Cloud Zapper and the Forgiven Soul

The cell he was kept in was dark.

He wasn’t dead, and they were even feeding him. In the gloom, sometimes deep within the night, he could hear the groans of other ponies. The sounds of their pain and torture. It was unlike any torture that Cloud Zapper had heard of, but it was torture nonetheless.
Changelings had to feed to survive; he knew the basics of how they worked. They could drain the love from a pony by force, and that was what they were doing, one by one to the prisoners. Those that resisted lasted longer, the draining took more time, and the food was rationed. They WANTED ponies to resist. He remembered it was something to do with their digestion of love, that the faster they absorbed it, the faster they’d digest it and the less time they’d have of it nourishing them. So they needed to eat slowly, to make sure they kept the food coming for longer periods of time, rather than gorging themselves. So instead of just draining them all, they did it one at a time, and they did it painfully, and scarily, trying to make the pony terrified for their life, trying to make them squirm and scream, and trying to make them resist.

They hadn’t yet made their way to Cloud; he had yet to taste the bite of their magic. The cell he was in was hewn out of black rock, the floors were rough, the walls were jagged and sharp, and the bars were barely more than interconnected spikes that ran from floor to ceiling. The only way he could find in or out was a hatch in the roof that he had been dropped down into once the Queen had finished her monologuing.

His thoughts turned back to those moments, thinking about the words he’d heard and prophesies that had been revealed to him. There were sadly a lot, and Cloud’s memory wasn’t good enough to remember each and every one. He thought there were four, if he recalled correctly. The first was the Sacred Heart Prophecy, long since considered complete, only for him to discover that it was anything but, and simply heralded future events yet to transpire. The second he’d remembered had been something about a ‘Gifted Crown’, and the third had been about a ‘Forgiven Soul’. The fourth was the easiest to remember, it was the one Chrysalis had read out for him, so when he thought of it, it was her maniacal words that filtered through his mind. It started with ‘Once three were gone’, that told him that the first three prophecies needed to be completed before the final one could come true, or at least, he hoped that’s what it meant. There was also something about a throne, and the ‘fall of Golden Sun’. He could make a guess that whatever she was doing was going to target Princess Celestia. But what about the other two? His brain hurt.

Cloud Zapper was an Inquisitor not a Mystic Guard. His duty in the Royal Guard did not often require him to think to such extents as this, so he was predictably bad at figuring this out.

Sighing to himself he glanced around his cell once again, wondering if there was any way he could actually get out of this, his green eyes looked around the room, scanning, hoping to find something that his previous fifty looks had missed. If he could get out, he could take what he’d learned to the Princesses, and they’d be able to actually do something about the prophecies and the threats. But first, he somehow had to escape.

He looked around for something to use, but sadly they’d stripped him of his gear. He felt oddly naked without his armour, though for most ponies that weren’t a problem, but for him? He found himself feeling quite vulnerable.
The dull air seemed to have a light breeze through it, suggesting that there was an exit nearby. If he could only find a way out of this place, then it wouldn’t take much to escape. He was a Pegasus, so getting up to the hatch wasn’t the problem, it was opening it. It only opened from the other side.

Cloud Zapper lay on his back on the uncomfortable floor, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about how he might escape, and when no answers sprang to mind his thoughts began to wander.

He should have told somepony where he was going, he realised that now. The only one that knew was Generic Blue, and he wouldn’t divulge that location to anypony. He was a smarmy and greedy bastard, but he was also tight lipped. Someponies might try bribing him, thinking that they could buy the information of his whereabouts. But Generic dealt in favours and secrets, he wasn’t too much into material wealth. Besides, nopony knew that Cloud visited Generic so often. The only pony that might have a chance at figuring it out was Captain Sunride. The stallion knew Cloud well enough that he knew Cloud had an informant, and he was smart enough to know that the best informant in Canterlot was Generic Blue, so maybe he’d be able to track down Generic and get answers, but the price of that information would be steep. Generic enjoyed his friends, and those that owed him favours, and thus he would never give up such information lightly, and the price might be more than the Royal Guard was willing to pay.

The bars were thick to get out on this level, the door wouldn’t open from this side to get through the top level, there were no windows and the room was naught but black stone. He had to start considering the possibility that he wasn’t going to make it out of this.

BANG!

The sound made the stallion jump and look around, the sound of buzzing Changeling wings met his ears as the bug-like devils whizzed down the halls about him and beyond the bars. There was another loud crash and there was a shaking that vibrated through the walls and the floor. Something had made a very big bang, and it was causing all manner of chaos.

The place began to take on a kind of emerald diffuse glow that seemed to be coming from almost nowhere, it was like the inside of the hive was waking up, becoming more active and preparing, like its defences were suddenly up and alert. Another crash struck nearby that had Cloud’s ears perked up, trying to find out what was happening. He rushed to the bars and craned his head, trying to look around in the hopes of getting some idea as to what was causing the commotion. A wrenching sound nearby drew his eyes to the hatch in the ceiling, and with a snap it opened wide and a familiar red face looked down at him, grinning, the pearly white teeth of the stallion was startling in the gloom, his red mane stuck up from behind his head in a militant Mohawk, and his deep blue eyes gave Cloud a tight feeling in his gut that could only speak of security, if not safety.

“Gonna stay down here all night, ya pansy mare?” Captain Sunride said with a mischievous grin.

Cloud rushed up, through the hole, being helped by the Captain that pulled his hoof.

“Oh, you came?” Cloud spoke nonchalantly, “You needn’t have bothered. I was just about to make my escape.” He said, grinning at the Captain who just smirked back.

The Captain’s smile spread across his face. “Sure you were.” He said with a grin, nudging him with his shoulder. “Now come on, we’re getting out of here.” He said, turning away.

“What about the others?” Cloud asked quickly.

“Others?”

“Yeah, in the cells I heard screams; I think there are other ponies in here.”

Captain Sunride looked at him for half a heartbeat before shrugging. “They aren’t the mission, you are, and boy, are you in some shit when we get back.” He said, shaking his head piteously.

As Captain Sunride turned away to keep walking, Cloud grabbed his hoof quickly, pulling him back. “Captain…please.” He said softly. “For me, let me help them.”

The hesitation that passed through the Captain’s thoughts was palpable in the air before he sighed, nodding.

“You owe me so much for this.” He grumbled, turning in the other direction.

It turned out there were indeed many more prisoners, almost fifty in fact. They were emaciated, and weak, some had been left in their cells with those that had died, forced to sleep only a few hooves from rotting corpses. The two of them smashed the locking mechanisms of the doors, opened them up and let those that could fly out, and picked up those that couldn’t. The problem they soon encountered was that some of the prisoners were incapable of supporting themselves. Many couldn’t fly very long and many could barely run or even move. Many were lame and injured, needing to be carried. Help arrived in the form of a three pony squadron, headed by Sergeant Ebony Blitz. She was a Unicorn Mare, as most Mares’ in the Inquisitors were. The Inquisitors took their ranks from the esteemed members of the other Guard Factions, applying to the Inquisitors wouldn’t get anypony in; they had to be invited or drafted. The Aerial and the Militia Guard both only accepted Stallions, but the Mystic Guard accepted Mares, so sometimes a Mystic Guard would be chosen for the Inquisitors, giving a few Unicorn Mare’s in the Inquisitors with the Stallions. They were not to be taken lightly. To enter the Inquisitors would require the highest capabilities, but it was also very specific. Just being really good wasn’t enough, it required being very good in the field. So for Ebony Blitz to have been chosen, she would need to specialise in defensive and offensive spells that were very useful in the field. And Cloud Zapper could attest that there were fewer things more deadly than a Unicorn with a high combat capability arsenal of spells.

Ebony Blitz had a dark ebony mane, matching her name, her cutiemark was a stylised sword and shield, and despite being stoic, firm, strong and a no-nonsense sort of mare, her coat was a bright pink. Nopony in their right minds ever talked about her colouring to her face, well, actually, nopony talked about it period, she was that scary sometimes they often didn’t dare. Besides, she’d earned a lot of respect in her exploits.

“What’s going on here?” She demanded, despite the Captain being of a higher rank, she wasn’t the kind of pony to hide any negative feelings in her tone, so when she spoke to Captain Sunride, it was harshly, and demanding.

“We’re-”

“We’re freeing the other prisoners.” Captain Sunride said in an authoritive voice, his words interrupting Cloud Zapper’s confession quickly.

“That is not the mission.” She said, her eyes narrowing.

“With their food reclaimed, not only do we save lives but we likely put a major dent in their capabilities to feed their army in this hive, thereby dealing quite a blow to their forces whilst in transit with our mission.” He said firmly, speaking as though it were his idea, and not Cloud’s request. Cloud knew what he was doing; Captain Sunride was saving Cloud’s hind-quarters from further issues when they got home. The grey stallion chewed the inside of his cheek as he considered this situation. He’d get in major trouble if it was found he’d convinced them to deviate from a direct mission order, but Captain Sunride would only receive a stern warning. Cloud was already in deep trouble when he got back for leaving without permission in the first place, and disobeying a direct order from the princesses in the process. He was mightily grateful that Captain Sunride was doing this for him.

“I’m going to include this in the report, you understand?” Sergeant Ebony Blitz remarked, her brow furrowing in warning.

“I’d be disappointed in you if you didn’t, Sergeant.” Captain Sunride proclaimed. “Now help us rescue these ponies. That’s an order.” He said firmly, to which Ebony nodded, helping a pony stand while her two guards beside her, both of them under her command, aided some other ponies. Together, the five of them began helping the prisoners out.

“Where’s the rest?” Cloud grunted, supporting a limping unicorn as they moved through the green and black corridors of the hive, looking for the nearest entrance.

“Trickshot’s round the other side of the hive, he’ll probably be joining us soon.” Captain Sunride grinned, despite the effort of carrying an Earth Pony on his back, the dark grey coat of the stallion looking dull against Captain Sunride’s vibrant red. Unfortunately the stallion on the Captain’s back couldn’t walk, his front legs ended in bloody stumps at the knee, he’d need major medical attention when they got him to safety.

“Trickshot?” Cloud asked dubiously. “Just him?” He questioned as a note of worry permeating his voice.

“Yup.”

“So there’s Trickshot, and us?”

“Yup.” Captain Sunride replied again in the same casual tone.

“Five here, one back there. Six ponies against a Changeling Hive?”

“Exciting isn’t it.” Captain Sunride smirked at him.

Exciting was NOT the word Cloud Zapper would use for this situation, so he tried to pick up the pace, but in doing so a powerful lancing pain up his chest ripped through him, making him almost stumble.

“Are you okay?” Captain Sunride asked, looking concerned.

“Y-yeah.” Cloud said, grinning a little through the pain. “No problem.” He said, glancing down at his chest. On his left side, halfway up the breast was a dark spreading blotch that could be easily seen through his grey coat. He was bleeding internally, likely from a shattered rib or some kind of injury that the Changeling Queen had bestowed on him during their fight, a wound that had now become worse due to straining himself with movement. “Okay…” Cloud began, giving a light smile. “Maybe not so good.” He fell down onto one knee, grunting as the pain began to spread; it was becoming hard to breath.

Ebony Blitz suddenly rushed over, her horn glowing as he felt her magic wash over him for a moment.

“He has a shattered rib, it’s punctured one of his lungs, it’s collapsing.” She said horridly, grabbing the pony off of Cloud’s back before pulling him onto her own back, despite already carrying one other pony. Cloud thought he was about to collapse before the strong form of Captain Sunride was against him.

“Relax.” Ebony said firmly, making him look at her. “It’ll hurt to breathe, but you need to take breaths anyway, but make them shallow, trying to inflate the lung could cause more damage. You can survive just fine with only one lung working, but you have to be careful, breath shallow, and keep moving, don’t tax yourself, and DON’T go into shock. If you let yourself go into shock, you could slip unconscious and not wake up.” She turned away, moving with difficulty as she carried the two ponies on her back.

Cloud, leaning against Captain Sunride, began moving slowly, trying to put some distance between them and the Hive.

“How are we not being chased yet?” Cloud panted as he stumbled a little, he was beginning to feel dizzy due to oxygen not being circulated properly in his body, but Captain Sunride kept him standing and moving.

“Trickshot is really good at diversions.” Captain Sunride remarked with a bit of a smirk. Cloud couldn’t help but chuckle a little, an action he immediately regretted as pain lanced through his chest.

A rushing sound met his ears and an orange pony with a pure white mane rushed by and landed with a skilful skid along the dirt. Trickshot looked up with yellow eyes.

“Diversion’s fallen, sir.” He said rapidly. “They’re on their way boys, saddle up!” He called out.

“You heard him, to arms; get these ponies out of here.” Captain Sunride called out, roughly shoving Cloud until he found himself leaning against Trickshot instead. “Get the package out of here, and get these ponies to safety!” He barked.

“I can still fight.” Cloud Zapper shouted out, his brow furrowed. He’d never run from a fight before, and he wasn’t going to abandon everypony now.

“No you can’t, you’re the package, we came here for you. So we are completing this mission. Get to safety, and make sure those ponies get to safety with you.” Captain Sunride’s tone left no room for argument, so Cloud, with Trickshot helping him, got to the other ponies. One of the decently strong ones, helped support him, and together they walked. He knew there would be an extraction area nearby; they wouldn’t expect them to escape Changeling territory on hoof of course, so they just had to reach it. Sergeant Ebony Blitz stayed with them, while her two underlings, Private Shining Spear and Private Auburn Leaf stayed with Private Trickshot and Captain Sunride; the four of them intent on holding off the Changeling’s advance. Ebony would help Cloud take care of the other ponies if it was needed.

They reached the crest of a rocky hill, looking down there was a path of almost half a mile where at the bottom in a clearing sat a transport carriage with waiting Aerial Guard ready to leave. They only had to reach it.

Of course, this was around the time the buzzing of fast flapping wings could be heard from behind them, approaching rapidly. Cloud Zapper looked over his shoulder and watched as the Changelings suddenly rushed towards them. The ponies wasted no time in defending themselves. Captain Sunride jumped up, his spear sliding out from the holder on his armour, smashing into the first Changeling that came close. Trickshot ducked his maw into the grooves of his armour, sliding out blades in his maw. With a swift flick of his head, he let them fly, throwing them through the air with great precision. The sharp instruments sliced through the wings of three of the Changelings, causing those that were wounded to fall down to the ground with bloody thuds.

Ebony Blitz took the more direct approach, when a Changeling charged at her. The instant it got in range, her horn began to glow, a powerful shield erupted in front of her for the Changeling to crash into with enough force that there was a powerful crack and its neck twisted at an odd angle before falling down to the ground with a thud. She barely had a reprieve before another struck her shield, she lowered it just in time to conjure a sharp blade made out of magic, spearing it forward through the Changlings chest, it squealed in pain before slumping to the ground along with its dead kin.

One of the Changelings slipped by their defences, Cloud widened his eyes as it struck him, driving him to the ground, sending a massive lurch of pain stabbing through his chest. He yelled out in pain, looking up as the Changeling pinned him down, its bright blue eyes glaring into him with jagged jaws that opened wide, snarling as it prepared to tear out his throat. He picked up a stone with his hooves and just as those jaws thrust down, the stone was lodged in; smashing several teeth from his foe before his hoof struck the Changeling hard, forcing it off of him. He got up, reared on his hind legs and smashed down powerfully, feeling the skull of his enemy crunch from the blow. Cloud turned to the others, gathering his breath as he panted in pain.

“Move!” He called out, moving faster towards the extraction point. Cloud’s chest burned brightly with the pain of his internal wounds, and he knew he was unfortunately taxing himself beyond what he should. But he couldn’t slow down now, they didn’t have enough of a reprieve for him to simply lie down and rest. The armoured ponies of the Royal Guard fought their way down the hill, Changelings pouring from the hive after them, becoming more and more numerous by the second. Cloud Zapper was quickly forced to ignore the pain in his chest and his difficulty in breathing, as the numbers became too much for everyone else to manage. He ran to Shining Spear, taking the stallion’s sword so he could defend himself. Thankfully, Shining Spear himself had a dagger he was much more comfortable using that a sword. Cloud turned, gripping the pommel of the blade in his jaws as a Changeling rushed towards him. He deftly sliced upwards, the blade arcing up, glinting in the light before slicing through the throat of the Changeling; the fallen foe flew through the air as it died, over Clouds head. Cloud had less than a moment before he was forced to defend against the attacks of another. He ducked under its blows, sliding underneath the Changeling and opened its belly, spilling viscous green guts to the ground. Another Changeling jumped onto his back before he noticed it was there, a sharp pain lanced through his shoulder as it bit down onto his shoulder viciously, making Cloud yell out in pain. The Pegasus Guard almost collapsed for a moment before the weight of the Changeling was suddenly lifted, the Changeling being forced to the ground, pinned there by a spear that had struck its side. Cloud turned, gasping, to look at Captain Sunride who rushed up to him.

“Get in!” The stallion demanded, hustling Cloud and the other ponies into the transport carriage. The Aerial Guard were defending themselves too, but thankfully they were well trained, one of them in particular grappling a Changeling with his bare hooves, flipping his foe to the ground, bracing its body with his back hooves and twisting its neck with his fore hooves, breaking its neck. Ebony’s Privates both jumped onto the carriage, followed by Ebony herself who used her magic to defend them. Captain Sunride and Trickshot took to the air with the Aerial Guard pulling the carriage, and together they flew up and away from the Changeling territories, those that dared follow them, were quickly cut down.

They’d made it, and with no casualties. It was the best they could all hope for. Cloud lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling of the Transport Carriage, panting softly. His chest had grown a horrid purple from the internal bleeding, and there was a ringing that persisted in his ears. His eyes began to close as exhaustion overtook him, voices called out to him from beyond the weariness, but he wasn’t quite sure what they were saying, he felt hooves on him, but they were rough and annoying, and he didn’t know quite how to tell them that he just needed to sleep. That all he needed was rest, and that his chest didn’t hurt that much anymore…which was a good thing, right?

The slumber became too inviting, and soon enough the darkness took him, and for a little while at least, Cloud felt nothing.

*

Pain lanced through Cloud.

It started small, barely permeating the emptiness that he had found himself in. He hadn’t dreamed, he hadn’t really thought of anything, he was just there, floating in the darkness of the void. Peaceful. Then, sensation began to return to him and Cloud found himself aware of his body, aware of his thoughts. He first noticed the pain, a deep throbbing fire in his chest that slowly built, then the throbbing spread around his shoulders, particularly the left one, before it settled up in his head where it began pounding like the drums of a Fillydelphia concert.

“GARGH!” He awoke with a yell, clutching his chest and gasping for breath. The pillow below him was soft, the bed was quite nice, and the sheets that covered him were thin and clean. His chest however felt sticky, there were bandages around him and he looked around to find himself in the medical ward of the palace. His yells seem to have alerted a doctor to his condition, because it wasn’t long before a pink mare with a deep red curly mane stepped in wearing a white nurse’s outfit. She padded right to the IV that fed into his left hoof, fiddled with the dial a little bit and within moments, the pain began to recede.

“Better?” She asked kindly. Cloud could only nod in response.

“How are you feeling?” She asked professionally, taking out a torch and shining it into his eyes to check his response.

“Like I got hit by a carriage.” He grumbled miserably

“Anything else?” She asked, pressing a cold stethoscope to his chest, the coldness making the stallion hiss slightly in shock. She listened to his heartbeat for a moment as she waited for him to answer.

“My...my hooves feel tingly…and I have a headache.”

“That’s expected.” She informed him kindly. “You lost a lot of blood; we had to give you a transfusion.” She smiled softly. “You had three fractured ribs, and one shattered one, it perforated your left lung and caused a collapse as well as internal bleeding.” She said, still smiling warmly. “You also had a fracture in your skull, and several nasty bruises. You must have fought pretty hard.” She said, smiling down at him.
He shrugged, grunting from the pain the movement caused.

“Ah yes.” She chuckled, glancing at his shoulder. “And a bite of course, though it wasn’t deep.”

He sighed. “Did the other prisoners get out?” He asked, hoping that everything else had gone okay.

The mare simply shrugged. “You should ask your Captain, I’ll let him know you’re awake.”

He watched her leave, breathing a little easier. It was hard, and hurt in his chest, but nothing compared to what it had been. Obviously they’d done a good job in fixing him up. Cloud’s thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of a red stallion with a similarly coloured mane. Captain Sunride looked down at him with a smirk.

“Hey.” He said softly. They both stared at each other for a moment, blue eyes staring into green as the two stallions enjoyed the quietness of each other’s company. Though it wasn’t long before it became a little awkward, and Cloud turned away, his cheeks flushed a little. Sunride cleared his throat discretely and sighed. “So,” he began, obviously not really knowing what to say.

“What happens now?” Cloud asked softly, trying to act casual even though he knew it would likely involve a stern reprimand.

“You heal.” He shrugged, obviously avoiding the subject.

“And after?” Cloud urged, his brow furrowing at his Captain.

Sunride sighed softly, shaking his head. “After…after, you go before the Princesses in an official Hearing, where the consequences of your actions will be decided.”

Cloud’s stomach fell, but he had pretty much known that this would be the result. He just hoped that when he pled his case and told them what he had found out, that it would be enough to secure him at least some level of leniency.

“Look just…get better, okay?” Sunride asked, looking a little worried. Cloud scanned his face, noticing the length of his coat, as though it hadn’t been properly kept recently, and that his usually perfectly kept mane was frayed and longer at some ends than it usually would be. His eyes also looked tired. Sunride had probably been waiting for him to wake up, and Cloud realised he’d probably refused to leave until that had happened. He gulped and smiled.

“Hey, I’m okay. And I can handle the Hearing.” He said, speaking with more confidence than he actually felt. Captain Sunride nodded and straightened himself up.

“Well you better.” He said before smirking. “The group won’t be any fun without you. Give it a week and Moonlight and Breeze’s bickering will probably make me wish I was back rescuing your sorry butt.” He grunted before smirking.

Cloud could only chuckle as his Captain took his leave. The grey stallion lay there, staring up at the ceiling as he sighed, thinking of what was to come. He only wished that it wouldn’t involve a big punishment. The idea that his position in the Inquisitors could be revoked scared him half to death.

Cloud Zapper had been a member of the 45th Inquisitor Squadron since he’d completed his training. Originally applying for the Militia Guard, the Inquisitors had seen his talents and quickly pulled him into their ranks. Since then, he’d entered a life he could only have ever dreamed of. Instead of staying around the Palace and Canterlot, directly protecting the Princess and the Capital City of Equestria as he had intended, he’d been placed into one of the 50 Squadrons of the elite Inquisitor Guard. Instead of waiting for trouble to come knocking, he went out and sought it, taking down labelled targets and threats to the crown. He’d found himself moving all over Equestria. He’d faced Dragon disputes at the border of the Badlands, hunted Thieves around Canterlot and Cloudsdale, and took up arms against an invading force of Minotaur from the Northern lands.

Each time had been an assignment, his group sent out under the command of Captain Sunride, taking them to different lands at the Princesses request and settling disputes either through negotiation, or force. But they were always labelled missions. Always corroborated assignments with actual intelligence gathered about each situation. This time, Cloud had forgone any Intelligence; he had ignored previous assignments, and had disobeyed a direct order…all because of a bad feeling in his gut about a prophecy, and the words of a thief.

Forget losing his Inquisitor position, he’d honestly be surprised if he wasn’t thrown in prison.

*

The Hearing was about to begin, and Cloud Zapper found himself standing in the Royal Throne Room. The hall was lit by the streaming sunlight that filtered colourfully through the stained glass windows; each window depicting a significant moment in Equestria’s history, some recent, and some very, very old, but all of them beautiful. Their light shone down with rainbow hue’s that danced along the floor and walls, casting strange shapes in the shadows. Cloud stood on the red and golden carpet that led from the large doors up to the throne where the Princesses sat. Bother Alicorns looked down at him with faces that might as well have been masks for all they told him about his upcoming fate. Behind him, either side of the red carpet sat the rest of his Squadron. There were seven of them in the 45th.

Captain Sunride led them, next in line of his command was Sergeant Moonshine followed by Cloud Zapper himself with the rank of Corporal. Directly below Cloud, was Private First Class Starlight Breeze. The final three were just Privates, Trickshot, Stonehoof and Melody Song.

They all stood behind him, waiting for the Princesses to speak to him. Despite behind him, he could feel their presence, as though they were standing beside him, the 45th Squadron, looking up at the Princesses in solidarity. Both Princesses looked regal. Celestia, the primary ruler, stared down at Cloud with a face that made Cloud feel like he should be bowing. Regality and strength poured from the Alicorn like an aura. Her sister was no less Regal, but in a different way. Her posture, her colours, and the look in her eyes spoke of a mare capable of war. A mare that was strong, able to be kind, but if the need came to it, battle hardened and able to pick up a blade in defence of her fellow ponies. Cloud felt less inclined to bow to Princess Luna, and more inclined to follow her into battle.

“Corporal Cloud Zapper of the 45th Inquisitor Squadron of the EUP Royal Guard.” Celestia finally addressed, her voice echoing in the large hall they stood in. “You are charged with disobeying a direct order from your sovereign, illegally passing into another sovereign’s territory, and subverting your duties. How do you plead?” Celestia asked firmly.

“Guilty.” He admitted, seeing no reason why he should lie when all claims were true.

“Before a sentence can be decided, you will have permission to state your position and reasoning.” She allowed.

It was a gesture that he was quite thankful for, she could simply decide his fate unfairly, but she was allowing his time to speak. Of course, he had been expecting that. Celestia had the capacity to be a strict ruler, but she was always fair. Cloud Zapper took a step forward, breathing deeply. A light twinge of pain in his chest told him he wasn’t yet healed completely, but the two weeks in hospital had certainly helped his recovery. At least now he felt well enough to go back to work, or at least attend this Hearing.

“I am guilty of the crimes you lay claim against me.” He said loudly, admitting his folly. “I did indeed enter Queen Chrysalis’s domain without invitation, I did leave for such a place without permission, and in direct violation of an order that you yourselves gave me.” He sighed. “And in doing so, I did ignore my duties that were required of me here in Canterlot.” He looked up at them, trying to humble himself. “But I would never do such a thing without great cause.” He looked around himself at his fellow Guard before he spoke his next words, choosing them carefully. “As Royal Guards, it is our duty to protect Equestria from harm. As Inquisitors of the Royal Guard it is our duty to seek out those that may threaten the peace of this nation, and stop it from destroying lives, and potentially, the lives of our Sovereign.” He turned to the Princesses, looking at them with a sombre expression. “I learned from an informant of a rising threat in the east, of a prophecy that was thought fulfilled and thus cast aside, but had instead yet to be completed, and so threatened the peace that we protect.” He sighed. “I did not trust my informants words alone, so I researched said prophesy, finding many inconsistencies that might suggest that it may indeed still be active. I had…a gut feeling; a gut feeling that if I did not delve further and gain answers, that we would all regret it.”

“Who was your informant?” Princess Luna asked, her brow furrowing curiously.

“The information was provided to me…by Generic Blue.”

Luna’s brow raised in shock before her features changed to one of anger. “You disobeyed our orders on a feeling and the words of an underground swindler?!”

Cloud gulped and nodded. “But with respect, he is more than a swindler.”

“Oh I know what he is. I know who he is.” Luna said scornfully. “He is a snake, a manipulating snake with his hooves in every coffer and his ears in every household. He is nothing short of a thief.”

“And?” Celestia asked curiously. He looked up and met her eyes. When she spoke to him, unlike her sister, she was calm, collected and seemed to be showing him some level of respect, or at least, not outwardly showing her displeasure. “Did you find the answers to your feeling? Were your actions warranted?”

Cloud knew that Celestia’s kindness would not sway his punishment if the judgment came down to it, but he was at least grateful that she did not hate him for what he did.

Cloud Zapper gulped before he answered. “More than I would like.” He took a deep breath, ignoring the ache in his chest as he did so. Cloud then began to speak, telling them about Chrysalis and everything that he remembered about the prophecies, including the one that had previously been thought to be fulfilled. He spoke until his mouth was sore, even describing how he was rescued. “I am not sure how they found me, but I would probably be dead if they didn’t.” He said, glancing at Captain Sunride and giving him a soft smile.

“We told them.” Luna said, her anger seeming to have faded a bit, but she still spoke with a level of sternness to her tone. “When you were reported missing, I recalled your request, and forwarded that information to your captain. He seemed under the impression that considering how passionate you were about the situation…that you might end up doing something stupid.” She said, her eyes narrowing, her gaze and works bringing a flush to Cloud’s cheeks. Was he really so predictable?

“So you see, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna.” He concluded slowly, pushing away from the subject of his idiocy, “I am guilty of the crimes you lay on me, but I do not regret my actions.” He looked up at them, hoping they now understood why he’d done what he did. “And I can only hope that the information I have brought you today is in any way a comfort for your ability to prepare for what is to come. Because I think war is coming to Equestria. War in green flame.”

* * *

Cloud Zapper’s room felt smaller than it had been when he’d left for the Changeling Kingdom. He looked around it and began picking up the odd pieces of rubbish that he had laying around his bed. He dumped them in the trash, and sat down on his bed. He glanced up, seeing that his closet was closed. Standing up he padded over to it, opening the doors with a loud creak. His armour sat there, polished and ready for him. Somepony had put it away for him, even taken the time to clean it up. But it didn’t look perfect. On the top of the helmet there was a dent, one of the blows he’d received from being thrown at a wall, and probably what had fractured his skull at the time. He ran his hoof across it; remembering what he’d been through at the hooves of the Changeling Queen.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

He turned to his still open door at the pony that had decided to drop by. Captain Sunride’s features showed he’d obviously gotten a great deal more rest, and any sign of his previous dishevelment was now only committed to memory. Cloud’s eyes ran over the stallion’s form, trailing over the flank that was currently hidden by the golden Royal Guard armour. Cloud found himself chuckling at a thought that cropped through his head.

“How do you do it?” He asked the red stallion, smiling at his Captain.

“Do what?” Captain Sunride asked, looking a little confused as he entered the room.

“You go in a hundred battles, you face overwhelming odds, I end up in hospital, and you come back without a scratch.” Cloud remarked, trying to sound playfully indignant.

“Well usually, I practice the ancient art of ‘not-being-where-my-enemy-is-trying-to-hit’.” He smirked. Captain Sunride had one of those muzzles that couldn’t pull off a smirk very well; it came off more like a playful sneer or a cheeky grin.

“Maybe you can teach me it sometime.” He sighed, sitting back down on his bed.

Captain Sunride took off his golden Guard helm and put it aside, sighing softly. “You know why they did it, don’t you?” He asked softly.

“Yeah, I know.”

“Hey, suspension isn’t as bad as what you could have gotten. You’re still an Inquisitor; you still have your job and livelihood.”

“I know.” Cloud replied, sighing softly. “I get it, I really do. The words of an enemy of the kingdom, a thief, and a gut feeling aren’t tangible enough evidence to relieve me from being punished for my crimes.” He grumbled, rolling over onto his side. “But at least they’re taking it seriously.” He said with another sigh. “At least they’re looking into it more.”

“True.” Captain Sunride said softly, a hoof lying on Cloud’s side, stroking there lightly. “I was worried about you.”

Cloud rolled over, looking at him again. He gulped. “You were?”

Captain Sunride nodded, a shy smile touching his lips. It was a look that Cloud couldn’t help but chuckle at. Here there was a large strong stallion that was excellent in combat and the veteran of many battles. He was a veritable war machine as far as leaders go, and suddenly he looked as shy as a school-colt.

“Why does it feel like this is more than just visit from the Captain?” Cloud asked, biting his bottom lip, already feeling some familiar stirrings inside him.

The Captain shrugged. “Do you want it to be?” He asked, his voice a note of curiosity, with a little awkward shyness.

“That depends on the end goal.” Cloud asked softly. “If we’re talking; you jumping my bones right now, I can go for that.” He said, chuckling when Sunride somehow turned a deeper shade of red. “But if you’re talking about something…more…” He let the sentence hang there as they both sat in silence.

The silence between the two stallions spanned about thirty seconds before Captain Sunride closed the distance between them. The stallion’s lips met Clouds, and Cloud melted into the embrace, murring softly as he kissed the other stallion back. Captain Sunride slipped on top of Cloud’s body, pressing against him as they lay on the bed together, kissing each other eagerly, their tongues wrestling for dominance as they groaned into each other’s lips. Cloud could feel the sweat between them, the heat of each other’s bodies as the excitement grew, already tightening the grey stallions sheath enough to have his member poking out a little to greet the cool air.

Captain Sunride was the first to break the kiss, trailing his lips in soft butterfly kisses that made Cloud giggle a little, trailing those kisses down his cheek and to his throat. Cloud shuddered, biting his bottom lip as a heat flared from each of those kisses, making him shudder in need. He glanced over Sunride’s shoulder, noticing the door was still open.

“W-what…” He panted, trying to get the Captain’s attention.

Sunride stopped for the moment, panting above him as he pulled away. “D-did I do something wrong?” He asked, panting heavily from his own excitement. His own level of enjoyment quite apparent from the shaft that lay exposed and limp against Cloud’s stomach. He wanted to touch it, to caress it and slip his mouth over it, listening to his captain moan and shudder under the attention, but he refrained, holding back his urges.

“The door.” He said simply, smiling a little at the stallion on top of him. To Cloud’s surprise though, Captain Sunride looked disappointed.

“I’ll let you rest then.” He said, slipping off of him. Cloud’s eyes widened before he shook his head.

“No, I don’t want you out the door; I want you to close it. It’s open.” He smirked, nodding towards it.

Captain Sunride glanced at it, blushed bashfully and chuckled. “Oh…yeah.” He padded over to it, pushed it closed and bit his bottom lip in a way that made Cloud almost melt at how adorable it was.

“Captain-” Cloud began.

“Please.” Sunride chuckled. “Sunride will do. I’m hardly your captain in this setting.” He chuckled, stepping back up to the edge of the bed.

“What IS your full name...nopony ever calls you by it.” Cloud asked with a smile, laying on his front now, ignoring the sensation of his shaft pressing into the mattress.

“Sunride Blitz.” He answered, giving a little smirk.

“Blitz?” Cloud asked, his brow rising in surprise. “As in-”

“Ebony is my cousin.”

The words through Cloud off a little bit. Ebony was cold, hard, a bit of a bitch sometimes, and a stickler for the rules. Sunride however, was calm, warm, and able to bend the rules if it meant saving lives, and had always been kind to his subordinates. He and Ebony were practically opposites.

“Well THAT’s unexpected.” He smiled, looking up at the stallion. “So…” He began hesitantly. The red coated stallion chuckled as he looked down at Cloud Zapper. The grey Pegasus watching those sapphire blue eyes of Sunride‘s slowly caress up his body and down to his rump. It was a hungry gaze that had him blushing under his coat. Once again his thoughts were cut off by a firm kiss from the Captain, murring softly. He rolled over, feeling better now that his nethers weren’t constrained against the bedding. Sunride Blitz kissed Cloud firmly, slipping on top of him. Cloud was the first to break the kiss panting as his cheeks burned heavily. His hooves lifted up, undoing the strands that held the Captain’s armour in place, undoing the ties and letting each piece slowly clatter to the floor. Inch by inch Sunride’s body was exposed to his gaze. Cloud had obviously seen Sunride nude many a time, but there was something intrinsically erotic about undressing another stallion when the aim was sex. This…WAS sex right? Just sex?

Cloud didn’t know.

Relationships had been difficult for Cloud Zapper for most of his life. He’d just never found the time for them. He’d spent day after day just focusing on his time as a Royal Guard, going through training and drills and his job. When he’d gotten among the Rank’s he’d been surprised at the openness of them. Of course, sex wasn’t done by all, it wasn’t a tradition that everypony had to join it, it was just that those that needed release, might just find a willing stallion, and none of the others really minded. Cloud’s first had been with a stallion named Swift Breeze. He’d been very gentle and had taught him quite a bit. Since then He’d been with stallions and mares of all sorts, but it had only been sex. Just sex. Never a relationship. He and Captain Sunride had romped in the showers a few times; it wasn’t overtly common, but not unheard of. It had always been a simple deal back then. But this time, it was different. That stallion, now naked, laying on top of him, those kisses slowly caressing down his throat in a way that could only make the grey Pegasus moan, was certainly NOT just sex. It felt…different. Like it was-YIKES!

Cloud’s thought process derailed like a train off the tracks, his mind became a jumble of incoherent words as soft lips travelled over his length, making him gasp and quiver beneath the attention. Sunride’s tongue worked over the tip of Cloud’s length as he slipped his lips up and down the shaft, murring at the taste in his mouth. Cloud’s rump couldn’t help but lift, his hips thrusting into the air in a needful fashion that was reminiscent of a mare in heat. Despite the thrusts, the red stallion didn’t gag, managing to, much to Clouds pleasure, slip the shaft down his throat. Cloud Zapper’s hooves slid down, running through Sunride’s crimson mane, panting and shuddering as he thrusted into that maw, feeling his length already starting to swell.

“C-careful…” He gasped, biting his bottom lip hard as he arched his back. Cloud’s eyes were becoming glassy as the pleasure surged through him, the sensation of a burning heat in his loins becoming unmistakable. “I’m close.”

Sunride Blitz didn’t slow down at all; on the contrary, he began to speed up, suckling and slurping over that shaft as he felt the tip of it beginning to flare. Cloud let out a sudden yelp, whinnying loudly as his shaft erupted, spraying the back of Sunride’s throat with his seed. The grey stallion writhed on the bed, whimpering a little before he went still, the soft gulping noises being the only other sounds in the room as Sunride swallowed his corporal’s semen.

Sunride pulled off and gave the tip a single lick before licking his own lips, chuckling a little. “Tasty.”

“You...” Cloud began, panting as he lay there. “…are evil” Sunride chuckled for a moment before lying down beside the spent stallion, letting Cloud have a rest for the moment. “Are we done?” Cloud asked, looking a little worried that this was all they were going to do. Sunride shook his head.

“Nah, just a rest.” He said warmly. Cloud Zapper nodded and turned to look up at the ceiling. Both stallions lay there on the bed, Sunride with his eyes closed as he relaxed for the moment, and Cloud with a worried expression as he gazed up at the patterns that the brick made on the ceiling.

“What are we?” Cloud’s voice was so soft it could have been a whisper, and after a moment of silence he was unsure if Sunride had even heard him.

“What do you want us to be?”

The words met Cloud’s ears and he felt his heartbeat change rhythm in his chest. Where before he’d been unaware of the strong muscle in his chest, suddenly it was the only sound he could hear. The firm pumping that filled his ears made the stallion almost panic. He wasn’t sure how to answer, or if there even was an answer.

“I-I don’t know.”

“Well, how do you feel?” Sunride asked, leaning up onto one hoof and looking down at Cloud. But the grey stallion couldn’t meet his eyes.

“I don’t…” He began, his words cutting short when he realised he was repeating himself. “I just…” His words failed him, and for a moment, Cloud felt ashamed.

“I see.” The warmth in Sunride’s voice was suddenly gone. The look on his face had Cloud panicking again, but when he opened his mouth to try and fix the situation, to say that he actually cared about Sunride as something MORE than a friend, his words failed him. “I should go.”

Captain Sunride Blitz pulled himself off of the bed, his shaft having softened and now hanging limply below him as the red Pegasus began donning his armour.

“I’ll see you-well…I don’t know when I’ll see you, with the suspension and all. Stay well Corporal.” Cloud’s hoof reached out for the stallion but he pulled out of his reach, and just walked out of the room, leaving Cloud there alone.

Stupid.

He was stupid.

He was so bloody STUPID!

Cloud Zapper slammed his head against the wall again and again before burying himself under the covers, crying to himself. He didn’t know why he’d reacted like that, or why he’d even asked such a stupid question. Things were going so well, and he’d messed it up so easily. Was he scared? Afraid of having a REAL relationship?

He thought he might be.

Cloud Zapper stayed under those covers, sniffling to himself as he blocked out the world, wishing he could just bring Sunride Blitz back into his room, and offer him whatever the stallion wanted, trying to find some way to cross the bridge he was scared he might have just burned.

Cloud’s father had died on the job. His mother lived over in Cloudsdale, and his only friends were those he worked with on a daily basis. Now he couldn’t even see them due to his suspension. He was lonely, so very lonely.

*

“I know it needs cleaning, but it’ll have to wait.” Cupcake Crème said with an exasperated sigh. “I need to serve the customers first. After we close up, I’ll get the oven sorted. I promise.”

The stallion she was speaking to was a grey coated, black maned, grumpy pony with a bit of an under-bite. He wore a white chef’s outfit that was minus the hat. He huffed and grumbled under his breath as he walked away, leaving the pastel mare to her duties. She turned her blue eyes back to the customers and smiled in delight as Cloud Zapper, a frequent customer, sat up onto one of the stools.

“Blueberry muffin, please. Four of them.” He said pressing his forehead onto the surface in front of him, staring down at the floor.

“Oh my, a four muffin day?” She chuckled, setting them up. “They’ll be ready in a jiffy.” She said warmly, her curly pink and cream coloured mane swaying as she bobbed her head down, carrying the tray in her muzzle. Once the muffins were in the small oven and cooking, she looked up and sighed. “So, what warrant’s a four muffin day?”

Cloud looked up at the nice mare and sighed. He’d been coming to this stall for years, and he and Cupcake Crème were good friends by now. Though, they never really spoke as friends, Cupcake was a bit older than him so there was a distinctly maternal air to the way that she approached him on all subjects. But he didn’t mind that, it was just nice to have somepony that wanted to listen to his issues. Plus there were muffins. Like, the best muffins in Canterlot. Sweet ones, salty ones, ones with strawberries in them, and icing…oh she did cupcakes too of course, just as her name implied, but we’re talking muffins here. The best-

“Cloud, dear?” She prompted, snapping him out of his muffin fantasy.

“I just…” He gulped and thought about what it was he needed to talk about, his ears wilted a little at the thoughts and his cheeks flushed.

“Aahh. So that’s how it is.” Cupcake responded wisely, nodding with a knowing expression.

“What?” Cloud asked, his eyes widening in surprise and confusion. “What’s what like?”

“It’s okay.” She shrugged, checking on the muffins. “I’ll not stand in the way of a stallion in love.” She said cheerily, “muffins are almost done.”

“L-love?!” Cloud’s cheeks burned so hot he was sure he was turning as red as Sunride.

“So who’s the lucky pony?” She asked curiously. “Oh you don’t have to tell me, not my place I suppose; still, they must be something special. Here you go darling.” She said, piling up four hot freshly baked muffins onto a plate for him.

“I…I’m not in-I mean I can’t-he’s my-”

“He?” She enquired with a somewhat mischievous smile. “Well that answers one of my questions, just one way or both?”

“W-well…both I think...or any, if they’re nice.” He stammered out, grasping onto answering easier questions as his brain still dealt with the concept of being in ‘love’.

“Very sensible. And is he ‘nice’?” She asked with a playful grin and a twinkle in her eyes that spoke of much pestering to come if he didn’t just answer her now.

“I…erm…Yes. He is…He’s my Captain-”

“A Captain?” She said brightly. “Well that’s a good catch if I ever heard of one. I’d love to get me a Captain.” She chuckled. “Oh, but an old mare like me-”

“You’re not old. You’re very beautiful.” Cloud said quickly as he cut her sentence off. She turned to him and looked at his sincere face, smiling at the surprised look in his eyes.

“You are such a kind boy.” She smiled kindly. “This captain is very lucky.”

Cloud just huffed at that before sighing to himself. “I’d be lucky if he ever speaks to me again.” He grumbled quietly, but loud enough that Cupcake Crème heard him clearly. The baker sighed softly and reached over the counter, laying a hoof on Cloud’s and looking at him warmly and kindly.

“What happened?”

Cloud Zapper sighed to himself, turning away for a moment. “We were together…and we were erm…talking.” He said quickly, though the glint in her eyes told him she was reading between the lines and probably figured that more than ‘talking’ had went on. “I asked him...what we were. And he…” He stopped mid-sentence, not sure how to describe it.

“His answer wasn’t the one you wanted?” She offered curiously, her face a mask of sympathy.

“No it was everything I wanted.” He blurted out in something of a panicked tone. “But I didn’t know I wanted it, and I don’t know what to say or do because I froze, and when I couldn’t answer him in return, he just walked out and now I think I’ve messed everything up.” He finished before slamming his forehead onto the table.

“Hey, mind the table.” She chastised before sighing. His small ‘sorry’ making her tut and shake her head. “Now you listen here, young stallion.” He looked up at her curiously. “There are woe’s in this world far too numerous to mention. And life isn’t easy, and truth be told, it shouldn’t be. If it was easy it wouldn’t be worth any effort now would it?” She didn’t give him time to respond before continuing. “Effort and hard work make everything alright. And as long as you try, and keep trying, then you haven’t failed yet. You hear?” Cloud could only nod as she stared at him sternly. “Now you go and find this old buck, tell him that you ‘love’ him, and then sweep him off his hooves to your bedroom to let him know just how much you mean those words.” Cloud’s cheeks burned at that advice, before nodding again.

“Yes ma’am. Thank you.” He said gratefully, feeling much better after her pep-talk. Cloud got up, taking the plate of muffins. He got around fifty feet away before he galloped back, fishing out some bits. “Sorry! Almost forgot.”

She chuckled and waved her hoof, giving him a wink, “on me.” She whispered. “But only for today.”

Cloud smiled warmly at the mare before turning and trotting away, taking a big bite of a muffin, murring at its warm fluffy goodness.

The training yard was round the back of the Palace, in the Guard Ground’s that were used for practice and the training of new recruits. Cloud knew that he would find Sunride either in the yard, or in one of the offices. Unless he was on assignment, but he doubted one had come up in only an hour.

“Hey!” A mare’s voice shouted out to him as he approached the grounds. Cloud Zapper turned around and saw a stern looking unicorn approaching him. The pink coat and dark contrasting mane of Ebony Blitz was a vibrant colouration in comparison to the white walls of the castle on either side of them.

“Erm…hi?”

“Don’t ‘hi’ me!” She snapped in an angry tone. Cloud’s eyes went wide in confusion. “What’s your deal?!”

“My…deal?” He replied with an uncertain tone, looking around them for some sign of what she might be on about. To his knowledge he hadn’t done anything to her, hell, he’d barely met her before this. Just seen her around, learned of her in an off-hoof sort of way, and she was part of the team that rescued him. Otherwise they had exchanged little to no contact.

“First you come onto Sunny, and then you freeze up? What? Is he just a quick buck for you?!” She yelled.

“Sunny? No…I…Captain Sunride? No he’s not; I was just going to talk to him-”

“Oh no you don’t. He doesn’t need you making his day any worse. Get out of here. GET!” She kicked at his back legs making him yelp.

“No...I…I really need to-”

Cloud’s attempts to reason with her were cut off by the sudden sound of yelling from the courtyard. Somepony was screaming, and it sounded like pain.

Their fight momentarily forgotten, they both galloped for the training area. The training yard was large enough to have an obstacle course surrounding it, whilst also having a combat space in the middle. On all sides you could see the castle, especially on one main side where it towered up in spires that almost seemed to scrape the heavens. The other sides were covered with alternating wings of the palace that housed the barracks and the living quarters of most of the Royal Guard. Surrounding the interior fighting pit were racks, four of them, each holding different weapons that were allowed to be used for training. They were training weapons, bluntened so that they wouldn’t do much damage during training exercises. Except you couldn’t fake the point of a sword, so they were still dangerous, as attested the stallion in the middle of the ring who currently had one through his shoulder and one of his wings. He was lying still, surrounded by blood with three other ponies nearby. One of them was a white maned, grey coated pony with a winged sword cutie-mark, and he was attacking the other two with a malicious grin on his features. The biggest oddity and problem was that the pony on the ground was the exact same pony as the one attacking the other two guards, or at least, they looked the same. Right down to the cutiemark.

The attacking pony ducked below a swinging mace, an area above the attacking ponies head glowing strangely before releasing a burst of magical energy. The blast struck the guard wielding the flail, sending him flying back with a painful cry. The other stallion guard lashed out with his hooves. The Pegasus that had somehow used magic without a horn, ducked to the side and lashed out with its teeth, his jaws slashing down onto the limb it caught, rending a painful looking gash in guard’s foreleg, causing him to yell out. Ebony jumped past a stunned and confused Cloud. Her magic grasping the handle of the sword that jutted out of their fallen comrade, yanking it from his body and slashing through the air. The attacking Pegasus stallion turned and his eyes widened before the blade sliced through the flesh and bone of its neck, severing it from its shoulders. The stallion fell to the ground, the head rolling to a stop by Ebony’s hooves before it and the body became engulfed in what seemed to be green fire. When the flame dissipated, the corpse of a Changeling lay there. This one seemed to be riddles with holes like all the others, and it was larger than any that Cloud had previously seen. Despite the average stature of the pony the Changeling had adopted as its form, the Changeling itself was a hulking beast of a creature, easily as big and strong looking as a shire horse. Its wings were longer, and its frill on the back of its neck was larger than any Cloud had seen before as well, and this one didn’t stop at the base of the neck like most, it travelled all the way down its back and along an elongated tail. The tail itself, ended in what seemed to be a sort of natural scythe like blade.

“I have never seen a Changeling like that.” Cloud said, looking worried.

“Me either.” Ebony said firmly. “Get a medic down here, we have wounded.”

“But how did it get in?” Cloud Zapper asked her, hoping she had some theories.

“It’s a changeling, not exactly hard for it to get past security.” She grumbled.

“Yeah, but why?”

“Do you always question EVERYTHING?” She snapped, rounding on him. “You question the Princesses and almost get us all killed saving you, you question Sunny and break his heart, and now you question this instead of getting that poor soldier a BUCKING MEDIC!” She shouted the last words, obviously infuriated. Her gaze bore into him before her expression turned to one of revulsion. “You disgust me.”

Cloud Zapper stared at her for a moment before slowly nodding, he turned away to go get the medic as he had been asked, not entirely sure if he was angry at her, or angry at himself.

“What’s going on out there?” A familiar voice called out. Cloud turned to see Captain Sunride Blitz trotting up, his gaze glancing from the wounded guards to the dead comrade. “Who did this?!”

Cloud was about to point to the corpse of the Changeling but he noticed it wasn’t there; his eyes went wide as he looked back to Sunride as the sound of a sickening crunch met his ears. Sunride jerked, his eyes widening in surprise and pain.

“NO!” Cloud shrieked, blood dripping from Captain Sunride’s maw as the stallion suddenly fell to the ground, the Changeling standing behind him with a malicious snarling grin adorning its features. It’s scythe-like tail rose up, the tip dripping red from Captain Sunride’s blood.
Ebony charged with a shriek, her blade swinging powerfully, the changeling moved back, but she advanced again, feinting to the left before her blade arced round and sliced through one of its limbs, severing a leg as the creature attempted to dodge. It shrieked in pain and stepped back as Ebony circled it, but before their eyes, in a burst of green fire the limb replaced itself, erupting from the stump and green fire, morphing through bone, muscle and sinew before appearing perfectly intact. Cloud noticed that this limb was free of holes than the usual limbs.

“What the buck is this thing?!” Ebony shouted in frustration, her rage blinding her ability to focus properly on the combat, her blade began slicing and hacking at anything she could reach, but for each limb she severed, the Changeling regrew it in a flash of green fire. In one of her rage filled swings at its head, the Changeling managed to get close, ducking under one of her swipes for its head, it’s jaws lashing out and biting down hard on her shoulder making the mare shout out in pain. Cloud rushed up behind the beast, bearing a dagger he’d taken from one of the racks. If cutting off the head wouldn’t work, then he hoped this would. He launched his muzzle forward. The sharp tip of the blunt edged weapon pieced flesh, slicing through the Changeling’s back. It shrieked in pain before Cloud rammed it deeper, slicing into the creature’s heart. The Changeling suddenly went still, jerked a moment with a gurgling sound, before falling limp to the ground. Green flame began to erupted from the wound that Cloud had dealt it, and for a moment he was terrified it would raise itself again, but this time it stayed dead, the wound widening in green flame as though eaten away by acid, bearing the monsters insides to the world as the wound grew large enough for a pony to stuck their muzzle in before it’s progress finally stopped. The heart had disintegrated, and now it really was a corpse.

“Sunride!” Cloud yelled as he spat out the blade, running to his Captain’s side. The Captain’s eyes were fluttering, he was shaking and there was a lot of blood. By the way his body was shaking, Cloud figured he was going into shock and was probably about to die. Everything after that happened in a daze. The medical ponies arrived, but as Cloud had failed to get them, obviously one of the other guards had done their duty. The medical ponies hoisted the wounded onto stretchers, and took them away to be cared for. Cloud was with Sunride, staying by his side. It was funny, only a few weeks ago their roles had been reversed, with Cloud needing healing, and Sunride watching over him. He needed to let Sunride know that he cared for him, so he decided to stay with him, and try to mend whatever bridge he’d burned in that bedroom.

The hospital had a scent to it.

It was the kind of scent that made a pony think of a swimming pool. It was a mixture of chlorine and disinfectant that spoke of desperate attempts to hide the smell of blood and disease.

Cloud Zapper sat in a comfy chair with a fabric lining that hugged him in a pleasant fashion. But all the comfort in the world couldn’t alleviate his stress and worry he faced as he sat at the bedside of Captain Sunride. The crimson coated stallion laid on the hospital bed, bandages covering his bloody wounds and tubes entering and exiting through his nose and mouth as he clung to life support. Magical healing had only done so much, but the wound had been coated in a strange substance they couldn’t quite clear, and it seemed to be slowing the healing process dramatically. It had taken seven hours in surgery to get the Captain to a stable state medically. Cloud had heard no news since from anypony…not that he cared much. The only thing he cared about was what was in front of him.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Cloud looked up to the door of the room to find Ebony standing there with the door ajar.

“Can I come in?” She asked, her voice surprisingly soft and concerning. He actually thought for a moment that if he said ‘no’, she might actually leave.

“Sure.” He said softly, nodding to her before turning back to Sunride.

She stepped into the room and headed for the opposite chair on the other side of Sunride’s bed. “How is he?” She asked softly, looking over her cousin with a concerned expression.

“Stable.” He said softly. “But they don’t know if he’s going to wake up. That’s up to him.”

She nodded at that, staring at the floor. “I’m sorry I went after you like that at the training yard.” She said, actually seeming contrite, which in itself was a little unnerving for the grey Pegasus. “What happened?” She asked him softly, her expression inviting him to talk about it.
Cloud Zapper sighed softly. “I asked a stupid question, he gave me a wonderful answer…and I panicked.” He admitted, turning from Sunride to the floor which was suddenly a lot more interesting…and less likely to make him feel shame.

“Why did you panic?” She asked, her voice a little firm as she spoke, but at least it wasn’t angry.

“Because-” He began, sighing and turning his eyes to the ceiling, taking in the tiles that were strewn above him. He unconsciously began counting them as he spoke. “-I’ve never had somepony I care about, like I care about him.” He admitted, though whether he was admitting it to her or himself, he wasn’t quite sure. “I’ve always had sex with no strings attached. Always just been physical and friendly…it’s never been…more. It scared me. I don’t know how to handle it, or how to deal with it. I don’t know what to DO with it. Is it supposed to be romantic? Do I have to buy flowers? Confess undying love-” His words faded off at the ‘L’ word.

A silence stretched out between them that was awkward but welcome.

“The Mystic Guards can’t identify the Changeling.” She said firmly, her voice speaking professionally now. She was obviously in her Sergeant mode.

“So what happens now?” Cloud asked, turning back to Sunride.

“We talk to the Princesses about it.” She said with a slight sigh. “They’re old, maybe they’ve seen something like this before.” The grey Pegasus nodded at that. “And I’d like you there.”

He turned to her when she said it, looking over her face for any sign that she was pulling some sort of joke. “What?” He asked, not quite understanding why she would ask that. “No…I’m not leaving his side.”

“You were there.” She said firmly. “You managed to kill it, so that means you need to be there to tell how it happened. You being here won’t make him get better faster.”

Cloud sighed and turned, slipping out of his chair and to the window where he could look out into the night. The Canterlot sky twinkled and glittered with jewelled stars in Luna’s night, the spires of the city rose up high and from this vantage point he could see the Palace in the distance, with its many towers raising high to spread the clouds above it.

“Please, Sunride would want you to go. You know he would.” Her voice was soft, but it wasn’t ‘pleading’, she wasn’t ‘begging’ him to do this. Cloud figured she’d never be the kind of mare to ‘beg’ anypony for anything. She had quite a bit too much pride for that. He sighed and just nodded at her request.

“When?”

“Tomorrow, o’six hundred.”

He nodded again and heard the door go as she left him to his worries and troubles. He knew that with such an early start he’d need to get his sleep, but he doubted slumber would be easily found tonight.

The body was brought in on a stretcher, carried on the back of two Royal Guards, one Earth Pony and the other a Unicorn. After walking to the base of the steps below the Royal Throne, they jointly lowered the stretcher to the ground. Cloud Zapper stood before the two Princesses, their eyes gazing down at them all tensely. It wasn’t every day that a corpse was brought into the throne room, so it was understandable that everypony felt a little strained with the situation. The tension in the air was thick and Cloud Zapper couldn’t help but gulp on a lump that had formed in his throat. Behind him sat Ebony, Starlight, and Trickshot, the others of his squad not able to join them this early on due to several duties that detained them. The unicorn that had helped carry the stretcher, gripped the cloth covering the body in his magic, a light pinkish-purple glow that pulled the sheet away with a single sweep where it furled into a bundle nearby.

The corpse was exposed; it seemed almost undamaged, were it not for the gaping hole in its sternum that was wide enough for a ponies head.

Cloud Zapper looked up at the Princesses, to see if any of them showed any signs of familiarity. But while his eyes naturally sought out Celestia first, it was Princess Luna that surprisingly stepped forward. She moved around her regal sister and looked down at the dead creature below her.

“This is most troubling to us.” She spoke in a worrisome voice. The Princess looked troubled, a frown marring her face with concern.

“My Princess, you know what this is?” Cloud asked, glancing from the corpse to the Princess. The aforementioned corpse had unfortunately begun smelling with a faint biochemical smell that was similar to solvents and melted cheese. It was only a little, but enough that it made Cloud’s nose wrinkle.

“This is one of the ‘Hundred’.” She said warningly. “Yes, we know of this creature.”

“The hundred what?” He asked curiously not enjoying the worried expressions that the sisters shared at his question.

The Princesses stared at each other in silence for a few moments, obviously silently debating their next course of action, before Celestia, as regally as she could, gave a single nod of defeat, and turned away as though in shame, an action that Cloud found disturbing. Luna turned back to them and nodded as though to herself. Her horn began to glow and the air above them shimmered with dark shapes that seemed to form as she spoke.

“Eons ago, before our reign, before the reign of Discord, and before the Reign of Sombra over the Crystal Empire, the lands of the Crystal Empire were that of lush forests.” As she spoke the shapes took on the shape of an unmarked map, showing the land of Equestria, the map moving to a location north east where the Crystal Empire now stood, but instead of a sweeping nation and a glorious city, it was swept in green and lush vegetation. “Among them lived the Fae, dazzling creatures of great beauty and powerful magic. They lived and kept the forests beautiful and healthy. When ponies settled, they helped the ponies, and they lived together in harmony. Until…Sombra came to power.” She said warningly. The images showed a shadow version of Sombra, his tendrils of power sweeping across the land.

“But what does this have to do with the Changelings?” Cloud asked curiously, looking from the magical images to the worried face of the Princess of the Night.

“Everything,” she said softly. The images suddenly changed, they rushed closer to the top of a mountain where Sombra seemed to face against a regal creature not too dissimilar from an Alicorn, but with notable differences. The shadow of Sombra suddenly reached into the regal beings chest and tore out her heart, the images brutal enough to make Trickshot meep behind Cloud, and a shiver to run up the stallion’s spine.

“The Queen of the Fae was overcome.” She said softly. The heart in Sombra’s magic seemed to suddenly crystallise blue, and it erupted in power that seemed to drive him back. “But she was powerful. And in her last moments she cast a spell of protection on her heart as it was taken from her, a spell that spread throughout her land and protected it from his rule for some time. It took him almost two hundred years to find a way to take over, and in doing so, he caused the Crystal Empire to disappear.”

Cloud looked at it confused, the image closing in on the heart of the Fae Queen.

“The Sacred Heart.” He said softly in astonishment.

“Yes, young Guard.” She said gently, shaking her head. “The Sacred Heart that protects the Crystal Empire is the Heart of the Fae Queen.”
Cloud sat back, nodding. “So Queen Chrysalis wants this Heart, or does she want the power of Sombra? What has this to do with her?”

Luna smiled sadly at the Guard and shook her head, her starry mane flowing about her in a beautiful manner. “Fae were very powerful. They were also almost immortal. They could survive almost any injury, except damage to their Heart. If their heart was damaged, they would die. When the Queen cast her protective charm on her heart, she stopped it from ever being destroyed, and so she never died.”

“She survived without a heart? How is that possible?” Cloud asked, trying to wrap his head around the concept.

“It is possible, but not without consequence.” She said, the images above them suddenly changing and forming to become the Fae Queen, before she began to writhe in agony, and twist and alter in shape till she seemed to let out a silent scream that sent shivers down to Cloud’s bones as she suddenly became something much more familiar.

“The Fae Queen…is…Queen Chrysalis.”

The silence that fell was palpable. Nopony wanted to break it; nopony knew really what to say. Eventually it was Cloud that broke the silence.

“She’s evil...I thought you said the Fae were good.”

“They were.” She said softly. “But time changes many things, and sometimes it can change the heart.” She said softly. “You see, in their new form they could not live on the magic and good will in the forest, they could only live on the most potent of magicks, love. But when they fed, they took the love out of those ponies. I am sure you have seen what happens when a Changeling feeds on a victim?” She enquired, and she was right, he had. The victims stopped being capable of caring. They didn’t care about work, family, anything…they stopped functioning, and some even went as far as starving to death. A town that had been drained by Changelings, stopped being a town, they were walking ghosts…hollow. He nodded in answer to her question, looking back to the images. “Thousands of years of being shunned for this, of her only source of food being a pain for others, and her ever growing population of children…when life forces one to assume the roles of villainy…sometimes there is little choice.” Luna herself looked quite pained when having to admit that, as though it were a personal shame.

“And the ‘Hundred’?” Cloud asked softly.

“The ‘Hundred’ are in reference to the original one hundred Fae that changed with her that day, all other changelings were born after and are born without a heart, just like how she is now, and they can die quite easily. The original hundred still have their hearts. They are stronger, more powerful, and like their Fae forms, cannot die unless their heart is destroyed.”

“Well that explains why it wouldn’t die.” Cloud concluded. “So what does Chrysalis want?” He asked gently, looking from the images back to the princess.

“She wants her heart back, to make herself and her children whole.”

“Is that such a bad thing? Won’t it stop her from being evil?” Cloud asked curiously.

Luna nodded. “It would.” She said gently. “But taking away the Sacred Heart would doom us.” She said gently. “Beneath the Crystal Kingdom lies something that sleeps and it sleeps because of the Sacred Heart.” She said softly. “If it is awakened, the entire of the Crystal Kingdom, and the entire of Equestria, will die.”

Cloud gulped. “What…what sleeps there?” He asked softly.

Princess Luna’s voice turned hard at this question. “The Titans.”

*

In the darkest parts of the night there skulked a shadow, followed only by other shadows of equal likeness. They travelled in the silence of the night and slowly through the alleyways and the even into the darkness of the mind.

Their approach seemed to sap the kindness and caring from the world. Their steps on the cobbled streets rose babes from their slumber, turned couples into enemies, and satisfaction into the most hollow of pits. Their curse was that hollowness. Their lives filled with it, their names spoken with it, and their very being encased within that hollowness, like it was a sphere surrounding them, a barrier which could not be breached. It was a cage for their souls.

Slowly the Castle came into view, and they crept ever closer. The nearer they came, the more defences they encountered. But the bumbling Guards could not see them, or recognised that they were there. Their magic was beyond what they were used to, beyond their senses. And slowly they crept into the castle of the two sisters, searching for the one they needed, the one that called to the darkness like a siren, and who had once been its vessel.

Their half-kin could not do this. They could not get so close without the wards and spells blocking them. Without the eyes of the Guard seeing them for what they really were. They were half-kin, barely more than shadows of a conception. They were barely real. But they were Her’s. They belonged to Her and so they put up with them, trained them, helped her breed them, and in turn they repaid her in their quest for food. But food had become scarce. Food was becoming illusive once more. And that meant action needed to be taken, to restore what they were, for the good of all, and for the good of Her.

They crept through the gates and up the walls, spinning their way through the night like flies and shadows that moved with the wind. They found that room, the one that smelled of the one-time-vessel.

Slowly they crept into that room and placed what needed to be placed, it was a single stone of power. A stone that called to the darkness in others. It was a stone that had allowed them to get so close, a stone that had made them like smoke. They were no longer smoke, and now it was time to die. But that was okay. They could die for Her.

*

The Titans.

The Titans were told of in ancient myths. They were thought to be sealed away, in some dark pit, not far from Tarterus itself, and held by a great power. But no pony really thought they existed. They were described as colossal creatures that could render mountains asunder; they were the bane of the old world. The death of the Alicorns.

But they were just a story. There weren’t any creatures of that size. Ursa Minors were the largest monsters in the lands, and even they were said to be dwarfed by the might of the Titans. But they didn’t exist.

If he kept telling it to himself, Cloud thought he might believe it.

Luna’s meeting had gone well into the day, and with the coming of night, Cloud could only ponder over her words.

“I thought the Titans weren’t real.” Cloud had questioned, unable to grasp the concept of such beings truly existing.

“They did, and they do. They were beings from the east that invaded the Alicorn’s home. There was a war. A war unlike anything that Equestria has ever known since. Alicorns invented that word; they scorched the land with it.” Luna’s words could only burn through Cloud like acid. War. It was such an alien concept. They’d had Changeling invasions; they’d had monsters and spirits of chaos, but never a WAR. War was something one looked up in the dictionary for definition. It was spoken of in fantasy novels as brave knights driving themselves into heroic battles to cut down tyrants. But the look on Luna’s face suggested the reality, was far less knightly. “Alicorn’s won the war, but at the price of our home and our lives. The Titans were sealed away with great power and magicks, beneath the earth. But that magic, time has unwoven, it needed to be protected. The touch of darkness on that magic began to make it waver, but with the Sacred Heart, the darkness could not touch the magic to un-weave it. But if the Heart should go, then they could unmake it. They could break free, and render Equestria asunder once more.” Luna seemed to smile for a moment, as though her thoughts had dwelled on a particularly sad thought that she could only find amusing. “Alicorns, Fae, and Titans. So much of the old world was not brought down by the weariness of age. So many creatures that gazed immortality in the eye and took hold of it, grasping it to ourselves like a shield. We thought ourselves never ending.” She turned to Cloud and the others. “Understand this, valiant Guards. Immortality is a folly. Because it does not dictate that something last forever, only that when it does fall, it is always from the most violent of natures, and the darkest of moments.” She said wisely. “The immortality of somepony should not be measured in the length of their life…but in the span of the hearts they touch, and in the minds of those that choose to remember them.” She smiled at that bit of advice, before giving them leave to go.

Cloud had gone straight to his dorm, needing to think about things. For the first time he felt that life was very short, and he didn’t quite know what to do with it. Was he happy being a Guard? Was this to be his life? He thought about Sunride. He hadn’t told the stallion how he’d felt, and now the stallion he cared for, fought for his life under the care of others. And Cloud could do nothing but watch in hopelessness.

Life was too short, it was far too short.

Suddenly a loud screeching wrenched himself from his sheets. The running of hooves around the barracks areas convinced Cloud Zapper to grasp his armour and don it as quickly as he could. The shrieking was loud, violent and not easily ignored. It was the ward alarm; something had tripped the ward spells that protected the Castle from intrusion.

Cloud sheathed his weapon and headed for the door, rushing out into the corridor.

“What’s going on?” He4 yelled as Trickshot passed him by.

“We’ve got Changeling’s!” He yelled as he sped down the hall as fast as his wings could carry him. Cloud Zapper launched himself into the air as well, his wings beating heavily as he soared down the path after his friend. The outside air rushed over him when they exited into the open air, the cool wind waking Cloud up far better than any stimulating drink could. The sight of running Guards and the sound of clashing told Cloud that this was likely not just a single enemy. He and Trickshot rushed around the corner of one of the towers, heading for the far end of the Castle. They were below the towers of the two sisters. Twin Towers that rose up, close to each other, built from rounded stone, at the top of which was an open terrace that lead into the Princesses bedchambers.

Cloud halted at the sight of the fighting.

Changelings like the first one that had attacked earlier that day. But there were five of them. Nigh-un-killable Changelings, bearing scythed tails and fangs that dripped with powerful poison. The Guards attacked, jabbing and lunging with sharp weaponry, but the Changelings were fast, blasting spells and lunging with their tails. There was already a growing pile of dead. For each slash the Guards did, the Changelings either dodged or healed, and attacked with far more precision.

Cloud Zapper drew his blade and flew above them before diving. He caught one when its back was to him, his blade slicing through carapace and flesh, driving into the creature’s heart. It screamed and the wound began to burn and melt around the blade as he pulled it out, The Changeling falling dead.

“Go for the heart!” He yelled, turning just as one of them lashed out of him in an attempt to avenge their fallen kin. He defended with his blade, ducking in low and slicing up, his blade slicing through that tail, separating it from the monsters body. But the moment he was close its jaws snapped out. He barely got his blade back down from his swing, lodging it edge first into the creature’s mouth. They struggled for a moment, Cloud Zapper scrambling for purchase on hind legs before he lurched forward. He jumped on the beast, bearing his weight down and watching as his blade slowly sliced through its jaws and down its throat. The sensation was strange, like slicing through a mixture of mud and butter surrounded by thin rock that crackled and split under the sharp edge of the sword. He pulled the blade out and sliced out again, slashing right through the Changelings heart, killing it quickly. His two successful kills it seemed had barely been more than luck. A third turned to him and lashed out with its bladed tail, moving around his defence. The scythe like blade slashed out and almost gouged his side, his armour deflecting the blow. He jumped back, another stallion Guard rushing up behind the Changeling and lashing out with his spear. Its hind legs reared up suddenly, grasping the spear in what seemed to be almost hind-leg talons before wrenching it down from the Guards muzzle while the other leg gripped the stallion’s throat, smashing him down into the ground. Trickshot dashed suddenly in from a corner, the tail scythe of the beast lashed out and Trickshot leaned back, sliding along the ground for a moment, underneath the tail, his hoof lashing up and striking under the beasts chin in a dazing blow, just as Cloud rushed up and thrust his sword hard into the monsters heart, making it yell out in a dying scream. Cloud turned to Trickshot and nodded with a smile, just as a weight landed on his back and drove him into the ground. He turned and grabbed a rock, the changeling that had landed on his back lurching down with its jaws before the rock was shoved into its mouth, smashing those teeth. Cloud rolled over underneath it and tried thrusting up to lurch the Changeling off of him, but pain suddenly tore through his right leg as the scythe-like tail pinned the appendage in place. A spear was suddenly driven into its side and it was wrenched off of him, pinned to the floor. The creatures jaws widened and new teeth erupted from its gums before it turned, latched onto the spear in its side and snapped the weapon in half before pulling itself from the spears length, the wound healing before their eyes.

One of the Guards charged forward, his weapon was knocked from his muzzle and the scythe was rammed into his stomach, the wound accompanied by a gut churning scream of pain from the stallion Guard. A blade lashed out from somewhere unseen, and the Changelings head suddenly rolled to the ground as Sergeant Ebony Blitz nearby, she turned to the headless Changeling, still standing around, its body lurching as it mustered the energy to regenerate. She rose what looked to be a crossbow mounted on her fore-hoof, pulled the string back with her maw and loosed a powerful barbed bolt that struck the Changeling in the breast and tore through into its heart. It fell over dead. A cry was her only warning as the final Changeling pounced; she dodged out of the way, rolling on the ground before turning. The Changeling pounced again, a new bolt flew, and Ebony was driven to the ground by the Changeling, both of them going still.

There was a silence before slowly the Changeling moved, their weapons were ready, and their spears aimed before it was lurched off of Ebony and she sat up from underneath it. They’d won.

Cloud Zapper sat down relieved as the other Guards cheered and the wounded and dead was collected. They’d lost three Guards in the battle, but considering they’d faced 5 of the so called ‘Hundred’, Cloud had honestly expected a much worse fate. Maybe the Princesses were really worried about nothing.

*

Princess Luna entered her chambers with weary steps. Her hooves clopping on the polished floor beneath her echoed around the empty room before she hit the carpet, stepping over on the soft tendrils of the fabric. Her fore-hooves reached up and slipped off their caps and shoes, and slowly she removed, using her magic, the neck ringlet that was part of her royal garment. When they were removed, her crown glowed a soft blue for a moment, as did her horn, before the crown was lifted from her head and placed on a navy blue pillow on a side table beside her bed. Removed of her royal finery, Princess Luna stood there before her bed, looking down at it before turning towards the terrace and the night that was hers to command. She looked through those thin billowing fabric tresses that covered the entrance to her room, and breathed in the scents of the night. But as she breathed in she noticed a particular scent, it was like brimstone, heavy in the air and oily in the nose. She rubbed her nostril in irritation, coughing when it slid down her throat and seemed to claw around in her chest.

“What-what is this?” She asked herself, looking around her and seeing a dark shadowy smoke seeming to drift about, but it wasn’t spreading, it was circling her in an unnatural manner. As she breathed it in unwillingly, she felt some parts of her mind beginning to slip, something tugged her into the darkness and her eyes went wide in panic. It was taking her back.

“SISTER!” She yelled out suddenly, shaking her head, and backing away, trying to remove herself from the clouds embrace, but sadly to no avail. The door burst open and Celestia charged in, her eyes wide at the sight of her sister trying to fight off the smoke that seemed trying to claw its way down her throat. “SISTER! SAVE US!” Princess Luna’s voice was stricken with terror.

Celestia reacted as fast as she could, her long white horn began to glow and powerful gold rays of magic erupted.

“You will NOT take her!” She erupted, and her magic blasted at the smoke, but nothing happened, the smoke seemed immune. “No.” Celestia said, her eyes widening in concern for Luna’s safety.

“You cannot have us!” Luna declared, her eyes glowing a powerful white as she called upon her power. Her horn began to glow and at its tip, a powerful white glow began to burn brightly. “You cannot have us!” She repeated again, louder this time. “YOU WILL NOT TAKE ME BACK!” The Canterlot voice boomed out as she stomped down, her magic erupting in a powerful burst that shattered everything in the room, the bed tore apart, fragile vases shattered into a thousand pieces, and the walls behind Luna cracked from the power of the blast. From amidst the broken bed Celestia spied a stone, a black stone that seemed to pulse with the shadow.

“No!” She yelled, her magic suddenly erupting as she ran to the stone. She slammed down with her hooves as her horn lit up with a pure white flash of power. The stone was shattered, crushed under her strength and power, the stone’s shards no longer released their black smoke. Celestia turned to her sister, hoping to have saved her from her fate, only to watch as the last vestiges of the shadow, clawed itself into Princess Luna’s throat.

The Princess of the Night’s body went rigid, her eyes burning a brilliant white, and her mouth opened wide in a silent scream. Suddenly, her coat began to darken, tendrils of night blue erupting down her body from her eyes, she seemed to grow in size to as large as her sister, and Celestia watched in horror as dark and ancient armour formed over her sister’s body.
Princess Luna’s body finally relaxed, and the last vestiges of her terror seemed to cease. The mare lowered her head and stared at the ground as though exhausted.

“Sister?” Celestia asked with her brow raised in worry. She gazed at her sister with a look that was both shock, and terror, and marred with concern and worry of the worst. “Luna, is that you?”

Her sister began to shiver, but that shiver soon revealed itself to be a cackle that sounded deeper than Luna’s natural voice, and its base was amplified by the Canterlot voice, turning it into something sinister that crept up the spine, and spoke of dark days ahead.

“Your sister is no more.” The Princess of the Night said softly, her eyes flashing open and power suddenly swirling around her. “NIGHTMARE MOON HAS RETURNED!”

*

The top of the tower exploded. Rubble and debris fell down below, sending Guards who couldn’t fly scattering and ducking for cover. Large pieces of the tower fell down before it lost all support, and the top half of the tower just crumbled, falling down entirely.

A mare in the Palace Gardens with her Stallion screamed as she stood in paralysed fear, the large hulking mass of the tower about to crush her. An orange and white blur flashed by and suddenly the mare was lifted up and away in a rush, at the same time as a magical rope wrapped around her stallion and yanked him out at the last second, all of them landing safely nearby.

“Are you okay?” Private Trickshot asked, smiling down confidently at the mare. His white mane tucked over one of his eyes in a cute sort of way.

“Y-yes…my…where’s-”

“He’s right here, ma’am.” A comforting voice spoke from nearby. As she turned her head to look, a golden rope was being lifted from around her dazed stallion, the rope belonging to a large but toned unicorn with a gold and white two tone mane, and a coat of a deep blue.

“Sergeant Moonshine, at your service.” He turned to the orange Pegasus and nodded. “Good work, Private Trickshot.” He turned and looked up at the half destroyed tower, a few bits of rubble still plummeting slowly to the ground. “What do you say we go see what all the fuss is about, eh?”

“Looks like Cloud’s got the same idea, sir.” Trickshot grinned at the streak of a fast flying Pegasus that soared up the tower above them.

Cloud Zapper slipped under a falling bulk of stone and caught the updraft; he flapped hard to bring on more speed as he ascended up the length of the tower. The bricks of the tower mere inches from his hooves as he flew gave him an indicator of his speed as he raced upwards, his eyes narrowed.

This tower was the Tower of Luna. This was where Princess Luna retired each night to walk the dreams of ponies, to protect them from the darkness of their own minds, and the darkness that could invade them. She was the protector of the night, the shield against the forces which few could even comprehend. She was also the Forgiven Soul.

His memory worked better than it usually did. He could hear it in his head, spoken in a voice he didn’t quite recognise.

‘Corruption lingered,

Darkened core,

Change triggered forever more.

Starry night,

Within the mane,

The Moon returns yet again.

Waited battle,

Ended foe,

Truth rising from below.

The past revealed,

Remaining none,

The Forgiven soul undone.’

Cloud Zapper’s eyes narrowed as he flapped again, putting on another burst of speed as he got closer and closer to the tip of what was left of the tower. This was Chrysalis’s doing. This was the work of the Changeling Queen. Those intruders, they did something to Princess Luna, and it was all part of the Queens plan.

The grey Pegasus saw something at the edge of his vision that distracted him from his thoughts. He turned and saw an orange figure flying just a little bit behind him to his left. The figure was a mixture of orange and dark blue. It was only when he looked closer that he realised it was Sergeant Moonshine riding on the back of Private Trickshot, and below them was Private Melody Song carrying Private Stonehoof. He smirked at the imagery. Another movement, but this time to his right, made him turn to see Ebony Blitz, his eyes widening as she flew on her own accord, her back having sprouted beautiful butterfly style wings of purple and pink that let her fly as well as any Pegasus. Flying beside her were her own Privates, the Unicorn Private Shining Spear clinging to the back of the Pegasus Private Auburn Leaf. From beside Cloud came another figure, soon flying almost alongside him, the smiling light blue form of Private First-Class Starlight Breeze met his eyes.

The gang was here. Members from his own team flew beside Ebony and her own recruits. Only their Captain, Captain Sunride Blitz was absent. Cloud Zapper wanted to make him proud.

“This is your show, Cloud.”

Cloud turned his head to see Sergeant Moonshine staring at him, nodding his head. He turned to Sergeant Ebony Blitz and saw her watching him expectantly. Cloud was a Corporal, nowhere near a Sergeant yet.

“Why?” He asked, shouting over the rush of the wind in his ears.

“This is the Changelings, isn’t it? They did something.” Ebony Blitz called out. Cloud looked around to see all of their eyes looking to him in confidence, all their smiling faces of his friends.

“You know more about what’s going on, you’ve got the experience, so this is your show.” Sergeant Moonshine said firmly.

“Don’t mess it up.” Ebony’s stern voice added, bringing a light chuckle from Cloud.

He turned to look up; they were approaching the peak of the tower now. His show they said. This was his show. This was HIS team. Whatever they faced up there, it would be up to Cloud Zapper on whether they made it out alive. They depended on him now…it was probably a bad call on their behalf if he was being totally honest.

But he wouldn’t let them down.

He wouldn’t let his Captain down.

After all…Ebony would probably kill him if he did.

Cloud Zapper and the rest of the Inquisitor Guards of the 43rd and 38th Squadron respectively, erupted over the side of the tower into the open air. They arced down and landed firmly on the stone surface of what had once been Princess Luna’s Royal Chambers, but were now the open top of the half collapsed tower. They landed with firm poise, Ebony Blitz’s magical wings blinking out of existence with soft flashes of magical sparkles. But even as they landed, powerful wind battered them, and each of them had to brace themselves against the onslaught.

Cloud Zapper looked up, trying to discern where it was coming from, but what greeted his eyes was not comforting, and a horrible chill slithered down his spine.

Princess Luna hovered there in the air, black tendrils of energy rushing around her in magical power, with Celestia nearby, white and gold magic slithering around her in a similar fashion. But they were not flying together, they were apart, and flashes of magical energy danced between them in a show of power that was powerfully violent. They were fighting against each other, each spark of power taking the form of golden and white, or black and blue lightning that battered each other’s powerful shields.

“Why are they fighting?!” Private Melody Song asked, his young voice barely piercing the roar of the raging wind around them. Cloud turned to look at him, he was worried. Melody had only recently joined them; he was the youngest of them all, and quite the prestigious prodigy from the training camps. His mane was a soft yellow and his coat was a turquoise that clashed quite spectacularly, and true to his age, he kept his mane in quite the juvenile style of covering almost half his face. Most would have considered him too young for the Inquisitor Guard, but he had proven himself more than capable. Cloud just hoped that his leadership here wouldn’t get Melody killed. Thankfully Private Stonehoof, a large white stallion with a light grey mane, had taken to looking after the young’un, and the two were pretty much thick-as-thieves now.

Cloud Zapper turned back to the fight, his eyes running over Luna as he shielded his face from the gusts of wind erupting from their power.

“I don’t think that’s Luna.” He commented, more to himself than the others, His eyes widening when he suddenly figured it out. “The Forgiven Soul undone.”

“What?” Ebony asked, yelling over the roar so that he could hear.

“She’s not Luna!” He yelled. “The Changelings have somehow brought out her darkness…That’s Nightmare Moon!”

A soft cackling met his words and the lightning crackled more. The mare that had once been their dearest Princess turned to them with a malicious grin.

“DOES’T THOU COME TO SERVE THEE AS OUR GUARD?!” She asked, her Canterlot voice echoing well above the rumble around them. “OR HAST THOU COME TO CHALLENGE US?”

“Leave them be!” Celestia demanded powerfully. Cloud turned to see her shield seeming to funnel with her magic before it erupted out in a powerful wave, aimed straight at her sister.

Luna turned with a menacing grin back to her sister and with a flash of her magic, a giant blue shield defence erupted in front of her, the magical blast struck the shield powerfully and suddenly deflected out at an angle. The blast shot straight at Cloud Zapper and the rest.

“NO!” Celestia’s voice sounded out in panic. She disappeared before appearing in a flash in front of them, her regal visage marred by how exhausted she looked and the fear that had etched itself so deeply into her face. Her magic flared up to block the blast. The princess screamed out in pain as the magical blast battled her own shield. When it was over her horn was smoking, and she looked about ready to faint. A magical tendril suddenly wrapped itself around her body and dragged her up into the air before throwing her hard into a nearby wall. The Princess yelled out in pain, only to be lifted again and slammed down into the ground. The tendril then wrapped itself around her neck and slowly lifted her up in front of her own darkened sister. Nightmare Moon’s eyes narrowed, their white glowing depths displaying an eagerness for victory.

“YOUR TIME IS OVER, CELESTIA.” She cackled. “THOU CLAIM OVER THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY HAS PASSED TO THOSE LOWER THAN THOUSELF, AND WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHERE ARE THOU PRODIGIES WHEN THOU NEEDST THEM MOST?” She grinned, her smile arched in a malicious manner.

Suddenly a shining sword of turquoise magic slashed down, tearing through the dark tendril that held Celestia. The Princess began to fall and Private Trickshot and Melody grasped her quickly, flying her to safety.
“SO THOU DOEST DEFY US!” She turned to them, her eyes widening as Cloud Zapper rushed forward, on his back stood the large Earth Pony Stonehoof. He launched off of Cloud’s back, his hooves thrusting down in a powerful blow. A magical aura suddenly surrounded him and stopped him, inches from the Princesses face. “DOEST THOU JEST?!” She yelled before she let out a pained roar. She turned her head to find two magical arrows in her side, blood dripping from the wounds. Ebony Blitz flew nearby, her butterfly wings flapping behind her prettily. Another set of magical arrows popped into existence beside her and rushed at the Princess. She threw up a magical shield to block them, her magical focus on holding Stonehoof failing. He began to fall, but as he did he thrust down hard, aiming for her back. His hooves started to glow with an indigo over-glow, likely from Shining Spear nearby. His hooves struck Nightmare Moon with more strength than they should have, sending the Alicorn princess flying down into the floor below, smashing up parts of the floor.

“Don’t let up!” Cloud Zapper called out. Shining Spear and Ebony let loose a barrage of magical arrows into the smoking ruin where the Princess had landed, the rising smoke obscuring their vision.

As they attacked, the area began to glow brightly with a dark blue and purple glow.

“ENOUGH!” Nightmare Moon’s Canterlot voice erupted out. A massive wave of magic suddenly exploded outwards, hitting them all. Cloud was forced back, striking a wall with enough force to knock the wind from him. He fell down to the floor coughing heavily. Celestia, as weak as she was, was also knocked nearby. Cloud looked up, panting and hurting, seeing that all his squad were down. They’d done well at first, considering their opponent, but she’d just flattened them with one blast. They were no match for her.

“You…can’t win.” The weak voice of Celestia spoke from near him. He turned to look at her, grunting as pain spread up his sides. “You can’t beat her by any power, or tactic. Her power surpasses even mine.”

“But she’s your sister, you’re older than her, aren’t you stronger?” Cloud Zapper insisted.

Celestia just shook her head. “We each govern what we needed to govern.” She looked up to see her sister rising herself from the rubble of the floor. “I was given dominion over the day, and the protection of those in my kingdom was mine. But those evils that come by the light of day may be many, but their strength is nothing to envy. Very few even come close to my power. But the night…” She stared at her sister, a longing in her eyes that tugged at Cloud’s heart strings. “The night is the domain of ‘THOSE’. The True Darkness. And she fights it, each and every night. She protects pony’s minds, their hearts from its corrupting power. It is so strong, so very strong when in the light of the moon.”

“So if the sun were to rise?”

“Then she would be defeated, but my power is almost gone, and she draws on ever more strength from the darkness. I cannot raise the sun while she holds the night.” The fear in Celestia’s voice was palpable.

“What if we could hurt her? Hurt her just enough, distract her, maybe even use up enough of her magic…could you raise the sun?”

“I…I do not know.”

“Could you try?” Cloud Zapper said, turning to Celestia with a pleading gaze. She turned to him, and tears slowly welled up in her eyes.

“Such a feat…” She gulped. “Not all of you may survive…you may die this night.” Celestia looked scared of the thought, hurt to her core that such a thing might happen.

Cloud Zapper looked over his Princess and slowly pulled himself to his hooves. He turned to his team, each of which slowly made themselves stand up. Stonehoof sported an injury to his right leg, but he showed no pain in his expression, Melody looked to have hurt his head, blood covering the side of his face, but his eyes were determined. Each one nodded to Cloud in turn. Cloud Zapper turned slowly to the Alicorn Princess he served and gently he lowered into a reverent bow, his nose almost touching the dusty stone beneath him.

“For you my Princess, it would be an honour.” He raised himself up and turned to Nightmare Moon who had now pulled herself up, power soon surrounding her once again. “It has been an honour to serve you.” He said to the Princess, his eyes still staring at the dark blue Alicorn.

Cloud Zappers wings snapped open and he launched forward. Celestia’s right hoof reached out, as though begging him to come back and stop his foolish plan. But even as he jumped, so did his team. The world seemed to slow down to a crawl.

Princess Luna cackled and blasted down at him with a magical barrage of arrows. Cloud Zapper span as he flew, ducking below the first wave and weaving between the rest, one arrow slashing across his left wing, making him cry out in pain. A powerful magical blast from Ebony slashed down on the Alicorns back, striking Nightmare Moons shield from behind. The dark Princess turned to the Sergeant and let loose a blast, sending Ebony Blitz flying back. The agile unicorn landed, feet first on the far remaining wall, launching her body forward back into the fray. The pink unicorn conjured a magical drill like shield in front of her, spinning it fast as she dived for Nightmare Moon’s shield. But as she approached, the shield of the Alicorn erupted with an over-glow. The drill struck the shield and there was a flash of power between them, the dark Alicorn cackling at their foolish attempts. But Nightmare Moon’s laughter did not last for long, her smile faded and she cried out when a strike from Shining Spear broke through, a magical spear having managed to punch through the front of her shield. As the Princess had been focusing her magic on defending against Ebony, she’d forgotten about her front, giving Shining Spear’s powerful attack enough chance to punch through. She glared and her horn erupted in a powerful glow. Her stomach was bleeding and her eyes were wide in anger. Her horn erupted in red magical energy that she forced down at Shining Spear with violent strength. The moment she blasted down, Private Stonehoof knocked Shining Spear out of the way, saving his life. The blast hit Stonehoof instead hard on the back, sending him falling and rolling off to the side. He skidded to the side and lay ominously still.

“NO!” Melody Song cried out, tears erupting from the young stallion’s eyes as he screamed. He dived after his dear friend, Nightmare Moon lashing out with a powerful blast that struck Melody’s wing before he could reach Stonehoof’s body. The boy cried out, feathers and sinew exploding from the appendage in a bloody mess. He landed past Stonehoof, skidding along the stone before almost falling off the edge. He grasped for dear life onto the edge of tower with his hooves, the expanse below threatening to swallow him whole.

Cloud Zapper rushed to aid his friend, not wanting to lose him. Melody’s eyes were wide with abject terror; he clung to the side, scrambling in a panic. To a Pegasus, there were very few fears greater than falling. Flight was life, soaring with the birds was a form of freedom, and for it to become ones death…it was as bad to a Pegasus, as being buried alive might be for an Earth-Pony.

Nightmare moon cackled and another blast rushed past Cloud Zapper. He watched it in almost slow motion as the blast struck the floor just in front of Melody Song, that part of the tower erupted into dust and rubble; the stone that Melody clung to was thrown off and Melody with it. The blast knocked Cloud Zapper backwards and away from his falling friend, as he was launched away from Melody he watched, his perception heightened in the moment of battle, he saw Melody’s eyes widen in fear as the young Pegasus fell off of the edge to his death. Cloud’s back struck a wall and pain lancing up his side, but it wasn’t the bruises or the cuts that hurt him the most, it was knowing that he’d just lost two dear friends.

Nightmare Moon stood and cackled, laughing at their foolish attempts to beat her. Ebony Blitz landed nearby to Cloud, slowly joined by the rest of the group. He panted and looked up at their opponent.

“YOU FOOLS, DID THOU REALLY THINK YOU COULD DEFEAT US?!” She cackled. But she didn’t attack. She wouldn’t until they attacked her, she was melodramatic, and she was a show-mare. She had an ego that needed an audience and she liked proving how powerful she was. Cloud could only surmise this was from living in her sister’s shadow for so long.

“Sergeant Moonshine, can you power share?” Ebony asked, turning to her Private.

He nodded in reply. “You need some juice for something?”

“No, give it to Zapper.” She said firmly. Cloud’s ears perked up.

“What?” He asked, looking confused.

“Trickshot, Breeze, Auburn, put your hooves on the Corporal.” She commanded, ignoring Cloud’s confusion. They each obeyed, their hooves placing on Cloud Zappers wings and back.

“What’s going on?” He asked, looking between her and them earnestly. He didn’t like the way Ebony was avoiding his eyes.

“Sergeant, I’m not sure I can do three at once. I might burnout.” Moonshine warned. Ebony just nodded at that.

“Do it.” She said firmly. Moonshine just looked at her for a moment before nodding. He turned to Cloud Zapper and pressed his horn to the grey stallion.

“What are you doing?” Cloud Zapper’s eyes widened when suddenly a glow surrounded his body. It tingled at first, but then the glow felt different; it felt like it was pouring something into him. Private Trickshot, First-Class Starlight Breeze and Private Auburn Leaf shook as they held onto him before they suddenly collapsed to the ground, panting and looking weak; Sergeant Moonshine joined them looking exhausted, his horn smoking and sweat pouring down his brow. Cloud however, had never felt stronger, a light glow surrounded him and it felt like his heart was pounding three times faster. “What’s wrong with them, what did you do?” He asked, looking a bit panicked. Whatever they had just done, it had put four of them out of commission. Ebony turned to him, finally looking into his eyes, and what Cloud saw there, made him almost stop breathing.

“When you have a clear shot, take her out. You’ll be faster, stronger, don’t let him, hit as hard as you can!” She demanded, her eyes looking almost empty before turning to Private Shining Spear. “Do it.”

Shining Spear nodded, his horn joining hers before he gasped, his magic erupting out powerfully before it went into her. His horn lost its glow and began smoking.

Ebony turned to Cloud and for the first time she smiled at him. “Hey, live or die this is it.” She said. “But if you get through this…look after Sunny. You do right by him.”

Tears began to flow down Cloud Zappers cheek, and he didn’t even know why. Why did what she was saying, sound so much like a ‘goodbye’? He never got his answer. Sergeant Ebony Blitz turned to face Nightmare Moon. “Hey BITCH!”

The Alicorn’s eyes snapped to the pink Unicorn. “WHAT DID THOU CALL US?”

“I called you a BITCH, a snobbish, spoiled little BRAT of a BITCH that’s scared of her sister’s shadow!” Ebony retorted. Her voice was filled with a childish teasing demeanour that Cloud hadn’t thought she was capable of.

“OUR SISTERS SHADOW?! I AM SHADOW! I AM DARKNESS! I AM THE NIGHT!” Her horn began glowing powerfully. “AND YOU SHALL BOW TO US!” Nightmare moon cried out in anger. Ebony didn’t move to dodge or hide, instead she leapt right at the Princess. She didn’t seem to need wings to fly anymore, she charged at the princess under the power of her own telekinesis, her own shield drill erupting once again, but this time tinged with the same indigo over-glow of her Private Shining Spear. But then the drill became thinner, it became more pointed, more concentrated at the tip. Cloud Zapper’s eyes widened. There was no WAY that shield would block anything that Nightmare Moon could throw at her. Ebony looked back for a moment, it was a moment that many might have missed, but Cloud saw it. Their eyes met and she smiled a little softly. It was then that Cloud knew that she didn’t expect to shield herself. She was sacrificing herself.

“NO!” Cloud rushed forward as fast as he could, a trail of lightning blue and grey left behind him as he rushed. The moment he moved, Nightmare Moon let loose a powerful blast.

The world for a single heartbeat…seamed to stop.

The world around them was a riot of lights and flashing power, the soft glow of the moonlight playing on the polished stone of what was left of the Royal bedroom of Princess Luna. The soft wispy clouds above where grey and formless, but not yet heavy with rain, it was almost beautiful up here, high in a tower away from the world below, looking over it like it was almost out of reach. But this beauty could not last forever. And this moment in time inevitably gave way to the next.

The beam of dark power struck Ebony’s piercing shield. Her magic small and concentrated enough to punch through, tearing and drilling through the blast, splintering it off so that as Cloud got closer, none of it hit him. But a lot of it hit Ebony. Her skin began tearing, her body began blistering, and slashes and wounds opened up over her body as though she were being flayed alive. She burst through the other side in what could only have been a second or two, but it had felt like a lifetime. Her momentum failed and slowly the pink Unicorn began to fall. Cloud saw it all in slow motion. The slow descent as Sergeant Ebony Blitz began to fall, and the smiling face of Nightmare Moon as the defeated mare fell before her. The moment she saw Cloud Zapper though, her expression changed. Cloud saw that Ebony’s eyes were still open, watching him, she gave him a single soft smile before her eyes closed, and a rage filled Cloud Zapper unlike anything he had ever felt.

“YOU BITCH!” He screamed out, his speed far too fast for the Alicorn to react. He was within her shield in a heartbeat, his hooves thrust out in a devastating blow. The resulting strike jarred pain through his hooves like a lance, but he held them firm. He felt bone and features underneath his hooves splinter slightly from the impact. The Alicorn’s head snapped back, blood pouring from her nose and mouth from the blow, her eyes closed as she grimaced in pain, her horn momentarily free of its glow. She flew through the air and struck the wall hard before falling to the floor.

Cloud landed on the floor a little distance away, pain lancing through his hooves that told him they were probably broken. He lay there, hoping that it had been enough, because if it wasn’t, he didn’t want to know what would happen next, or what that would mean for Equestria. But slowly, Cloud Zapper noticed a light behind the lids of his eyes, a soft glow seeping through the darkness.

He opened his eyes; his vision gazing out at a sunrise that spread light across Equestria in beautiful rays of red and gold. The tower was soon hit by these rays, and Nightmare Moon, who began trying to stand, looked out at the light with her eyes wide, she turned to her sister.

“NO! YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NIGHT FROM US!” Her power was waning even as she spoke, smoke started to rise from her, and as Nightmare Moon stiffened she let out a scream of pain and terror, she clutched her head as though in agony.

“NO! WE…I…” Her voice had duelled itself, as though there were two of her. “I will not…” She spoke in a younger voice that was much kinder. “WE CANNOT-” Her eyes widened and magical smoke began to rise from them and from her mouth. “YOU CANNOT! I AM THE NIIIIIGHT!” Her cry echoed out as the black smoke billowed out of her mouth and slowly the ancient armour covering her hide disappeared, and her colour lightened as the tendrils of darkness seeped away. Slowly but surely, Nightmare Moon was replaced once again with Princess Luna. The smaller and younger looking mare slowly collapsed.

Private Trickshot rushing to the young Princesses aid, catching her before she hit the floor, and slowly lowered her down to the ground gently.

Cloud Zapper watched from where he laid with a soft smile on his face at the victory they’d achieved. But that smile was hollow. He was distinctly aware of hooves on him, his men surrounding him, and slowly he felt himself carried. His gaze barely saw who held him; he just stared down into the centre of the cratered rubble that had once been Luna’s Chambers here at the peak of this grand tower. There on the hard stone lay a pink mare. He watched her, staring at her, hoping to see her move, hoping to see her twitch, hoping to see take a single breath. But she didn’t. She just lay there, still as the stone on which she lay.

Cloud Zappers eyes closed and the darkness he’d fought seemed to take him for a little while, but it was peaceful, a respite from the ache that burned in his gut, from the pain of his hooves, and the grief that had begun to claw at his throat.

*

The Pegasus had arranged for a light rain the day of the funerals at Cloud Zappers request. It was sombre, and a bit depressing of an idea, but it felt…appropriate.

Tears in the rain and all that.

Three caskets lay before them, each draped in the Equestrian flag, each shining and gleaming with woven gold. Each casket was embroided with gorgeous decorations of heroic feats, of legendary scenes that each Guard within had committed.

Corporal Stonehoof.

Corporal Melody Song.

And Captain Ebony Blitz.

Promotions had been given to each as an honour to them, medals had been given to their families in reminder of their loved ones deeds. But could any medal or promotion really make up for it? Could they ever even describe what each of these Royal Guards had given for the sake of Equestria?

Cloud Zapper didn’t think so.

The grey Pegasus stallion wore his full Guard armour, the gold glinting in the light of the sun that shone through the grey drizzling clouds as he ascended the stairs to the podium. He stood before the stands, a microphone near him to enhance his voice. Before him a procession of Guards stood there. Sergeant Moonshine, Private Trickshot, Private First-Class Starlight Breeze and Auburn Leaf stood there among them, just a few of the large crowd that had joined them. The rest of the 38th Squadron, Ebony Blitz’s team, also stood with them, though Cloud did not know each by name. But he made a mental note that he would try to get to know each of them in the coming months. At the front, on either side of the podium he stood on, sat three ponies, Princess Celestia, a contrite Princess Luna, and a bandaged, but awake, Captain Sunride Blitz, who had managed to make a recovery after more samples of the Changeling venom were able to be gathered from the other ‘Hundred’ that had invaded, and thus yielded an antidote.

Cloud Zapper looked down at the piece of paper before him; it was a speech that he had written the night before.

“I want to speak to you all about a Sergeant, and two Privates.” He began, looking at those before him. “But you all knew them anyway, so what could I say?” He said, a soft smile joining the tears that marred his face. “I could tell you how as Royal Guards, they exemplified the virtues of courage and the stalwart strength of any that came before them. How they were strong, fearless, and gave their lives in the protection of Equestria. But you all know that.

“So I’m going to tell you not about a Sergeant and two Privates, I’m going to tell you about Ebony, a mare who was so stubborn that on her seventh birthday she wouldn’t let go of her father’s leg until he bought her the teddy that she wanted.” He smiled and a few attentive Guards in the audience couldn’t help but chuckle a little. “A story, that, for those of you that knew her, could attest that she’d kill me for telling you.” There were a few nods in agreement at that. “She’d also kill me for telling you that on her first application to become a Royal Guard, she actually failed, though there was probably a little bias in that decision on the instructor’s behalf. It wasn’t that she hadn’t surpassed all their expectations with amazing prowess, she had. It was simply because one of her instructors didn’t like her…so she chose to trap him in a conjured cage for three hours.” The crowd chuckled more at that, even Sunride smiled a little, only for another tear to drip down his cheek. “Ebony Blitz truly DID exemplify what it meant to be a Royal Guard.” He said firmly, looking to the crowd. “She WAS stalwart and strong, she WAS powerful and what she sacrificed for us will never ever be forgotten.

“She was also beautiful, brave, and if any of us could ever hope to even be half the Guard that she was, well then Equestria would be a much safer place.” He said softly. There was a silence that followed, before Cloud Zapper began to chuckle a little. “A mare walks into a bar, the bartender asks, why the long face?” This got him a few curious looks. “Melody Song was a stallion of really bad jokes and puns.” He grinned. “He was silly, juvenile, reckless, sometimes idiotic…and just what we needed.

“In the darkest of nights, when you find yourself hoof deep in tarterus, and the only thing you’ve got to look forward to each day and night is pain and the chance of losing your life or the lives of your friends…Melody Song was the pony to have with you. He was the kind of stallion that would do whatever it took to make you laugh; he once went as far as to hit himself with a frying pan as a joke.” He grinned. “It was the first time Stonehoof ever smiled.” He sighed. “Stonehoof…‘there’ was a stallion that was the embodiment of ‘stalwart’. He invented the term. He was big, strong, and the buck could throw a punch like you wouldn’t believe. He was quiet too, barely ever spoke when he first joined us, he just followed orders and said either ‘yes sir’ or ‘no sir’.” He shrugged. “Then the tyke turned up. Melody was the baby of the group, a prodigy straight out of boot camp. Smart as anything, but didn’t know when to shut up. Fast as anything, but didn’t know when to stop. Tried everything we could to make him listen, but the guy was reckless, he’d do orders and then he’d go further, he’d do something we didn’t need him to do, thinking he was helping except he’d have messed everything up for us or somepony else, can’t tell you the amount of times I had to cover for the idiot. He couldn’t concentrate on anything for very long, and we were at our wits end. That’s when Stonehoof finally spoke more than two words to any of us.

“He trotted right up to Melody Song and he said ‘Boy, you better start doin’ as your told and just as your told, or you’re gonna be in trouble. You gotta have the right mind to be a Guard, you wanna be helpful, do as ya asked, but always remember, to be a good pony, before you try to be a good soldier.’” Cloud Zapper smiled at the memory. “They were friends after that, thick-as-thieves. They looked after each other, cared about each other; they loved each other as brothers.” Tears began to fall down Cloud Zappers face. “As the night descends tonight, don’t think about the short night that almost spelled the end for Equestria, and did spell the end for these three brave Soldiers. Mourn their deaths if you have to, but celebrate their lives, celebrate their hearts and what they fought for. Celebrate what they sacrificed themselves for. Life.” He looked down at the caskets. “As Stonehoof once said, ‘remember to be a good pony, before you try to be a good soldier.’”

Cloud Zapper stood to attention and saluted, as did every Guard surrounding the caskets, saluting those that were laid to rest. Cloud Zapper watched as the draped Equestrian flags were slowly removed and the caskets lowered into the ground.

Why had this had to happen? Why did good ponies have to die? What was this for? Had Chrysalis wanted to team up with Nightmare Moon to take over the Crystal Empire, she didn’t seem like the type. If she got her heart back, wouldn’t that make her ‘good’ again, surely she wouldn’t want an evil presence waiting there to destroy the Fae kingdom she wanted to rebuild. She had to have had a different plan. Whatever it was, Cloud was going to stop it.

A hoof pressed onto Cloud’s back and he turned to look into the azure eyes of Captain Sunride. Their lips met briefly and Cloud Zapper almost melted into the kiss, needing the stallions embrace. They hugged when the kiss broke, holding each other closely. Cloud looked back to the caskets that were now deep within the earth. He could feel Sunride shaking against him, fighting back the grief that struck him.

Cloud nodded to himself in determination. Chrysalis, whatever her plan was, was going to be stopped, and Cloud was going to be the one to do it, or he was going to die trying.

Author's Note

I hope you all enjoyed this latest addition, there will be many more books in this series to come. ^-^

Leave a comment and a review or whatever, let me know what I did right or wrong, can't improve unless I know where to improve. ;)