A changeling decides to live a pony life and after four years of living a good life, Queen Chrysalis attacked Canterlot, the changeling is arrested and sent to trial.
A young changeling named Zuro leaves his home to live a life as a pony. At the Summer Sun Celebration he meets a pegasus mare named Angel and develops love for her. After Queen Chrysalis and the rest of her subjects attacked Canterlot Zuro is placed on trial for suspicion of playing part in the invasion.
Written by Music Brush, with the guidance of Mechafone.
Prologue
Growing Up
Dear diary,
Tomorrow, I turn sixteen, and I'm so excited, and terrified at the same time! I'm so excited because, as of tomorrow, I can go out on my own to start my own life, but I'm terrified because the life I want to live is not very accepting to one of my kind, and I doubt my parents, especially my mother, will allow me to leave without a bit of a fuss. My mother has always been protective of her family and taught us right. My father has always been a more understanding of the two and gave us more reasonable freedom while keeping us on a tight enough leash.
Anyway, the life I wanna live is that of a pony's. I have always been fascinated by the ponies' way of life and have wondered what it would be like to live among them. I know that will sound odd to the ponies who read this and don't know what I am. So if you're a pony who's reading this diary and still don't know what I am, you're about to find out, and I hope you will still trust me if we are friends.
I better get to bed. It's almost midnight and I have a long, early day ahead of me! I will go talk to my parents, and even if they say no, I'll go and try to live with the ponies anyway. Wish me luck.
Good night.
Zuro reread the words he just wrote in his diary and smiled at them. He closed the book then slid it inside a pony saddlebag his father had just got for him earlier last week as an early birthday present. His father knew how much he loved ponies, but that was no big secret. After all, a changeling must seek love from the other races to gain their magical power, and ponies were the closest race to the changeling castle. The dragons lived in hot and dangerous badlands such as volcanoes, and the griffons were more commonly found in Griffonstone and were not known for being as friendly as ponies. Wild animals were just too unpredictable to be around, and everything else was either too impossible or nonexistent in this day and age.
Zuro looked up to a picture on his stone desk and smiled. The picture showed two ponies: a strapping blue unicorn stallion with a beautiful pink pegasus mare. The stallion was his father, way before he was born, in a pony disguise. He’d slipped into a small town and found the single mare and beloved her and was well fed with love energy in return. Zuro probably would have been a hybrid if that mare was more accepting. His father had fallen so deeply in love with that mare that he wanted to confess to her, but sadly when he told her what he was, she broke it off and they went their separate ways. Luckily she was kind enough not to spread his secret to others so no suspicion was raised from his encounter.
As he stared at the two ponies in the picture, he imagined a pony persona for himself to allow him to roam the streets of the towns in Equestria freely without striking fear into the hearts of the citizens. He did favor the color blue, but he wanted a brighter shade than his father used, and he loved being able to fly, so the pony 'Pegasus' was the most reasonable choice for him. He could find a job as a weather pony when he got in to sustain himself financially while gaining friends to sustain him with love energy, and he liked the sound of that.
He closed his eyes to better imagine himself as a pony and allowed his magic to course through his body. He felt one brief moment of strong vibrations and heat. After a minute, he opened his eyes and looked at his hooves to find they were covered in the blue fur and were no longer the black stumps filled with holes like he imagined. He got up and ran to a bare wall. He allowed his changeling horn to appear and illuminated it at the wall, causing it to reflect his image back at him.
He smiled at his new look. He was a young pegasus colt with a bright blue coat and black mane. He spread his wings and admired them, turning his body left and right to get a better look at himself. Then his eyes shifted to his flank, which was still blank. He thought about what he remembered learning about pony culture from what his father told him during his time as a pony.
"Let me see... it was called a sweet mark? No, a... a cutie mark!" He smiled. "From what I can remember dad telling me, the cutie mark is a very special mark on the pony flank to show what that pony's specific talent is, and only appears when that pony discovers said specific talent. What am I good at?" He scratched his hoof as he thought about the things he enjoyed doing the most.
He closed his eyes again and thought about things he was best at. "Hmm... what can I do?" He was very protective of his younger siblings and friends. "A shield? To show my protective side? I think that sounds good." And he enjoyed flying a lot. "Yeah! Some wings, too, for flying!" His thoughts sparked an idea, and in an instant, he felt magic coursing to his flank. He opened his eyes and saw a winged shield placed firmly in front of a rain cloud with a lightning bolt striking below it.
He smiled at his new look, deeply satisfied with his work, and growing more excited by the second. "I may not get any sleep at all tonight!" He had to fight himself to keep from bouncing in place.
He let his magic die down and both his reflection on the wall and his pony disguise vanished, leaving him in his natural, black changeling form before he trotted over to a stack of leaves and wild animal fur that he had arranged into a rough makeshift bed. The animal fur kept him warm during the cold night hours and, added with the leaves, helped make it more comfortable on the rocky floor.
He set himself on the bed and repositioned himself a few times before finding a comfortable position and fought his excitement to try and sleep. What felt like hours was really only a few minutes before he fell right to sleep and dreamed about his future life as a pony.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro woke up the next morning with a big yawn and a cracking stretch. He crept out of the haystack and arched his back up until it cracked, then he sighed with satisfaction. "Today's the day! Happy birthday, Zuro!" He gave his legs a good, long stretch like a cat before walking out of the room.
Zuro trotted through the halls into the family room where he found his mother, Anorum, playing with his baby sister, Dili. His father, Vitam, was giving his younger brother, Gnator, quick lessons on transforming into creatures other than ponies. The results of Gnator's underdeveloped changeling powers were... not bad. Most of his transformations ended up looking more like the extinct draconequus of ancient times.
"Oh, good morning, Zuro!" His mother called with a happy smile when she looked up at him.
"Bubba!" his sister cried as she bolted for him. She ran up and pounced right into his chest, knocking him back on his rump with an audible 'oof'. As he hit the ground, he laughed and wrapped his forelegs around her.
"Hey, Dili!" Zuro laughed as he hugged her. She nuzzled his chest with giggles and happy buzzes.
"Happy birthday, big bro!" His little brother shouted as he reverted to his natural form.
"Thank you, Gnator," Zuro replied, looking up from Dili to the young changeling who looked up to him.
"Happy birthday, son," his mother and father called out together. Zuro smiled and sat up with Dili in his hold and looked up at all of them.
"Thank you all," he replied with a proud smile on his face.
"What bubba want? What bubba want?!" Dili asked excitedly as she bounced in his hold.
"Yes, what do you want for your birthday, hun?" Anorum asked.
Zuro's heart skipped a beat at the question. Now was the time for him to ask his question and he was scared his parents would completely reject him of his wish to join pony society. Heaven knows what the queen would say about one of her subjects wanting to live among ponies for anything less than infiltration and finding means to conquer. He took in a deep breath as he lifted his sister off of him in his magic so he could get to his hooves and she jumped right onto his back. He looked up at his sister with a smile before he turned to face his parents who were standing side by side, waiting for their son to answer and tell them his birthday wish.
"Mom, dad..." he began, "I would love to live like a pony." He watched their expressions closely and noticed they were frozen in place. His brother was standing there with a look that instantly shifted from excitement to a sense of confusion, all while his sister sat on his back bouncing with joy.
"Bubba pony! Bubba pony!" She stopped and looked puzzled. "What a pony?"
"Dili, ponies are the creatures we change into to feed off their love," Gnator answered as he sat down and stared at Zuro in disbelief.
"Yay! Bubba pony!" Dili cheered as she clapped her holey hooves. Zuro turned to his mother now, waiting for her protest.
"Please, tell me you mean you just want to go and feed on love on your own for a few days," Anorum pleaded with fear rapidly increasing in her expression.
"No," he replied as he shook his head. "I mean I wanna live as a pony. For life." His mother let out a scream while his father looked as though he was thinking it through long and hard. His sister was jumping with joy and his brother looked more unhappy about the whole thing as the conversation went on.
"Live as a pony?" Anorum cried. "Have you any idea what they will do to you if they find out what you are?"
"Now, my love..." Vitam began only to have her shoot a sharp glare at him.
"No!" She spat. "You remember what happened to you when your pony friend found out what you are!" Granted, it was not as bad as she would make it out to be, but that was not going to stop her from doing everything she could to make sure her charges were safe from the worst.
"Every changeling has to grow up sometime, and you know we can't survive without the other races." He explained as he ignored the memory of his past lover.
"The ponies fear and hate us!" She countered. "That's why we hide amongst the couples to feed, and when we're not among them we live in our castle, not live with them like them!"
"Yes, but mom," Zuro interrupted, "you know there have been times in the past when a changeling has lived a successful life with a pony."
"And were later ejected from the hive, or discovered by other ponies and chased out or locked away, or even terminated! I will not have that-" she stated.
"Anorum, don't you think you're overreacting a little?" Vitam interjected.
"Are you saying you want to send our son to his death, Vitam?!" She asked.
"No, but-" he began before getting cut off again.
"Then he's not going!" She stated firmly.
"Bubba pony! Bubba pony!" Dili cheered as she bounced on Zuro's back. They all looked over to Dili, who was now hugging the back of her big brother’s neck. The two had been very close since she was born, and it was plain she loved her big brother and he enjoyed every bit of it. Vitam looked to his wife, who smiled at her two children before turning to face her husband with fear apparent in her eyes.
"My love, I know how you feel right now, but we can only protect him for so long," Vitam explained. Her expression never changed. "This may be what the hive needs, Anorum. His leaving to live with the ponies might be the one thing that can save us from our current state."
For the past several years, their changeling hive had been slowly slipping. The reserved ponies captured or chose to stay from so many years ago to feed love off of had been dwindling, which was odd, since love lasted, and the queen was growing more desperate by the day. Now their supplies were running dangerously low which only made things even worse. For a changeling to be able to successfully go and live a good life amongst the ponies, that changeling would be set for life! He would have one to love and many to feed off of, and if said changeling could convince the ponies they were not as bad as they were feared to be, then they could come out of hiding and live freely. Though that also depended on the actions of the queen as well as any changeling who dared to make such a leap.
Anorum looked back at her children. The unusable love radiating from her only daughter was strong for her older brother. The look in Zuro's eyes was screaming and begging for her to let him go, but her youngest son, Gnator, looked displeased about it and looked to his mother with a shake of his head, silently asking her to say 'no'.
"Zuro... do you realize how serious this is?" She asked. He replied with a silent nod of his head. There was a long pause with Dili's giggles being the only sound to fill the room.
"Mom," Zuro spoke up, "I really want this. Even if it doesn't work, I have to at least try to live my dream. You know how much ponies fascinate me." She said nothing after he spoke, and after a minute, he reached up and lifted Dili off his back, gave her cheek a quick nuzzle, then sat her down before looking back up at his parents. "Look, I even have a pony disguise already." A flash of green flame engulfed him briefly, and after it died, a blue pegasus stallion stood in his place. Dili giggled at this and in a small flash of green, her own scaly skin turned blue to match her brother's. It was not a full pony, but it was an adorable sight nonetheless.
"Bubba pony!" She cheered.
There was a long, ear-piercing silence, broken only by Dili's cheers for her eldest brother. Gnator stood there staring between his mother and brother, waiting for the answer, hoping and praying that his mother would say 'no' and keep Zuro here. Zuro sat there in his seamless disguise with his little sister at his hooves, her love strong enough to make him feel like an alicorn while his heart raced a mile a minute as he waited for the answer.
Anorum stared into her eldest son's eyes while the options weighed heavily in her head. She could not let him go. He would be locked away, or worse. She had a sworn duty to protect her family, and even if it meant keeping Zuro from his dream, she would do it. Finally, an answer came to her. She closed her eyes and let her head drop as she heaved a heavy sigh. "Okay." She said. Wait, that is not what she wanted to say!
"What?!" Gnator yelled. Zuro's pony form flashed away in an instant and he stood there in his natural form with a look of anger on his face with a deep groan.
"I knew- wait, what?" He looked up when he processed what he just heard.
"Zuro," Anorum started again, "you may go live with the ponies."
"You're letting him go?!" Gnator asked, his heart pounding, hoping he misheard what was being said.
"I know I can't protect you all the time, and sooner or later, the young must move on," Anorum observed, "so you can go as you wish." Why was she saying this? She wanted to say 'no' not let him go.
Gnator turned to Zuro, who looked as if he was about to faint. "You're not going, right Zu?" He asked. There was no answer. Zuro just stood there, petrified in unbelief that his mother gave in. After several long seconds, he smiled and bolted up to his parents and gave them both a tight hug.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" He screamed. He then turned and gave his sister a hug, who happily returned the embrace as she giggled and cheered for him. Then he turned and gave his brother a hug, who did nothing in return. After giving each of his family a hug, he bolted through their stone home in the castle and into his room to pack a few things to take with him on the road to his new life.
He grabbed his pony saddlebag with his diary and grabbed the picture of his father with the pony mare and a few other things, placing them in the bag eagerly. After a few minutes, he looked up from his packing to find Gnator with a pleading look of sadness on his face. Zuro felt strong love radiating from his body that would never give him any strength physically or magically, and his own joy began to die down. He got to his hooves and took a step closer to his little brother.
"You really are leaving us, Zu?" Gnator asked. Zuro stopped and stared at the young changeling with a look of sorrow.
"Gnator..." he began.
"Just tell me you'll be back, Zu." Gnator interrupted. There was a long, headache-inducing silence between them for a long minute before Zuro let his head drop with a sigh.
"I don't know, bud." He answered. "This is something I've wanted all my life, and if it turns out as I hope..." He lifted his gaze up to his little brother, who just looked back at him with sad, blue eyes. After a minute, Gnator turned and left the room, leaving Zuro alone to finish his packing.
Zuro stood there with a bit of a heavy heart. He cared for his family, and would gladly give his life if it meant they would live. For anyone of his family to be upset like this, it made him feel guilty.
He took in a deep breath and convinced himself his brother was just a little unhappy with the change and he would soon adjust to it. That's how Gnator always was. When Dili was born, Gnator had zero interest in his new baby sister and showed signs of great jealousy, but after a while, he soon grew attached to her and enjoyed her company.
Zuro resumed his packing, and when he was done, he left his room to say goodbye to his family one more time. He started with Dili, giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek, earning a fit of giggles from the three-year-old filly. He then turned to his parents, giving them warm hugs, his mother refusing to let him go. Then he went to Gnator, telling him that he liked to save the best for last. It did not seem to help much, but he thought it was enough with the added hug he gave him before trotting out the door that just appeared in the wall and flew away toward his new life.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro was flying through a heavy forest with an old map sticking out of his saddlebag for easy access if he needed it to get his bearings straight. He had been flying for hours, his excitement growing every minute as he got closer to his destination. He was also growing more tired the farther he went. He stopped a few times along the way to take the form of nearby animals in order to regain some energy, some of which were not the best moments of his life, but it helped. Then, after a bit of rest, he would check the old map before continuing his flight.
Hours had passed and he reached the end of the forest and there, settled just outside the forest, was a small town made of wooden houses with straw rooftops, some trees refined into houses, and plenty of ponies to satisfy the hive. He quickly pulled out his map and saw that the town was not listed. "This town must be new," he mused.
He put the old map away, transformed himself into his pony form, and took in a deep breath before flying out of the forest toward the town. He passed a small cottage that was surrounded by animals of all kinds and could feel they all shared a love for one pony with a large, gentle heart. In the distance, he could see a farm with an apple orchard. He could make out a rather large red stallion pulling a cart of apples across the fields. As he entered the town, his excitement skyrocketed. Ponies of every kind— earth, pegasus, and unicorn —were filling the streets with activity. Small shops were set up for selling goods like food and furniture. Theaters and restaurants were lined with couples giving off many levels of love vibes. He noticed a couple of mares, one mint green, and the other a cream color, with an extremely high level of love for one another. He smiled at them. ”Best of luck, you two,” he said to himself.
Zuro was so lost in his joy that he did not notice a young, bright red pegasus colt coming his way until he bumped into him. "Hey!" the colt barked. "Watch where you're going."
"I'm sorry," Zuro offered as he got up and brushed himself off. "I didn't mean to run into you."
"No excuse!" the colt snapped. Zuro did not like where this was going.
"Look, I'm new here, and I don't want any trouble," Zuro said calmly.
"First rule, pal: You bump into Jet Blast, you got trouble." The colt gave Zuro a shove and nearly knocked him to the ground.
"I'm sorry..." Zuro began.
"Put 'em up, boy!" Jet ordered as he raised his wings threateningly. Zuro sighed. It was obvious he was not getting through this colt with words. Maybe the pony life was not going to be so great. He stood in place and got himself ready for an upcoming attack. Basic fighting was necessary for a changeling in case of situations like this, so he was ready for this 'Jet Blast'.
Jet stood on his hind hooves and took a swing at his opponent. Zuro dodged to the left, causing his attacker to overpass him and stumble over a few steps. Jet regained himself and made for another swing with his left hoof. This time, Zuro took a step to his right as he stuck a hoof out, tripping his opponent face-first into the grass. Jet got up and looked angrily at Zuro, who patiently waited for the next move.
Jet flapped his wings and charged the blue pegasus in a full-on tackle. Zuro jumped and flapped his own wings to gain altitude and let Jet dive to the ground underneath him. By this point, the two had attracted an audience who were gathered around, chanting 'fight, fight, fight' as things began to heat up.
Zuro landed and turned to face Jet, who was on his hooves, glaring and snorting at him. "We don't have to do this, Jet," Zuro said calmly. "Let's stop this now, and walk away like it never happened." Jet just snorted and charged him again. He swung his hooves at Zuro multiple times, missing each time as his opponent dodged all of his attacks. There was a pause in his attacks before he resumed swinging. This time, his blows were met with blocks.
Jet took another swing and Zuro slapped his hoof away, followed by a swing of his own hoof, hitting Jet in the chest and sending him to his back onto the ground.
"Stop this now, before someone gets hurt," Zuro ordered. He blinked when the response he received was laughing. Jet got to his hooves with a smile on his face as he brushed the dirt off his shoulders.
"You're good!" Jet mused. "Haven't had a good rustle like that in a while."
"You... enjoyed that?" Zuro asked."Yeah, I saw you comin' in town and thought to myself, 'he looks like a fighter,' and had to make sure. I was right!" Jet extended a hoof out to Zuro. "Name's Jet Blast, friend." Zuro hesitated before reaching his own hoof out and shook Jet's.
"My name's Zuro," he said.
"Zuro, pleased to meet you! Welcome to Ponyville!" Jet exclaimed. Zuro felt some energy come from the colt and smiled. "This may not be so bad after all," he thought to himself.
~~)oOo(~~
Dear diary,
Today is the best day of my life so far! I asked my parents if I could go live as a pony, and even though at first my mom said no, they both said 'yes'! I immediately packed a few things, a few old maps of the land included and left to start my new life.
I've been flying all day through this strange and dark forest the ponies call the Everfree Forest, stopping every now and again to refill on the love of some random forest animals, which most of the time wasn't very pleasant, but I needed the energy.
Just after reaching the end of the forest, I came up to a small town called Ponyville that wasn't on the map, but it was filled with ponies of all kinds! Imagine my glee! I met one young colt my age and we had a bit of a fight to start with, but soon became friends and I can already feel a brotherly love coming from him. His name is Jet Blast and he's a pegasus, which means I have a flying buddy!
Of course, there were other ponies who were completely crude and unkind, like this one earth pony, Buck Rogers, who were just like my mother feared, but they were targeting their own kind. The way I see this life, even though I've only been here for a third of a day, their way of life is not at all different from changelings.
Well, I better get some sleep. It is well past midnight and I need to start looking for ways to live like these ponies.
There's only a week left before the Summer Sun Celebration, and the whole town is getting set up for the arrival of Princess Celestia, which is quite an occasion for the ponies, and I am proud to be a part of it. This holiday also marks the second celebration since I moved to Ponyville, and the first time they've held it here in town in a long time, as I understand it.
I'm so excited and terrified at the same time! I'm excited because I get to be a part of an enormous pony event, but the princess herself will be here, which means there'll be guards all over the place, and if they discover who I am, I'll need to make a run for it, or they'll take me away! I hope it won't come to that; I love this town and every pony in it, excluding the ones like Buck Rogers who've been picking on my new friends and me for the last two years.
Buck Rogers is a pony who acts like a rich snob who's better than everypony else, and if you so much as cross his path, he'll snap at you faster than a snap turtle. He's so bad that we made kind of a joke about it. Whenever something annoying or anything that gets us frustrated happens, we say "buck rogers!" as if it was a substitute for "horsefeathers" or "horse apples." Jet's the one who started it, and it gets on Rogers nerves, which makes us smile, so we keep it up.
Anyway, I need to get some sleep. Jet and I have to get up early tomorrow to help get a few clouds rearranged for the day.
Good night.
Zuro signed and finished his diary before he put it away on a small shelf built into his desk in his bedroom. The room was lightly decorated with a few pictures here and there on the walls. A portable mirror stood on the right side of the desk, and on the other side of the room was a bed covered with a single blanket and pillow and was well made.
He got up from his desk and trotted over to the bed, letting his pony form die down as he hopped onto the blankets as he let out a happy sigh. The bed was a lot more comfortable than sleeping on a bunch of leaves and animal fur piled on a stone floor. He did not miss living in the Desolute Zone beyond the western border at all, but he did miss his family all the time.
About a month after Zuro moved Ponyville, his father began making regular visits to check up on him and give him reports on how things were going back home. Anorum was a nervous wreck, thinking about her first child endlessly and what may happen to him. Gnator was deeply upset with Zuro's decision to leave and started spending more time away from the castle and with new friends, more often causing trouble for others than anything else. Dili was as cheerful as ever for her big brother, even though she did not see him anymore. She did miss him, but for the most part, she was happy for him. Vitam showed fear for his son; however, he was willing to let things go, knowing full well all must move on in life.
Apart from his immediate family, the hive also found a new monarch. A changeling named Chrysalis was named Queen of the Changelings and immediately began leading the hive with an iron will. She inspired loyalty in her subjects and began building up a new order to lead them out of starvation. Oddly enough, she had no ties to the royal family or high council, and no one had ever heard of her before. How this random changeling became queen in these times was beyond anyone's guess, but it is what it is.
Zuro was concerned about Gnator. His younger brother looked up to him as a role model and wanted to be like him, but since Zuro left, Gnator had been degrading in morality and the standards they grew up with. He smiled when he thought of his little sister and admired her sweet, gentle, and high spirit. She always was a highlight in his life, and he loved her so much he would not think twice in calling himself her guardian if the situation called for it. And every time his father would leave for home, Zuro would tell him to tell his mother he was alright, and he can take care of himself now.
Zuro lay on the bed staring at the ceiling with his thoughts swimming around his new life. He reached over to a clock placed on a nightstand next to his bed and turned on the alarm for six o'clock in the morning. He placed the clock back on the stand, then lay his head on the pillow of his bed when he almost instantly fell asleep.
~~)oOo(~~
The town was low with activity this early in the morning, except for the pegasi, who worked with the clouds. One mare, in particular, was very good at clearing the sky. She could clear the clouds in just ten seconds flat, having proven that to Zuro when they first met shortly after getting a job as a cloud wrangler.
Zuro opened the door to his new home and was met with a 'hey Guard' and a hug from a bright red pegasus stallion with black mane with a white stripe through it. Zuro returned the hug as he sensed the love of a brother coming from Jet Blast.
"Hey, Jet!" Zuro laughed. The two let go of each other and hoof bumped.
"Did you sleep well last night, Guard?" Jet asked.
Zuro smiled at his nickname. He did go by his birth name when he first came into town, but a few short weeks after moving in, the two got themselves in a bit of trouble with some wild woodland critters, and Zuro saved Jet's life. Multiple times after that, Zuro helped save Jet's life and the life of others, nearly losing his own life in the process, but his actions earned him the title, Guardian, and Jet never let the name die.
"Yes, I did," Zuro answered. "How about you?"
"Great!" Jet answered. Zuro closed the door to his home, and the two took to the skies to begin their workday. "Hey, guess what," Jet asked.
"What's up?" Zuro replied.
"Guess." Jet persisted. Zuro thought about it for a minute before his mind trailed to the celebration coming up. Ponies near and far would be coming to see the princess raise the sun. Quite possibly, Jet had some friends or family he wanted him to see.
"You have friends coming over for the celebration?" He asked.
"Yup." Jet answered. "My cousin, Angel is not only coming for the celebration, she's moving in! I think you'd like her."
"Really?" Zuro asked.
"Yup." Jet replied. The two flew towards Cloudsdale, the large cloud city in the sky not far from the small, peaceful town. They flew in through the streets that were filled with pegasi flying around as they started their day.
Up ahead at the other end of the great city was a large factory generating clouds through chimneys, rainbow streams fell from the edge of the great cloud as the factory was settled right at the end of the city, and some pegasi were packing clouds to be spread to other locations in the land while others began moving the clouds towards the town below.
"Y'know, Guard," Jet called, "I'll never get over how amazing this city is!"
"Maybe you should move here, then," Zuro stated as they landed in the factory.
"Nah. Who would I have to save my flank when I'm feeling mischievous?" Zuro shook his head as he rolled his eyes up.
"You two planning on getting into trouble again?" Zuro and Jet stopped and turned around to find a cyan-blue mare with a rainbow mane and tail landing behind them.
"Hey, Dash!" Jet called as he hoof bumped the weather manager.
"Hello, Rainbow Dash," Zuro added as he raised his hoof up to her. She took it in one hoof and bumped it with her free one.
"You bump hooves like this, Guardian." She said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.
"Ah, don't be rough on him. He'll never change." Jet said. Zuro smiled sheepishly at his best friend's words.
I certainly hope I don't have to. He thought to himself.
"Why would we want him too?" Rainbow asked. "Now, c'mon! We've got work t' do, and we have newbies to train!" With that, the three took off to begin setting the weather for the day. They flew over to a batch of clouds hovering over the city, waiting to be carried off to there scheduled places above the town below. Zuro and Jet Blast began to move the clouds as they normally did.
"hold up, boys," Rainbow called. The two stallions both looked to their manager with a curious expression on each of their faces. "The new recruits aren't here yet. I wanna see what they know." Zuro gave his head an understanding nod while Jet just shrugged.
They waited there for several minutes with nothing to do, and Rainbow refused to start the workday until the new recruits arrived, which set them back quite a bit.
"Um... excuse us?" Came a voice that pulled the three from there own worlds. Hovering a few feet away from the trio was a green pegasus mare with brown main and tail shying behind a grey stallion with buzzed mane and a short tail. Both were young, more so then Zuro and both looked nervous, the mare more than the colt.
"We're looking for Rainbow Dash...?" The stallion said.
"You're the new recruits?" Rainbow asked.
"... yes." The stallion answered with a nervous nod of his head.
"About time, you're late!" Rainbow stated flatly.
"Rainbow, let's not be harsh on them," Zuro told Rainbow calmly. "They are new, after all." He turned to the two with a smile on his face. "My name is Zuro, this is Rainbow Dash," he gestured to the cyan mare, then to the red stallion, "... and this is my best friend, Jet Blast."
"I'm Grey Gale, and this is my little sister, Rose Peddle." The stallion replied as he gestured to himself and the mare behind him. Zuro smiled at the amount of love flowing between the two, it made him think of Dili.
"I have a younger brother and sister myself." He said with a smile. "They don't live here, though." Rainbow flew in to stop what she knew would delay them further.
"Okay, Guardian, you can socialize with your new friends later. Right now, we have work t' do." With that, the manager began barking orders to the four pegasi, and their workday began, and it was going to be a long one at that.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro was now alone on a cloud hovering over the edge of the Everfree Forest just outside of town, where he could relax in his changeling form. The day was long, with Grey Gale and Rose Peddle. The two knew nothing about cloud wrangling, and it was getting on Rainbow and Jet's nerves. Rainbow chewed them out a few times, and Zuro was afraid he would need to jump in and stop Jet from tackling somepony.
Zuro lay on his lone cloud alone and deep in thought about his family and hive. Dili would be turning five soon, and from what his father told him, she had gotten very good at changing to ponies. Maybe he could arrange things so she could come and visit him for a few days.
He was concerned for his younger brother, Gnator. Lately, they have been hearing less and less from him. He had just turned fourteen in the past few weeks, and ever since Zuro left, his bother had been growing more and more separate from his family.
Zuro spent so much time lost in thought he barely had time to change to his pony form before the two ponies he just felt coming his way got to close. He quickly positioned himself on his back, tucking his hooves under his head and closed his eyes to give off the appearance he was just relaxing. He felt a level of love between the two and heard the sound of flapping wings growing closer.
"There you are, Guard!" Came the voice of Jet. Zuro opened his eyes and looked up to see Jet hovering with a mare beside him. She was a light blue with deep blue mane and tail, and white wings for her cutie mark. "Angel, this is Guardian." Jet said as he gestured to his friend, who was looking at them upside-down. "Guard, this is my cousin, Angel Wings." Angel smiled at Zuro as she waved a hoof.
"Hey." She said. Zuro turned over on his belly and smiled up at her.
"Hello." He said. "Guardian is just what the town's ponies call me. My real name is Zuro." At that moment, he felt a spark come from her.
"Why do they call you, Guardian?" She asked. Zuro looked puzzled and turned to Jet.
"You haven't told her?" He asked.
"Nope." Jet said as he shook his head.
"I'm surprised," Zuro said. "With all the times I've saved your flank, I'd think you'd tell everypony you met about me."
"You saved Jet?" Angel asked.
"Many times," Zuro answered. "Mostly from wild bears he annoyed."
"That sounds like my cousin," Angel stated as she rolled her eyes..
"Hey!" Jet cried. Zuro and Angel both laughed at this. Jet protested at first but soon joined in. "Well, I'm starving. What do ya say we go and get a treat?"
"I'm game," Angel said.
"Sure, let's go," Zuro stated with a proud smile. The three took off back toward the town to spend the rest of the day together. They had a late lunch, or early dinner, exchanging stories and sharing laughs as they enjoyed their meal. Zuro was being well-fed with the steady levels of love coming from each of the pegasi who he spent his time with.
When the day was almost done, and Celestia's sun was nearly set, the three said their goodbyes for the day and went their separate ways. Jet left for his new home near Sugarcube Corner, Angel had an apartment at the end of town, and Zuro flew towards his home by the road to the apple farm.
Dear diary.
Today was pretty average apart from all the new faces I've seen and a new friend I've made thanks to Jet.
There were new recruits at work today, and they were a pain. They knew nothing about cloud wrangling and I was afraid I would have to step in, and stop Jet from tackling one of them. He always was a bit short with the slow ones. He always calls that one mare, Ditzy Doo, Derpy Hooves, because of her eyes. She's a bit slow, but she's a nice mare and a great mother. The love between her and her daughter, Dinky, is very strong, it's intoxicating.
Jet introduced me to his cousin, Angel Wings. She is very nice, and already I can feel something sparking from her. It may be a fluke, but I find her rather attractive, she's my age, and it's obvious for a changeling she likes me.
I'm getting ahead of myself here. I must be at that point where I want somepony to share my life with.
My father should be coming over to visit before long, and Dili is turning five soon. Maybe I can have dad bring her over to see me as a birthday present. I know she would love that, and it would be nice to introduce my friends to some of my family.
Anyway, the day is out, and I've been asked to help with some of the preparation for the celebration tomorrow, so I better get some sleep.
I've been feeling real charged up lately, and it's coming from Jet's cousin, Angel Wings. She likes me, and I can feel it. This is rather entertaining because I have to act like I can't tell, she's making no moves other then hanging out with me a lot. Jet doesn't know how she feels because he's been pretty busy with other things, besides helping prepare for the celebration day after tomorrow.
Apart from hanging out with Angel, and the town preparing for the celebration, the day was pretty normal. The clouds were placed were they should be a little late this morning. I got my weekly insult. Dad hasn't come over yet, there must be some kinda delay. And, the new recruits are doing better with the clouds, too.
I'm off tomorrow, so I get to kick back and relax. Maybe I'll sleep in so I can be awake all night to see the sun rise. I'm so excited about the celebration, but the thought of being caught is still floating around in the back of my mind. I sure hope nothing goes wrong.
Anyway, I'm gonna go take a quick flight around the town for a while and stay up as late as I can so I won't be as tired tomorrow night. I'm usually a late nighter, but tomorrow night is a night to stay up 'all' night.
Well, I'm out for the night.
Good night.
Zuro closed his diary and put it away on the shelf built in his desk. He got up and trotted out of his room and turned left down the hall into the living room. He took a minute to stop and smile at the small number of pictures of the last two years of his life with Jet and a few other friends.
He trotted for the door and reached his hoof out to open it when he realized he was still in his natural form. With an 'oops' and a flash of green flames engulfing him, he was the blue pegasus he created before leaving home two years ago. He opened the door and shut the lights off before walking out of the house, closing the door behind him, then taking off into the air.
A few minutes after flying over the town in the cool night air, he felt a familiar emotion coming up to him. He smiled, but continued on as if nothing was going on. Soon, that emotion was next to him and he saw somepony flying next to him from the side of his eye. He turned his head to find Angel smiling at him.
"Hi." She said.
"Hey." He replied casually.
"Whatchya doing?" She asked.
"I'm just going on a little flight before I call it a night." He answered, turning to a stray cloud hovering over the old library. "Did you like that picture I did for you?" He asked as he landed on the stray cloud. Her face lit up at the thought as she landed next to him.
"I love it!" She answered. "You're really good at drawing." His cheeks flushed slightly.
"It was just a simple sketch, I'm not that good." Zuro said.
Three days ago he decided to draw her a picture. It was a rough sketch of him, Jet, and Angel's heads side by side smiling at what would be the camera. It was rough and amateurish, yet she acted as though it was a work of art.
"It's still good." She chimed. "Here, I did this for you." She reached back and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. He took it in his hooves and unfolded it.
Imprinted on the paper was a hoof drawn picture of him and a little pegasus filly on his back. The filly was cheering while he looked back at her with a smile. "It's you and your sister. You never told me what she looks like, so I just winged it." He smiled at the drawing, tears streaming down his cheeks as he looked up at her.
"This is... this is great. Thank you." He said as he fought back the urge to sob.
"You're welcome." She said with a smile. "It's the least I could do for what you did for me."
They spent the next few hours enjoying the night, exchanging stories about their interests, and skills in drawing. Zuro started drawing shortly after moving in two years ago. Angel had been drawing longer then him, so her skill was more practiced. As they spent time together he could feel the love from her growing ever so stronger.
Zuro did not want their time together to end, he was enjoying her company, but he started to get a little drowsy and let out a great yawn. "You better get home and get some sleep." She said.
"I know." He replied. "I just don't like walking out on somepony, and I'm so excited for the celebration." She placed a hoof on his shoulder, drawing his gaze up to meet hers.
"You should still get some sleep." She told him with a smile. "We'll see each other tomorrow." He smiled at her before giving another yawn.
"Okay, I'll see you later." He said. "Good night, Angel."
"Good night, Zuro." She replied as he flew off back towards his house.
~~)oOo(~~
The town was overflowing with love as Zuro roamed the streets after a good long nap into the afternoon. He felt more and more charged by the second, especially when some of the ponies he new came by and shared their love to him saying 'hello' to him before going about their day.
He looked up and noticed the sky was still filled with clouds and rolled his eyes up with a bit of a chuckle. Rainbow must be practicing her moves for the Wonderbolts, or napping on a cloud again. He thought to himself. He spread his wings and prepared to take off, to clear the sky himself when several streaks of cyan blue and ten seconds passed and the sky was clear. Zuro stood there with wide eyes, then let out a small chuckle. Ten seconds flat. He thought Ito himself.
He turned and started to trot off when he bumped into somepony who was speeding by. Zuro fell to his haunches and looked up to find a pink earth pony who sprang to her hooves with an excited grin on her face.
"Hey, Guardy!" She chirped.
"Hey, Pinkie." Zuro replied as he got to his hooves and brushed the dust from his shoulders. "What's the rush?" He asked. The party pony's eyes lit up with joy and excitement.
"Oh! There's a unicorn in Ponyville I've never seen before, and if I've never seen her before that means she must be new and she probably doesn't have any friends. So, I'm throwing a welcome-to-Ponyville party at the library just for her and I'm inviting everypony to come and meet this unicorn so she'll have lots of friends." She explained quickly, then let out a gasp. "You should come, too! There's gonna be cupcakes, streamers, balloons, and..."
"Pinkie!" Zuro shouted, knowing it would take a bit to get her out of one of her monologues.
"Yes, Guardy?" She said with a smile. He could still feel the ever flowing love the pony had for everypony radiating from her, but he could not help but feel a little bad for yelling at a pony.
"It sounds like a lot of fun," he said. "I'll be there."
"Great!" She cheered. "See you there!" And, with that, the was a cloud of dust in the perfect shape of the pink, part pony the slowly disappeared in the air. Zuro smiled as he shook his head with a chuckle. I don't know how that mare does it all, but I love her the way she is. He began to trot away before he felt a familiar brotherly love coming from behind, fast.
Jet landed with a thud in front of Zuro, kicking up some dust at his hooves that quickly disappeared and he smiled at his best friend. "Hey, Guard! Guess what's going on later!"
"Pinkie is holding a party at the library for a new pony in town." Zuro stated, matter-of-factly.
"Yeah!" Jet said with a look of surprise on his face. He opened his mouth to say something.
"I just literally bumped into Pinkie and she told me." Zuro explained.
"That Pinkie, always a step ahead somehow." Jet said with a chuckle.
~~)oOo(~~
When it was time to go to Pinkie Pie's party, Zuro and Jet were met up with Angel, who also received an invite from the energetic mare. They entered the giant tree made into a library, which was already filled with several ponies from all over the town. They were first greeted by Pinkie, who gave them each a party favor, then they were greeted by some of the others.
Applejack, an orange, tomboyish farm mare, told them she had already met the new unicorn and said her name was Twilight Sparkle and considered her a member of the family. Rainbow Dash said Twilight was a laugh and couldn't wait to hang out with her some more. The vibes Zuro was getting from his manager told him she really liked the mare, which he thought was rather enjoyable. Rarity, the town fashionista said that Twilight was in desperate need of help with her hair that looked like a twister blew through it, which made Rainbow laugh her flank off.
"She's coming!" Said a random pony, who was keeping watch through a window. Immediately everypony in the room found a place to hide and the lights went out. The door opened and a yellow pegasus mare flew in with a creature in her forelegs.
"We simply must get you to bed." Fluttershy said. Then a lavender unicorn came in and snatched the creature from her and pushed her out of the door.
"Yes, we'll get right to that. Well, goodnight." The mare said before closing the door.
"Rood much." The little creature said.
"Sorry, Spike." Twilight said. "But, I need to convince the princess that Nightmare Moon is coming."
Nightmare Moon? Zuro asked himself. He recognized the name, but his thoughts were soon replaced with the lights being turned back on followed by the entire room vibrating from everypony screaming out 'surprise' at once. Pinkie's party cannons went off, firing streamers and confetti through the air then fall to the floor. The party had officially begun.
Zuro felt overwhelmed with the amount of energy that just filled the room. He felt like he was about to loose control of his body, which did not go unnoticed by his friends. "Zuro, are you okay?" Angel asked. He just stood there wide eyed for a minute before turning his head to them. "Zuro ?"
"E-excuse me." He said as he walked past them and through the crowd of ponies, searching for someplace to take a moment to release some energy. He found an open door that lead to a bathroom and bolted for it, running inside and locked the door behind him, then allowed his disguise to disappear. He took in several breaths and looked around the room, trying to find something to help him calm down.
He illuminated his horn and just started picking up random things and levitated them around for a minute before setting them back where they were, then started going through different forms of the different ponies he knew in town. The love in the building was not directed at him, but it was still just as effective as if one were direct all their love at him.
There was a knock at the door that drew him from his releasing. "Zuro, you okay in there?" Came the voice of Angel from just outside the room.
"I'm fine," Zuro answered. "I just need a minute."
"Okay." Angel's voice was filled with a hint of concern.
Zuro took a few more minutes to calm his nerves before he came back out. The love filling the room was more bearable now, and his two friends both came to make sure he was okay, Angel showed the more concern. He smiled at them and insisted he was fine, which took a little convincing for the mare, but came in saying that he did the same thing for all of Pinkie's parties. The worst of it was the first party the pink mare threw for him. He had no idea what to expect and the amount of love directed to him from so many random ponies nearly caused him to faint.
After a while of convincing, Angel accepted his words and the three went off to enjoy the party without the guest of honor, who had vanished upstairs shortly after Zuro took off to calm his nerved. Spike, the little baby dragon who came with Twilight said how she never really liked to socialize with other ponies and kept her muzzle buried in her books, which explained why she was so closed in.
~~)oOo(~~
The whole night was spent at the party in the library and Zuro, and his friends all had a blast. Now it was time go and watch the sun rise. Zuro had noticed how the new unicorn, Twilight was really on edge the whole time he had been around her. The only emotion he could sense coming from her was frustration, annoyance, fear, and a hint of hope. The only love that he felt from her was buried in all of these other emotions and most of it wasn't fore anypony. He did not know for what, but it was there, none the less.
They all got to the town hall, which was filled with everypony in town, waiting for Princess Celestia to come and raise the sun. Before entering the building, Zuro stopped and took several steps back. Angel and Jet noticed their friend had stopped and went back to check on him.
"Guard, are you okay? You've been acting weird all night." Jet observed.
"I... I think I'll watch the sunrise out here." He answered.
"Why?" Angel asked. "Don't you want to see the princess?"
"I just need a bit of fresh air for a while, the party took a lot out of me." Zuro answered.
"Are you sure?" She persisted.
"Parties have that effect on him, cous'." Jet came in. "After that first party I didn't see him for several days until he came too."
"You two go on in and have fun." Zuro said. "I'll just wait out here."
"Okay." Jet replied. "C'mon Ange." Jet started to walk off, but stopped when he noticed her soft glare.
"One, don't call me Ange. Two, I'll stay out here with Zuro." She mused. Zuro smiled and enjoyed the emotion directed to him from her. Jet shrugged.
"Suit yourself. I'm goin' in," and with that he trotted inside the building, leaving his best friend and cousin alone outside.
Soon after the two took off over the hall and found a nice, quiet spot on the roof facing the east so they could get a good view of the horizon. Zuro turned to look at Angel with a smile, and she looked back at him. "What?" She asked.
"Well, I was wondering..." Zuro started, nervous about asking his next question. "Do you have a coltfried?"
"I used too." She answered. "I've had a few relationships, but none of them worked. I'm just about to give it up."
"Don't do that." Zuro stated.
"Why? All the guys I've dated didn't want me for me. They wanted me for..."
"You don't have to finish that." Zuro interrupted as he looked away into the distance. I'll wait until she's ready. He thought to himself.
"How 'bout you? Do you have a marefriend?" She asked.
"No." Zuro answered as he shook his head. "I want one though. I've been on the lookout for a little bit now with no luck."
"Well, Zuro, You'll find her." Angel said. "Sometimes it'll happen when you're not expecting it."
"I know, but... that makes me not want to expect it, and I don't want that. If that makes any sense." She smiled at him.
"Who ever gets you will be a lucky mare." She said.
Before another word could be said, there was a commotion coming from inside. It was almost time for the sun to rise and the mayor was announcing Princess Celestia. This was it, the sun will rise, beginning the longest day of the year. Something was wrong, though. The sun never rose, which raised a little fear in both of their minds. The love and joy radiating from the ponies inside was replaced with fear, shock and horror as a new set of emotions came to Zuro's senses. Not joyful emotions, but negative emotions of hate, rage, and more.
Zuro moved over to an open skylight on the roof to look down inside and find, not a white alicorn meant to be the monarch of Equestria, but a black alicorn with deep blue star spangled smoke for her mane and tail and armor dawned on her chest, head, and hooves. Zuro recognized this alicorn from history texts and legends he heard years ago when he was about Dili's age now. The name rang loud and clear in his head, the name he heard only earlier this very evening.
Vitam was sitting alone in the family room thinking about Zuro. His wife and two remaining children were still asleep, unless Gnator snuck out earlier with his troublesome friends to cause some trouble, and the sun had yet to rise. Vitam sat on a stony bench staring at the sky out the window, waiting for daybreak. From what Zuro told him, the princess of Equestria uses her magic to raise the sun for the day, and then the moon for the night. This princess of theirs must be powerful. He thought to himself.
The sun should be rising any minute by now, but there was no sign of sunlight over the horizon, which made Vitam a bit curious. He leaned in closer to the window to get a better view of the sky, which somehow looked... different. It seemed more dark and cold then usual and he did not like it. The sun should be up by now, what's going on?
His thoughts were soon interrupted by little screams and he jumped off the bench and bolted for the bedrooms, knowing who that scream belonged to. "Dili!"
~~)oOo(~~
The sun was high in the sky and the air was warm with a gentle breeze blowing through the grass. Ponies were running around, spreading their love for each other, and even the changelings around them. Dili was running and playing with Zuro and Gnator, enjoying each others company as they laughed and gained strength from the ponies around them.
Dili was running from her oldest brother, crying 'you can't catch me' as she blew raspberries at him. He ran after her acting like she was to fast for him while he got closer and closer. He reached out for her with a hoof then swung it down to tag her only to miss her rump and loose some ground behind her.
"You're too fast for me sweetie!" He huffed, then collapsed to the ground. She stopped and looked back to see him buried in the grass.
"I know you're faking it!" She said with a laugh. He did not move. She took a few steps closer as she kept her eyes locked on him, ready to bolt as soon as he made his move. As she got closer she saw his eyes closed and his body completely limp and still. Her curious mind started to get the better of her and she started to grow fearful for the worse.
She stood next to him and reached out her hoof slowly to poke him and as she got only an inch from his body he jumped at her with a 'ha' and snatched her in his forelegs. The two burst into a fit of laughter as he blew raspberries on her belly and tickled her.
"You fell for it!" He shouted over her laughing. "Now you're mine!" He lowered his head and blew more raspberries on her belly, earning more laughter from his baby sister. Soon, Gnator came running in and tackled Zuro to rescue their sister from their bother's assault.
"Run, Dili! Run!" He shouted dramatically. "Save yourself!" Instead of following Gnator's instructions she got to her hooves and pounced up on them, knocking all three of them to the grass in a fit of laughter and pure joy. It was the type of sibling love she always wanted and dreamed about.
The three let themselves fall to the ground, panting and tired from all the running and random playing. Dili was happy with this setting. She was with both of her older brothers and they were all happy together. She wanted this to last forever and ever. There was nothing else she wanted more.
Then everything started to change. The warm air was replaced with a cold breeze, the bright blue sky was turning a deep blood red and black, and the grass around them crumbled and dried up dead. She looked up and saw all the ponies that were running around just moments ago were now either locked up in chains or laying on the ground, screaming in fear, pain, and agony.
The dead scenario was not unusual for a changeling since their homeland was barren mountains and rock, but this was dark and cold, not in nature, but in feeling. The air was completely devoid of love and she looked over to find Gnator was gone and Zuro was standing alone several feet away with his eyes glowing a blank white and a menacing grin spread on his muzzle.
"Bubba?" She called. He made no response. The blood red sky was now transformed into a menacing night sky with no moon to add to its usual beauty, but this night was not beautiful at all. "Bubba, what's going on?" She called again. He lowered his gaze to her, sending cold shivers down her spine as she saw his dark expression which never existed before now. This was not her brother, this was something else. "Where's my bubba?" She demanded bravely, but fear was apparent in her voice.
'Zuro' let out a cold cackle to the question and his body began to glow white and his size began to grow. His wings grew more visible, his horn straight and long, and when the light around him vanished a tall, beautiful black alicorn with menacing armor and deep blue starry clouds for her mane and tail. Her eyes were teal, but what was the most frightening about them was the pupils. They were not round like normal ponies, but dagger shaped like dragons.
"You will never see your precious brother, or the sun ever again." The alicorn said in a deep, menacing female voice. "For, as of this moment the night will last forever!" She raised her head and wings to the sky, her mane and tail flowing in circles over her form and conducting bolts of lighting as she let out a dark and cold fit of cackling that filled the air and frightened Dili.
Now all the young changeling wanted to do was run, but she could not move. She was rooted to the spot, frozen with fear. The black alicorn then turned her gaze back to the little changeling in front of her and illuminated her horn, aiming it at Dili.
~~)oOo(~~
Anorum sat at the stone table alone in the kitchen, thinking about Zuro and Gnator as she bit down on the edge of her hooves. Images of what might happen to her two sons flashing in her mind. Zuro was locked away in a pony prison while Gnator was laying on the ground with no life flowing through his body at all. She dreaded the day she would see those horrible visions come true.
Then she heard someone come in the front door with a 'mom, we're home' and she bolted up to find both her boys walking in with smiles and love for their mother. She ran up and hugged both of them, and they hugged her back, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks that her boys came home together.
Her joy increased when she looked passed them and saw a tall changeling with silky greenish blue hair with a lock between her eyes, her horn long and crooked, and her eyes more pony-like with dagger pupils. Queen Chrysalis was smiling down at her subject with the love and joy she shared for her sons.
"My queen!" She said as she let go of her boys and lowered her head in a respectful bow to her queen, Zuro and Gnator followed suit. When the queen said nothing, the three raised their heads up to the new monarch, who smiled at them.
"The queen convinced us to come home to you, mom." Zuro said, which brought even more tears of joy to her eyes and she turned to face her monarch again.
"Thank you, my queen." She said with another bow.
"Oh, it was nothing." Chrysalis said. "I just wanted to see the joy on your face before I punished them both for abandoning their hive and family." Anorum's heart sank, and her tears that were once full of joy were stopped by shock, disbelief, and horror. The queen lowered her head and ignited her horn in green light as she aimed it at the younger males. Two blasts of green light and Zuro and Gnator fell to the ground, lifeless and without emotion.
"NO!" Anorum screamed as she dropped down to hold her two dead boys in her forelegs. Chrysalis laughed and flew away, leaving the mother who just witnessed her sons deaths before her very eyes. In Anorum's grieving she heard another scream that made her heart stop entirely. "Dili!"
~~)oOo(~~
Gnator was standing alone on a Cliffside over a canyon in the rocky mountains, his thoughts locked on his brother and the day he left two years ago. Gnator was hurt, and did not feel like being with his friends today. He loved his brother, and he wished he had never left in the first place. When Zuro left, it was as though a part of him left with his older brother. He turned his gaze to the night sky and glared at the moon as if everything was its fault.
He was so focused on his anger and frustration, he did not notice a group of stars vanishing behind the orb in the sky and the faint image of the unicorn imprinted on the moon disappear. However, he did notice the lack of sunlight when the sun should have been up by now. This got him curious and he transformed himself into a griffon, a race he was more in favor of then the ponies, and took flight into the air. As he increased his altitude, the night sky appeared to be more dark and menacing, even the moon seamed to disappear after a few minutes.
"What in the name of Tartarus...?" He began until he felt something coming from back at home that made his heart skip a beat. He turned around and flew back to his home at top speed without a second thought. He flew left and right around the mountain rocks, through open allies, and straight for the house.
He got there and bolted through the door to find no lights on and not a changeling in sight, but he could feel strong levels of intangible love coming from inside Dili's room. That is where he needed to go. He let his griffon form drop and bolted for his sister's bedroom, where he found both his mother and father cuddling a crying Dili on her bed.
"Mom, dad, what's wrong?" He asked as he ran up to join in.
"She had a nightmare." Vitam answered as he held his hoof out for his younger son.
"Bubba..." Dili sobbed. This was enough to make Gnator frown, but not enough to make him abandon his little sister in need. He squeezed in between his parents to his sister and pulled her into his forelegs.
"Shh shh shh." He hushed her. "It's okay, Dili." The four stayed there for a few minutes before Vitam broke his hold and made for the door.
"Where are you going?" Anorum asked. Vitam stopped and looked back at his family.
"I'm going to see if Zuro is okay." He answered. Gnator let go of his mother and sister and started to go after his father.
"I'm coming with you." He said.
"No, Gnator," Vitam said as he raised a hoof up to him. "You need to stay and look after your mother and sister."
"But, I wanna see Zu!" Gnator protested.
"You will." Vitam said as he trotted up and placed his hooves on his son's shoulders. "But, right now something terrible is going on and your mother and sister need you to look after them in case anything happens here." Gnator gave a disappointed pout and wanted to protest, but he knew is father's logic was sound. After Gnator gave his father a quick nod, acknowledging his understanding, Vitam turned and left the room as he transformed into a brown pegasus and flew off.
~~)In Ponyville(~~
The townsponies of Ponyville were in complete disarray as they ran through the dark streets. Everypony was talking about Princess Celestia and how she never showed up at the town hall to raise the sun for the celebration. That black alicorn, Nightmare Moon, who appeared in Celestia's place this morning disappeared shortly after, and Twilight Sparkle seamed to know quite a lot about her.
Twilight's knowledge of the alicorn got Zuro's attention, but when he went to the library to find her, all he found was Spike asleep in a basket upstairs and a few books scattered all over the floor. He did not want to bother the baby dragon because he had been up all night at the party, and most certainly needed his sleep, being a baby dragon and all.
He began to go through the scattered books to see if he could find some kind of clue that would lead him to where Twilight might have gone too. All of them were dead ends and he was starting to get a little frustrated and gave up searching at the library to look for Twilight some other way.
Just as he was about to walk out the door, it swung open and Angel and Jet both came in looking for him. "Guard, where have ya been?" Jet asked.
"Where's Twilight Sparkle?" Zuro replied.
"Zuro, you had us worried!" Angel snapped. Zuro felt the level of love from her for him drop quickly.
"Twilight knows something about Nightmare." Zuro explained, which seamed to give him the sense of hope coming from Angel. "I need to find her and figure out if she can help out."
"Guard, what did you do in here?" Jet asked as he brushed past his friend inside, surveying the books on the floor.
"The books were already scattered all over the place." Zuro answered quickly. "Twilight must have been here looking for answers before and left Spike upstairs in bed."
"Did you ask the little guy where she went?" Jet asked.
"No, he's asleep." Zuro answered.
"Always the soft one." Jet said as he started trotting for the stairs. Zuro flapped his wings and landed on the stairs in front of the red stallion.
"Jet, Spike's been up all night. Do you really think he'll be able to think clearly when he's tired?" Zuro protested.
"He's a dragon, I don't know anything about him, other then what he told us about his time with Twilight." Jet answered.
"He's a 'baby' dragon." Zuro pointed out. "You know the youth need their sleep."
"That's a good point, Jet." Angel stated as she held a book up in front of her muzzle. Zuro felt the love from her return to a higher level. "Zuro, did you look through these books to see if you could find anything?"
"I did, but I didn't find anything." Zuro answered as he and Jet trotted up to her.
"Did you look at this book?" She asked as she held the book up for him. Zuro took the book and checked the title.
'The Elements Of Harmony, A Reference Guide'
"Yes I did. What help will this be?" He asked.
"The Elements Of Harmony were used against a wicked mare of darkness a thousand years ago by Princess Celestia." Angel explained. "The princess used the Elements to banish Nightmare Moon into the moon. Hence the name, Nightmare Moon." Zuro looked at the book again and read over the pages to double check her words and was met with and annoyed sigh.
"Okay, I overlooked my history." He admitted. "Maybe this book can tell us where..." He stopped short as his eyes looked over a sentence.
"What?" Jet asked as he came up beside Zuro to read over the page. Soon his eyes shot open wide and he backed away, shaking his head. "Oh, no! No way are we going in there!"
"Where?" Angel asked as Zuro eyed his best friend.
"Really, Jet?" He asked. "I would've thought you'd jump at the idea of a good adventure."
"Not in the Everfree Forest!" Jet countered.
"Whoa. Wait. Where?" Angel asked, taking the book back to read over it.
"What makes going into the forest this time so different?" Zuro asked.
"Should I answer alphabetically, or chronologically?" Jet replied.
"Zuro, from what I've learned and what this book suggests, we don't wanna go anywhere near this place." Angel stated. "The forest is more dangerous at night, and these ruins are deep in the Everfree Forest. And I mean 'deep'."
"So, you'd rather let Nightmare Moon shroud Equestria in everlasting night instead of doing something about it?" Zuro asked sarcastically.
"What can three eighteen year old pegasi do?" Angel countered.
"Twilight might have gone in there to find the Elements. We can't just let her go at it alone." Zuro stated.
Before either of his friends could say another word he bolted off for the door and trotted out of the library. Angel and Jet dropped the book and ran after him.
"Zuro, wait!" They called for him. He continued his pace a few steps before flapping his wings and taking off for the forest. He felt their love for him die down at first, but soon they caught up with him on either side of him.
"I thought you guys weren't going." He stated.
"Are you kidding?" Jet spat out.
"We may not like it, but we're not going to let you go out there by yourself." Angel added. Zuro smiled at both of them and all three continued over the trees of the dark Everfree Forest.
What was supposed to be a beautiful clear blue sky for the longest day of the thousandth year since the first celebration was a bitter, cold, menacing night with no moon. Zuro, Jet, and Angel gave up on trying to fly through the thick trees, vines and leaves of the dangerous forest and settled with walking on the ground until they came across areas clear, and open enough to use their wings.
Soon they came up to a cliff on the side of a mountain that collapsed just recently.
"Well, we can't go any farther." Jet said. "Back to Ponyville?"
"Not so fast, scardy pony." Zuro stated as he looked down the cliff side.
"Don't tell me..." Jet replied. Zuro looked back at them with a smile on his face. "C'mon, Guard!"
"We have to keep going." Zuro stated. "It's not like we'll get stuck down there, anyway."
"Guard, not that I don't think you can save my life and all, but I think going into the heart of the most dangerous place in Equestria is to much, even for you."
"There are worse places to be then a deep, dark forest." Zuro countered.
"I find that hard to believe." Jet said.
"Jet, Twilight is down there. We have to help her."
"How do you know she's gone this way?"
"Oh, for Celestia's sake!" Angel cried as she bolted between the two stallions and ran for the cliff. As she approached she flapped her wings to add to her jump and dove off the edge.
"Angel!!" The two stallions cried in unison as they took off after her. They stopped at the edge, knocking a few loose pebbles from their resting places and sending them down the side of the mountain. At the bottom of the canyon was Angel staring up at them with a smirk on her face.
"You boys coming, or what?" She asked.
Zuro could not help but let out a laugh as he shook his head before turning to his best friend, who smirked back at him.
"That's my cousin for ya." Jet said.
"Yeah, and I like her." Zuro chuckled.
"I knew you would." Jet replied.
"I'm waiting!" Angel sing-songed from down the canyon. The two let out another chuckle before jumping down after the mare.
~~)oOo(~~
Vitam flew at top speed with his mind locked on one thing, and one thing alone. He never stopped, or took the time to absorb any love energy from any creature that he came across. There was only one thing that mattered to him now. He had to get to his sun. He had to make sure his oldest child was alive and well.
It did not take him too long to reach the forest and follow a familiar path he had been using at least once every week for the last to years to see his son. Any wild animals he flew by he ignored and did what he could to loose them without going to far out of his way. He found the best way to loose these beasts was to fly above the trees where they could not follow him. Eventually he decided to just stay above the trees so he had a clear shot to that pony town.
He finally reached his destination at the small town were he found the townsponies panicking in the streets, screaming about the missing princess and a new alicorn. He landed in the middle of the street and tried in vain to get at least one of the ponies attention. Eventually out of frustration, he snatched a random pony in their panic and held him in place.
"Calm down and talk to me!" Vitam ordered. The pony looked at Vitam with fear present in his eyes. "What happened here?"
"Are you crazy?!" The pony asked.
"I'm from out of town and just now came in." Vitam explained, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"Princess Celestia was supposed to show up to raise the sun, but that 'Nightmare Moon' appeared in her place saying it would be night time forever!" The pony explained. Upon hearing the name Nightmare Moon Vitam blinked. When he regained himself he found the pony had slipped out of his hold and ran off.
Nightmare Moon? He asked himself. That's not possible. She was destroyed a thousand years ago! His mind explored the name for a moment before his son appeared in his vision again and he remembered the reason he came he to town in the first place.
He looked for another pony to question about where he could find his son, knowing he would not be at his home for something like this, even if Vitam and his wife begged, pleaded, and tied their son to a thick stone pillar with chains after sending him a week without love.
Vitam found a couple of random ponies locked in each others forelegs, a yellow unicorn stallion and a green earth pony mare, the levels of love between them strong, pure, and true, especially with this being what possibly could be their last moments. He ran up to them and stopped short to make sure he did not frighten them any more then they already were.
"Excuse me." Vitam called. The stallion looked up at the new pegasus with a look of frightened sadness. "I'm from out of town, and I'm looking for my son who lives here. He's a blue pegasus, have you seen him?" The stallion looked as though he needed more information before he could answer.
"That description could fit any number of the pegasi in Ponyville." He said.
"He told me that the townsponies call him, Guardian...?" Vitam stated, hoping that would spark something. It worked. The mare in the stallion's forelegs poked her head from her lovers chest and looked up at Vitam.
"Guardian?" She asked. Vitam nodded. "I've heard some ponies saying they saw him and two other pegasi running into the forest."
"The Everfree Forest?" Vitam asked. The mare nodded her head in response. Without another word, Vitam turned around and flew towards the trees of the Everfree Forest.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro and his friends were now on a trail that had fresh pony tracks and surrounded by trees that Zuro could swear had snarling faces. Jet was more on edge surrounded by these trees then he was before the cliff side. He had his gaze off in the distance until he turned forward and let out a yelp. Zuro, and Angel looked back to find the red stallion standing frozen in place, staring at a random tree with his jaw to his chest. Jet's eye darted between the tree and his friends and shook himself back to a semi-calm state.
"I, uh... ehem, thought it was a monster." He said. Zuro, and Angel both shook their heads and laughed. "What?!"
"Oh, nothing." Angel answered.
"Then, why are you laughing?" Jet asked.
"Jet, a rough and tough, hot headed pegasus stallion," Zuro described, "is afraid of a little old tree!" He and Angel both burst into laughter at this. After a while of laughing and complaining between the three pegasi before they continued on through the forest.
The three traversed through the forest for several minutes before coming up to a wide river stream along the way. They stood at the edge of the river, staring down into the water as if puzzling if it was safe to even try and fly over. Angel kicked a pebble in the stream. Soon she regretted the action.
The water began to stir and come to life and they backed away, keeping their eyes locked on the river until a large, purple sea serpent with stylish orange hair and a mustache that was curly and purple on one side stretched out of the water. The three pegasi let out a scream at the site of the serpent, who turned to face them and let out a scream himself.
"Oh, you three scared me!" The serpent said after they all stopped.
"We scared you?!" Jet asked.
"Jet!" Zuro hissed. He turned to face the serpent with a smile. "I do apologies, my good sir. You gave us a bit of a scare as well."
"Well, aren't you the nice one." The serpent said with a smile.
"Excuse us," Zuro called, "but some friends of ours came in this forest not too long ago. Did they happen to come through here? One was a lavender unicorn."
"Oh, yes they did. That wonderful alabaster mare with the fabulous purple mane sacrificed her tail to save my beloved mustache." He pointed a claw to the purple half of his mustache.
"That would explain why his mustache is two colors." Angel said. "Very stylish." She added when she noticed the serpent's reaction to her words.
"Oh, thank you very much, miss." The serpent replied.
"Well, c'mon guys." Zuro said as he started to fly over the river. "We gotta keep going."
"You're not giving up on this, are ya?" Jet asked.
"You know him better then most, Jet." Angel stated. Jet let out a groan and the two took off after Zuro over the river.
"Best of luck you three." The serpent said as he waved to them. They all thanked him and continued on.
~~)oOo(~~
Vitam ran on the ground where he could not fly and followed a fresh trail of hoofprints in the ground. He followed the trail to a cliff, and when he saw no more hoofprints he dove off the edge where he found more tracks at the canyon floor and followed them on through a brush of trees. After a several minutes of traversing the thick trees he came up to a river and started to fly over it until he saw a purple sea serpent admiring his mustache. The serpent looked up to see the new brown pegasus coming up and smiled.
"Wow, so many ponies coming through here tonight." he said.
"Others came through here?" Vitam asked.
"Oh yes. First there was that lovely alabaster mare who saved my mustache with her five friends, then there was the three pegasi."
"Was one of the three pegasi blue with black mane and tail?" Vitam asked.
"Oh yes. He had good manners, that young gentlecolt." The serpent replied.
"Where'd he go? He's my son and I need to find him." Zuro said.
"That young stallion was your son? Oh, you raised him well!" The serpent mused. "He and his friends went by here only minutes ago."
"Thank you very much sir." Vitam said as he took off over the river.
"My pleasure." The serpent replied.
Vitam continued on through a fog that gradually increased as he went on. Soon the fog cleared and he came up to a canyon with on old bridge connecting this side with the other. In the distance he could see a large castle that was hundreds of years old and falling apart. The windows were all shattered and there were cracks visible all over the walls and statues.
Vitam looked and thought he saw the last of a fading light in one of the towers and bolted for the castle doors. Inside he found three pegasi, one blue stallion, a red stallion, and a bright blue mare. They all turned to see him barging in and Zuro smiled at him.
"Dad!" He called as the two bolted for each other and wrapped their forelegs around the other's neck.
"Zuro, are you okay?" Vitam asked.
"I'm fine, dad." Zuro replied.
"Zuro, aren't you going to introduce me to your father?" Angel asked.
"Dad, this is Angel. Angel, dad," Zuro briefly and quickly said as he gestured to on and the other. "Now we need to get going."
"Whoa, whoa, slow done son." Vitam called.
"We don't have time dad. We need to help Twilight!" Zuro said.
"Who's Twilight?" Vitam asked. Zuro was about to answer when the room was filled with a warm and welcoming light.
"The sun!" Jet exclaimed.
Zuro was already on the move. He bolted to a hallway, the others followed after him. They all ran and flew through the corridors of the ruins until they heard a familiar voice. "Hey! Y'know what this calls for?" The four pegasi came running into an old chamber where they found Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity all standing together with two other ponies Zuro had never seen, but he knew one of them. Princess Celestia was hugging another alicorn who was a shade of blue.
"A party!" Pinkie Pie cried. "Oh, I gotta bake cupcakes, get streamers and balloons..."
"... invite everypony to join in on all the fun?" Zuro asked. All the mares turned to look at the four pegasi.
"Oh yeah!" Pinkie exclaimed. "We can't forget the invitations!"
"Well, we have to get back to Ponyville first." Jet said as he looked the castle ruins over nervously. "This place gives me the creeps."
Everypony, even Vitam laughed at Jet's comment before Princess Celestia lead them all out of the ruins where they would wait for the princess' carriage to arrive and take them back to town.
~~)oOo(~~
Dear diary.
Today was the longest day of my life! First, I haven't slept since eleven in the morning yesterday, an ancient evil alicorn showed up, the sun was three hours late rising up, my friends and I ventured through the Everfree Forest and found an old, abandoned castle, my dad showed up, and Pinkie Pie wouldn't let me go until I participated in her party, which was a 'lot' more crazy then usual since the lunar princess, Princess Luna has been released from Nightmare Moon.
Dad was worried about me when the sun never rose. He said Dili had a nightmare about me, and that's when I suggested he should bring her over for a while. He liked the idea and agreed to it after he got some rest and regained some energy. He ran all the way over here, none stop for hours just to make sure I was safe.
Anyway, I am 'really' tired, so I'm going to get some sleep. Dad is gonna be up for a while and will come in to sleep after feeding on love for a while. I prepared a room for him so he can just come in and rest when his done.
It has been over a week since the Summer Sun Celebration and everyday has been spent with Angel. She just admitted she had a crush on me just two days ago, and I have to admit I like her, too. Tomorrow is my day off so I plan on just enjoying the day and my time with Angel since she's most likely to come say hi and we'll spend a good amount of time together.
Other then the last week and a half, today was pretty awesome! Dad brought Dili over for her birthday and Pinkie through a party for her that lasted all day. It was the best day of my little sister's life and she was very happy to see me again.
Now that the day is over, dad, Dili, and I are here at my house for the night. Dad's gonna let Dili stay here with me for the week when he leaves tomorrow and she's very happy about that. The thing that bothers me the most is that dad offered to bring Gnator along, but he refused. Gnator wanted to come help when the sun never rose last week, but now that he could come, he didn't.
Anyway, I hope Gnator will calm down soon and we can be a full family again, but now I'm gonna go to bed. Tomorrow is a day with my friends and family.
Good night.
Zuro finished writing in his diary before he put it away on the shelf of his desk and got up. He turned around and found a tired looking yellow pegasus filly looking up at him from the doorframe of his bedroom. He smiled at her as he walked up to her and scooped her up into his forelegs and hugged her, earning a happy hum and loving hug in return. He pulled away, keeping her in his forelegs as he smiled at her.
"You can change back now sweetie." He said. She smiled tiredly and in a flash of green flame she was a changeling. Zuro planted a kiss on her forehead just under her horn, earning another happy hum from his little sister.
"Bubba?" Dili's tired voice squeaked.
"Yes, Dili?" He replied.
"Can I sleep with you?" She asked. His heart warmed up to the question.
"Of course you can, Dili." He answered. He was not going to deny her the time she had with him.
"Thank you bubba." She said as she nuzzled into his chest.
The love coming from her was stronger now then what it was before he left the mountains. He had been away for over two years and she had not seen him since then. He planted another sweet kiss before carrying her over to his bed and sat her down so he could get himself ready for bed.
He trotted over to the mirror by his desk as he let his pony form vanish to return to his natural form. He got his fangs cleaned and straightened his fin while entertaining his sister through his reflection. After he was ready for bed he came in and tucked them both under his blankets.
"Good night, Dili." He said.
"I love you bubba." She replied, then she planted a kiss on his muzzle. His heart warmed up to her sweet love and he returned a kiss to her muzzle. It was not long after that before both fell into a deep sleep.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro woke up early to find Dili still asleep under his blankets, love for him radiating off of her body as she dreamed. He smiled at her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, causing her to stir in her sleep. He got out of bed and slipped away quietly as he left the room, down the hall into the living room. When he entered the living room he found Vitam in his changeling form looking at some of the pictures over the fireplace before he turned and smiled at his son.
"Morning son." Vitam said.
"Hey dad." Zuro replied as he walked up to his father.
"How's Dili?" Vitam asked.
"She's still asleep in my bed." Zuro answered.
"She's in your bed?" Vitam asked. Zuro nodded before he gave an explanation.
"She came in last night just after I finished writing in my diary and asked if she could sleep with me."
"... and you couldn't say no to her." Vitam observed. Zuro nodded his head. Vitam smiled at the thought of his sweet daughter being well watched over while she stayed here with his oldest son before a thought came into mind. "Oh, by the way." Vitam paused to watch his son's expression switch from happiness to curiosity before he continued. "Your mother is pregnant."
Zuro's expression immediately turned to shock at the news of a new baby changeling joining the family as his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Vitam smiled at his son and after several minutes Zuro returned the smile and jumped up, wrapping his forelegs around his father's neck. Vitam returned the hug with a chuckle.
"We don't know anything more then we'll have another child in about seven months." Vitam explained. Zuro pulled away and stared at his father in shock.
"She's two months in already?" Zuro asked.
"We just found out two days ago." Vitam answered. Zuro smiled as he nodded his head in approval.
"I don't have to ask for you to keep me posted, do I?"
"You know I will." The two embraced each other one more time before Vitam pulled away. "I need to go now. You keep an eye on your sister."
"I will dad." Zuro replied. With that Vitam transformed into his pegasus form and trotted out of the house, leaving his son with his daughter for the week.
~~)oOo(~~
Gnator was standing alone on the edge of a cliff in the mountains outside the hive boundaries as he thought about his brother. His anger towards Zuro for leaving him over two years ago rising with each moment he thought about it. You were supposed to stay here with us. He thought to himself. You were supposed be here when I turned sixteen. You were supposed to be here when I chose my life.
"You were supposed to be here!" He screamed at the top of his lungs as he fired a blast of green energy at a random rock on the other side of the canyon wall. The blast caused a mini avalanche, sending rocks of different sizes falling to the canyon floor.
"My, my. Such anger."
Gnator turned with the intent to release his anger on whoever the voice belonged to. His eyes widened and he immediately dropped his head in a respectful bow when he saw a tall female changeling with silky, blue green hair and dagger shaped pupils in her eyes, and two normal changelings standing on either side of her.
"My queen, please forgive me!" He pleaded. He felt a hoof pull his chin up until his eyes met Queen Chrysalis' as she smiled at him.
"What's your name, my child?" Chrysalis asked.
"Gnator... your highness." Gnator answered after a loud gulp.
"Gnator." The queen mused as she removed her hoof. "I could use a changeling of your caliber."
"My queen?" Gnator asked.
"You have strength, my child." She explained. "Such power and anger is what I need to lead my troops." Gnator looked puzzled at her words. He was just a simple changeling under fifteen years of age and only recently mastered changing to races other then ponies.
"Lead your troops to what, your highness?" He asked. Chrysalis smiled a dark smile at the question.
"Someone, like you, could lead my troops into Equestria and lead our hive out of starvation." She answered. Gnator kept his gaze locked on the tall queen. "My child, Equestria has more love then anyplace I have ever encountered. I need one who young and strong, like you, to lead my troops into the capital where we will feed and no longer starve."
"You're planning to attack the ponies?" Gnator asked.
"With an attack on the nation that has the most love changelings have ever seen, we will no longer starve." She explained. "And, didn't you loose a brother to those ponies?" Gnator's rage boiled again at the memory of his brother leaving for the ponies. Chrysalis smiled at this and took a step closer to her subject. "Do you want him back?" She asked. "I can make that happen. All you have to do is come with me and I'll tell you everything you need to know for my plan to succeed."
There was a long silence between the two as Gnator considerable the monarch's offer. He loved his brother, but he just could not understand why Zuro loved the ponies so much. He just wanted to get his brother back and this plan would not only feed his brethren, but by the sound of it, this would reunite his family. He looked up to the queen, who was waiting patiently for his answer.
"I'll do it."
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro was trotting through the streets of Ponyville with Dili sitting happily on his back, a few ponies here and there taking the time to stop and say 'hi' as the two pegasi walked passed them. Dili was the happiest she could be now that she was spending time with her big brother, and it was apparent in her expression as she bounced on his back.
"Hey, Zuro!" Came a voice from behind. Zuro turned around to find Angel smiling at him and Dili as she waved her hoof at them. "Hi there, Dili." She added.
"Hey Angel." Zuro replied.
"Hi!" Dili said with a cheery voice. She leaned in closer to Zuro's ear. "Bubba, I like your marefriend. Can we keep her?" Zuro let out a chuckle at the request.
"What did she say?" Angel asked.
"She wants you to be her big sister." Zuro answered with a laugh.
Since Angel confessed to her having a crush on him he was hoping that she would accept him as her coltfriend, but when he asked her three days ago she said not yet because she had several bad relationships before, and she did not want to end up with another heartbreak. So, Zuro told her to take her time in deciding to start a relationship with him.
Angel smiled as she trotted up to Dili and petted her mane, which earned a happy hum from the little filly. Zuro smiled at this as he felt the energy of love flowing from the pegasus mare to each of them. Angel's love for Zuro had grown stronger since the day they met over a week ago, and he was getting to the point where he wanted somepony to love. He did love Angel in a way, but since she confessed to him that love only grew stronger until it reached breaking point and he told her the three words.
"Bubba, there's Scootaloo, and the others!" Dili called, pulling Zuro from his thoughts. He turned to see the three fillies who had just recently started a club for blank-flanks to find their cutie marks. Dili met the three at the party Pinkie threw for her yesterday and she enjoyed being around them. "Can I go play with them?" Dili asked.
"Sure," Zuro answered as he lifted her off of his shoulders and onto the ground. "Just stay out of trouble."
"I will." She said just before bolting in the Cutie Mark Crusaders direction, leaving Zuro and Angel alone.
"You two are pretty close, aren't you?" Angel asked. Zuro turned to face her with a smile.
"Yeah. She and I have had this inseparable bond since she was born. We get along perfectly, and we love each other almost like there's no tomorrow." Angel smiled at this before the two turned to see the four fillies plotting on ways to earn their cutie marks. After a few minutes the four took off to do whatever it was they just planned on doing.
Zuro and Angel then turned to face each other and she leaned in to plant a kiss on his cheek. It was not the first kiss she gave him, the first kiss she gave him was yesterday. She had told him a secret about her last coltfriend that she regretted, and Zuro said how he thought it was not her fault. He used her to get what he wanted and did not want her for 'her'. She wrapped her forelegs around him and planted a kiss on his lips as a result. The memory of that moment compelled him to want to tell her what he was.
"Angel," he said. She looked at him curiously. "Come with me. I wanna show you something."
"What is it?" She asked.
"Come with me and I'll show you." He answered.
The two took off outside of town toward the edge of the Everfree Forest where he plucked a random cloud large enough for the both of them and settled it over the trees, then sat down on it as she sat next to him.
"Okay," Angel said. "What do you want to show me?"
"Well... you've told me one of your secrets, I wanna show you mine." Zuro explained.
"What is it?" She asked. Zuro let out a sigh and after a few seconds he transformed from his pony disguise to his natural form. Angel gasped and nearly fell off the edge of the cloud, but Zuro grabbed her hoof and pulled her back onto the cloud before she did. He gave her some space as he watched her look him over in his changeling form.
"What are you?" She asked.
"I'm a changeling," He answered. "A race of creatures that can transform into other races in order to feed and gain power from love." Angel took a step away from him as she stretched out her wings. "No, wait!" Zuro pleaded. She sat there with her wings outstretched as she kept her eyes locked on him. "Yes, I have been feeding on the love from everypony in town, but that's not the main reason why I came here." Angel's wings slowly folded to her sides as she listened to him intently. He explained about the day he left his home over two years ago and the reasons why he did, how he met her cousin, Jet Blast, and they way they became best friends, and the reasons why he avoided going anywhere the Royal Guard was during the Summer Sun Celebration.
"I can understand if you want to leave right now." He concluded. "If this were a different situation, I'd erase your memory of me being a changeling, but I won't do that because I trust you with my secret." He stated. The expression on her face switched to shock.
"You..." She stammered.
"I don't care if you know what I am." He said. "I've told you everything, how I feel, what I am, why I'm here. I trust you with everything." There was a long, eerie silence between the two as they stared into each others eyes. He was not even paying any attention to the levels of love radiating from her body as she weighed the knowledge she had just been trusted with.
"I'm ready." She said after several minutes.
"For what?" Zuro asked.
"I'm ready to accept you into my heart." She answered. Zuro looked shocked at this. "All you have to do is ask me." She confirmed. A smile started to spread on his face as he felt emotion rising in his throat and threatening to escape his eyes. He expected her to fly away and never want anything to do with him again, but she wanted the opposite.
"Angel," he said, finally. "Would you like to be my marefriend?"
She smiled at him and gave her head a nod before coming up and embracing him in her forelegs. The two hugged each other for a minute before pulling away and leaned in for their first kiss as a couple.
Dear diary.
Today is now the greatest day of my life. I told Angel that I am a changeling and she surprised me by saying she wanted to be my marefriend. I asked her and she said yes!
After spending time together we went to get my sister from the Cutie Mark Crusaders and she was happy for me, even though she already considered Angel as my marefriend.
Now Dili and I are home and she wants to sleep with me again like she did last night. Maybe I'll do some rearranging around the house so her bed will be in my room when she's visiting.
Anyway, I should get some sleep. I have work tomorrow and I need to get Dili over to miss Cheerilee so she can foalsit for me while I work. I'm sure Dili will love Miss. Cheerilee. Her love for children is almost unmatched in Ponyville and that's why she's the town teacher.
Well, I'm off to bed. Dili is getting tired and she's being persistent about it.
Another year has passed. Dili just turned six and is staying at my place for a month this time instead of a week. Gnator still hasn't turned up yet. He disappeared a few days after the celebration a year ago and no one has seen or heard from him since. I'm scared for him. I'm afraid he may have gone off the deep end, but I have to hope he's still okay.
Apart from family matters, Angel and I have been moving on in our relationship. No I haven't popped the question yet, but we now live under the same roof. She sells some of her artwork at galleries, but for the most part she helps miss Cheerilee at the school or the daycare center. When we're not working, or watching over my sister when she's visiting, we spend our time together, and I love every moment of it.
Anyway, I got the day off tomorrow, and we plan on making the day a Dili day and do what Dili wants. Pinkie already threw her a party for her today, which made everypony's day a good one.
Well, I'm going to bed. We got a day planned and I hope it'll be a good one.
Good night.
Zuro finished the latest entry of his new diary and placed on the shelf with the rest of his diaries. Before he had a chance to get up a pair of hooves found their way around his neck and he felt a warm furry cheek against his own scaly cheek. He smiled at the high level of love coming from the pony hugging him as he leaned into her before turning his head to meet his lips with hers. Zuro and Angel kept their lips locked for a while before slowly breaking apart and smiling into each others eyes.
"Little Dili is asleep." Angel whispered before planting another kiss to his lips. Ever since Zuro and Angel became a couple Dili had grown very close to the pegasus. Dili had come to call Angel, sissy, and loved her almost as much as she loved her big brother.
"That's good." Zuro replied. She pecked his lips again.
"We have time to ourselves tonight." She whispered and kissed him again.
"Are you trying to tell me you want something from me?" He asked with a grin. She turned him to face her all the way and sat on his lap as she wrapped her forelegs around his neck and kissed him again.
"Maybe..." She said with a grin before moving her muzzle to his neck. He opened his neck for her as she planted kisses.
"Could I at least clean myself up first?" He asked sarcastically since he already knew what the answer would be. She growled in response as she applied more kisses to his changeling neck. "How about the bed first?" He asked. She hummed a response, still keeping her lips attached to his neck. Obviously she was not going to let him go tonight.
Using his changeling magic to help him he got up with her in his forelegs and carried her over to the bed that was set where his desk used to be. He laid her on her back and hovered over her with his forehooves on either side of her shoulders. The two smiled at each other as she waited for him to make his next move.
"I love you, Angel." He said.
"I love you too my Guardian." She replied. He closed the gap between them and locked his lips with hers as she wrapped her forelegs around him.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro and Angel flew side by side with Dili sitting proudly on Zuro's back. Zuro and Angel both wore proud smiles on their faces that seemed to radiate off of them onto other ponies that passed by the three. The day was starting out so beautifully until Zuro happened to look up and see Rainbow Dash chasing after a rogue cloud. The rogue cloud was not the thing that bothered him as much as the fact that the cloud was pink.
"Bubba, why is that cloud pink?" Dili asked. Zuro looked back at his sister and saw that she was looking in another direction. Sure enough, there was another pink cloud flying around on its own. He looked around and saw a score of clouds that were pink and flying on there own, some of them were raining... chocolate?
"What the...?" He started to say when a red pegasus stallion flew in front of him.
"Guard, we've got a problem!" Jet Blast cried.
"What's going on?" Zuro asked.
"The clouds have all gone rogue, and turned into cotton candy and raining chocolate! Dash is trying to get them under control, but..." Jet was interrupted by the sound of popcorn popping. All four of them turned their gaze down to see corn being sold at a market stand turning into popcorn. Not only that, but there were animals running around like wild animals of the Everfree and they looked different.
"What in the wide world of Equestria is going on here?" Zuro asked before turning to Angel and placing Dili in her forelegs. "Watch over Dili for me, hun." He said before taking off with Jet to wrangle the clouds.
"Bubba!" Dili called as she reached a hoof out for him.
"He'll be fine sweetie." Angel said.
"But, what's going on, sissy?" She asked.
"I don't know, Dili." Angel replied. At that moment a surge of magical energy engulfed the entire town. Angel and Dili closed their eyes until the energy around them became less strong and found everything was back to normal. Angel smiled and was about to say something when all of the sudden everything was chaotic again.
"Sissy, I'm scared." Dili said as she clung to Angel, who held the little filly tight.
"It's okay sweetie, I've got you." Angel said as she held the disguised changeling. "This is weird." The sound of laughing filled the air. Angel looked around to find the source of the laughing, but oddly found no pony around.
"That's what makes it all the more fun, my dear."
"Sissy, I want bubba." Dili said as she clung to Angel for comfort while the older mare spun around looking for the source of the voice.
"I'm afraid big bubba is a bit preoccupied at the moment, little changeling."
Dili and Angel both blinked at the comment, then with a flash of white light turned Dili into her natural form. Dili gazed up at Angel in a panic at the sudden unintended transformation of her body, the look in her eyes screaming 'I can't change back' and immediately Angel bolted for a rogue candy cloud to hide the filly. As she sat on the cloud, wrapping her wings around the filly, the laughing grew more hysterical.
"Oh, you should've seen the look on your faces!"
"Show yourself!" Angel barked. The voice continued to laugh for a few seconds after her outburst.
"Look down you silly filly." The voice said. They both looked down at the candy cloud to see the abnormally curved face of a pony with bushy eyebrows, a bit of a beard on his chin, and a long tooth poking from his lips. "Happy now?" He asked.
"Who are you?" Angel replied. The face blinked at the question.
"What?" He asked sarcastically. "You don't know who I am? Oh, that's a shame. After all, I was the one who ruled Equestria before being imprisoned in stone."
"What the hay are you talking about?" Angel snapped. The face chuckled.
"You obviously didn't do your history." The face laughed. "I'm Discord, the spirit of disharmony." The face shrunk down in size to reveal its full body. It was long like a snake and had various other animal parts instead of just a single creature.
"Change Dili and everything else back to the way they were!" Angel ordered.
"Oh, but that's no fun." Discord said. "Besides, I've got tons of wonderful plans for this place." The figure vanished. Angel searched around the cloud, then the area to find Discord, but was only met with his laughter.
"Discord!" Angel called. There was no reply.
"Sissy, I don't like him." Dili cried as she clung to Angel. "I wanna change back. why can't I change back?" Dili asked as she began to sob. Having no answer for the young changeling, Angel held her close as she wrapped her wings around her to hide her.
Angel watched as the town continued to change around them. Houses started floating in the sky, the ground became like tile with a giant chess board pattern, ponies started acting weird like animals, and the roads turned into soap. Angel was beginning to fear the worst when an idea came to mind. She turned her head over toward the Everfree Forest, which appeared to be unchanged. Discord's focus was obviously Ponyville right now, which meant that even though the forest was not the safest place, it was better then sitting and waiting for Discord to target them any farther.
"C'mon Dili." Angel said as she scooped her up in her forelegs. "We're going to Zecora." And she took off toward the forest.
Discord reappeared on the top of the town hall tower, watching the pegasus flying away with the changeling in her forelegs, laughing at the mares futile effort in escaping his power.
"Go ahead and fly away, but when I'm done with your mate and the Elements of Harmony I'll come back for the forest."
[]i~~)oOo(~~
Zuro and Jet flew after some rogue clouds for the start of this chaotic day until a surge of magic sored through the town, turning everything back to normal. Zuro breathed a sigh of relief until he looked up and saw everything seemed to increase in the chaos.
"What in Tartarus is going on here?!" Zuro asked.
"The town is being rearranged, and I think it's an improvement."
Zuro and Jet both searched for the source of the voice, but with no luck.
"Guard, did you say that?" Jet asked. Zuro looked at his best friend with an annoyed look.
"Would I be joking around like that at a time like this?" Zuro asked. Their attention was turned to the sound of laughing.
"Who is that?" Jet asked.
"Oh, calm down, Blaster." Said a creature with a long body made up of all sorts of animal parts with an oddly curved pony head dawned on his neck. In his lion paw he held a two baseball cap with a propeller on top, twirling it with an claw. "After all, this is gonna be your home from now on."
Zuro's eyes widened at the sight of the creature that just appeared before him and his friend. That's impossible. He thought. The draconequus have been extinct for a thousand years. The draconequus turned to the two pegasi and let his paw drop while leaving the cap twirling in the air. He turned his gaze to the cap with a smirk before turning back to the stallions.
"Nice cap, isn't it?" He asked. He turned his focus to Zuro with a more serious grin. "I think it would look good on the changeling if he looked more like my daughter, Screwball." The draconequus snapped the talons of his other arm and Zuro suddenly transformed into a pink earth pony mare with curly purple mane with white along the edges, and derped purple eyes with white swirls instead of black pupils. The cap teleported from its place in the air onto Zuro's head and 'she' began making bubble noises with her mouth.
"Zuro!" Jet cried as he stared, wide eyed at his friend.
"Aw, look at her." Discord said. "She looks just like my daughter." Zuro began hovering away with his head billow his rump as she made funny noises. "Behaves like her, too!" Discord mused.
"Change him back!" Jet barked.
"Oh, and you'll make a fine pet for the little angel." Discord said. Jet did not like the sound of that. He made to jump for the draconequus, but before he could get any farther Discord snapped his talons again and Jet became a bright red winged dog. Zuro smiled and opened her forelegs to Jet, who barked happily and flew up and licked her in the face.
"Now, you two behave yourselves while daddy goes to have a little fun making the world chaotic." Discord mused before disappearing into thin air, leaving Zuro and Jet alone in their new forms.
Gnator flinched at the bark of his commanding officer, growing even more angry and frustrated with him everyday he trained under his instruction. He had enough skill when he started training a year ago to start at a higher level than most, as instructed by Queen Chrysalis. Fortis was never impressed by Gnator's progress. He always demanded better results from the young changeling, and Gnator was sick and tired of it.
"Again!" Fortis ordered.
"I've done it a thousand times already!" Gnator snapped as he glared at his officer. Fortis arched a brow as he glared at his inferior student.
"You will do it again until you have the technique perfected! Is that clear?" Fortis stated more than asked.
"I have it perfected!" Gnator replied. "Teach me the next level. Gnator then found himself lying on the ground with a sharp pain on his face. He looked back up to see Fortis glaring fiercely at him.
"You will learn your place before you go any higher in these ranks, child!"
Gnator immediately pounced from his place on the ground and tackled the officer with full force, knocking him to his back and swinging his hooves, making contact with Fortis' face, causing blood to drip from the older changeling's ears, nose, and mouth.
"I am not a child!" Gnator spat with each swing of his hooves.
Fortis managed to catch one of Gnator's hooves in mid swing then countered with a right cross, sending Gnator flying over and rolling on the ground a few feet before coming to a stop on his side. Gnator lifted his head off the ground as he spat blood from his lips. He looked up to see Fortis stomping his way. He stammered to his hooves to strike again, but he was not quick enough. Fortis grabbed him by the neck with his magic and lifted him off the ground.
"You will not progress any farther in this army, child!" Fortis barked.
"Let him go, Fortis." Came a female voice from Fortis' right.
"This little scrap has no place in this army, Entibus!" Fortis barked without taking his eyes, nor loosening his grip from Gnator.
"You know the queen herself selected this young man to be a part of her plan." Entibus said calmly.
"The queen can kiss my..."
"Please, finish your sentence, Fortis." Came a deeper female voice that attracted attention of all the changelings gathered around. All changelings, except Fortis, gave a deep, respectful bow. Gnator would have done the same, if he was not suspended by the neck in Fortis' magic, the lack of clear oxygen flowing the his throat beginning to make him light-headed.
"My queen, this 'child' you've selected to lead us from starvation assaulted me, and lacks the proper skills to perform his duties admirably. He has 'no' place among us!" Fortis stated matter-of-factly.
"And you're the one restraining him from his breath, and dared to insult me while under the impression I wasn't in your presence." Chrysalis observed.
At this Fortis released his hold on Gnator, letting the younger to drop to the stone ground beneath them. Gnator coughed and gasped as fresh air filled his lungs, and Entibus came to his aid. He made no effort to stop her as he glared up at the older changeling.
"My queen, with all do respect, I feel your decision to bring this 'child'..."
"Don't call me a child!" Gnator barked.
"... this child into our army is a terrible mistake." Fortis finished.
"Are you the one who devised the plan to lead our hive from starvation?" The queen asked.
"No, my queen. But..."
"Are you the one who recruits the solders into my army?"
"No. But..."
"Have your suggestion in the recruits promotions ever had any meaning to me before now?"
"No." Fortis was growing more impatient with each question, and Chrysalis smirked at this." But my queen..."
"Then why should the word of a single, unimportant field trainer with higher expectations have any effect over a young recruit who has more chance to become captain in the next hour than you do in the next millennium?" Chrysalis asked with a growing smirk on her face that only increased with the reaction on Fortis' face.
"I beg your pardon my queen?" Fortis asked.
"I claim the right of challenge!" Gnator barked.
"Gnator, you should rest first." Entibus whispered to him as Fortis shot a glare at the younger changeling and Chrysalis grinned at the call.
"How dare you make such a claim!" Fortis shouted as he raised a hoof to strike at Gnator.
"Move that hoof any farther then you'll have no choice, but to accept his challenge." Chrysalis mused.
Fortis froze in place after shooting a look of shock to his monarch, who just gave him a smile that dared him to go on.
"Besides, a challenge has to be answered." She encouraged.
"You expect me to accept a challenge from this spoiled, unworthy little scrap?!" Fortis spat.
"Do you have the guts to say that to my face, phoenix fodder?" Gnator asked, earning a sharp, dagger filled glare from Fortis.
"What did you say?"
"Call me a scrap, or child again, and I'll make sure you can't be used for anything more than a pony's cat toilet!" Gnator mused, earning a chuckle from Chrysalis.
"Oh, I simply love his spirit." She stated. "Maybe I should make him my personal captain and demote you."
"My queen?!" Fortis whirled his head to Chrysalis.
"I say there shall be a battle for supremacy right here, right now!" She called to her gathered subjects, who all buzzed and cheered at the thought. "Sounds like your comrades are up for a fight, Fortis. Are you going to accept the challenge of a strong youth, or will you allow yourself to be called a coward for running away from an underage?"
This question did the trick. Fortis visibly trembled in place, the anger bursting from his body like a flame that could warm up a large mess hall. He turned his focus to Gnator, who was being held by a concerned looking Entibus.
"Gnator, don't do this." She pleaded.
"I won't be pushed around by this fodder anymore!" He spat towards Fortis, increasing the burning anger radiating from his trembling body. Gnator raised a hoof and placed on her shoulder while keeping his eyes locked on his opponent. "Entibus, don't worry about me. Just get a safe distance from this." Entibus turned her gaze to Fortis, who was still waiting for his opponent to ready himself. Then she returned her gaze to Gnator with a smile on her face.
"You just need to do one thing for me." She stated. She leaned and planted a kiss to his cheek, making sure not to obstruct his view from his opponent. "Come back to me unharmed." The anger within Gnator subsided and he let a smile form on his face.
"Enough!" Fortis spat. "Name your terms, and let's end this!"
At this Entibus flew away from her lover as Gnator got to his hooves while keeping his eyes locked on his opponent.
"One," Gnator began. "No magic, or multiple transformations. Just one race within reason. No dragons, monsters, or anything like that." Gnator noticed Fortis flinched at this. He knew Fortis preferred using magic and large creatures to gain the advantage, and this made it easy for him to overtake that advantage.
"What makes you think I'll agree to that?" Fortis asked.
"Then get out of the hive now!" Gnator ordered, earning a pleased grin from his monarch.
"If you can't meet demands, then it's highly recommended you don't show your face in our hive again, Fortis." Chrysalis mused.
"Fine!" Fortis agreed. "What else?"
"Only use what can be naturally used by the race you become. Pegasus flight, earth pony strength." Gnator stopped right there, watching Fortis expression about the strength portion.
"And if we change in combat?" Fortis asked.
"Then you forfeit all, and are banished from the hive." This earned approval from all the changelings gathered to witness.
"And to add on, the one who looses will have to witness the loss of his loved ones before exile." The queen added.
Gnator blinked at this while Fortis agreed without hesitation. Now Gnator had an even better reason to win this! He loved his family and that was the whole reason he joined Chrysalis' army in the first place, so his family would not starve, and they could be together again.
And Entibus. With loved ones on the line, that meant she was in danger as well, so he could not back away, or loose. His determination increased tenfold. Gnator took in a deep breath as he kept his eyes locked on Fortis.
"We're at an understanding, then?" He asked.
"I agree to the terms of this challenge!" Fortis exclaimed.
"Then, let the battle begin." Chrysalis called.
Fortis, as Gnator expected, immediately took the form of a well built earth pony stallion and charged his target. Gnator transformed into a griffon and leapt into the air, almost expecting Fortis to transform into something that flies.
"You loose!" Fortis barked from the ground.
"I said, no monsters or dragons. I never said no griffons!" Gnator stated matter-of-factly.
"My queen, he lost - oof!" Fortis was tackled to the ground by Gnator once he took eyes off him. Fortis was pinned to his back as Gnator slashed his claws at his face. Fortis managed to get his hind hooves under Gnator's gut and bucked him off. Gnator got back to his feet as Fortis got to his hooves.
The changelings around them were buzzing and cheering as the fight heated up between the two while Chrysalis and Entibus watched side by side. Chrysalis with an amused smile on her face while Entibus showed nervous expressions.
Gnator made the next move as he charged his opponent, who whirled around and bucked Gnator in the beak, sending him flying backwards to the ground.
"Stay down, scrap!" Fortis barked.
Gnator immediately flapped his powerful wings as he extended his claws out for Fortis' throat. Fortis tried to dodge, but he did not anticipate Gnator's fierce speed, and was left with deep claw marks on the right side of his neck and face.
"Oh, an intent to kill." Chrysalis mused. "Your boyfriend is quite promising."
"You don't intend to kill his loved ones, do you my queen?" Entibus asked as she watched Gnator and Fortis fight on.
"No." Chrysalis answered. "I only said that to give Gnator the drive he needs to get rid of that well."
"Can't you just banish him as you please?" Chrysalis chuckled.
"And leave a promising solder without a good challenge to rise up in my ranks? No. I need to be sure he can take care of a situation like this."
They continued to watch the battle as it carried on, going back and forth as one claimed the advantage over the other, then switched. Anytime Fortis would gain the advantage over Gnator, Entibus had to refrain herself from jumping in to help Gnator, or he would automatically loose this fight.
It seemed to go on for hours as they both steadily grew tired with each swing they made. Things began to look bad for Gnator as Fortis started to push harder, and harder, gaining the advantage over the young changeling until he pushed his griffon form to the ground, pinning him on his back.
"I said it before!" Fortis yelled. "You have no place in this army!"
Gnator was exhausted. He was low on strength, and he was almost ready to give up. He looked to his right and saw Entibus, looking terrified, and showing him how much she cared with her eyes. Those beautiful, brilliant blue eyes sending him all the love she could afford to give him without interfering.
"Give up you scrap!" Fortis barked.
Gnator looked up at Fortis and glared daggers at him. The sudden change in Gnator's expression made him flinch, but he kept hold of the 'griffon'.
"What do you have to fight for, fodder?" Gnator asked. "I have my family. My mom. My dad. Dili. Zuro. A new sibling to ensure doesn't go hungry! And Entibus! What do you Have?!" As Gnator spoke, his voice grew stronger and more forceful, causing Fortis to loosen his grip over his opponent. "I thought so. You have nothing!
Gnator used his hind paws and gave Fortis a hard buck, sending the 'earth pony' flying through the air, then he flapped his wings to charge after him. Fortis stammered to his hooves, but he was to slow. Gnator landed on top of Fortis, and slashed at his back twice before placing his paws on the ground and grabbing Fortis by the neck and held him up for all to see.
"Resign!" Gnator ordered. Fortis coughed and uttered out something inaudible. "Again!"
"I... 'cough'..."
"I can't hear you!"
"... 'cough'... I... yield...!"
With that, Gnator loosened his grip and Fortis fell to the ground, his pony form disappearing as he hit the ground as he gasped and coughed with fresh air rushing through his lungs. The crowd around them all cheered as Entibus flew up to Gnator and embraced him in her forelegs, and locking her lips with his beak. He let his griffon form disappear to make it easy for them to enjoy their kiss as he wrapped his own forelegs around her.
While the two were locked in each others embraced, Fortis slowly got to his hooves and ignited his horn in green, preparing to attack both the scum who dared to call themselves changelings.
A loud blast pulled Gnator and Entibus from each other and they looked to find Fortis laying on his side with smoke rising from his body. They looked over to find Queen Chrysalis slowly walking up to him as she fiercely glared daggers at him. Fortis struggled to get to his hooves, only managing to lift his head up and find his monarch standing over him.
"You dare cross your brethren when their back is turned?" She stated coldly. He gave no reply, the pain he felt from her blast was to much for him to barely breath, let along speak. "You are here by stripped of your changeling title, and forever banished from my hive."
"But... my... que -..."
"Leave these mountains, or face more pain than any changeling has ever endured in our history!" Chrysalis ordered.
Fortis struggled from the ground, loosing his balance and falling back to the ground several times before he finally gathered the strength he had left to fly out toward the forest.
~~)oOo(~~
Gnator and Entibus were both out at the edge of a canyon in the mountains. Chrysalis, after banishing Fortis from the hive, had given the two some time alone to enjoy his victory. She leaned in on his shoulder and he to the invitation and wrapped his foreleg around her, making the love vibes she radiated increase.
"You were incredible, Gnator." She mused.
"I have you to thank for that, Entibus." He replied. She hummed happily at his words.
She was only a year older then he was and had joined Chrysalis' army around the same time he did. At first the two wanted nothing to do with the other, but that soon changed after a few training assignments together, then they became close friends and took every chance they had to be alone with each other.
Gnator looked down at her and nuzzled her head. She looked up at him with a smile and slowly leaned in to close the gap between them until their lips met. Gnator gently broke the kiss and looked into her eyes for several moments.
"Entibus?" He said.
"Yes, Gnator." She replied.
"We've known each other for a year now." She replied with an 'mhmm' as she gave her head a small nod. "Well, I was wondering... Would you..."
"Yes?"
"Would you... um..." She leaned in and gave him a long passionate kiss. When she broke the kiss he smiled sheepishly at her and opened his mouth to speak again.
"Shut up and kiss me, captain." She said, confirming his question. He smiled and leaned in for another kiss, this one more passionate than the last as they wrapped their forelegs around each other.
They were locked in their love embrace for a few minutes before Gnator suddenly broke the kiss and looked off into the direction of the small town said to be just on the other side of the Everfree Forest.
"What is it, darling?" Entibus asked as she followed his gaze from her place on the ground.
"Something's wrong." Gnator stated. "Zuro and Dili are in trouble!"
Anorum was sitting alone in the living room feeding her newborn baby girl while Vitam was out searching for Gnator again. Zuro still lived happily in Ponyville with friends and a lover who know what he is and willingly accept him, regardless of what they have been taught about the changelings, which eased the fear she had for her son, but the fear still lingered. And Dili was with her favorite brother for the month, which was (excluding all the ponies who were not in the know) the safest place to be.
She looked down to her baby, whom she came to call Dulcis, as she feed from her mother happily, and almost greedily. Dulcis was too young to go and feed on love on her own, so she had to feed through her mother's milk and love her mother gave to her in order to grow strong and healthy for a changeling.
Anorum cradled her baby in her forelegs, treasuring these moments as they passed while she thought about doing the same thing to the last three of her children before they became to old to nurse.
"Don't worry sweetheart." Anorum told her daughter as she fed. "There's plenty enough to last."
Dulcis let go of her mother and made a funny face. Anorum smiled and lifted her daughter over her shoulder and began to pat her back. After a minute Dulcis let out a rather large burp for one of her size, then let out a happy hum as she nuzzled her mother's neck.
"Oh my!" Anorum chimed. "That was a good one young lady." She lifted Dulcis up at arms length, earning some giggles from her as she flapped her forelegs up and down, then she reached up for her mother. "I love you too, Dulcis." Anorum laughed as she leaned her head closer and kissed her daughter on the nose. Dulcis wrapped her tiny hooves around her mother's muzzle and refused to let her go until she was satisfied.
Anorum hummed happily, knowing her newborn daughter loved her as much, if not more so, than Dili loved Zuro. Then it hit her! Zuro had been gone for three years, and in all that time he never once returned to their home, not even to just visit. Zuro never met his new baby sister, and it would take a few years at least before they could bring Dulcis to pony civilization without running a risk of exposing their family.
"Zuro, why don't you come home?" She asked.
Just at that moment, Dulcis pulled away from her mother's muzzle and looked off into the distance. After a minute she made a look that said she was about to cry. Anorum was about to ask 'what's wrong' when she felt distress coming from her eldest son. Soon after she felt the same level of concern coming from Vitam and even Gnator as the feeling filled her heart with fear. She gasped.
"Zuro!"
Dulcis then let her cries become reality as she let tears streamed down her cheeks. Anorum pulled her crying baby up closed and hugged her, comforting her as she got up and made for the front door, immediately. She ran out of the house and transformed into a yellow pegasus mare with red mane and tail, and took off toward the direction of where her eldest child's distress was coming from.
She now had a mission. A mission that all mothers had in which the rules no longer applied to her. She had to go help Zuro, and whether or not any of the ponies saw her newborn did not matter. Only one thing mattered now, and that was her son.
"Mommy's coming, Zuro!"
~~)oOo(~~
Vitam had been out looking for his youngest son since sunrise this morning. He had gotten up early, planted a kiss on his wife's and newborn child's cheeks, then left their home to once again find out where Gnator was. He knew Gnator was alive, that much was certain. But where he was, that was completely blocked, not only by Gnator, but by someone (or something) else, which bothered Vitam greatly.
Why are you hiding from us, Gnator? He asked quietly. What could you be doing that you don't want your own family to know about?
He flew through the streets, asking the other changelings if they had seen Gnator anywhere in the last month to a year. He soon spotted a familiar changeling he knew since he was younger and flew up to him.
"Excuse me?" He asked the changeling who was out enjoying the morning mountain air. The changeling turned to see his old friend and smiled.
"Yes, Vitam?" The changeling replied.
"Have you seen my son Gnator recently?" Vitam asked. The changeling's smile instantly faded away.
"Sorry old friend. But I haven't seen, or heard from your boys for quite some time. The last I saw Zuro was just before his sixteenth birthday, three years ago. And Gnator I've not seen since just over a year ago." Vitam sighed and dropped his head at the reply he was given.
"That's what I was afraid of." Vitam said, matter-of-factly.
"I'm sorry my friend." The changeling said as he reached up and placed his hoof on Vitam's shoulder.
"You've nothing to be sorry about." Vitam replied.
"Have you ever thought he may have joined the queen's army?" The changeling asked. Vitam's eyes sprang up at the question. A look of both fear and determination visible in the blue hue.
"Why would he have?" Vitam asked.
"Any number of reasons." The changeling replied.
"Don't tell." Vitam said.
"Shouldn't I have said 'don't ask' first?" The changeling asked.
Vitam let out a small chuckle, then froze in place with his eyes wide open. He just stood there for a minute, locked in place with his eyes growing more wide by the second before he slowly turned his head toward the direction of Ponyville.
"Uh... Vitam?" The changeling asked.
Vitam continued to remain silent for several minutes. Something terribly wrong was happening. Something was happening to Zuro in the small town that was causing Zuro's anger and stress to rise. Not only that, but he also felt great joy, relief and happiness coming from a very powerful source. A very powerful and old creature the changelings believed to be extinct long ago.
Soon Vitam turned his focus to the rest of his family to see if he could sense anything wrong with them. He soon found out that Gnator already knew and was following his brother's feelings. His wife also felt the problem and was well out of their home on the way to where they could feel their oldest son.
Without another word Vitam took off toward the direction he was staring as he transformed into the pony form he took while visiting Zuro in the town, leaving the other changeling behind with a concerned look on his face. Vitam did not know what was going on, but he knew something was wrong with Zuro, and he needed to get over to his son before anything else happened!
~~)oOo(~~
Gnator and Entibus were flying at top speed toward the direction of his brother's troubled emotions. They both were taking the forms of griffons, because they were Gnator's favorite race, and they offered more speed with their impressive wing strength.
Gnator could sense his mother and father's fear and love for their eldest son heading in the same direction as he was. Something big was going on, and his brother was right in the middle of it. Gnator was not going to sit this one out, even if Queen Chrysalis herself ordered him not to go and help.
"Gnator, what's going on?" Entibus yelled through the rush of the wind.
"Something is happening to Zuro, and I'm not sitting this one out!" He replied.
"What do you mean 'sit this one out'?"
The two passed the mountain line and entered the dark forest. The town should be close. Gnator said to himself as the sun became blocked by the leaves of the trees.
"Darling?" Entibus asked.
"Just over a year ago, when the sun didn't rise, we all knew Zuro was in trouble." Gnator began. "I wanted to go and help, but dad said to stay and protect mom and Dili. I did, but nothing ever happened. I was so furious, when dad asked me if I wanted to come with him and Dili to see Zuro I said 'no' and ran off. That was when the queen found, and recruited me. I sat the last time out, I'm not doing it this time."
"And maybe you can tell your brother what the queen is planning and have him join us to save our race." Entibus suggested. Gnator gave no reply for a minute.
"Maybe."
They flew the rest of the way through the forest, neither one of them breaking to feed and regain their strength. The new captain and his corporal were now on a mission of 'search and rescue' and there was no room for error on this one. Gnator had his mind, and senses locked on his brother with only one thing in mind.
I'm coming for you Zu.
~~)oOo(~~[/i[
Anorum flew as fast as her pony wings could carry her through the forest with Dulcis in her forelegs crying for her brother, whom she ha never met, yet still loved. Changelings, even at birth could sense who their family was, especially their parents. This made family bonds strong and helped them to be closer together. It allowed them to come to one another's aid in situations such as this.
Anorum felt the love of her husband for her coming in close behind her, but she made no effort to slowdown. She had to find her son and help him. She did, however, give a good amount of attention to her crying baby and cradled her in her forelegs.
"Shh shh. It's okay baby." She said sweetly. "We're going to help your brother."
"Anorum!"
The voice was barely a measurable whisper over the howling wind in her ears, but the next time it came it was more clear.
"Anorum! Wait!" Vitam called out.
"Don't you dare tell a mother to stop when her firstborn son is in trouble!" She shouted without slowing down or turning back.
"I never said stop, I said wait! You're not going there alone with Dulcis still to young to transform!" Vitam said as he caught up with his wife.
"Zuro's in trouble. I don't care what the ponies think!" Anorum stated as she comforted Dulcis.
"Anorum, think about...." Vitam stopped short as they passed a hut in the middle of the forest. The fact that it was there was not what bothered them, so much as the fact as they could sense their daughter in there. They both stopped and flew down to the hut. They burst through the door without bothering to knock and found a blue pegasi mare standing next to their daughter in front of a zebra.
"Mommy, daddy!" Dili cried as she ran up to them pounced in Vitam's forelegs and nuzzled his chest, forcing her tears onto his coat.
"Vitam. Thank Celestia you're here." Angel said.
"Angel, what's going on?" Vitam asked.
"You're Angel Wings?" Anorum asked.
"Yes." Angel replied.
"You're the one who accepts my son, even though he's not a pony?" Anorum asked. Angel nodded her head, earning a squeak from Anorum. "Oh, I've been dying to meet you." said as she allowed her pony form drop.
"Anorum, my love, I thought Zuro was number one right now." Vitam said as he transformed.
"Daddy, I can't change, and bubba went to stop the chaos thingy." Dili cried.
"What do you mean you can't change sweets?" Vitam asked.
"Things have been going chaotic all day." Angel began. "Zuro went to try and straighten things out, then she transformed and it's all because of that weird dragon looking old fart with the different body parts. And why did I say old fart?"
"Wait a minute." Vitam said.
"Did you say dragon with different body parts?" Anorum asked.
"... yes." Angel replied.
"That's impossible. The last draconequus died over a thousand years ago. They're extinct." Vitam said.
"In the matter of the ancient believed to be dead, these are words of truth that have been said." The zebra said.
"Come again?" Anorum asked.
"Zecora means what I just said is the truth." Angel explained.
"Mommy, daddy, Gnaty just past us."
~~)oOo(~~
Gnator and Entibus flew past a small hut in the forest. Gnator felt his parents in that hut with his two sisters, but he was not concerned about them.
"Gnator, I felt other changelings in that hut. Were they your family?" Entibus asked.
"Zuro wasn't in there." Gnator replied. "We're here to find Zuro and help hi..." They both stopped as they reached the edge of the forest. Just outside of the forest was... choas. The ground was a chess board and soap, houses were floating in the sky, and ponies were acting strange.
"What's going on here?" Entibus asked.
"... I don't know." Gnator answered.
They hovered there for a minute, watching chaos unfold everywhere before Gnator started flying into the town with Entibus close behind. They stopped short when a large pepper shaker appeared overhead and shook itself upside-down over them. Pepper began to fall all over them and fly into their nostrils, making their noses tickle. After a few gasps and quick breaths, they threw their heads back and let out a large 'AAAHHHH-CHOO!'
The air was filled with laughter as Gnator and Entibus sneezed from the pepper in their noses. Gnator looked around to find the source through his sneezing, but with no luck.
"Who's... ah-choo!... there?" He called.
"Ahahahaha... you should see your faces! Priceless!"
"Oh, ple... ah-choo!... please. not another whack job." Entibus said.
"Whack job? Me? And what does that make you, Entibus?"
Both blinked at the mention of her name.
"How do you know her name?" Gnator said just before another sneeze.
"The same way I know yours and your family's names, Gnator."
In a quick flash of light the large figure of the draconequus, Discord, who was laying on a cloud with a puff of cotton cloud hovering over him, which he stuck on a candy-cane striped cone and took a bight.
"Y'know, I only just recently found out why a certain pegasus loves these clouds so much. You wouldn't know her, but she's your brother, Zuro's manager." Discord said through the melting candy in his mouth.
Gnator and Entibus both stared at Discord in shock at what they saw before them. They both knew about the draconequus race, but they believed they were, and have been extinct for over a thousand years.
"So, not only do we have a whack job on our hooves, but an extinct whack job." Entibus mused.
"What do you know about my brother?" Gnator asked.
"Would you like to see her?" Discord asked with a smug grin.
"Her?!"
Discord snapped his claw and the mare that was Zuro with the dog who was his best friend Jet Blast. As soon as the mare appeared with her derped eyes and dumb smile Gnator could sense right then it was Zuro, but something was really off.
"Say hello to my lovely little girl, Screwball." Discord said.
Gnater stared at his brother in shock with a rage slowly building up with each passing second as he realized what had become of his brother.
"You... are going... to pay... for this...!" Gnater said through gritted teeth.
"And you're going to stop me, is that it?" Discord asked.
"Lay one hair on my son and that'll be the end of it!" Came the voice of Anorum.
Entibus looked back to see the two parents coming in for a landing in their pony forms, Anorum glaring daggers at the draconequus while Gnater kept his burning eyes locked on the same target. In Gnator's eyes this was about to get ugly, and the draconequus was a bout to suffer. It was four changelings against one 'monster', and if Zuro was in his right mind than this was as good as done.
Zuro had no idea what was going on. One minute he was standing side by side with his best friend, Jet Blast. The next, his vision became blurred and he felt like he was being licked by a dog. He could not think straight, but whatever was going on he was enjoying it like a school filly just a few years younger than him with a newborn puppy in her hooves.
After a few minutes his vision became more clear and he found himself sitting on his haunches with a bright red, winged dog licking his face. Zuro was giggling as the dog kissed him, but something was very wrong about this whole thing. As he heard his voice he noticed it was not his own, but the voice of a filly. He had no control of his body, but he managed to get a glimpse of his hooves hugging the dog covering his face in saliva and saw pink fur instead of blue.
What the... He thought.
His mind was beginning to go into a panic. He knew what was going on, but no matter what he did he could not stop himself. And to add to that this dog kissing him felt very familiar, but with something else added to it. Something very strong and delicious. Something that was feeding him just as much as when he was with...
Angel? He asked silently. No, not Angel. Jet! Discord, what did you do to us?
Zuro had given up on trying to gain control of his body and just focused his mind on everything else around him. He could sense Angel and Dili's love radiation coming from a good distance away, and from what he could tell they were with a familiar zebra the ponies once feared. This gave his panicked mind some relief, but everything else he sensed was a mix of everything, but love and harmony and this scared him.
Zuro's eyes looked up to where Discord once stood and found that he had vanished. Jet pulled back and smiled at him as his tail swung back and forth. Zuro's female voice giggled maliciously and started to get up from her haunches, causing Jet to fly away.
"C'mon boy!" Zuro said in his filly voice. "Let's keep things in chaos for daddy while he's gone!"
Jet barked happily as he assumed a position like he was on the ground with his rump over his head as his tail swung with more vigor. She ruffled his head between his ears, then the two hovered away to cause their own chaos in this town while the draconequus was out causing his own chaos elsewhere.
~~)oOo(~~
After a while of increasing the chaos with Jet as Zuro's loving pet, Discord appeared in front of them. Zuro cheered with a happy squeak and jumped up, wrapping her forehooves around Discord's long neck as he hugged the pink filly back with a fatherly laugh.
"Looks like you two have been having some fun." Discord mused.
"Ah huh!" Zuro chirped with a nod of her head.
Why am I so happy to see this creep? Zuro asked silently. All day since the chaos started Zuro and Jet had been transformed and spent all afternoon turning houses upside-down and making giant salt and pepper shakers without magic. Now Zuro was hugging Discord as if he was 'her' daddy and was as giddy as a school filly about it. He was holding nothing back, it was as if he was watching a play with his voice bonded to silence and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Did you take care of the elements?" Zuro asked.
"I certainly did my little abomination." Discord replied.
"How'd you do it?" She asked with a mischievous growl. Discord gave a broad grin.
"Well, I made honesty a liar, laughter a grouch, generosity a hoarder, loyalty selfish, kindness was a pain, but I forced her to be cruel."
"And what bout magic?" Zuro asked eagerly. In truth he really did want to know what happened to the six mares he knew for the last few years, but on the inside the more he heard what Discord did to each of them the more he grew angry. Apart of him did not want to know what happened to Twilight, but his body was eager to hear what 'her father' did to the last threat of to his power.
"She's still cooking my dear." Discord answered. "Soon she will be the opposite of who she really is and the Elements of Harmony will no longer be a problem."
Zuro's eye twitched as she felt a brief moment of control over her body. Discord did not notice this do to the fact he was to occupied with the added chaos of Screwball's hoof work on the town. Zuro felt another spark of freedom overtake him, but it was soon gone just as quick as it appeared.
"Oh look." Discord said. "The changelings have arrived." Zuro's head turned to see two griffons sneezing under one of her pepper shakers. Though her eyes saw another race, his senses saw someone he had been dying to see since the first week Zuro first came to Ponyville.
Gnator! Zuro's mind said while her mouth chimed "Oohhh!" as she bounced with excitement. "Can we go play with them daddy? Please?!"
~~)oOo(~~
Several minutes later Zuro was standing side by side with her pet, Jet with his family standing opposite them. Zuro wanted to run up and hug his brother after spending over three years without even once seeing him. Discord had vanished, no doubt to let chaos build up between Zuro and his family.
Zuro was furious about this whole situation. He was now standing against his family, minus his little sister, and he had now control over his body in order to prevent what was about to happen next. Zuro tried with every ounce of his strength to gain control of his own body over the filly Discord forced him to be.
"Zu, tell me you're in there!" Gnator called.
"Who's Zu?" 'Screwball' Zuro asked.
"You give me back my baby this instant!" Anorum demanded.
"Baby? Didn't daddy make me out of a grown up?" Screwball asked.
"Zuro, I know you're in there somewhere." Vitam stated.
"Didn't he say Zu?" Screwball asked pointing a hoof to Gnator, who was looking more frustrated as this conversation continued.
"Cut it out!" Gnator demanded. "I want my big brother back NOW!"
"Wait." Screwball said. "Zu is Zuro, who is a grown up, who is a baby? This guy you're talking about must be chaotic!" She said as she bounced with joy. "Does he have a marefriend?"
This made Zuro's mind burst with embarrassment and fury. To think that this chaotic being he was being forced to take the form of was interested in him made him want to cringe and hide in a corner till the memory of this day vanished from his mind, which would take a long time so he wanted to go to the pony princess and ask for a memory spell to be cast on him so he would forget every moment of the chaos.
"It just so happens that the one you're taking over has a very sweet marefriend, who I approve of and I would rather spend an eternity in Tartarus than let him be with some creature like you." Anorum stated sharply.
This made Zuro's heart warm up with joy as he heard his mother virtually grant her blessing to her son. Thank you mom. He called, but was not heard.
"Awww." Screwball said as she dropped her head. Then she perked up. "You think I have a chance if I get rid of the competition?"
At that moment she found herself on her back looking up at an angry looking griffon, who was glaring daggers at her. She let out a fit of giggles while Jet barked his head off at Screwball's attacker.
"Now you listen to me!" Gnator ordered. "I may not like ponies as much as Zu does, but I swear by my monarch's name if you do anything to break my brother's heart like that I'll make sure you don't get to see another ounce of the chaos you love."
"Gnator, that's Zuro!" Anorum cried.
"This is not Zu, it's some crazed pony taking over my big brother and I hate it!" Gnator snapped.
"Gnator..." Anorum began.
"Zuro, your mother had a baby girl!" Vitam said quickly.
Screwball looked down at Vitam with a look of shock. Zuro's mind gained more life and strength than before and for the first time today he felt more joy and happiness.
"A new sister?" He asked, still trapped in the body of Screwball.
"Her name is Dulcis." Vitam answered.
"And she was upset when she felt something was wrong with you." Anorum added as she realized what her husband was doing. "Even though she hasn't met you yet, she loves you just like the rest of us."
"Dulcis?" Zuro asked as the eyes of Screwball began to well up with tears. "M-my new little sister, Dulcis?"
"She's with Angel and Dili at your Zebra friend's hut." Vitam said as he walked up to them. Gnator kept his glare on the face of Screwball, but he slowly loosened his hold of her. "You can see her if you come back to us son."
There was a long silence after that and it was apparent that there was a war going on in Screwball's eyes. Jet Blast sat there glaring and growling at Gnator, who was getting up from the filly. Screwball sat up when Gnator finally released her from the ground and at there staring into space. Soon after tears began to escape her eyes and stream down her cheeks and she looked up at the two ponies and two griffons staring at her.
"Mom... dad?" 'Zuro' asked, still trapped in the body of Screwball. "I have a new sister?"
Both Vitam and Anorum let out a cry of relief as Entibus smiled at the three and ran up and hugged Gnator, who let his nerves settle and a smile build up and his face. Zuro was back in his right mind and they all gathered together into a group hug.
Soon after a loud BOOM caught their attention and a large rainbow rose up and back down toward the heart of the town, then made a large shield that engulfed the town and a blinding light soon caused them all to close their eyes. A few moments later they opened their eyes to find themselves in their natural changeling forms and immediately reacted by changing to three ponies and two griffons standing together.
"Did anypony see us?!" Zuro asked as he frantically looked around for ponies that may have been watching. His attention was turned to a flash of green light that blasted towards Jet Blast, who fell to the ground when the light died. Zuro's eyes widened in shock, grief and disbelief when he saw the pony laying on the ground and looked over to see Gnator aiming his head in Jet's direction and his horn disappearing.
Zuro jumped at Gnator with a growl. "Gnator, what in the name of Celestia did you just do?!" He asked.
"Relax, Zu." Gnator said as he raises his talons up defensively. "I only casted a memory spell on him. He will have no memory of seeing us in our natural forms."
Upon hearing this Zuro eased up a bit and turned back to Jet who was getting up off the ground. He looked up at Zuro and smiled.
"Oh, hey Guard!" He called.
"Guard?" Entibus asked.
"Hey Jet." Zuro replied to his best friend. Jet Blast nodded and waved at all of them. "Jet, these are my parents and... best friend." Zuro introduced him to his family one by one, starting with his mother and father.
"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you." Jet said. "I better go check on my family." He then took off toward the clouds saying his goodbyes as he flew.
Zuro then turned to his parents with a large grin on his face. "Now I believe you have a little filly I have to meet!"
~~)oOo(~~
"Can you explain to me why you didn't stick around to see your new sister and spend time with your brother?" Entibus asked as she followed Gnator through the forest back to the mountains.
"That draconequus nearly ended our chances of success in the queen's plan to save us from starvation." Gnator answered. "We have to tell her what's going on so that she can take immediate action before something like this happens again and we loose all hope of escaping our fate."
"What about what you did with that pony? Normally you would've just taken him away and use him as food for the reserves." Entibus observed.
"Would Zu have forgiven me if I did that?" He replied. "I have to keep up his trust for two reasons. If I can't get him to join us when we need to strike then I have to do something about him."
"And the second reason?" Entibus asked as they reached the mountains.
"He loves those ponies and if I took any of them away like that he would be very upset and we'll have no chance of getting him to help us." He explained.
This was a satisfactory explanation for Entibus as she nodded her head in acceptance. She remembered all the things Gnator told her about his big brother and this explanation made sense of why he did what he did, and he was sure that Queen Chrysalis would agree with his motives of his actions.
Soon they came up to the mountain area where Chrysalis remained when she was not overviewing the progress of her growing army. As they approached the peak Gnator was planning out exactly what he was going to say, thinking that he would have a tough time with it at first since the queen told him to take the rest of the day off.
"Here goes nothing."
~~)oOo(~~
Dear diary.
Today was the most chaotic and frightening day of my entire life and I can't believe the outcome of the whole thing. First Angel and I were planning on making this day a pure Dili day and do whatever my little sister wanted to do. Then everything became chaos.
I was changed into a filly against my will, Jet became a winged dog, and this draconequus was the cause of the whole thing.
The worst part of it is the filly I was forced to be was interested in me! Now when I think about it I just want to scream!
Anyway, after all the chaos I learned that I have two sisters now, and Dulcis is absolutely adorable! Already I can feel a strong level of love coming from her.
And there's something else I realized after the chaos when I saw Angel again. She and I have been together for over a year now and I have never felt so much pure love from anypony else. I want to take this to the next level and o start it off I'm going to take her to Canterlot where I will confess what I am to the princess and request her approval for marriage to one of her subjects. I'm not even going to tell my parents what I'm planning because they'll never allow it. Maybe my father will, but my mother with wrap me up in chains thicker than the mountains we live in.
I love Angel and I want to marry her, so as of tomorrow I will begin preparations to visit Canterlot and make my proposal the best she'll remember.
But for now, I'm just going to enjoy the rest of the evening with my marefriend and our little sister Dili.
My plans are all set for tomorrow! Dad came and picked up Dili earlier today, so that's out of the way. As much as I love my little sister taking her to Canterlot tomorrow would probably not be the best idea since I'm going to be exposing myself to the princess in order to ask for her blessing to marry one of her subjects. I feel that this is the best course of action as it may help improve relations between us and the ponies.
Angel is already asleep for tonight, all she knows is that we're going on a date tomorrow at Canterlot. She did get a little sick a week ago, but she's alright now. The funny thing is since then she's been having some strange cravings. Randomly she'll ask for something sweet or anything she wouldn't normally eat and I'm getting a bit curious about it.
Anyway, when she wakes up she and I are going to Canterlot for the day. After everything is said and done I'll ask her the big question! I had to pull a few strings, but I finally got everything set, so tomorrow will be a day she'll never forget!
I'm going to bed now. We have to get up early in the morning and I want my strength up for the day.
Good night.
Zuro signed his diary and put it away next to the rest that have been building up over the years then turned to face the sleeping mare he loved the most on his bed. Her body moving up and down with her gentle breathing as she slept peacefully.
He smiled at the sight of his lover sleeping as he got up from his desk and walked quietly over to the bed. He got to her side and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek, causing her to stir and moan lightly. He smiled again as she continued to sleep.
"I love you, Angel." He whispered.
She moaned in response and he could swear he heard her say the same thing back to him as a reply to his words. He gently slipped himself under the covers with her and when he was settled in she curled up against him, wrapping her forelegs around his chest. He managed to slide his foreleg under her and wrap it around her shoulder and back without disturbing her. Soon enough he found himself drifting off into sleep, ready for the days activities and what they would hold for him.
~~)oOo(~~
The next morning Zuro and Angel got up and ready to go, then headed straight for the train station to Canterlot. Now they were on the train as it came closer to its destination. Zuro noticed that Angel seemed awfully close to him all morning. Not that it bothered him, he rather liked it, but he could not help but wonder if she knew something about his plans today.
"Next stop, Canterlot." The conductor called. "Everypony out for Canterlot." Zuro felt a kiss on his cheek and he turned to see Angel smiling at him.
"Guess this is our stop." She said.
"Mhmm." He replied with a nod. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips before they got up and grabbed their things from the overhead compartment then headed off the train where they were met with a score of rich ponies walking in the streets, some of which were giving them snobby looks.
"So, what are we going to do first?" Angel asked.
"We'll find a cheep hotel, then I have a few things I want to take care of before we head to the stadium tonight." Zuro answered.
"Okay."
They both walked side by side down the road looking for a place he could afford, but soon found that Canterlot was the most expensive place he had ever seen. However they did find a reasonably priced hotel near the edge of the city. They checked in and were directed to their room and when they were alone he reverted back to his changeling form to get everything they needed for the night unpacked with his magic.
After he unpacked what they need Angel came up to him and smiled. "Zuro. I have something I want to tell you."
Just then a clock chimed eleven o'clock and he frowned. "Can it wait until lunch?" He asked. She frowned in response. "I have to go get things set up for tonight. I promise I'll be back by twelve." After a short minute she nodded then he changed back to his pony form and gave her a kiss before leaving.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro was now waiting for the guards to announce him to the princess in the castle. On the outside he appeared as calm as anypony who came to see the princess with a comment or a concern they wished to be dealt with, but on the inside he was as terrified as a foal in a haunted house on Nightmare Night. The guards paid no attention to him, but that still did not help his nerves.
"Zuro?" A guard called. Zuro looked up. "The princess will see you now."
Zuro got to his hooves and trotted over to the guard, then followed him down the hall into the audience chamber where Princess Celestia sat on a throne waiting for her subjects to present their troubles. As he approached the princess she smiled at him warmly.
"Welcome, Zuro." She said in a gentle voice. "How might I be of service to you?"
"Well... um.." Zuro stammered. Celestia waited patiently for him to speak. "Princess, I wish to confess to you that I am not a pony." She raised her eyebrow in confusion. To answer her unspoken question he closed his eyes and allowed his disguise to fade, revealing his true form. The guards jumped into action and aimed their spears at him.
"Stand down!" Celestia ordered. The guards held their ground, but made no farther movement against the changeling in their presence. "Why have you come to me like this?" The princess asked.
"Well... all my life, princess, I've been fascinated by your kind and have dreamed about being a part of your society." Zuro explained. Celestia gave him a look that said 'go on'. He took a deep breath and continued. "Three and a half years ago I came to your country from the mountains beyond the Everfree Forest and have been living in Ponyville ever since. I came here before you because I fell in love with one of your subjects."
"And this pony would be?" Celestia asked.
"Angel Wings, your highness." Zuro answered.
"And does she know you're a changeling?" She asked.
"Yes, your highness. I told her shortly after the Summer Sun Celebration and to this day she loves me." Zuro answered. After a moment Zuro spoke up again. "Your highness, I've come to you in this matter because I wish to ask your subjects hoof."
"Why haven't you approached her already?" She asked with a confused look.
"Because, since I'm not one of your subjects, I wanted to seek your blessing for a union of two kingdoms." He answered.
"Have you spoken to your monarch about this?" She asked.
"N-no..." He answered. "The monarch I knew died shortly before I left and I don't know the one who claimed the title of 'queen'. She assumed the throne some time after I moved out." There was a long, eary silence after this. None of the two spoke as they stared into each others eyes and the guards kept their battle ready positions.
"I don't want any trouble to come between our two races, your highness." Zuro said. "I only want to live as a pony with Angel. She is the love of my life." After a few more minutes of silence Celestia smiled at the changeling before her.
"I applaud your approach in this matter Zuro." She said. "But because you have revealed to me that you are a changeling I'm afraid I have no choice, but..."
"Please princess... I only wish to live as a pony." He pleaded.
"...I have no choice..." she continued. "...but to grant you my blessing." All in the room blinked as Zuro stood there in shock while his mind tried to process what he was just told.
Did she just say yes?
Celestia got up from her throne and rotted down to him with a warm smile on her face, so warm he could actually feel it radiating from her, and it was not the love she was giving him.
"Go to her my little changeling, and make her a happy mare." She said. Slowly a smile grew on his face and he wrapped his forelegs around her, causing the guards to jump until she raised her hoof to calm them. She pushed him to her arm length. "Go to her Zuro."
~~)oOo(~~
Gnator walked out of the throne room with a stern look pasted onto his face. Entibus was standing outside waiting for him and as he marched past her she trotted up next to him.
"Well, what's going on babe?" She asked.
"The invasion begins on the day of the wedding." He answered, keeping his eyes locked on his destination.
"Where are you going now?" She asked. He said nothing. They rounded a corner and she started to grow angry of his silence. He had been growing more closed from the rest, even her since Discord over a month ago. "Gnator, talk to me!"
"You don't need to worry about me." He replied. She stepped in front of him and glared up at him.
"Gnator, if you can't talk to me then I can't see us being together anymore!" She stated matter-of-factly. He blinked at her outburst. "I fell in love with you when we joined because I saw a changeling who needed guidance. I tried to help you, but you have been closing me out more, and more lately, and you're letting your anger get the best of you."
"I'm trying to help save our race and my family!" He countered.
"By going with an invasion plan on a race your brother loves!" She announced.
"He loves his family more." Gnator stated. "If he wants what's best for me, our sisters, and our parents, he'll do the right thing and come back to us."
"You're blinded by your anger, Gnator!" She said. "I can't take it anymore!" He blinked at this.
"What are you saying?" He asked.
"I'm saying if you don't stop now..." she paused with a heavy sigh. "... then it's over between us." He flinched at this and felt as the a pony train hit him at top speed.
"Y... You don't mean that..." He stated.
"I'm done trying to help you, Gnator. You're filled with to much anger and you're to focused on taking back what only another can give. So this is goodbye."
"Go then!" He snapped. "Go ahead and leave like he did! See if I care!" He stormed passed her and continued on with more anger in his stride. She stood there watching him as he vanished in the distance, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I never wanted to leave you." She whispered to herself. "But I can't be with one full of anger to his past like you. Goodbye Gnator." She turned the opposite direction and flew off into the mountains, crying quietly to herself until she was well out of earshot, at which point she burst into full blown sobs.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro and Angel were now seated, in a poor spot, and the large stadium watching the Wonderbolts perform their most gut turning stunts for the audience that came to see them fly. The two cheered with the crowd as the flyers flew toward each other, giving the impression they were intending to collide with the other only to turn away at the last second.
Zuro turned his gaze to a clock tower that could be seen over the audience on the other side of the stadium. Three-fifty five. He though to himself as he looked to Angel, who was enjoying the show. He reached back for his tail and pulled out a small box and looked back up while keeping it hidden.
Soon the Wonderbolts began changing their formation and flew all over the sky leaving a trail of smoke behind them as the twisted and curved through the air. As they continued it became apparent they were forming letters, starting with A. More and more letters were formed and as Angel watched her eyes widened and jaw dropped. While she was occupied with the Wonderbolts, Zuro turned and got down on one knee as he opened the box to her.
Angel, will you marry me?
Angel's jaw was dangling when she read the words the Wonderbolts just created, then she looked over to see Zuro holding the box up to her. Inside the box was a hoof ring with a diamond as blue as her coat molded onto the mettle. She stood there in shock as she looked between his smiling face and the ring as one question flooded her head along with the overwhelming flow of joy swirling in her body. That one question, however, was overpowered by one word that she spoke with one motion, a nod of her head.
"Yes." She said. "I'll marry you." With that Zuro took the ring and slid it on her left hoof, then smiled up at her.
"I love you, Angel Wings." He said.
"Shut up and kiss me, my Guardian." She ordered.
The two embraced each other as they locked their lips in the most passionate kiss they ever shared. The crowd irrupted into applause at the sight of a couple become fiancée to one another and the Wonderbolts flew toward each other then flew up into the sky where they scattered like a firework going off.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro opened the door to their hotel room and let his fiancée in after their dinner together at the most affordable restaurant they could find. When he closed the door behind him she tackled him, smothering him with kisses as she guided him to the bed while he let his disguise fade. They fell on the bed together and Angel released him, panting a little from the heat of their passion rising.
"Honey." She huffed as she kissed his neck.
"Yes?" He replied.
"That thing I wanted to tell you earlier?" She said. She never had the chance to tell him when he got back because they had to get to the stadium for the Wonderbolts.
"What was it?" He asked. She took a deep breath and held his head up to look into his eyes.
"I'm pregnant." She said. Zuro blinked at this and looked down at her belly, then back up. She smiled and nodded at him. It was then that he felt an extra love in the room coming from her. That was why he never realized it before. Because it is hard to depict the foal from the mother when in early stages of pregnancy, but now that he knew she was pregnant he could feel his child growing within her.
"That's..." he stuttered. "That's wonderful!" He lowered his hoof down and gently placed it on her belly and could feel the slightest bulge growing inside her. "How long?"
"Nine months left now." She answered. He smiled at her then planted a sweet kiss on her lips. She wrapped her forelegs around him and locked their lips together, not letting go until she was satisfied with her future husband.
Dear diary.
Today was a day full of pleasant surprises that lead to be the greatest day of my entire life.
First, I put my life on the line in order to get the blessing of the Princess of the Ponies to marry a pony. Then when I proposed to Angel with the aid of the Wonderbolts, after pulling several strings and spending a hefty amount of my saved salary, she said yes. We will spread the word when we get back home to Ponyville, then make plans for the wedding. Then after getting back to the hotel she announced to me that she was pregnant with my child and she was two months in already.
This was the happiest day of my life. I proposed to my marefriend who said yes, then I find out I'm going to be a father. My parents are going to flip when they hear all of this. No doubt mom will have a cow when she hears I told the princess I am a changeling, but I know she'll be happy when she hears she'll be a grandmother.
Anyway, Angel is asleep now and I'll be joining her now. Today was a great day and we wish to finish it together.
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.
"But, bubba said to stay like this when others are around." Dili replied in her pony form while Angel, Jet, and Zuro were all gathered in Zuro's living room.
"I know what I said, Dili, but Jet is a friend, just like, sissy." Zuro comforted. "It's high time he learned the truth."
"Guard, what's going on?" Jet asked. Jet had woken up from Gnator's memory charm and asked the same question and Zuro was at war with himself at that point.
Zuro and Jet were going to start figuring out what was going on with those two workers that disappeared with the black pagasus earlier when Gnator just showed and told Jet the truth, only to wipe his memory of the event and threatened to expose Zuro to the whole country if he did not go to reunite with the other changelings outside of Canterlot for an invasion. When Jet came to Zuro took him straight to his house to tell the truth, starting with Dili.
"But..." Dili started as she shuffled her hooves.
"It's okay, sweetie." Angel nuzzled her cheek. Dili swallowed then closed her eyes, letting her pony disguise drop to reveal the black, crusty shell of her true form.
Jet jumped. "What the...!?"
"Jet! Relax!" Zuro jumped in before Jet could burst out the door.
"She's a mon-..."
"Finish that sentence and I'll give you a black eye." Angel stated. Jet looked up at her briefly before turning back to the young creature in front of him.
"Jet, this is still my little sister." Zuro said calmly. Jet stared at her for a minute before he found his breath again.
"If she's actually like... this... are you...?" Jet could not finish the question with words, so he took his gaze off Dili and turned to Zuro.
Zuro took a step back and let his pony disguise drop and the same black crusty creature in a larger size stood before Jet. Jet looked between the two in utter shock and disbelief. His best friend was some kind of creature that was not a pony and he knew him for four years.
"is your whole family like this?" Jet asked.
"Yes." Zuro answered. "I've been meaning to tell you, but so much has been happening lately."
"And you knew?" Jet turned to his cousin.
"He confessed to me a few weeks after you introduced us." Angel answered.
"Because you two fell in love." Jet stated more than asked. "What are you?"
"Jet, I'd love to tell you the whole thing, but right now my hive is about to make the biggest mistake it's ever made because of our new queen, and I need your help." Zuro said.
"There're more of you?" Jet asked.
"Yes, thousands. But we need to move!" Zuro stated in a more panicked tone.
"What's going on?" Jet asked.
"My hive is about to invade Canterlot, and we need to stop them." Zuro explained.
"What're we standin' around here for?" Jet asked. "Let's go tell the princess!" Jet started to run out the door. Zuro was glad Jet was taking this so well, but they could not just storm in.
"Jet, stop!" Zuro ordered as both he and Dili changed to their pony forms.
"What?" Jet asked confused.
"Canterlot is aware of a threat." Zuro explained. "There's a shield protecting it as we speak."
"Then what do we have to worry about?" Jet asked.
"Because the new queen has managed to get in there somehow and she's taking down the shield from the inside to let my brethren in." Zuro explained.
"How do you know this?" Jet asked.
"Because my little brother, Gnator told me." Zuro answered.
"The griffon?" Jet asked, but then realized a fact. "Never mind."
"So how do we help?" Angel asked.
"you aren't going anywhere when you're so close to birth." Zuro stated.
"But..."
"No. My brethren are only interested in following the queen, and right now the queen is a big, bad, fat, no." Zuro explained.
"So what would you have me do?" Angel asked. "Huh? Just sit around waiting to hear that a changeling armada just destroyed the capital, or died and Zuro the Guardian just disappeared?"
"You're gonna stay here and protect the three, most important things in my life." Zuro answered as he rested his forehooves on her shoulders. She looked up at him curiously. three she thought. "You, Dili..." he rested a hoof on her bulging belly. "... and our foal." She looked into his eyes as her welled up with tears.
"You're talking like I'll never see you again." She said.
"Don't think like that, honey." He leaned in and kissed her. "I will be back for you."
"Bubba?" Zuro looked down at Dili. "You're gonna save bubby, right?" She asked. She knew Gnator was getting himself in trouble. She could sense it in her parents and older brother.
"I certainly will try, Dili." He picked her up in a warm hug. She wrapped her forehooves around his neck, returning the hug with tears. "You take good care of sissy while I'm gone, okay?" Zuro asked. She pulled away and smiled at him.
"Ah huh!" Was her response. Zuro nodded and set her next to Angel.
"You comin' bro?" Jet asked as he waited by the front door. Zuro kissed Dili on the cheek then he kissed Angel.
"I love you." He said.
"Don't get yourself killed." Angel replied. Zuro nodded and turned to Jet.
"Let's go!" Zuro mused and they both flew out the door.
"Where are we going, Guard?" Jet asked.
"We're going to get help from the other pegasi." Zuro answered. "We can't take on my brethren alone and they'll most certainly be expecting us."
"Okay. I guess." Jet muttered under his breath. Soon they could see the great cloud city, Cloudsdale ahead. "Here we go."
~~)oOo(~~
As a white pony, Gnator sat on a cloud watching the town of Ponyville very closely as he waited with high hopes to see his older brother fly out toward his brethren outside of Canterlot. He knew his brother would make the right choice in leaving the ponies he called his friends and family and return to his real family. This was the one and only thing he wanted most in his life for four years.
"Come on, Zu." He said under his breath. "Show me you haven't lost who you really are." Now after four long years he would finally see his brother come home. His brother would help him and their brethren save the hive.
Then he saw the familiar blue pegasus flying out of a house with the red pegasus he had cast the memory charm on only minutes ago. Gnator narrowed his eye. "Why are you still with that pony?" He asked. He followed after the two as they flew toward Cloudsdale.
Gnator glared. "Zu, don't do this." He increased his speed for the great city ahead of the two pegasi before they could get help, his anger rising. He flew past them and hovered between them and the city.
Jet and Zuro flew side by side toward the great cloud city with one intent, to get help to stop the changeling threat. Zuro looked up to see the pony waiting for them and tried to fly around him only to be butted out of his path by the stallion.
"Hey!" Jet billowed. He charged for the pony. Gnator turned and bucked Jet in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Jet grasped his chest, wheezing as he fell to the ground.
"Jet!" Zuro cried as he dived for his friend. Gnator blocked his path by flying in front of him and back hoofing him in the face.
"Let him go!" Gnator barked. Zuro looked up at the pony, first in anger then in disgust as he realized who it really was.
"Gnator!"
~~)oOo(~~
In the dressing chambers of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza the changeling queen, Chrysalis was receiving the final touches of her wedding gown from the white unicorn with an under done hair style.
"That should do it, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza." Rarity said as she smiled at her work. Chrysalis looked at her reflection in the mirror and shrugged.
"It'll do." She sad. "You can go now."
"Of course, your highness." Rarity bowed as she left the room.
Chrysalis closed the door with her magic then she beamed at her reflection in the mirror. On the outside was a beautiful pony princess with pink fur and multi toned hair in a very well designed wedding gown. Roses and tulips lined her hair and the train stretched long. On the inside, however, was a tall, thin changeling with the desire to devour all the love for her subjects.
"Hahaha!" She chuckled. "Soon everything will be in my..." She looked up as she felt something she never felt before. "Anger?" Indeed, the feeling was anger. Anger of her prized solder towards someone very close. "So." She turned to the balcony. "Young Zuro has voted to betray me." She saw her army beyond the barrier of Shining Armor's shield.
"No matter." She said. "The Element of Magic is locked away with Princess Cadence. My army awaits the moment my “fiancée's” shield drop. Gnator will certainly take care of his brother. And all Equestria will be under my control. And all I had to do was cut the supply of love to an all time low and persuade the council to name me queen." She turned back to her reflection and smiled.
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.
Zuro was laid on a stretcher that was being carried up the mountain side toward Canterlot Castle. His limbs sore. His wings weak. His eyes threatening to seal shut for the last time. But he could not let them close. Not now. Not yet.
"W... where..." He started.
"Quiet!" one of the guards barked. Zuro tried to lift his head only to have it fall back from the pain through his body that added extra weight to his limbs.
It seamed to go on for hours before he looked up to see buildings towering overhead, many of which were in pieces and threatening to collapse were it not for the able bodied unicorns joining in to keep them standing.
"W-w-what... happened...?" Zuro began only to be silenced by the guards again. Soon after he heard whispers that steadily grew into shouts from the ponies around them. He turned his head to see most of the guards keeping the angry looking citizens at a safe distance to make sure none could get to the two changelings.
"Let's destroy them!" A pony cried.
"Send them away!" Another screamed.
"Le'me at 'em!" A stallion struggled to get to the changelings with no success against the guards.
"Get back!" The guards barked as they shoved the angry ponies away.
Zuro looked away from the commotion to his own wounds and stared at his black body bruised and scarred from the battle. After a minute he blinked and flinched in pain as he took another look at his body. Black, scaly, and bug like. He was not a pony anymore, he was his own natural, changeling form. The battle had drained his energy so much he did not even realize his body had reverted back to normal.
He looked up to see the castle ahead. A large number of guards posted at every corner with spears and fierce looks of anger, determination, and ready to take a life. Several statues were in pieces and scattered across the area and most every window was shattered. The two pegasi guarding the main gate stood tall and stern.
Zuro groaned as he let his head drop as they approached the castle. The two guards spread their wings to stop the patrol bringing the two injured changelings in.
"Halt!" One guard barked. "What business do you have with these changelings?"
"This two were reported destroying the small town at the base of the mountain." A guard answered. "We're taking them to be locked in the dungeon to await punishment."
"You could be changelings trying to infiltrate the capital!" The second guard barked.
"Why would changelings make an attempt to infiltrate the castle when that shield spell took so much out of them?!" The shoulder countered.
"Stand down!" A unicorn barked as he marched up to them. The two pegasi folded their wings as the head patrolman stepped back. "Let's see." The unicorn said as he studied the guards carrying the two changelings. After a minute he turned to face the pegasi. "Stand aside. They're clean." The pegasi saluted the commander then stood aside to allow the patrol passage into the castle. The patrol proceeded into the castle with their prisoners while ignoring the furious crowd of ponies shouting for the changelings to be taken away.
Zero looked up to the familiar ceiling of Canterlot Castle as the guards carried him through the halls, yet he was not going the same direction he had gone before. He was being taken to a different area in the castle he had not been before. He could only assume that he was being sent to their dungeons with his true identity discovered. The end was getting closer. Soon he heard his brother being carried away down another hall while the guards carrying him continued on. After several minutes they entered a room decorated with white curtains with beds lined at the side walls, half of the beds filled with sick and sleeping ponies and some even had the curtains closed.
A hospital? He asked himself. Why bring me here? A guard called for a nurse and a white made with pink mane came running up until she saw Zero and gasped.
"What is that thing doing here?" She asked.
"For medical attention." The guard answered.
"We don't know anything about these monsters." She stated.
"What is it?" Another mare came up and looked at Zero. "Oh my..."
"The guards want us to help this..." The first mare started.
"Changeling." The second finished, earning a gasp from the others. Zuro looks up at her curiously and tiredly. She looks up at the guards. "I'll take care of him, sirs."
"I'll post a guard at your station to keep an eye on it." The captain said.
"Officer, we have plenty of eyes in this room watching every patient. If you must post guards, I insist you station them outside." The nurse said.
"Joy, I don't think" The first nurse began.
"Red Heart, I'm well aware of your concerns, but my decision is final." Joy Heart said. Red started to open her mouth to speak again, but quickly bit her lip. She had spent many long years working with Joy Heart and knew better than to counter her judgment. Joy heart had far more years of experience at her side and she also had a good amount of knowledge that others did not understand. Anypony who had experience working with her knew better than to question her.
"Miss Heart, I urge you to reconsider your decision about guard post." The captain said.
"No, captain. Either post your security outside the hospital doors or not at all, but I've plenty of eyes and spells in this room alone to ensure the protection of my nurses and our patients." Joy Heart stated perfectly without hesitation or fear in her tone. She was sure of this decision. Perhaps she was getting too over confident in her career to be making rational decisions, but at the same time she knew a lot more about what when on in this hospital, second only to Princes Celestia herself.
The captain let his head drop with a sigh of defeat. "Bolt."
I white pegasus steps forward. "Yes sir?!"
"You get first shift." The captain ordered. "Station yourself and Fleet outside the hospital entry and I'll send replacements before next shift."
"Yes sir!" Bolt saluted. The captain nodded, still unsettled, but satisfied with the outcome. A guard would be posted at all times and eyes would be on the changeling throughout the day and night. Not the ideal choice he would have made, but it was good enough for now. He saluted to Bolt and had the ponies carry Zuro to a bed the nurses pointed out then left with his squad out of the hospital.
Zuro tried to stay awake but it grew impossible to keep that feet. His eyes threatened to close without mercy inch by inch. He felt a gentle hoof on his own that gave him new strength. He opened his eyes and looked down to see the nurse smiling at him. Assuring him it was all going to be okay. He looked into her gentle eyes and saw something familiar. Something he had not seen in years except Angel. This pony was close to him somehow, but he could not figure out where.
"It's okay." She said. "I'll help you." Her words were honest and true and he felt as though he could trust her with his soul. He used most of his strength to nod his head before he let his eyes close and drift into a deep sleep.
~~)oOo(~~
"Please. I have to get in to see the princess." Angel pleaded to the guards posted outside the castle gates.
"Sorry, miss," one of the guards said "but we cannot allow anypony to enter the castle without invitation, nor announcement at this time."
"Please. It's an urgent matter regarding my fiancée." She continued. He shook his head.
"I am sorry, miss." He said. "We cannot allow it." Dili started to cry.
"Please, mister." She said. The guard looked up to the little filly perched on Angel's back. "My big brother is in there and we need to see if he's okay." Tears welled in her eyes. The guard gave a sorrowful look with an added sigh.
"I'm sorry, little one." He said. "But I can't."
"What's this about?" A third guard came up. A unicorn with a firm stance and look. The first two bowed in respect.
"This mare and filly want to enter the castle to seek out a stallion, sir." The first confirmed.
"And because of all that has been going on we can't allow them entrance, sir." The second added. The unicorn turned his gaze to Angel and Dili and examined them closely. "He lit his horn over them and eyed Dili very closely. Angel bit her lip as Dili looked back into his eyes with tears in her own.
"Please, mister." She began. "I want to see my big brother." The unicorn turned to Angel.
"Who is your fiancée, miss?" He asked her.
"Zuro, the guardian of Ponyville." She answered.
"I've heard of him." He said. "The princess has let it been heard that there was a blue pagasus who was protecting Ponyville for the last four years."
"That's him!" Angel stated. The guard leaned closer and whispered.
"He wouldn't happen to be a changeling, would he?" He asked. She blinked and bit her bottom lip. "Miss, I have two changelings in my custody. One of which is in the hospital wing." Her ears fell back.
"He's not..." She started.
"One of our finest nurses is tending to him." He answered. "I don't know if he will survive, but if he does a trial is being prepared for him."
"A trial?" She asked. He shushed her and guided her away from the others.
"He's a changeling that may very well have played a part in the invasion on the castle." He answered.
"He didn't!" She stated in hushed tones. "He tried to stop the invasion. He knew it was coming and tried to stop it."
"I am sorry, but I can't stop what has been decided." He said. "When he's well enough he will be put on trial for this invasion. he may have very well been using you in order to keep Ponyville under observation."
"Bubba wouldn't do that!" Dili cried. "He loves Ponyville and all the ponies.' The unicorn looked up to her. he turned back to Angel.
"I believe he is a good stallion because I don't see a hint of lie or dark intent in her eye." He said. Angel smiled. "But I still can't do anything about it." Her smile died instantly. "I am sorry, miss, but my word against the whole castle won't work. I can talk to the princess and see what she can do, but that's all I can do."
"That is better than just letting him go without a chance." Angel said. After a few minutes she looked up at Dili. "Let's go, sweetie. We'll go find a hotel." Dili looked up to the unicorn and pointed her hoof at him.
"Make sure my big brother is safe." She ordered. He saluted to her.
"Will do, captain." He said. She nodded once then hugged Angel's neck before they walked off.
It was now seven days after the official wedding of the real Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor and Zuro was once again able to feel his power returning to him. His sat up in his bed as members of the Royal Guard came to him with their spears in hoof.
"You're coming with us." The lead said. Zuro inclined his head.
"I will cooperate, captain." He said calmly. He waited for the to tell him when to get up. Two of the guards snapped an iron collar around Zuro's neck with a chain connected to it and he slid off the bed to his own hooves.
"Let's go." The captain ordered. At this Zuro followed his escort through the beds in the hospital wing out into the hall way. The group led him through the castle corridors on the red carpet for several long minutes going left and right before turning down a flight of stairs into the lower levels where the dungeons were located. They reached the lower levels and when Zuro saw the cells he let his head drop with a sigh. He knew the chances of being placed in these cells were there and his mother feared them the most, but he ignored the threat until now.
The guards led him to a cell down the way a bit. One of them unlocked the door and pulled it open. The one holding his leash unhooked the chain and guided him into the cell. Zuro offered no resistance. The guards closed the door and locked it before walking off to their respective duties. Zuro walked over to the other end of the cell where a bench with a cushion atop it was bolted to the wall and eased himself down on it, letting his head rest back against the stone wall.
"Just like back at home, right?" A familiar voice asked. Zuro lifted his head and looked over to his right. There in the cell next to his was his younger brother, Gnator. He lay there on his bench with his eyes closed giving off the appearance he was perfectly relaxed.
"Gnator?" Zuro asked.
"Well, it certainly ain't the Great Goddess herself." Gnator answered sarcastically. Zuro sat up in his bench closer to the bars.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"What do you think?" Gnator replied and lifted his head up to look up at him. "You bound my powers. We're prisoners of your favorite race. The queen and all our brethren are gone. Shall I go on?"
"Gnator, we both know-"
"Shut up." Gnator interrupted. "I get it. I wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't been so blind." He huffed and laid back on his cushion. Zuro felt like he just got a buck to the face again.
"I'm to blame too." Zuro said. Gnator snorted. "No. I mean that." Zuro said as he leaned his head against the bars. "I was too eager to get to the ponies, I left you and everyone else behind."
"But you kept in touch with dear old dad." Gnator stated. He sat up and glared at Zuro. "Things changed after you left, Zu." Zuro looked up at him.
"And how would you know?" Zuro asked. "By what dad told me you abandoned our parents after I left. You turned your back on them when I left you to take care of Dili and mom and also our new baby sister. And for what? Just because you were angry with me for making my life choice!" Gnator gave no response to this. He just stared Zuro in the eyes angrily. After a few minutes of being glared at Zuro lay back on his cushion and stared up at the ceiling.
~~)oOo(~~
"Your majesty, the changeling has been moved to the dungeons." The commander reported to Princess Celestia as she sat on a cushion in the thrown room. She looked up at him and inclined her head.
"Thank you, commander." She said.
"With all do respect, your majesty, why not just have these brutes banished or better yet beheaded?" He asked her. She raised a brow to him.
"There are no execution penalties, commander." She stated regally. "You know that." He inclined his head.
"Forgive me, your majesty." He offered. "I was just-"
"I know your intentions, commander." She interrupted. "And it's only natural considering all that has happened recently." She turned her gaze to her city outside the castle. The repairs already nearly complete in such short time. "Commander," she turned to face him again. "Before the trial I want somepony to speak with the older changeling."
"Your highness?" He asked.
"I've previously engaged this one before." She explained. "I want to know his story before the trial begins." The commander inclined his head.
"As you wish, your highness." He said before he turned around and marched off as he slid his helmet over his head. Celestia watched him walk off to perform the order just given to him. When he was out of sight she heard hoof steps coming her way. She turned to see her sister, Princess Lune with an angered look on her face.
"You are not considering that this creature is not involved in the attack, are you?" Luna asked.
"Sister, I've seen this changeling before." Celestia explained.
"No doubt he was here to learn the castle." Luna mused.
"No, Luna." Celestia countered. "He was here to ask my blessing to wed." Luna opened her mouth to argue further, but stopped dead when she realized what was just said.
"He asked you blessing to marry?" Luna asked, trying to make sense of it.
"Yes sister." Celestia confirmed. "He fell in love with one of our very own. I don't believe he was involved in the attack if he desired to form a union with a pony. And asking permission for interracial marriage." Luna sat there thinking about it. She understood now why her sister was doing what she was doing for this changeling, but she could not figure out why a changeling would want such a thing.
"Why?" Luna asked.
"Think back to when we first became Equestria's princesses." Celestia said. "Almost no pony remembers that the changelings were peaceful back then and were good friends with our race. Ponies began to fear them to the point one of their monarchs made their fears come true. Ever since they've been counted as monsters not to be trifled with."
"And we've never spoken to them again." Luna concluded. Celestia inclined her head. Luna looked up to her white sister. "And you think this one changeling could be the bridge to a new union?"
"Possibly." Celestia answered.
"Who was the pony he wanted to marry?" Luna asked.
~~)oOo(~~
Zuro lay on his bench in his cell with his mind locked on Angel, Dili and the rest of his family. He knew Angel would be protecting Dili like an ursa major with a newborn ursa minor. Though his concerns were high for his parents the knowledge of how well his father can handle things helped ease his mind a little. He ignored the glares of the other prisoners in the neighboring cells as his brother simply read a book in the corner of his cell.
"You, know I'm beginning to see why you fascinated this race so much." Gnator mused. Zuro turned his head to face his little brother who turned a page to continue reading.
"Where did mom and dad get locked up?" Zuro asked. Gnator chuckled at the question.
"Knowing dad, they're probably out of their prison and out in hiding until things quiet down by now." Gnator answered. Zuro could not help but smile at this because even though there was a mocking tone in Gnator's voice, Zuro knew his little brother was telling the truth. Their father was one of the best at getting out of tough spots in his prime.
"Gnator, you know I'm willing to forgive you for all this." Zuro said. Gnator looked up with his brows narrowed.
"Right." Gnator said sarcastically. Zuro sat up facing Gnator.
"I mean it, little buddy." Zuro continued. "We can be best friends again. Just like old times."
"Are we forgetting the fact you bound my powers?" Gnator countered. Before Zuro could answer the question the sound of mettle creaking open filled the air. Zuro turned his gaze to see a lavender unicorn mare with deep purple mane and a star cutie mark walk in, accompanied by two guards. She stopped up at the two changelings cells and looked between them. Behind the obvious fear in her eyes she looked a little excited to see them. Twilight Sparkle. Zuro thought to himself as soon as he recognized her.
"Which one did she want me to review?" She asked. The guards pointed to Zuro. At this one of the guards unlocked the door to his cell.
"Let's go." The guard ordered.
"Looks like they're getting ready to question your motives, Zu." Gnator said as Zuro got up for the guard.
"Quiet, you!" Another guard ordered Gnator. Gnator chuckled.
"Do any of your prisoners fallow that command?" Gnator asked.
"Enough, Gnator." Zuro ordered. Gnator looked to his brother who was now hooked to a chain leash by one of the guards.
"I know you love this race, big bro." Gnator said. "But it's not my world."
"You can at least keep calm while under their custody." Zuro stated. They looked at each other for a good long minute. "Please, little brother. Just-"
"I'll behave myself, Zu." Gnator interrupted as he leaned against the wall to continue reading the book. Zuro was satisfied with this and turned to Twilight.
"I believe you have questions for me, Ms.?" He asked. She inclined her head.
"Yes." She answered.
"Ms. Sparkle?" A guard called. They turned to face him. "If you and the prisoner would follow us." She inclined her head before turning to Zuro. She followed the lead guard while Zuro followed behind her with a guard holding his leash. After a few minutes of traveling through some hall ways they came into a room with a single table with two chairs on either side of it. The unicorn turned to the guard holding Zuro's leash.
"I don't think the leash is necessary, sir." She said.
"Ms. Twilight Sparkle, I don't think-" He started.
"We have four guards keeping watch and he's under a restraining collar." She observed. "I think the leash can be put away for the questioning." The guard looked like he wanted to question further, but after a minute he inclined his head and unhooked Zuro's collar.
"Try anything and you're done." He warned. Zuro inclined his head.
"If you please." Ms. Sparkle said. Zuro turned to her. She was gesturing to the table. "Have a seat and we can begin." Zuro inclined his head and took a seat by the table. She sat in the chair opposite him.
"You remember me from back home in Ponyville, don't you?" He asked. She looked up to him.
"I remember a pegasus with the name you use." She replied.
"Zuro the Guardian." He began. "Came to Ponyville four years ago with almost no knowledge of modern Equestria. Spent months in the library studying history and various other things here and there. Got a job as a cloud wrangler for Cloudsdale with Rainbow Dash as my acting manager. Was thrown a big Welcome-to-town party by Pinkie Pie and became good friends with Jet Blast who was turned into a dog when Discord, the draconaquus spirit of Disharmony." She showed no sign of surprise or belief in her expression.
"No shock you know an awful lot about him." She said. "Changelings have to blend into the pony they impersonate."
"But I wasn't impersonating Zuro, I am Zuro." He defends himself. "I know I can keep saying that with proof and you won't believe me, so I won't persist like most would." This made Twilight incline her head. She pulled out a piece of parchment and quill from her saddlebags and started taking down notes. She looked up to him.
"Princess Celestia informed me you approached her a few months ago?" She asked. He inclined his head.
"I sought her audience to ask her blessing." He explained. She wrote down some more notes.
"What was this blessing?" She asked.
"Marriage to one of your own ponies." He answered. "I've fallen in love with a pegasus mare." Some of the guards glared at him.
"Can you tell me who this mare is?" She asked him.
"I'd rather not exclude her name for her sake." He answered.
"Why is that?" She asked.
"I tell you who she is you'll get her involved when she doesn't need to be dragged into anymore of it." He explained. "I want her left out of this."
"You may have her under a spell or something that makes her loyal to you." She observed.
"I'd never." He stated. "Magic isn't even my strongest attribute. I haven't even lifted a quill in four years." She set her quill on the table.
"Show me." The guards tensed up at this.
"Ms. Sparkle?" One began. She held her hoof up.
"I've temporarily disabled the collar on your neck." She explained. "Show me how well you can use your changeling magic." She instructed. He looked to the quill and ignited his horn. The green light illuminated the quill and it shakily hovered a few inches off the table. He held it up for a minute before taking it and scribble on the table. When he finished he let it fall back to the table and sat back. She looked closer to the scribble and saw the name "Zuro" written there. The writing was loose, uneven and messy as if a foal learning how to handle a pencil with his hooves. She took the quill in her magic and scribbled on the parchment.
"Your magic on moving things is clearly out of practice." She observed. She looked back to him. "But your capability to change is good, is it not?"
"Only one pegasus, Twilight." He answered. "I've been the same pegasus for four years straight. Nothing else." She took down some more notes. She looked to him. "Can you show me?"
"I think the guards had enough with me just trying to lift the quill." He answered.
"Just for a minute." She almost pleaded, looking a little anxious. He looked at her for a minute.
"I don't think that's the best choice in my current situation." He stated. She sighed quietly as she took more notes. He could tell she was upset about this, but on a professional level she was relieved. For several minutes she continued to question him about his part in the invasion and he explained everything from when he and his friends were threatened by his brother to the point he was captured and locked away. All the time he answered her questions she took down more notes. She finished her notes and put her things away.
"That's all I have for you." She said before looking up to him. "The guards will take you back to your cell." Zuro inclined his head and stood to his hooves. The guards hooked his leash up again and they led him out of the room back down the halls to his cell.
Nearly another week had passed since Twilight Sparkle questioned the changelings. The trial was well known throughout the town, but only a few were granted entry into the courthouse for the day of the trial, which was in a few hours. Zuro lay on his bench in his cell reading a book on Equestrian romance. One of his most favorite subjects. He flipped through the pages slowly as to enjoy the contents rather than speed through them. He enjoyed a good book, especially to help pass his time. Gnator was asleep in his cell with a book dropped carelessly on the floor. He was reading a book as well before it lulled him to sleep and he nodded off and the book fell from his hold.
Zuro placed a book mark in between the pages of his book and sat it down for a little bit. He looked over to his sleeping brother and smiled lightly as he thought about the times he would tell Gnator bedtime stories to put him to sleep. He laughed on the inside as he thought that even though he was not the one who read to Gnator this time he still passed right out to a good book. He turned to the sink in his cell and turned on the water to get a quick drink. At this point there was a clank on the gates of his cell. Gnator jumped awake at the noise as Zuro turned to see a guard standing at the bars.
"Time to go, bug." He said. Zuro inclined his head as Gnator groaned to his hooves.
"Time to be executed for invading a free country?" Gnator asked.
"Shut up!" The guard at his cell barked.
"I was only having a bit of fun before being sentenced to death." Gnator mused.
"Little, buddy, the ponies don't have death sentences." Zuro explained as he and Gnator were being leashed.
"So they'll lock us up until we rot." Gnator stated. "Either way we're as good as done. Enjoy this time, Zu, for it will be your last." He stated with a mocking tone.
"I said shut up, you bug!" The guard barked again.
"And when will they get it right?" Gnator asked. "We're not bugs, we're ferries."
"Gnator, knock it off." Zuro instructed firmly. "How the Tartarus did you get like this?"
"Shall I answer alphabetically or chronologically?" Gnator asked.
"Start walking." Another guard ordered. They all began to walk through the castle halls, going left and right of the corridors. Several guards were posted along the way to their destination as they walked by. It was not long at all before they reached a large room filled with a number of ponies seated on columns of seats on either side of a walkway leading up to a large desk with a small chair set next to it on their right. Two smaller desks were set in front of the larger one on either side of the path with up to four chairs for each. Zuro and Gnator were seated on the desk to their right and a third party joined them. A unicorn mare with grassy green coat and neatly done brown mane.
"I'm your attorney." She said. Instantly Gnator recognized the voice and looked up to her. She smiled and winked at him.
"Entibus." Gnator whispered. She took her seat next to them as two stallions came up and sat in the chairs at the other desk. Soon the whole room was filled with ponies who were granted approval to witness this trial. Soon the whole room was full of whispers and a little bit of tension at what was to come. After a few minutes of waiting a guard stepped up.
"All rise!" He stated. "For our monarch and judge, Princess Celestia." All quickly got to their hooves with the exception of Gnator who got to his grudgingly. As all were respectfully standing for their monarch Princess Celestia came in and took her place in the seat at the main desk.
"You may be seated, my little ponies." She said. All sat down as she set her scrolls on the desk. "This trial is to settle a dispute about the changeling, Zuro, who is charged with breaking through our country's border to aid in the invasion that took place in the past few weeks." She looked up. "True Justice." One of the stallions at the other desk stood up. "You may call upon your first witness." He inclined his head.
"Thank you, your highness." He said. "The ponies would like to call the changeling in question, Zuro, to the stand." Entibus leaned to him.
"Don't let him get under your shell." She whispered. "I've done research on this guy and he doesn't go easy." Zuro nodded as he stood up and walked up to the desk next to Celestia. He bowed his head to her.
"A pleasure to see you again, your highness." He said respectfully. She smiled at him. He turned to face a guard.
"Raise your right hoof." The guard instructed. Zuro did as he was told. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you?"
"I do." Zuro replied.
"You may sit." The guard said. Zuro sat in the chair and looked up to the stallion about to question him.
"Mr. Zuro." He began. "Is it not true that you first came to the small town of Ponyville just outside the Everfree Forest four years ago?"
"Yes. It's true." Zuro answered.
"To start studying pony coulter and way of life, correct?" Justice asked.
"The ponies have always fascinated me since I was a child. Yes." Zuro explained.
"And was that knowledge used to learn how your race could invade our capital?" He asked.
"That's not what I was there for." Zuro stated almost too sharply.
"Then how was is that your queen knew about the Canterlot Wedding?" Justice asked with a well hidden smirk.
"Objection!" Entibus called. "According to the records my client left his hive before Chrysalis was in the throne."
"Sustained." Celestia called.
"So, if Chrysalis wasn't your monarch when you left, who was?" Justice asked.
"Around a month before I left, King Rukil had just suddenly passed away." Zuro answered. "No one knows how or why exactly because he was still in great health and no battles were going on at the time."
"So you left because there was chaos?" Justice asked.
"Objection!" Entibus called.
"No, it's okay." Zuro interjected. "I will answer that."
"Then, go ahead." Celestia said.
"Chaos was vaguely growing in our hive, but there was still chaos." Zuro explained. "Nor was chaos the reason why I left."
"Then why did you come to Equestria?" Justice asked.
"It was my sixteenth birthday and my wish was simply to life the rest of my life as a pony." Zuro answered. "I knew it was a big risk on my behalf, but that's what I wanted most. To be a pony." There was a bunch of whispering in the room after this. Justice didn't look to pleased to Zuro's answer.
""No further questions at this time." Justice said before returning to his seat. Celestia turned her gaze to Entibus.
"Does the defense have any questions for the witness?" The princess asked. Entibus stood up.
"I do, you highness." Entibus said as she round the desk. "Mr. Zuro, ever since you arrived in Ponyville you became known as Zuro the Guardian, am I correct?"
"Yes. That's true." Zuro answered.
"And how, pray tell, did you get that title?" She asked.
"At every opportunity that presented itself to me I jumped without thought to save pony lives that were in danger." Zuro answered.
"You actually saved pony lives?" Entibus asked.
"Objection!" Justice stood. "The defendant is a changeling when the Zuro she's talking about lives in Ponyville."
"Who has since the attack on Canterlot vanished from his home town." Entibus countered. "If Zuro the Guardian were still alive he would have returned to Ponyville weeks ago instead of remain hidden."
"Objection overruled." Celestia called. "Please answer the question, Zuro." Zuro inclined his head.
"Yes, I saved lives." He answered.
"Are there any of those ponies you saved here in this room right now?" Entibus asked. At this Zuro looked around the room and spotted a single red pegasus stallion in the audience.
"Yes there is." He answered.
"And would you point that pony out for me?" Entibus asked.
"I'd prefer to keep this one to myself." Zuro answered. "This one's a close friend of mine and I'd like his involvement to remain as neutral as it is." Justice stood up.
"I'd like to remind the defendant he is under oath and is required to tell the truth." Justice stated.
"My client simply said he didn't wish to point this pony out when he already confirmed that the pony is in this room." Entibus countered. "I don't think he's committing perjury."
"The defendant was asked to identify the pony." Justice persisted.
"I merely asked if he could, I didn't tell him to identify the pony." Entibus countered.
"I'm afraid she's right, Mr. Justice." Celestia said. "She never did instruct the defendant to identify the pony."
"Your highness, the pony could be under some kind of mind controlling spell cast on him by this changeling." Justice mused. Immediately Entibus suspected he was up to something, but before she could counter him the red stallion stood up.
"I am not under a spell!" He called out.
"Jet!?" Zuro cried out as the crowd burst into conversation to each other. Celestia slammed her hammer to silence the crown.
"Order!" Celestia called.
"Jet, you idiot!" Zuro called.
"Sit down, Mr. Zuro!" Celestia ordered. Zuro did as her was ordered as Entibus stood up.
"Your highness, I'd like to point out that my client has been unable to use such magic for years as has been proven by Ms. Twilight Sparkle in a review last week." Entibus observed.
"I'll allow it." Celestia said. "It was been proven by my student that this changeling could barely use his magic to write with a quill." Justice growled under his breath. "If there are no further questions, the witness may step down."
"No further questions here, your highness." Entibus said as she went back to her seat.
"I have a question." Justice called.
"You may proceed." Celestia said. Justice stepped up to Zuro.
"Mr. Zuro, is it not true that you got in a fight with the pony you claimed to save?" Justice asked. Entibus stood up.
"Objection!" She called.
"Overruled." Celestia answered. "Answer the question."
"Yes it's true." Zuro answered.
"Nothing further." Justice said as he started to walk back to his desk.
"But it wasn't what you think." Zuro called out. Justice ignored him as he sat back down.
"Does the defense have an further questions for the witness?" Celestia asked.
"No, your highness." Entibus answered.
"Then you may step down, Mr. Zuro." Celestia said. Zuro got up from the stand and walked back down to his seat. Celestia looked up to the defense desk. "The defense may call its first witness." Entibus stood up.
"I'd like to call Jet to the stand." She said. Zuro looked up to her as Gnator smiled.
"No!" Zuro whispered.
"Oh, this should be good." Gnator said.
"Mr. Jet," Celestia called "would you please step up to the stand." Jet got to his hooves and walked through the crowd up to the stand. The guard came up to him and read him the oath which he agreed to before sitting down. Entibus stepped up to him.
"Would you state your name to the court, please." She said.
"Jet Blast, ma'am." Jet answered.
"And how do you know Zuro?" She asked.
"He's my best friend and fellow associate at the cloud factory." Jet answered.
"And when you first met you did get into a fight?" She asked.
"Yes, ma'am." He answered.
"Would you describe the event from your perspective?" She asked.
"Well, the first day I saw him four years ago I thought to myself 'there's a fighter' and I went up and bumped into him hard so I had an excuse to get angry and started to fight him. One heck of a fighter if you ask me."
"And how did that turn out?" She asked.
"He wan the battle and I explained to him my reasoning for fighting him and ever since we've been best buds." He answered. "We always had each other's back and we spent an awful lot of time together."
"And that was the only fight you two were in?" She asked.
"Against each other, yes." He answered.
"But ever since then you've fought side by side." She said.
"If ever there was a fight, yes." He answered.
"And how long have you known he was a changeling?" She asked.
"That's a truth he kept from me up until the day of the attack." He answered. "You could say I was mad at him for lying to me for so long, but that's not the case because I understood why he did."
"And that is?" She asked.
"Because who's to say I wouldn't turn him in before I got to know him?" He asked. "I've known this stallion for four years now and he's never, ever given me any reason to doubt him before, why should I stop trusting him now? I mean I fought side by side with him against his own brother, for Celestia's sake." Zuro cracked a smile at this. Satisfied, Entibus returned to her seat with a thank you to Jet. Justice stood up.
"Mr. Blast, could it be possible the changeling's lying to you right now?" He asked.
"Objection!" Entibus stood again. "I'll point out that my client has been completely cooperative and truthful ever since his arrest. He's never questioned nor resisted any instruction given to him by pony guards or anything."
"Though it could be a tick played by him to make us think we can let our guard down." Justice countered.
"My guard is always at one-hundred percent, Mr. Justice." Celestia stated. "And Zuro's magic is insufficient enough to influence a mind. I'll sustain the objection." Justice snorted. He looked back up to Jet who appeared to look frustrated with him.
"No further questions, your highness." Justice said and returned to his seat. Jet got up and returned to his seat in the audience.
"Are there any further witnesses you'd like to question?" Celestia asked. Just stood up.
"The ponies would like to call Ms. Angel Wings" he began causing Zuro to tense up and look back. "but she's not here and could quite possibly be under some kind of influence caused by this changeling." Zuro growled as Entibus stood up.
"Once again I'll point out the fact that my client is unable to influence ponies due to his unpracticed magical feat." She stated.
"She's correct, Mr. Justice." Celestia stated. "We've already established this before. And if the witness is not available now you may proceed with your final statements." Justice stepped out in the open.
"The ponies would like to call Gnator to the stand." Justice stated. Gnator chuckled at this as Zuro turned to him.
"Bud, don't do anything stupid." Zuro pleaded.
"Big brother, I maybe angry at you, but I'm not stupid enough to let some punk pony get the best of me." Gnator said as he stood up and walked to the stand. He was given the oath and sat down with a smirk on his face.
"Mr. Gnator, is it?" Justice asked.
"As you'll ever be." Gnator answered.
"What was your roll in the invasion?" Justice asked.
"I actually wasn't in the invasion." Gnator answered. "I was too busy trying to get my big brother to join us."
"And he accepted, correct?" Justice asked. Gnator chuckled.
"I wish." He answered. "I threatened him, which I'm not proud of, and he still said no. It's what led us to our big fight."
"And that fight caused a lot of damage, right?" Justice asked.
"What major battle doesn't cause damage?" Gnator asked. "Plus I highly doubt that our little fight caused as much damage as the battle in Canterlot itself."
"That wasn't the question." Justice said.
"A few broken branches and some crumbled up mountain side." Gnator stated. "I hardly think that's sufficient enough to call a lot of damage."
"And how did it end?" Justice asked. "The guards came and intervened, am I right?"
"Nope." Gnator shook his head. "Zu used up his strength and bound my powers." Justice smirked.
"May I remind the court that the defendant, Zuro has been proven to be weak in his magical capabilities." Justice said. "And such a feat as binding one's powers is an extremely high one."
"Not when it's a changeling casting this kind of binding spell." Gnator stated with a smile. Justice looked back to him. "Yes, it drains all our energy to the point we're soar and weak, but it isn't hard to cast it. Even a newborn could cast it if he had enough energy." Entibus stands up.
"I'd like to point out that in a nurses report, Zuro was extremely weak, he was lucky to be alive." She said.
"Noted." Celestia said.
"No further question." Justice said as he sat in his seat. Entibus stood up.
"So, Zuro bound your powers, nearly sacrificing himself in the process?" She asked.
"Eeyup." Gnator answered smugly.
"Does the fact that losing your powers because of your brother anger you?" She asked. Zuro narrowed his eyes at this.
"Oh, I'm extremely furious at him for everything." Gnator said with a smile still on his face. "But I still would never kill him."
"Would you?" Justice asked. Gnator narrowed his eyes at him and leaned forward.
"I'll put it this way." Gnator began. "His my big brother, and even though he left the hive, joined you ponies, fought against his own hive to save you ponies, I am angry with him, but I'd still never aim to kill him."
"Yes and no." Gnator answered. "I personally feel betrayed by him, but in all actuality the only betrayal he committed was against the queen. Who only was queen because she cheated her way in."
"Nothing further." justice stated as he sat down.
"Does the defense have any questions?" Celestia asked.
"No, your highness." Entibus answered.
"Then the prosecute may make his final statement." Celestia turned to Justice who stood up.
"In the matter of Zuro and Gnator the changelings I believe this court has determined that both are violent and treacherous creatures who have caused nothing but damage and chaos in our country." He began. "Zuro abandoned his hive for another life. Who's to say he won't do the same thing again? And Gnator has done nothing but double cross his fellow clan. He admitted to locking his own family away, and he dishonored his monarch in this very room. I think it's fare to say these two should be locked away in the deepest dungeon or banished to the farthest regions. I pray that justice is heard here today and is met." He turned back to his seat and sat down with a smile on his face.
Entibus stood up and cleared her throat. "Though my clients have been proven to be questionable I feel all of us have some wrong we've done in our pasts" She began. "But it has also been proven that Zuro is a protector. On countless occasions he has saved pony lives, even when odds were against him. He even was willing to fight his own flesh and blood in order to keep the peace. I urge all to see past their grudges and see Zuro for what he really is. And as for Gnator. He has openly admitted his faults to what he has considered to be his enemy and is now without magic. I feel he is no more a threat than a bird is to a cat. I feel these two should be given a chance." She sat down.
Celestia looked over her subjects in the room. "In light of this hearing I must place this court on recess until high noon today. Dismissed."
~~)oOo(~~
High noon had arrived and all were once again seated in the court room. Celestia came in and sat down at her desk. As she sat the rest in the room followed suit. She looked up at her subjects with a sorrowful look.
"This kingdom has long lived in peace for thousands of years." She began. "And I am obliged to keep that peace." She looked up to Zuro and Gnator. "Zuro and Gnator." They stood up at the call of their names along with Entibus. Each wearing a look of fear on their faces. "It has been made clear to me each of your intentions and I have reached a decision do to your actions. I'm afraid the decision of this court is that you two are to be banished from Equestria." The crowd sighed a great sigh of relief at this. Celestia silenced them with her hammer. "You will be taken from my country by way of escort to the outer regions and should you return you will be punished further by the law of Equestria." Zuro let his head drop as Gnator simply shrugged. "Guards, please escort them out." She left from her seat as the guards came and leashed the two up and guided them out of the court room. As they went al the ponies cursed them with smiles of victory and justice.
It was over. Gnator would finally be free from the ponies and Zuro would never see his family and friends again. Jet Blast protested against the guards who were taking them away as Entibus approached him to try and calm him down. Zuro and Gnator were taken out of the court room and led through the castle to the dungeons where they would wait to be taken away forever.
It had been three long, painful weeks since the trial for Angel and Dili. Zuro must have managed to keep little Dili a secret from the guards because none had come looking for a young changeling filly since the sentencing and Zuro and Gnator were shipped our of the country. Jet Blast had locked himself in his home the day after the trial and has not been seen since. All of Ponyville seamed saddened by the fact that their pegasus protector was no longer there to help them in a pinch, but relieved the last of all the known changelings were driven out of the country.
In the three weeks since the trial Angel had heard nothing from anypony or any changeling about Zuro or his family. She was most devastated, especially for little Dili. The little filly needed somepony to look over her now, so she took it upon herself to adopt Dili as her daughter. The foal she carried was due in a matter of days, now. The question was if she could handle a filly and a foal without a father to care for them? Angel was now making her way home from the mayor's office with Dili by her side, both looking sad and lonely. Dili looked up to Angel.
"Do you think Bubba's waiting for us at home now?" She asked. Angel sighed.
"I don't know, sweetie." She replied. They continued down the road, being greeted by the ponies they passed, but almost never offered a reply. After a while of walking they reach the turn that led to their home as a commotion began to sound through the town. Angel and Dili looked up to find the source of the noise. They followed the sound down the main road where ponies were gathering close toward the main entrance. Angel pushed her way through the crowd with Dili right by her side. They got through and say two pegasi face to face with each other. One was, without a shock, was none other than Jet Blast.
"C'mon you!" Jet barked. "Let's see what you got!" The pegasus in front of him was well built, his coat a brilliant sky blue while his legs starting from the knee joints down to his hooves became a deep blue and his main and tail were pure white with a strip of grey lining down his locks. And hid cutie mark showed the image of a cloud with wings. He smirked at his opponent.
"Give it up, hot shot." He said. "I've fought worse than you."
Angel shook her head in annoyance. The one thing her cousin always did when facing a new, tough looking pony he would look for an excuse to pick a fight with said pony to see how good they were. More often than not he would end up with his flank in the dirt and a black eye, but on occasion he would leave with a smile. She turned to Dili.
"Come on, sweetie." She said. "Let's go home." She started to walk back before she noticed a huge grin on the filly's face as she watched the two pegasi. Angel looked back to the two and saw Jet throwing punches at the newcomer who was dodging every swing. Jet took another great swing, throwing his entire body into is. The newcomer jumped over Jet and pat hid head with a wing as he flipped in the air and landed perfectly on the ground behind his opponent with ease. Jet smiled as he turned back to the newcomer.
"You're good." Jet said.
"Well I should be after twenty years." The newcomer said.
"What?" Jet asked. "Did you go to some kind of fighting school, or something?"
"Something like that." He answered. "My parents had me trained to fight since I was a foal."
"What? Your family wanted you to be a warrior?" Jet asked.
"Nah. Just not a victim." The newcomer answered. "The name's Cloudy Feathers."
"Jet Blast." Jet replied as the two hoof bumped. The crowd gave nods of approval as they began to disperse. Jet turned his gaze and noticed Angel and Dili. He smiled and turned back to Cloudy. "C'mon. I want you to meet my cousin, Angel Wings." Cloudy looked over to where Jet looked to see Angel with Dili still watching them. Angel looked as though she was trying to piece something together while Dili looked completely overjoyed. The two stallions began walking up to the two girls. Cloudy stood in front of Angel and smiled at her as she looked deep into his eyes. At that moment something clicked in her eyes as a small gasp escaped her lips.
"Zuro?" She whispered. Cloudy smiled and lightly inclined his head. After a minute she smiled wide and embraced him in her front legs. Dili bounced in place "How did you-" She began.
"I'll explain later." He interrupted. They loosen their hold of each other and she smiled up at him.
"I was just talking my daughter, Dili home for lunch." She gestured to Dili who smiled up at Cloudy and reached up for him. He picked her up and smiled at her, nuzzling her nose affectionately. "Would you care to join us?" He looked up to Angel.
"Sure." He answered. "I'm always up for a good meal with new friends." She smiled and turned to guide them to her home. Cloudy helped Dili climbed up on his back and let her play with his feathers as he followed Angel through the main streets a house settled not too far from the town playground. Angel guided them to the front door and opened it to let them in. Once all four were inside Cloudy let Dili down just in time to catch Angel as she lunged at him, wrapping her front legs around him as she locked her lips with his causing him to stumble back a few steps before he steadied himself and leaned into the kiss. Jet smiled at the sight as they held the kiss for a minute before letting each other go.
"How the hay did you get back here?" Angel asked.
"The Princess set everything up.' Cloudy answered as he allowed his green flame to engulf his body and return to his natural, changeling form.
~~)oOo(~~
After the recess for the trial was called Zuro and Gnator were being led through the castle halls, but they were not being led back to the dungeons. Instead they were being led through to a different part of the castle in the upper levels. They were taken into a room were only four guards with Celestia at a table in the middle of the room while all the rest were stationed outside.
"Take a seat, please." Celestia requested. Zuro obliged her, but Gnator just stood there. Zuro looked back to him.
"Brother, please." Zuro pleaded. After a minute Gnator sat down in the seat next to his brother. The two looked up to the princess, curiosity in Zuro's expression while Gnator simply looked bored.
"I've had you brought here to discuss some things with you two, Zuro." Celestia explained.
"Such as?" Zuro asked.
"Well, I see no reason to banish you two now." She answered.
"Oh, that's rich." Gnator snorted. Zuro shot a glare at him.
"Gnat, knock it off." Zuro ordered. Gnator rolled his eyes.
"As I was saying," Celestia continued, "I don't feel any reason to banish you two. However, I can't let you go without causing my subjects to grow extremely angry and rebellious."
"So, banish us." Gnator said. Zuro glared at him.
"Let her speak." Zuro barked quietly.
"It's okay, Zuro." Celestia said. "I know he's upset right now." She turns to Gnator. "There are other ways in settling this dispute, Gnator." He looked up to her. "I'll make it so you two can remain as you please, but in the publics eye you'll be banished far from this country." Zuro looked to her.
"Like the pony protection program?" Zuro asked. Celestia inclined her head.
"Similar to that, yes." She answered. Zuro smiled. "But, it will take time before you can go back to Ponyville."
"Anything it takes to get back to Angel." Zuro said. "But I want the same thing for my brother and the rest of my family." Gnator looked to Zuro in slight shock.
"I'm afraid without your brother's powers that won't be easy." Celestia said.
"There's a way to fix that." Zuro stated. "But I don't trust to have it done until we know he'll behave." Gnator chuckled.
"I agree." Celestia said.
"Alright, fine." Gnator said. "I'll do better." Zuro smiled at him. Though Gnator was being a little snobby about it Zuro could tell he meant what he was saying. Zuro turned back to face Celestia.
"Who else knows about this plan?" He asked.
"Apart from those in this room, only my sister, Luna." Celestia answered.
"And she's willing to help?" Zuro asked.
"She's working to keep your fiancée away from all this." Celestia answered. "That's why she's not here at the trial right now." Zuro felt nothing but overwhelming joy at this news.
"Thank you so much for that!" Zuro called. She smiled at him as she inclined her head. "Now what are we to do?"
~~)oOo(~~
"She called me into a private room with only a hoof full of guards and set everything up for me and Gnator. After the sentencing we were taken out of the capital and place in a quiet area where we could recuperate until things quieted down then I could come home."
"What about your family?" Angel asked.
"Gnator and Entibus are getting things set with them so they can find a new home in Equestria too." Zuro explained.
"But Jet told me you made it so he couldn't change anymore." Angel observed.
"That's only permanent if left alone, but there are ways to end the binding." Zuro answered. "They're going to get that settled then they're going to set up new lives." Angel inclined her head before turning to Jet who stood next to Dili.
"Did you know about this?" She asked him.
"Not until earlier today." Jet answered. "I got a letter this morning and I saw an opportunity to see if he hadn't lost his touch. And I was right. You can still fight." He said to Zuro.
"Well, Gnator Taught me a few tricks a week after the sentence." Zuro said. "I think he and I have settled the feud now."
"That's awesome!" Dili exclaimed. Zuro smiled at him. "So, are you staying for good Bubba?" Zuro crouched to her level.
"Count on it, little sister." He said as he scratched her chin. She bounced in his hold, hugging his chest warmly. Everything was once again perfect. The war was over. Their family was getting back together. There will be a new member to the family any day now. And the princess was on their side.
The Name's Cloudy Feathers and today I just moved into Ponyville! There's an awesome, red pegasus stallion named Jet Blast who picked a fight with me as soon as I set hoof in town then later introduced me to his beautiful cousin, Angel Wings. And she has a daughter with one on the way. She could give birth any day now. In fact she just started having contractions!
The father apparently is no longer in town and most likely won't return for a long, LONG time, in which case I'd gladly aid her in caring for her young. I do love foals and have some experience in handling the little bundles of joy, so I'm excited about this whole thing.
Oh boy! I can't believe how things turned out in just one move!
Zuro put away his new journal on the shelf in the guest room. To help keep up the appearance of a new pony being aloud to stay in a home he would have to live as a guest instead of just continuing a relationship as a pony nopony ever saw before. As far as everypony knew he was a completely new pony who immediately made friends with two pegasi, so that is the look he would have to keep up until things settled down. He wished he could simply return to getting ready for the wedding he and Angel spent months planning after such a grand proposal in Canterlot, but all that changed when his hive fallowed Chrysalis in attacking the Equestrian capital. Zuro looked over to his little sister who was sound asleep on his bed and he smiled.
I guess I can't call you my little sister since Angel adopted you and she'll be my wife now. He thought to himself. The thought of calling little Dili his daughter would Take some getting used to, but he was not entirely against the idea. He truly did care for the little one and would gladly call her his own for any reason and since he was currently cut off from his parents she would need others to care for her until times changed.
Angel struggled in through the door taking deep breaths as she favored her large bulge. He looked up to her and got up to help her. "You okay, honey?" He asked. She shook her head with a silent groan.
"The contractions are getting worse." She groaned.
"Is it time?" He asked calmly yet excitement in his tone. She looked up into his eyes showing mostly pain in her own. "I'll take that as a yes." He observed. In an instant he transformed into his new pony form guise. The noise caused Dili to stir before he had a chance to turn and wake her from her peaceful sleep. He crouched down next to her head. "Dili, sweetie." She groaned in response. "Wake up, sweetie. Sissy's having the baby." She open her eyes.
"Huh?" She groaned.
"Come on, sweetie." Cloudy said. "Angel's having the baby." Dili's eyes perked open.
"It's time?" She asked. He inclined his head.
"Ah!" Angel gasped. Cloud turned to Angel at the sound of her cry then back to Dili.
"Hop on, Dili." He said as he offered his back to the little changeling who hopped on his back as she changed to her little pegasus form. He then turned to Angel and took her foreleg in his to guide her out of the room through the house and outside. As soon as they left outside the house the cool air hit their faces causing Dili to bury hers in the pegasus' mane. Cloudy closed the door behind them and turned to a wagon in the front yard he had rented just in case this happened. He guided Angel on the wagon and sat Dili beside her. "Keep her warm, little Dili." He said. Dili inclined her head and cozied up to Angel who was breathing hard and deep as she lay a hoof on her belly. He then moved to the front of the wagon and hooked himself onto the saddle and began pulling the wagon with gentle haste away from the house.
~~)oOo(~~
As Luna's great moon shined through the bedroom window adding its radiant glow to the faint candle light illuminating the room Jet Blast finished brushing his teeth and preening his feathers for the night before bed. He walked out of the bathroom and into his own bedroom where his bed lay by the wall waiting for him to fill the sheets. Jet began walking toward his bed waiting for him. He lifted the covers off and was about to slide under when a noise outside caught his attention. He looked to the window and opened his ears to better hear the noise. It sounded like old wooden wheels rolling close and quick. He moved away from his bed to the window and opened it to poke his head out to see the source of the sound. Coming from down the road was a wagon being pulled by a pegasus with what looked like a pregnant mare on it. Jet narrowed his eyes.
"Gu- ah... Cloudy...?" He asked himself. Sure enough, it was the new pegasus staying with his cousin coming his way. "It must be time!" He said with newfound excitement and energy as he jumped out of the window and glided after them. He landed by Cloudy and trotted to keep up with him. "What's up, bud?" He asked.
"She's in labor." Cloudy answered. "I'm getting her to the hospital." Jet hopped in front of him and stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Red flag, Big C." Jet urged.
"We don't have time for this." Cloudy countered. "She's in pain."
"And what happens when the foal's born and looks more like..." Jet stopped himself and looked around to make sure nopony was in earshot before leaning close. "... a changeling?" The fear of the risk was visible in Cloudy's eyes at the question.
"I can't help her myself." Cloudy whispered. "I'm not skilled in magic."
"Then we take her to Zecora." Jet said. Cloudy shot a glare at him.
"Oh no!" He stated. "The Everfree is the worst place to take her now."
"Then we bring Zecora to her." Jet suggested.
"Whatever you do, do it now!" Angel grunted. Both stallions turned to her then back at each other.
"I'll get Zecora, you take her inside my home." Jet ordered. Unable to disagree with that Cloudy inclined his head and unhooked himself from the wagon as Jet bolted at top speed to the forest.
Cloudy helped Dili off the wagon and set her on the ground next to him before turning to Angel and helping her off the wagon. He had her lean on his side while he draped a wing over her back. He faced Dili. "Go open the front door, kiddo." He instructed. She inclined her head and ran up to open the door and held it open for them to enter. He guided Angel into the living room and had her lay on the floor against a couch.
~~)oOo(~~
It was quiet within the walls of the tree made into a home with several shelves decorated with bottles, bowls, vials and plants of every variety wile a single zebra stood on one hind hoof with her two forelegs raised at either side of her with her eyes closed. Deep in meditation and cut out from the outside, the wise zebra did not hear the sound of flapping wings gradually increasing in volume by the second. A few seconds later the door slams open, the start causing the zebra to jump and fall on her flanks with a thud.
"Zecora!" Jet called looking through the room before finding her getting up from the floor. "What're you doing down there?" He asked. She shot him a look of annoyance.
"You bust in my home. That much is sure." She said. "But why this late hour you come through my door?" She asked.
"Angel's in labor." Jet answered. She looked up at him again. "Cloudy has her at my house right now. I stopped him before he got to the hospital." He explained. Instantly Zecora grabbed a few items and placed them in a sack before she turned to face him as she slid the sack over her shoulder.
"Though I am of the earth we must get there before birth." She stated.
"Hop on my back." Jet said as he turned to the side. "It's the fastest way." She inclined her head and climbed on his back. He then left the zebra's home and flew off through the forest back to Ponyville.
~~)oOo(~~
"Argh!!!" Angel screams our in the largest contraction she had yet felt in the night. Cloudy Came back with a wet wash cloth and rested it on her forehead.
"Easy, sweetie." He said. She shot a sharp glare at him.
"You try going through labor!" She screeched. Dili stepped up and nuzzled Angel's side.
"It'll be okay, Sissy." She said softly. Cloudy looked to the front door.
"Where are you, Jet?" He asked. Angel groaned in pain causing Cloudy to look back down to her and take her hoof in his own.
"Get him out!" She cried as she squeezed his hoof. He groaned in pain from her grip. Dili could not help but giggle.
"Bubba, your face is funny." She said.
"Thanks, Dili." He said through his teeth, now more than ever anxious for jet to get back with Zecora. A few minutes later the door opened and jet came in with a Zecora who wore a wide eyed look on her face.
"You are quite skilled in flight, yet how do you go without such fright?" She asked. Jet was about to answer before Cloudy's groaning and Angel's screaming caught their attention.
"Less talk..." Cloudy groaned. "... more help." Zecora rushed up.
"This time will be most foul." The zebra said before turning to Jet. "Get me a bale of water and towels." Jet inclined his head and left the room down the hall out of sight. Zecora turned to her sack and pulled out a small bottle and held it up to Angel. "You must drink this fast if you wish the pain not to last." Angel struggles a little before taking the bottle and drinking it all. Immediately she began to settle down and Zecora, through her endless supply of rhymes, instructed Cloudy to remain at Angels side while Jet and Dili helped with towels and her sack of supplies.
Soon it was time for Angel to put in her effort and start to push. Zecora gave her the go ahead as she got herself in position with a strict and serious look on her face. Dili was moved away from view and stood next to Jet as Cloudy held Angel's hoof as she gave birth. After what seamed like hours of agonizing birthing Zecora put on a smile as the sounds of a screaming newborn filled the room. Angel panted hard while Zecora cleaning the bundle with wet and dry towels and calmed the newborn down before carrying it up to the mother while smiling at Dili.
"With all the effort from your older siblings, my little one..." Zecora began as she turned to Angel. "You now have a wonderful son." She held the bundle up to Angel, the blue face of a curious looking changing with a single black curly cue on his forehead poked out from the blankets to see the outside world. Angel took him in her hold as Cloudy placed a blanket over her. She smiled at the baby changeling hybrid in her hold as tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. Cloudy allowed his guise to fall to reveal his true changeling form.
"Hey buddy." He said through a whimper of joy. "What are we gonna call him?" He asked Angel. Angel tickles his chin with her hoof.
"Bluejoy!" Dili hopped up. "He's blue and he's giving us all joy." Angel smiles at the idea as Zuro pets her head.
"Good idea, sis." He said before turning to his son. "Bluejoy."
