A smile creeps up my face as I watch the changelings zoom in hordes around the castle. There are more slamming themselves into the ground in a line for some reason. I get out of my daze when a diamond dog shakes me.

“Wa-What?” I ask.

“We was calling yer name! we thought somedin’ happened,” one of them says.

“Oh, sorry i’m just...fantasizing,” I say.

“About da war?”

“Yes.”

“So, now what?” he asks.

“I’m going in, so enjoy your new found freedom,” I say, running away into the city.

“But wait, you can’t fight all of dem!”

“Zer0, I’m going to need you on this one.” I say, ignoring the diamond dogs.

“Alright, but let's hurry this along,” Zer0 says, going into an astral form and pushing me out of my–

–Er–

–Our body.

Zer0 POV

I run further into the city, seeing almost every building trashed. Literally every building had something destroyed like a window or even had a wall smashed in. When I see the castle I realize that there is no way that I can get in without being detected, unless I use my Decepti0n, that is when I go invisible and a hologram takes my place for a little while.

A swarm of changelings notice me and veers my way. They plummet into the ground, crashing and exploding small craters around me. I can dodge them easy enough but it doesn't help that they are chasing me. They prove relentless as more swarms of them notice this and decide to join in.

I decide to go into Decepti0n, commanding my hologram to run into the passing alley as I cloak, continuing in the same direction I was going. They take the bait, following it into the alley. When I decloak I know that they tried to fight the clone. I take a quick glance behind me and see the rest of the horde chasing me again and gaining. I look ahead and see the castle coming with the gate open. Green goop covers it with several ponies and guards trapped in it.

“Looks like the royal guard failed,” I say, continuing my journey to the castle.

I rush through gate and burst through the castle’s front doors. Inside I see that I’m in the throne room and there’s no one in here. I turn around and barricade the front door with its steel locking bar. Then I go past the throne and up the stairs behind them. There’s a “wedding” going down somewhere in the castle.

So this must be it. I see everyone in their chairs cowering, Twilight and Cadenza trapped in a green gooey substance on their hooves. There’s a big green sack hanging from the ceiling with someone in it, but I can’t tell who. I see Shining Armor standing at the altar looking braindead.

“What the hell is wrong with Shining?” Alex asks.

I don’t answer, instead I point to the Queen looking out the window.

“Shit, another one of those things. I thought we killed them all.”

I use Decepti0n and had my clone stand out of sight while I got closer. Once close enough, I hear her...singing. Seems as if she’s celebrating her victory. I try to move as swiftly and silently as possible. I was almost in striking distance when I saw out the corner of my eye the real Cadence, somehow free, going over to Shining Armor. She cast a...heart that popped in his face like a bubble. His green eyes and dazed look vanished. The changeling noticed this and turned to face Cadence, looking straight through me.

I instinctively jumped back as I decloaked. Taken off guard, she scowls with confusion, then fear rakes across her face.

“The bane of Changelings!” she screams, backing up towards the window.

Huh, someone still remembers me.

“Zer0, quick, let me take over, I got an idea!” Alex says, pushing me out of my body.

He looks at her before drawing my sword slowly. “Yes, it is me, Zer0, The Bane of Changelings.” he says in an overly dramatic voice before pointing at her. “And, it appears I have missed a queen.” he pointed my sword at her. “Allow me to fix that.”

He then lunged at her. She reacted by quickly teleporting in a green flash, leaving nothing of herself but the green goo that adorned the room. He peers out the window, seeing the rest of the changelings retreating in response to their queen gone.

Alex lets out a groan. “For a second there, I thought she was on to us.”

“No, on to you, don’t put this on me,” I say.

“Oh, come on we're a team. I thought you understood.”

“Whatever,” I say, turning away from him crossing my arms.

“You keep acting like an edgy teen.”

“What was that?!” Twilight shrieked. “What is the Bane of Changelings?!”

“You’ll find out when you’re older.” Alex tells her, patting her on the head.

“You always say that,” she says pouting.

I smirk at her little display. Alex notices my sudden change in emotion.

“Aw, is someone getting friendly with the little pony?” Alex asks in a mocking tone.

I groan. “You look like a crazy person talking to me like this.”

Alex, processes what I say, then realizes that he looks like he’s talking to air. “Good point.” He turns around looking at the frightened nobles. “Alright! Let's not let some bug get in the way of this wedding!”

(Alex POV)

After I said that, the tension died down. Everyone decided to do the wedding instead of cleaning up first. All in all it was a pretty good wedding. Ponies were happy and it had a beautiful message hidden in it. Despite all the suffering and pain their love still prevailed. Kinda reminds me of how Zer0 and I started out.

As I am waving off Shining to his honeymoon, a dark guard in purple armor with a crescent moon at the front and with bat wings trots up to me.

“Princess Luna, wishes to speak to you in her highness's personal quarters.”

Princess Luna’s Quarters

There I stand at the giant black door adorned with a giant crescent moon. Had it been the first time i’ve seen it I would have been in amazement. The two guards that stand on either side open the double doors. The doors reveals Luna on her bed reading a brown book.

“Ah, Alex, you finally came,” she says, dropping the book on her bed. “I have called you here to give you your payment.”

“So that’s why I was called.”

“But first, I wish for you to hear me out.” Luna says getting closer.

“Okay, what do you want to talk about?”

“I want you to join the Lunar Guard.” A long silence enveloped the room.

“No, Luna,” I say.

“Why do you always refuse!” Luna suddenly shouts, startling her guards.

“Luna, we’ve already been through this.”

“Alex, you know i’m doing this because I care about you,” she says, tears threatening to well up. “I feel scared everytime you go out and do these dangerous missions.”

“Luna, it’s my choice to do what I do!” I say, spiking in anger. “So, just back off!”

She stares at me, tears fully flowing.

I look around the room trying to avoid her gaze, My sight reaches her dark dresser and on top of it is a tan bag of bits. I walk past her and grab the pouch. I open the glass doors to her expansive balcony. Climbing on the railing I look down, spotting my landing point. But before I depart, I turn back to Luna and give a small two finger salute before leaning back to fall.

Author's Note

Finally I've finished this probably not the kind of chapter you were expecting but im trying to get there. I want to try to not make this all about fighting but...he's a mercenary who kills people for money...so its gonna be kinda hard. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and see ya next time.