the dungeon.

"Tia, what if the Changeling is a low ranking one, and doesn't know anything?" Princess Luna asked, not really into the conversation.

"The Royal Guards said that he was a General, and to my knowledge, Changeling Generals wore armor." Celestia said, making Luna more interested now.

"Did he say his name?" she asked, remembering General Ballose.

"Our first meeting wasn't as I expected, overall I just told him what'll we'll be doing to him. I guess you'll have to ask him." Celestia replied, making Luna get up from her throne. "Where are you going now? Celestia asked.

"To find out who he is." Princess Luna said, going to the dungeon.