She heard a flap as she was dancing, barely turning in time for a hoof to come flying at her face. Just barely, she managed to catch it. "What the—?!" Her question trailed off when she saw a pony wearing the dark purples of Luna's guards. They had the wings of a bat though, despite otherwise being a pony.

"You have been recalled by Princess Celestia." The guard tugged their hoof from her grasp. "Your presence is expected immediately. I am sorry for ruining your fun."

Loona kept up her fighting stance. "Cool, cool, is that why you tried to clobber me from behind? Just another friendly night between guards?"

The new pony sighed aloud. "We are meant to test each other's skills. It would not be a test if you knew it was coming." They rolled their shoulders in a shrug. "I'm sure you understand."

"I'm sure that would have hurt if I didn't hear you coming." She slid to the side, avoiding a dancing pony. "Want to take this outside? A bit crowded in here."

"You are correct." The bat-winged pony wheeled on the spot and trotted out of the club. "Follow."

Loona rolled her eyes and followed them out into the streets. "Alright then, you got my attention." She flicked the bird at the pony. "Now you have about a second to apologize before I rearrange your damn face."

The guard drew back a step. "Apologize?" They frowned in thought as they reared up onto their hindlegs and raised their fore into their own, ridiculous from Loona's perspective, fighting stance. "Make me."

Loona surged forward, her fist swinging at the pony. She felt them slip away, moving off to her left. Their wings were in her face, flapping hard enough to create a breeze she had to close her eyes against, which only made it all the easier for the hooves that he threw at her crash into the side of her face, knocking her back.

She spit out the blood where she had bit herself. "Son of a, okay, kid gloves off."

The pony chuckled. "That was barely a shove." Their eyes widened as Loona charged again. A momentary distraction.

Loona lashed out with her leg instead of her hand, kicking them dead center of the face. The pony fell backwards, but that turned into a flip, landing back on their hooves with a low growl. Loona followed through, catching their head in her hands and smashing her knee into the side of their skull, making them yelp in surprise.

The fight was interrupted by a low whistling sound that made Loona pause and glance up. Another pony was letting out the whistles, tufted ears tucked. Her combatant hopped into the air, taking off on those bat-like wings. "Another time." And then they were gone.

Loona rolled her shoulders to relieve the stress she felt. "I was just starting to enjoy myself!" She picked up a rock and chucked it after the pony, missing so widely she chuckled at her aim. With the alley clear, she considered returning to the dance. "Mood's kinda shot." She shrugged and went towards the hotel instead.

As soon as she was inside, Twinkleshine was already there, beaming at her. "Did you enjoy your evening?"

Loona gave Twinkleshine a thumbs up and a smile. "Good enough." Going into details felt like a waste of time. "Heading up to my room."

"You are on the clock now, so you should get your rest." Twinkleshine smiled softly. "Sleep well, Miss Loona."

Loona paused. "You already know about that?"

"That you work for the princesses? Sure do!" She clapped her hooves with a big smile. "You're a guard now, how exciting. Are they ordering special armor for you?"

"Yeah, yeah, something like that." Loona waved the pony off. "Anyway, I'm going to sleep." She entered the elevator and made her way up. "Another fucking evening. Ugh."

She made her way to her room and was ready to crash when she noticed something in the window. Coming closer, it became clear it was a letter, folded and tucked against the outside of the window. She lifted it and unfurled it, reading the words.

 Loona

 Your distracting presence is not appreciated.

 Leave now.

"Like that's gonna happen." Loona crumpled up the note and hurled it across the room. "I didn't get to be this age by folding to every fucker that told me to get lost."

"Yeah, you tell 'em."

Loona whirled around to find her father lounging across the great couch as if he owned it. "What are you doing here?" She glanced back at the letter, then to him. "And why the fuck you gotta sneak around like that?"

Blitzo got to his feet and dusted himself off with a chuckle. "I didn't sneak. I told the pony at the front desk I'm your dad, which I am, and they let me right in." He threw an arm around her shoulder. "How are you enjoying being the princess' personal plaything?"

"Don't call me that." Loona rolled her eyes. "She's nice, actually." She flashed a faint smile. "She actually listens to what I say, unlike some."

Blitzo narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you implying I don't care about you because I don't listen to your bullshit?" He squeezed her shoulders. "That is cold. C'mon, let me hear more."

Loona threw up a hand. "Whatever. Look, did you get dinner already or not?"

Blitzo pointed at a spot where he had left a few empty trays. "The food was great! They can cook down here."

"Yeah, yeah." Loona rolled her eyes and made her way for the phone. "I haven't yet." She plucked up the receiver. "Hey, yeah. Yep, he's here. Yes, he's my dad." She rolled her eyes. "Not much family resemblance, is there? Before you ask, adopted. Ah huh. I'm hungry, so send up some dinner with a drink to chase it, okay? Yeah, thanks."

She set the receiver down with a sigh and turned towards him with a glare. "Don't go around telling people you're my father, okay?"

He shrugged his narrow shoulders. "What's wrong? It's the truth." He fired a finger gun at her. "You want me to start lying to people? What a terrible influence you are, Loona."

Loona didn't seem to hear that. "Just because it's true, doesn't make it right, dad." She rubbed the side of her face in annoyance. "Look, I got work tomorrow."

"At Luna's side, right?" He waggled his brows with far too much extra implications. "Hey, I get it. Ponies are great, and you went right after one of the biggest ones around." He set his hands on his belly, lounging on that couch. "Why I'm trying to get through to that sunny one. Celly-cakes!"

"Yeah, well, I'm not trying to fuck her." Loona flopped onto her side of the bed.

"Really?" Blitzo sounded genuinely surprised by that. "Because you're going into her bedroom alone." He chuckled at the thought. "What are you two talking about in there if not making the moves towards more interesting times and less clothing?"

"It's none of your damn business, dad."

Blitzo shrugged and stretched out fully. "You're right. You're right. It's none of my business." He kicked his feet up. "Don't let her break your heart or nothing."

Loona glared at him and his attempt to almost sound fatherly. "You better not pick at my food. You already ate. Want more, just call the front desk, not like they charge for anything." She waved at the phone.

"Thanks!" he called after her, as she was stepping into the bathroom. He waited for her to close the door before he hefted himself off the bed and stepped towards the phone. "All you can eat and free? This place is way better than the last." He yanked up the phone to his ear.

"Hello," sang a female pony. "Loona? We're still working on yours. Almost done!"

Blitzo glanced back at the bathroom as the water came on. "She's showering. I'll wait. I'm her dad, Blitz. Mind sending something my way too? Starving over here!"

"Oh! Hello, sir. We'd love to. Want another of what she's having?" The voice grew a little louder, as if the pony was leaning in. "You two make an adorable pair! It's always nice to see familial bonds so strong even between different kinds of creatures."

Blitzo chuckled low into the phone. "I can't say it's been easy raising her. Lot of growing pains, but I wouldn't have my life be any other way, not when it means I wouldn't be with my baby girl."

"Aw," she gushed out with a giggle. "That is too adorable! Look, I'm going to send up a little cake. Share it with her and make some lovely memories!"

Blitzo rubbed at the back of his head with a laugh. "Yeah, she'd like that. Thanks!" The phone clicked as he hung up.

***

When food arrived, Blitzo was already back on the couch, watching television with lazy interest. The pony at the door left him with his meal and the promised cake before trotting off with a promise to return later for the trays.

On the way back, Blitzo slid Loona's food over on her bed.

That was when Loona emerged, mildly wet. She looked between herself and the bed. "Did you bring that in?" Her question came out with some surprise.

"I did." He grinned at her, then held up the cake. "Look at that. They gave us this to share and celebrate being a family in pony land. Ain't that fucking sweet as all hell? I'm almost touched."

Loona sat down at her tray of food. "Thanks for the food, dad." She started eating. "This is a nice hotel, but the ponies here are trying too hard, I think." She chuckled, thinking of Twinkleshine. "I swear she's aiming for employee of the decade or something."

"Uh huh. You want some or not? I could eat this on my own how hungry I am." Blitzo waved the cake tauntingly at her.

Loona glanced up from her meal, taking stock of what her father was doing. She reached out and stole a forkful of cake before returning to her own meal. "You're an okay dad, I guess."

"Woah, you feeling okay?" He sliced off some cake to enjoy himself. "Bloody hell! These ponies make damn good sweets." He licked his fork clean with a grin.

Loona rolled her eyes. "No one makes food better than I've had here." She nodded slowly at the thought. "Not even close, in fact. Not a lot of meat options unless you like fish, but what they got, they take pride in."

"Damn straight!" Blitzo cut off another slice of cake and made that disappear as well. "These ponies are alright. Why the fuck did we get called up here to kill them, again?"

Loona glared at him. "You know how this works. They rarely go into details, and we never ask for them. What did they say when we were sent to gank Luna?"

"Something about a crazy old man that kept saying some Luna was going to return and break his machines." He snorted into a laugh. "Can you believe it? These ponies got magic. What do they need machines for?" He snorted out an aborted laugh, stuffing his face with food instead. "Stupid ponies."

Loona chuckled. "Yeah, real stupid, huh? At least they're not assholes about it." She took a chomp out of her food. "And they aren't pissy neighbors. Usually." She thought back to the attempted attack. "Usually." She frowned at the thought.

Blitzo looked up, crumbs on his chin. "What's got you thinking? Something I should know about?"

Loona shrugged. "Don't matter." She shoveled down more of her meal. "Don't wanna talk about that."

"Fair enough." Blitzo continued eating, keeping an eye on his daughter.

Author's Note

They're together again. Yay? Blitzo appears to be enjoying the situation at least.

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