"Mom!"

I woke up for the third night in a row, sweating and hyperventilating. I calmed down after a few moments of silence, realising that it was just another nightmare. I had been plagued with nightmares of my parents for a while now and somehow, I wasn't feeling the effects of the sleep loss. I rubbed my head, it throbbing slightly.

"What, am I immune to no sleep now? Ugh..."

I got out of bed, picking up my sword and sheathing it. I looked at the clock across from me.

3AM. Same time that I've been waking up practically every night.

I heard my door open slightly, causing me to snap my head towards it. I calmed down when I saw Moonie standing there. She walked towards me, nodding.

"Wanted to check on you. I heard you screaming again."

I rolled my eyes, smirking. "Nice to see that you care. Shouldn't you be asleep?"

She scoffed, booping my shoulder with one of her hooves. "Don't push it, smart guy. Nah, I'm nocturnal, remember? I can sleep later in the day if I need to. More importantly, have you been sleeping recently? I've been hearing you cry out in your sleep whenever I've passed by your room at night and it's starting to concern me. Is it about your home?"

I nodded, stretching my neck and popping it, sighing in relief as my muscles loosened up. "Somewhat, yeah. I don't want to talk about it right now, honestly. Mind if we go for a walk? I won't get back to sleep anyway."

Moonie looked out of the window towards the castle garden. She looked back at me and ushered me to follow. I complied and closed the door behind me as we went out into the hallway. I caught up to her, walking next to her. I saw in the corner of my eye that she was looking at me. I turned my head to her and she looked away. I raised an eyebrow, slightly confused.

"Yo, Moonie, you okay there?"

She nodded quite rapidly, speeding up slightly. "Of course. Just thinking. Isn't important."

I shrugged, not caring enough at the moment to follow it up. If it was important, she'd tell me eventually. For now, I just wanted to get to the garden and chill for a bit. Try and forget that damn nightmare.

We walked out of big castle doors and walked towards the garden. We sat down on one of the benches, Moonie having brought a book with her. I smirked. "Reading again, huh?"

She nodded, a slight smile on her face. "Yup. Want a read?"

I waved my hand, looking away. "Nah, I'll pass."

I heard her sigh, seeing that she had turned her attention back to the book. "Suit yourself. So, how're you and Celestia doing now?"

It had been a few days since the incident with Celestia. I had seen her a few times around and she had tried to talk to me, but I had just brushed her off. I just didn't feel comfortable talking with her at the moment.

"Eh, same as we were before. I still don't feel comfortable talking to her."

I heard Moonie sigh again, now looking at me. "Daemon, you're going to have to talk to her at one point. I understand that you're home sick and I do sympathise, but it isn't her fault and you know that. You're no doubt making her feel guilty and that isn't fair on her."

Now it was my time to let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah yeah, I know. I'll try and talk to her the next time I see her."

"Promise?"

I nodded. "Promise."

She smiled. She turned back to her book and we sat in silence for a good while. I was busy losing myself in the statue near me. It was a statue of Celestia and Luna, gracefull and really tranquil. I was so lost that I didn't pick up on the shadow walking up to us.

"Hello, Moon Stalker. Daemon."

For the 2nd time that night, I snapped my head around to the sound. I saw Moonie next to me, staring at the figure too.

Celestia.

"For fuck's sake...here we go."

I nodded. "Celestia. What brings you here?"

She smirked slightly, walking closer towards us which honestly made me somewhat uncomfortable. She noticed this and backed off slightly, putting on a more serene look. "I wanted to see if you two were okay. I came to your room but when I realised that it was empty, I assumed that you would be here. I've noticed that you usually come here when you can't sleep."

She pointed at the bench that we were sitting on. "Mind if I sit down?"

Moonie moved over, smiling at Celestia. "Of course, your highness." She started looking at me and ushering me to do the same. I rolled my eyes and complied.

"Sure, knock yourself out."

She nodded in thanks and sat down. I forgot how tall she actually was compared to the other ponies that I'd met while I'd been here. She looked towards me after a while as I looked away.

"Daemon, I know that you're still angry at me, but please hear me out. I am still trying my very best to help you get home. Luna is helping me to the best of her ability too."

I raised an eyebrow at that last comment. "Luna helping to get me home? I'm surprised."

She fidgeted uncomfortably, looking at Moonie. "Moon Stalker, do you mind if I talk to Daemon here alone?"

She shook her head, smiling. "Of course not, princess. I'll head back to his room and wait for him when you're finished."

She waved at me as I looked back at her, silently begging her not to leave me alone with her. She just smirked and shook her head, walking off. I silently shook my head.

"You better pray to keep those wings of yours, Moonie, I swear to god."

I looked away, standing up and unsheathing my sword, holding it out in front of me and meditating. Over the past week, I'd picked up meditating to some degree. I was becoming more like Daemon personality wise than I thought. Was starting to get weird.

Celestia coughed behind me. I opened my ears to listen, but I didn't bother turning my head.

"I am sorry for not being able to help you as much as I want to. Seriously. I know what it's like to be homesick."

I scoffed, looking up at the night sky.

"You're home. I don't see how you could feel homesick."

She stood up, walking behind me, causing me to sit up and turn around slightly. She looked at me with a serious expression. Not exactly stern or such, just serious.

"That doesn't mean that I don't know what it feels like to miss your home, Daemon. I am over a 1000 years old. I may not be the smartest pony around, but I have been alive long enough to experience more than most think. Trust me when I say that I understand how painful it must be."

I sighed, sheathing my sword. "Yeah, I get it. It's not your fault. But I just...I just don't know what to fucking do. I'm effectively stranded on an alien planet as a fictional character. I just feel like I'm going insane."

I felt a hoof on my shoulder, causing me to turn around to see Celestia smiling softly at me. "I am always here for you, Daemon, as Moon Stalker and the others are. Even Luna is here for you. I know that she was rather...abrasive when you two originally met..."

I scoffed, smirking. "You can say that again."

She chuckled, but continued. "Quite...anyway, as I was saying, we are all here for you. I might not exactly understand how you became what you are and why you got brought here, but I will do everything in my power to make sure that everything is fixed for you."

For the first time in days, I smiled. A genuine smile, even if she couldn't really see it completely due to the stupid demon mask that was bound to my face. "Thank you. I apologise for being such a brat this past week. Just needed to clear my head. Didn't mean to direct it towards you, I know it isn't your fault."

She smiled, hugging me slightly. I didn't know how to react, so I just stood there. She pulled away after a few seconds, turning around and ushering me to go with her. "Thank you, Daemon. Now, let us return to your room. I imagine Moon Stalker is wondering if I've murdered you yet."

I smirked, scoffing slightly. "Right. Let's go."

Just outside Canterlot, an army was forming. An army that was familiar with this cursed place. An army that needed to win and could not afford any distractions. Their lives depended on it.

"My queen, our plan of attack is ready to be started. Shall we proceed?"

The queen of the changelings nodded. Chrysalis, the ruler of the changeling hive. The general pony population thought that she was doing this for her own gain and they couldn't be more wrong. She was doing this for her hive. For her people. If she didn't do this, they wouldn't last another winter. They were starving and their home was rapidly degrading to nothingness. She had been planning this for a very long time, ever since they were denied food the last time that they had been here.

"Twilight Sparkle..." She hissed at the thought of that name. Her and her "friends" had made it so that she couldn't feed her babies. Yes, she may have hypnotised Shining Armour and she maybe trapped Princess Cadance in the Canterlot mines, but she had no other option. She had tried before to negiotiate with Princess Celestia and she just wouldn't have it. She only cared about her own. So long as her ponies were safe, she didn't care about any other species.

Yes, even she admits, she could have handled the Canterlot situation better, but they were starving. And they still were. This was the 2nd time that they had no choice. But this time, she was prepared for the elements and everything else that the ponies could throw at them. If the ponies wouldn't give them the love that they desired, then they would take it by force.

She cheered, pointing at the massive mountain like city in front of her. "Go, my children! Go and take Canterlot so that we may feed and get the love that we deserve!"

The changelings around her cheered and pushed forward, charging as fast as they could. She sighed.

"To think we've come to this."

I was currently sat in my room with Moonie. I had talked to Celestia more as we had walked back and I was thankful that we had started chatting again. I still felt somewhat guilty that we didn't make up sooner and it was completely my fault for being such a little bitch about the situation, but hey ho, at least it was sorted now. I looked towards Moonie, looking down at her book.

"What are you reading there, Moonie?"

She hummed, still looking at the book. "A romance novel about two ponies who are so different from each other, but the more time that they spend together, the more that they realise that they both are very much alike in some ways."

I chuckled, crossing my legs and meditating. "I was never into romance."

She looked at me, a smirk spread across her face. "Couldn't handle the ladies, huh?"

I scoffed, slapping her lightly on the back of her head. She snarled, flaring her wings. "What was that for?!"

Now I smirked, my eyes closing as I focused my meditation. "No reason. Just felt like doing it."

After a few moments with no response, I opened one eye to see that Moonie had disappeared. The hell?

I looked around, slightly confused. "Moonie? Where the fuck did you..."

I suddenly heard a roar above me and before I could react, Moonie had jumped me, landing on my chest, slightly knocking the wind out of me. She smirked down at me, licking her lips. "Awh, what's the matter? Did I make you jump?"

I shoved her off of me onto the bed, causing her to snarl again. I jumped off of the bed and unsheathed my sword, smirking behind my mask. "Do you really want to try this with me, Moonie? I wouldn't suggest it."

She flapped her wings and dashed towards me. I rolled out of the way, grabbing her tail mid-roll and throwing her back onto the bed. She bared her fangs and rammed into me, knocking me onto the floor. I spun her around so that she was underneath me. She looked up at me, her anger now dissipating into...embarassment?

"Moonie, what's up?"

She pushed me off of her, coughing and standing up. "Nothing, don't worry about it."

"That was weird. Wonder what..."

A sudden loud sound from outside broke my train of thought. Both me and Moonie rushed towards the window, looking down at the streets. It looked like...what the hell was that?

"Oh no..."

I looked at Moonie, confused. "What? What's going on?"

She took on a serious expression, which honestly concerned me. She rarely ever had that type of expression on her face, especially when she was around me. Whatever this was, it was serious.

"I'll explain on the way there. We've got to get to the princesses."

Before I could even think of replying, she flew out of the room, causing me to raise an eyebrow. I looked back down at the streets below and saw what appeared to be a...bug pony?

"What in the actual fuck is that thing?"

It was surrounded by a bunch of smaller bug pony things. They were pillaging and destroying the houses, setting aflame to the once fairly tranquil street that Daemon had spent so much of his time looking down at. I sighed, unsheathing his sword.

"Can't catch a break, can I?"

I ran out of the room as fast as I could, heading towards Celestia's throne room.

"So, let me get this straight, an evil bug pony has come to suck the love out of everyone?"

Celestia nodded. "Basically, yes."

"And she has done this before?"

Another nod, this time from Luna. "Indeed, Daemon. She and the rest of her race are a leech to every species that can feel emotion. We cannot let her drain our citizens of their love. The last time that she attacked, I was unfortuantly...not around."

Celestia rolled her eyes, nudging Luna. "What she means is that she was asleep the entire time."

Luna blushed slightly, something that I hadn't seen yet. Was surprisngly cute.

"Anyway, we must not let her get away with this. I will head her forces off at the west gate of the city."

She pointed a hoof towards Moonie. "Moon Stalker, you will assist my sister here."

Moonie bowed, kneeling down as much as she could. "Yes, my princess."

I looked at Luna and then back at Moonie, a slight glare to my eyes. "Could at least show some respect to your best guard, you b..."

Celestia nodded, nuzzling her. "Stay safe, sister. We will do everything we can to stop her from getting into the castle."

With that, Luna flew off, leaving just me, Celestia and Moonie. Celestia looked at us both, a serious and concerned look on her face. "Moon Stalker, are you capable to fight?"

She nodded, saluting. "Of course, your highness. What about Daemon here?"

I rolled my eyes, scoffing. "I'm not a stray dog, you know. I can handle myself."

Celestia turned around, looking out of the window next to her throne. She sighed heavily. "Daemon, I do not take pride in asking this and I wish that I did not have to, but could you assist Moon Stalker? I've heard that your combat skills are quite...formiddable."

I raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you hear that? I haven't told you about..."

Moonie nudged me, smirking slightly. "I told her what you did to those goons in the alleyway."

Celestia had known about that incident, that much I know. She was the ruler of this place, after all. Nothing really escapes her. But I never knew that Moonie had filled her in on the exact details as to what I did to those idiots.

I didn't know what to think of that. I didn't want Celestia to see me as a violent person. It might hurt her trust in me and therefor, hurt my chances of getting out of this place.

Celestia nodded. "She indeed did and do not worry, Daemon. They deserved what was coming to them. I love my little ponies and I do not wish any harm to come to them, but when we get ponies such as those who like to take advantage of innocent ponies and bring harm to them, I have no sympathy for what their fate ends up being. Anyway, we have much more at stake right now. I will remain here and attempt to cut them off. Moon Stalker, gather your night guards and head to the eastern gate. Take my guards as well. You may need the extra support."

She nodded and saluted. "Yes, your highness." Before she could leave, I put my hand on her, causing her to look at me in confusion. I smiled behind my mask.

"I'l stay with Celestia and try to keep them from getting in this place. Take care alright, Moonie? I'd hate to have to save your sorry ass."

She smirked, scoffing. "As if you could." Her expression softened as she hugged me. The same as when Celestia hugged me, I didn't know how to respond. But after a moment, I concided and hugged back, causing her to hum happily. "Take care please, Daemon. Seriously. Are you sure you don't want to come with me?"

I nodded my head, patting her on the head. "I wish I could, but I suppose I should make sure Celestia here is alright. She may need help."

Celestia nodded in thanks, walking up to me and putting a hoof on my shoulder. "While I highly appreciate the sentiment Daemon, you can go with Moon Stalker here if you wish to. I will be fine on my own. I still have some of my guards as well to help."

I shook my head, budging her hoof off of my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I don't want to cramp Moonie's style here. I trust her. She's a great fighter. She'll be fine."

Moonie smiled sincerely at that. "Thank you...I think. Be careful."

"Yeah yeah, now get g..."

A soft pair on lips landed on my cheek, only for a split second. I instinctively put my hand up to the area as I looked at Moonie in shock.

"See ya, stud."

She smirked and flew off. I heard Celestia chuckle behind me. "I've never seen Moon Stalker so relaxed around somepony before. She must really like you."

I rolled my eyes. "Eh, I'm never sure with that girl. One minute she wants to kill me, the next she's kissing my cheek. Anyway, more importantly, what is our plan of action?"

Celestia put her serious look back on, nodding and walking towards the door of the castle, ushering some of her remaining guards to her.

"We hold this castle. She cannot be allowed to get in here."

I nodded, unsheathing my sword and smirking behind my mask.

"Let's tear it up."

Author's Note

Things be getting interesting, I think.

Sorry it took so long. I've been quite ill and I just wasn't in the mind set to write. If all goes well, the next chapter should be up by tomorrow.