Cloud Skipper thrust his enchanted lance forward, electrocuting a changeling that had been occupied with something else that should have been him. With a bright flash his opponent collapsed onto the floor, and he lifted his weapon back up into his forearms to find another target. His golden armor rattled loudly as he sprung up into the air, bringing his lance down on another changeling in combat with another of his fellow guards.

The attack on the royal castle was entering its final stages, now that the Day Guard had been woken up from their barracks and joined the fighting in and outside the castle. Morbidly he wondered, Celestia forbid, if anypony had been killed from the slow response of the Day Guard to the invasion. The first signs of fighting in the castle had probably been mistaken by outside sentries as some of the Night Guards having fun while on duty. As time had passed fighting had started to become increasingly vicious, as the changelings began to realize that they were being beaten back by inferior numbers of royal guard ponies.

Across from him a bat-pony with green eyes (who he vaguely remembered being named Jasmine) dove at a changeling with her enchanted hoof-claws, stabbing through the carapace of her victim. Without any response to her target's cries of pain and attempts to drive her off, she thrust her other foreleg into the side of its head killing it instantly. With a grim satisfaction she pulled her claws out from its body, and licked the dripping sweat off of her face.

Cloud Skipper felt his heart skip a beat from watching the last living moments of one of his enemies. The weapons of the Day Guard could easily be used to deal out death, but he had seen many of his fellow soldiers going about with the extra care to avoid killing the identical invaders. The Night Guard however seemed to have no such reserves. Was Midnight Blossom out there doing the same? Should he be as well?

"TAKE THAT!"

Snapping out his thoughts, Cloud Skipper looked around. From the hallway where the changelings were coming from, he could see something or somepony shouting. He blinked twice, squinting to see in the darkness of the poorly lit castle.

From a distance he could see changelings being tossed into the air like rag dolls, taken completely by surprise by somepony or something headed his way.

"AND THIS!"

Next to him Jasmine stopped too. She brushed her jet-black mane out from her eyes, carefully making sure not to accidentally shock herself with the clawed-gauntlets worn over her foreleg hooves. She had heard somepony shouting, but had chalked it up to the chaos of a battlefield. Then she noticed the Day Guard pony (Cloud Skipper, was it?) next to her was staring in curiosity too, and she stopped to look and see as well.

"AND THAT!"

Cloud Skipper felt his jaw drop, as something that looked like a BIG and BALD ape in boots was barreling toward him. The bi-pedal creature was swinging his arms like a windmill, throwing out punches left and right with his massive fists that knocked aside anything in front of him path like a wrecking ball. Instinctively he raised his lance, but then realized that the weird creature was beating up any changeling that crossed his path while not hurting any of the guard ponies he ran past. He looked at Jasmine next to him, who had an equal look of surprise and confusion on her face.

"AND THIS! RRRR!"

Heavy stopped right in front of Cloud Skipper, and the Day Guard pony looked up to him with wide eyes. The large creature dressed in red with a vest and pants was easily four times his height, and the muscles all over his body looked strong enough to snap him in two. Now that he was closer, he could see that he was carrying something on his shoulder. Something that looked like...a pony!? And not just any pony, but Princess Celestia's private student Twilight Sparkle!

He watched Jasmine swiftly get behind the bald ape, ready to launch an attack if the human tried to do anything threatening. Mustering his courage, he pointed his lance up at the strange creature in a threatening manner.

"W-what..." Cloud Skipper could barely speak. He swallowed and tried again. "W-what... Who are y-you! W-what are you d-doing with that p-p-pony!"

Surveying his work behind him, Heavy looked down at the white Day Guard soldier who looked as if he was about to relieve himself. He hadn't even noticed the teeny tiny guardpony, and had been wondering if he was any closer to the place where Luna had asked him to put Twilight after passing her in the hall. Noting that he was being threatened, he let out a loud laugh in spite of the situation.

"You," Heavy said, looking down at Cloud Chaser intimidatingly.

"Me?" Cloud Skipper squeaked, feeling any courage he left leave his body.

"Yes, you. You take. Now." Heavy ordered. Reaching around he lifted Twilight off of his shoulder and laid her down gently onto the floor. Cloud Skipper and Jasmine both looked to see that she was sleeping soundly, despite everything that was happening around her.

"You must put in bed and guard. Princess Luna orders you. Now Heavy must go. Heavy's people need him."

Without another word the massive human turned around and began to run back from where he came, almost stepping on Jasmine as he went. But not before punching a changeling in the snout that was trying to climb in from a nearby window. Another tried to attack him as he ran, but he caught it around its neck with his hand and threw it down onto the ground with a resounding smack.

"Woah," Jasmine whispered next to him still in awe. "Did you see that?"

Cloud Skipper blinked his blue eyes, unable to think of the words.

If Midnight Blossom were here, she'd never believe this...

♪~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~♪

"We were lied to by Princess Platinum then! How can you blame everypony in our kingdom for her lies hundreds of years later!?"

"We were hunted down and murdered! How can you claim that it is our responsibility to move on!?"

Spy remained silent, listening to Princess Luna and Queen Chrysalis debate back and forth vocally. At first the blue princess had remained silent listening to the (unexpectedly) detailed story of the green queen with a very passionate interested. But as more insults began to be included into the story she hadn't remained silent, and now a fierce debate between the two had started over the responsibilities unfulfilled in the past.

If he understood correctly, minus some glaring obvious embellishments on Chrysalis' part, changelings existed in Equestria before the official formation of the Equestrian monarchy. Some individual by the name of Princess Platinum had relied on changelings in the far past for their abilities, apparently for acts of sabotage, kidnapping, and even murder against the other two native tribes in the region. In return for their services the changelings had been promised a place to live in unicorn territory, and eventual incorporation and acceptance into their culture.

But with the sudden signing of a unification pact between all three tribes to form a unified Equestria, their employer had turned around and outed the insectile-equines as saboteurs trying to sully her kingdom's image. Despite having evidence to the contrary, Chrysalis claimed that Celestia allowed for hunts of changelings to occur in return for the continued cooperation and loyalty of unicorns in Princess Platinum's court. This forced the changelings to leave their native homeland, and living in chaos infected lands had mutated them into what they were today.

A logical tale, Spy had to admit.

As the saying went: the most dangerous wolf is not one in sheep's clothing, but the one that convinces the farmer that it is a dog.

Not that it was going to matter in a minute.

"WAIT! Both of you, hold 'zat thought!" Spy shouted. Both monarchs stopped, staring at him indignantly for his untimely interruption.

Fished around into his pocket, he pulled out his folded butterfly knife. In a smooth motion he tossed it to the Scout, who caught it easily. Taking a moment to slip another cigarette from his disguise kit, he adjusted his tie too before taking a breath.

"Now then, back to work. Heavy?"

Luna and Scout both turned in surprise, to find that Heavy had returned and was standing in the doorway of the room. The giant man crouched down, arching himself and flexing the fingers on his right hand. Chrysalis let out a defensive hiss and spread herself over Celestia's prison, knowing that something was coming. Luna looked at the giant human puzzled at his strange pose, and noticed just in time that Scout had dived out of the way. Without warning Heavy threw his right arm forward, with both of his pointer and middle fingers together in the shape of a gun.

"POW! Haha!"

Diving away Luna could feel a tremendous force pass by her, unseen and invisible like wind. She watched something unseen slam into Chrysalis, knocking her away from the cocoon holding her sister and out the open balcony window over the Spy.

Watching the changeling queen fly past like a rag-doll, the Spy turned back to a shocked princess and smirked.

"My apologies your majesty, but I will be taking Chrysalis for myself. You are out of your depth."

Without hesitation, the handsome rogue turned around and leap from the balcony after the changeling queen.

"...What."

Luna picked herself up off of the floor and stared at where the assassin had leapt, suddenly remembering that his race was incapable of flight. After his cheap insult, had he really turned and leap off the balcony after Chrysalis? Off a balcony with several hundred feet between him and the ground!?

She turned and looked back at the Heavy and Scout, both of whom seemed to not care. Did they realize what their comrade had done!? She opened her mouth to say something, but found herself speechless.

"Don't think too much about it sis," Scout said, noticing the look on her face. He leaned back in the chair he was in, and then kicked his feet up in the air. "Spy pulls crap like 'dat all the time. We just let 'em do what he wants."

"Da'," Heavy agreed. "Spy is like mystery. Heavy understands concern, but Spy is best to leave alone."

"And don't worry about queenie, Spy will take care of her." Scout unfolded the Spy's butterfly knife, twirling it around in his hand and dropping to the floor clumsily when he almost caught his own fingers against the blade. "Owch! Geez...how da' hell does he do this?"

Luna looked at both mercenaries and back to where Spy had jumped again.

"...What."

The strangest thing about most of Team Fortress Industry's product line was their capability to bend time, space, and physics for the individual using them. The Spy had gone through great lengths in the past to test the limits of his dead ringer timepiece, and found that the hand-held device was capable of blocking incredible impacts that would normally kill a human. Even the word kill was putting it lightly, since he had survived direct hits from laser shots, rockets, large caliber bullets, and grenades that would completely disintegrate any unsuspecting fool.

Nothing less from a group of muscle-headed super humans mutated by a mythical radical transformative element. Humans who chose their king by successive matches of boxing kangaroos. It was amazing to think that something as incredible as the dead ringer and invisi-watch were made by people who thought a giant camera mounted in the middle of a fake beard could work as an effective Canadian disguise.

Although the portable baccarat detector had potential, if they shrunk it down some day...

Rapidly approaching the ground at near terminal velocity, the Spy held out his dead ringer in his hand after putting his ambassador away. Flipping open the front cover of the device, he held it firmly just as he had done in the past and waited for the impact that would kill him.

Like so many times before, he hit the ground with a pulverizing splat.

In an instant the dead ringer absorbed the impact of the fall, keeping the Spy alive and throwing out a holographic corpse that actually bounced from the sheer velocity he had impacted the ground. The dead ringer also cloaked him in its invisibility field, effectively giving the illusion that he had fallen to his death after jumping from the balcony above. More than a few times in the past Spy had used this illusion to create a distraction for his teammates, since the dead corpse of an enemy Spy  randomly falling from the sky would distract anyone who had the brains to notice.

To Chrysalis who had managed to land after be ejected from Celestia's room, the sudden SPLAT of Spy's body hitting the pavement near her was a shocking surprise. She stood in a stunned silence, looking at the stiff body of one of her enemies that had been threatening her life only a minute ago. Like a curious child, she looked around for something on the ground near her to prod at the body with.

Still cloaked in his dead ringer's invisibility field, he chuckled to himself mirthfully. It was always amusing seeing the reaction of someone who hadn't seen his dead ringer device before.

Although that reaction never lasted since the same person would have a knife in the back of their skull seconds after.

"Did you forget about me?" Spy walked around, slipping his dead ringer into his inner suit pocket and walking around behind where Chrysalis was still poking at his fake body. The changeling queen nearly jumped out of her carapace, looking behind herself in shock and whirling around to see the masked human appear out of thin air as he had when first introducing himself.

"What did you do!?" she demanded. She looked back at the fake corpse of the dead ringer, and at him in front of her that seemed perfectly normal except for some dirt and dust on his suit. "How did you survive that fall!? What kind of magic do you humans have!?"

"Magic? Oh hohoho," he laughed haughtily at the thought. The technology fueled by australium would certainly seem like magic to anyone not the wiser, and in a world like Equestria (from what he had read) similar effects from magic were probably possible. "Don't make me laugh. Humans are not capable of performing feats of magic."

"Liar! How can it be!? How could you just die and come back to life like that!" Chrysalis screamed furiously, racking her mind and unable to think of an explanation. "What kind of monsters are you!?"

"Monsters?" Spy repeated, laughing again and enjoying the changeling queen's delicious word choice. "Indeed. We are your worst nightmares for your kind, your majesty. You must have been born under a very unlucky star for all of 'zis to happen."

"Silence! Don't you DARE look down on me!" she screamed at him again. "You have no idea what my kind has gone through for this day!"

"I can only imagine what a traumatic past your kind has suffered," he said with mock concern, rolling his eyes and recalling her cheap tale from before. "But your majesty, you have no idea what we have gone through to become who we are. Now, can't we both be mature about 'zis and let me kill you already?"

He flashed her a warm smile.

"Promise not to bleed on my suit, and I will kill you quick."

Without warning Spy slipped another pair of object from his sleeves and threw them at Chrysalis with incredible speed. But her reaction was just as fast, and the two conniver's kunais thrown at her deflected off of a green magic barrier with two loud thuds. He scowled in aggravation despite himself; his first attempt at a sneak attack thwarted by reflexes just as good as his own. Perhaps his short retirement had affected his performance more than he had accounted for.

Not wasting another second, he threw another pair of kunais out only for them to be deflected in the air by Chrysalis' magic mid flight. An impressive display, and the Spy was reminded of how the Sniper had once managed to shoot down a rocket launched by an enemy Soldier with his huntsman. Even if he outmatched Chrysalis in many ways, the changeling queen could be very dangerous for someone like himself who relied on many psychological factors to get his work done quickly. It wasn't as if she was just going to let him run up and stab her.

Yes, smashing this cockroach would take a different approach...

"I don't understand it! How can you fight for them when you have NOTHING in common!?" she continued to scream at him, still holding her magic shield up to ward off future blows. "Celestia would be REPULSED by humans like you! Disgusted! Doesn't she see her own hypocrisy in letting you do her dirty work!?"

"But of course," Spy agreed, but remained unmoved from a position to quickly draw his ambassador revolver. "It is hypocritical. Unfairly so, to a caliber 'zat only exists in literature and theater. But 'zat is what happens when a being hits a wall 'zey cannot climb over."

"Wall!? What are you talking about!? Celestia has everything she's ever wished for! And her subjects give her anything she asks!"

"You do not see how 'zis was all your doing?" He stopped for a moment, purposefully letting his words sink into her mind. From where he stood, Spy could see Chrysalis trying to think of an answer to what he was hinting to. "Allow me to explain 'zen. You and your kind did 'ze worst possible thing by attacking Canterlot and almost having your moment of triumph."

Spy forced himself to frown, pretending as if he took no pleasure having the changeling queen following his every word. By forcing her to rethink her greatest failure under duress, he would be one step closer to having her right where he wanted her. Add in a touch of respect and fake sympathy, and she would keep feeding on everything out of his mouth.

"Do you still not understand? Your majesty, by coming so close to victory you re-instilled fear into her. Fear into a creature 'zat believed everything in her world was under her control. And we all know what fear can do to living creatures, yes?"

Stew in your mess you abomination. Just a little more, and nothing will save you.

"Did you not think it possible 'zat Celestia would take desperate measures? 'Zat she would be willing to violate some of her own principles, in 'ze hope of security she could not gain by herself?"

"Y-you can't be serious!" Chrysalis stammered. She was finally beginning to see the bigger picture of what was happening in front of her. How she had fallen unwittingly in a trap that Celestia hadn't even intended to spring on her. She was being used! No, they were BOTH being used! How could she have ever imagined that--!!!

"Fine! What is it she's paying you!? I can double it! No, TRIPLE it if you let me take over Canterlot!"

"We are not after something so trivial 'zat you would ever be able to give it to us. And besides, there is something honorable about loyalty to one's employer, yes?"

"But you said you don't care about her! You're all just in this for yourselves!"

"Correct," Spy said, grinning wickedly like a cat with a mouse in its mouth. "But I like to believe 'zat I am performing a civil service to 'zis world by killing your filthy kind off. Or perhaps it is more of an act of mercy, since we will ensure 'zat no changeling will ever have to be burdened by your hopeless quest for justice."

"What are you saying!? Y-you would--!!" Chrysalis stammered again, this time out of shock. Was he implying that...that...

"Hohoho, oui. But I have some merciful bones left in my body, your majesty." Spy stopped suddenly, and turned his back to her. He continued to grin at her wickedly out of the corner of his eyes, tempting her to strike him.

"How about 'zis? Go ahead and run. Run away into 'ze night! Go like a quick little bunny, because we will be coming for you soon..."

Chrysalis hesitated, torn between a chance to destroy a true foe to her kind and saving her brood from its destruction. It didn't matter that her enemies had twice shown their backs to her, in a purposeful display of intolerable arrogance. Was it really possible that this well-dressed monster would come to fulfill his threats? The magic he had shown earlier was proof enough that he would not die from conventional means. She had been out of communication with her swarm scattered around the castle, and it was possible that they were winning over the Night Guard. But the opposite was true as well, which meant that it was even more important for her to run from this fight to lead them to safety.

What she needed was time.

Time to get reorganized. Time to get her sergeants lead her swarm to safety.

Time to find out more about her new enigmatic enemies.

Without wasting another moment, Chrysalis released her wings and took off into the air. A dull buzz filled the air, as she flew off farther and farther from where Spy stood.

Watching her go, he wondered silently if she was really as stupid as he hoped she was going to be. But perhaps stupid was an unfair way to put it, after all, he had made his own fair share of bad decisions when under pressure. Trying to backstab a giant Pyro-bot was one example that came to mind...

Amongst other embarrassing incidents that no one would ever hear about. Ever.

Spy fished around into his suit and back and forth between his inner jacket pockets. Pulling out his dead ringer once more, he opened up the front cover and held down the top button with his thumb.

"Tavish, are you there? Come in, Demoman. I repeat, come in Demoman."

He waited for a moment, taking his thumb off of the top the dead ringer and waiting for an answer.

"Eh? Ah... How does this wee thingamajig work again? Spy? Spy! SPY!!! ...Spy? Is that you? Eh?"

Spy ran his palm over his face at his one-eyed comrades idiocy. Relying on Tavish Degroot, known as the Demoman for his proficiency in all things explosive, was like a bad game of roulette. Because of issues pertaining to his life before joining RED, the team demolitions expert had a nasty habit of working on the job completely smashed. As a result, every other day the RED Demoman fluctuated between a belligerent drunkard with a sword and a flawless professional. He silently prayed that the one-eyed scotsman was the right balance between sober and drunk tonight, otherwise there would be more at stake than luring all of the changelings in Canterlot to their deaths.

"Focus, you drunken wretch! Did you set up your sticky trap like I told you to? Only along certain caverns! We could damage the mountain holding the city up if you scre--"

"Haha, don't worry lad. I had my good eye on all of it the entire time. We'll be burying what's left of them in soup cans!"

Spy smiled a wicked smirk, and looked to the night sky to see if he could still see Chrysalis flying. Looking around the gardens of the court yard he was in, he wondered for a little if either alicorn princesses were fond of ice sculptures.

"Excellent. Come back to the castle, Demo. We should celebrate with a drink or two."

"Cheers to that, mate! Time to get bluttered!"

♪~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~♪

Twilight Sparkle let out a small groan, rolling over in the sheets that covered her. They were warm and comfortable, and she struggled to pull them tighter around herself. The strange fog that had clouded her mind from the knockout dart was slowly beginning to wear off, but the comfort of her bedding threaten to push her back into the dream realm once more. In her haze she could feel somepony stroking her mane gently, and she smiled from the gentle touch of her unknown caretaker.

"Mmrrm," she rolled over again. "Oh, no. I can't fit another volume..."

Continuing to stroke Twilight's mane, Luna looked down in envy at how the unicorn under her sheets seemed to be dreaming in peace. Although the larger human had volunteered to continue guarding her, she considered leaving Twilight vulnerable and alone while she slept unacceptable. Her guards would have to fight on their own for the remainder of the evening, along with the one called Scout who had run off without a word.

Yes, guarding Twilight would be a nice distraction. Enough to keep her mind wandering about the terrible truths that may or may not have been true in Chrysalis' tale. Everypony knew (disregarding those who pretended otherwise) that the leaders of each tribe had each committed a fair share of deceitful and dishonorable deeds against one another. Part of the founding of Equestria had guaranteed pardons for criminal actions taken before its founding, but for only the highest members of each tribe's court.

But to think that one of the three tribal leaders had manipulated Equestria's laws to cover up her dirty past...

And even worse, that her older sister had accepted it in return for continued support of her throne...

"Tiny pony is still asleep?"

Heavy's question interrupted her thoughts. He had asked her with a ginger and gentle concern that it almost made her laugh, given everything about him that seemed incapable of such sensitivity. She nodded at him and slowly got off her own bed.

"She is sleeping soundly. We are a little envious," Luna said, sliding off her own bed as quietly as possible so as to not disturb her.

"Is good. Tiny pony should not have to fight in such big battle. Is best left to much bigger men."

"Mares are perfectly capable of fighting for themselves, mister Heavy." She felt the need to object to his statement. There was something about how the larger human spoke that was strange; everything was judged by either being big or small, and retained good or bad qualities because of it. It was even strange to listen to, and she wondered how much of it was because of the clear language barrier.

"Yes, Heavy does not deny that." He nodded sympathetically. "Many brave and strong women fought in defense of motherland in great patriotic war. But Heavy does not wish war on anyone who is so small. Heavy feels that part of being big and strong is caring for those who are not."

"We agree. Very wise words, mister Heavy," she said, drifting into her own thoughts.

Nine. There were a total of nine humans in the group Reliable Excavation and Demolition had created into a team to do the bidding of Redmond Mann. Anything else was a complete mystery to her. In the company of her older sister during the day she had been able to briefly glimpse at the different profiles of all nine mercenaries, taking note of their oddities and differences. But the information on each of their dossiers had hardly covered the...uniqueness...each mercenary seemed to possess when compared to another. The three she had met so far were a wise-cracking and hyperactive youth, an older and MUCH larger male of great strength, and an enigmatic hooded assassin that seemed to have a silver tongue as sharp as his blades.

Far from the usual line of mercenaries she had seen through Equestria's history. Nothing at all like the sell-swords of the past, and renegade soldiers who had once roamed the countryside committing acts of banditry and extortion. They seemed to be quite the opposite in fact; there was a clear pride all three took in themselves for being who they were.

She wanted to know more. Much, much more.

"Mister Heavy, could you tell us more about yourself?" she decided to ask directly with a tone of innocent inquiry.

"Hmm? There is not much to tell," he said, reaching over and into his lunchbox and taking out his half-eaten sandvich. "Heavy is mercenary of RED team. This is Heavy's sandvich. Heavy likes to eat his sandvich."

"But what else?" she pressed. "We are sure there are a lot of things that happened to make you who you are."

"No, there is not much to tell." Heavy took a bite out of his sandvich. "Oh! And Sasha is my favorite gun. Heavy likes to shoot his gun. Is all you need to know."

"Really? Surely you jest with us. Is there nothing else to who you are?"

"Yes. There is not much else; I have gun, and I like to shoot gun. Is all you need to know."

Luna visibly frowned and went back to focusing her attention on Twilight. She hadn't expected the larger human to suddenly clam up about himself, consider the other two mercenaries didn't seem to have an issue with boasting about themselves. Had she said something wrong, or had he done something in the past that he regretted? Was his former life filled with terrors and tragedy that caused him to take up such a dangerous profession? Was there some horrendous crime committed that would put his position as a mercenary in jeopardy? Or was it as simple as the human not wanting to talk during his snack break?

Perhaps it was time to try a different approach...

"Mister Heavy? May we...ask you a personal question about ourselves?"

He looked up at her, and took the last bite out of his sandvich. Reaching around into his back pocket, he wiped his mouth daintily with a red rag before putting it away into his lunch box in his lap. Taking a moment to fish around in his lunch box, he lifted out a small red thermos before closing it again.

"Da'," was all he said simply.

She turned her gaze away, looking back down at Twilight.

"A thousand years ago... We... No, a monster attacked our fair kingdom in jealousy of the adoration our older sister received from our subjects. The monster was banished to the moon, and remained imprisoned there until very recently. Do you think it...it... We mean... Do you think that the monster deserves a second chance to be good?"

Luna let out a pitiful shutter, taking deep calming breaths to try and forcibly relax herself. The last thing she wanted was to seem like she wanted his pity. The unexpected rush of her own emotions that had come up when she tried retelling her past shocked her, and she had almost broken down before she had gotten to the ending question. Mentally she struck herself, disgusted at her immature control over her own emotions.

Still sitting silently, Heavy stroked the stubble on his face and frowned across his large blocky chin.

"Hmm... Heavy has always said 'fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, and I kill you.' But, is not so simple."

Reaching into his front vest pocket, he pulled out a small stitched doll that appeared to be dressed in a larger white overcoat. Holding it out to her, Luna took it from him with her magic and looked the small toy over. The doll was tiny, so tiny in fact that it fit perfectly in the front breast pocket of his vest that he wore over his uniform. All the while they had been together, she hadn't even noticed it there. She stroked the doll gently with her hoof, and could feel how old and worn the skin of the doll was.

"Heavy's best friend on team is our doktor. Doktor Medic. Before RED team, Medic's people went to war with Heavy's people. The war was long and violent, and many many people were killed. But Medic is still friend of Heavy, and we look out for each other on battlefield."

"So, you would forgive her then?" Luna tapped her hooves together nervously, a little off-put.

"Of course! World is never so simple." Heavy laughed loudly, slapping his the palm of his hand onto his knee. "Worlds are big! So big that everyone make mistakes. Heavy has doctorates in Russian literature, but does not need education to know that. Only small and stupid men believe that they can know everything. Is like old saying of frog that lives in pond, and knows nothing of great oceans."

"Take queen of changelings," he continued, his mood suddenly changing. "Heavy can understand revenge. Heavy has gotten revenge many MANY times. But there is no revenge against those who are dead. What could she gain from attacking castle today? Only more bigger problems. Is not right that children are burdened with avenging dead. Is wrong to live and pretend past did not happen, but she ruins present to dig up past. Heavy thinks that changeling queen is very sad person. She is burdened too by ghost of revenge, which haunts her from grave and tells her how to live life and lead people. She is slave to enemy who is not even alive. Heavy has seen this before, and there is only one way to deal with her kind."

"What is it?" Luna forced herself to ask, a morbid curiosity rising in her. "How can we save her?"

Heavy closed his eyes and shook his head.

"You will see. Spy is very smart too. He knows, and will do what we can not."

Before she could ask any more, the door to her room opened and Scout popped his head in. Looking more worse for the wear than when he had left, he looked around awkwardly before walking back in.

"Yo, princess. And you too big-guy," the RED runner jogged in place as he spoke. "Everythin's set. Spy wants us down in fronta' where we think those freaks broke in."

"Very well. Is time to finish this," Heavy said, standing up and stretching. "It has been a long night already. You will join us, yes?"

"Of course," Luna stood up to follow them out. "Tis' our duty to see this through to the end. Whatever it may be."

She took one last look at Twilight who remained sleeping, and walked behind both Scout and Heavy as they closed the doors to leave. Looking at her two loyal guards posted at her door, she gave them a nod before casting a protective magic shell over her room. She had never gotten a chance to ask why her sister's student had mysteriously arrived at Canterlot just in time for Chrysalis' attack, but there were too many things happening as of late that seemed fatalistically directed. She would surely have to ask her later, but only after things were settled with the changelings once and for all.

But unbeknownst to Luna, right as the doors to her room had closed Twilight threw her covers off and bolted to the window. Feigning her own sleep, she had silently listened to Heavy and Luna talk the entire time. With her magic she teleported from the window balcony, just before the alicorn's spell finished encasing the room.

♪~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~♪