“Shadow, Shadow, Shadow, Shadow!” I was sitting at the table, eating my cereal, my eyes half closed in the hazed of the morning. I brought the spoon up to my mouth, chewing slowly, as Nina…my little sister, bouncing up and down to the right of me, while saying my name over, and over again. As she would reach the top of her jump, she would say my name. “Knight, Knight, Knight, Knight, brother, brother, brother, brother!” I closed my eyes, just block her out, you know she loves to do this to you in the morning… “Bro, bro, bro, bro, brah, brah, brah, brah!”

“WHAT?!” I screamed turning at her as she stopped bouncing, looking at me with a huge grin.

“Hi!” she said quickly, before giggling as she ran around the table as she did so, Mom and Dad walked in, no doubt hearing me scream. As she went around the table once more, she fell, face planted on the floor. She got up, shook herself, and started to giggle again as she ran out of the room. I watched her run with narrow eyes as my Dad started to laugh a bit, holding it back with a hoof before saying.

“Are you sure that none of Doc’s DNA entered her?” my Mom answered him by slapping him in the back of the head as he yelped rubbing it. it seemed that it was a joke, that Dad would say at times when Nina did something like this, I never understood truly what he meant by that. “Anyway…morning, Shadow,”

“Morning, Mom, Dad,” I answered them, going back to eating as I then took a bite out of my toast that was beside me. Dad came over toward the table, sitting down for a moment and then stood back up. “Is something the matter?”

“Just worried is all,” he answered as he went to grab some coffee. I turned to Mom, mouthing, ‘about what happened yesterday?’ she nodded her head quickly to confirm what I had thought. I watched as Dad leaned on the counter, drinking his coffee, softly sipping at the drink as he sighed. I noticed he wore his armor now. Much different then that of the Guards, seeing how he was Captain. He had armor that covered his legs, and nearly his whole body. The middle, was the necklace, the chest part of his armor was a two piece. That way, he could still wear the necklace, and it be shown. I noticed that his left forearm gauntlet was different, as I remembered the Hoof-Blade, another gift he had when he was younger, was made to match his armor. I never saw him use it in a fight; he always told me ‘you never know’.

“So…Nina is going to stay home today?” Dad asked as I looked to Mom in confusion.

“Yes,” she answered. “Her classes were cancelled, so she and I are going to stay home, and clean up a bit.” He nodded his head as I slurped at the milk in my cereal. “Don’t slurp,” I heard my Mom scold me.

“You do it,”

“I make it cute,”

“Bull,” I chuckled as even Dad did. She snorted once as she turned to leave as I stood up to clean my mess.

“So Dad,” I answered as I went to get my saddle bag for school. “What should I tell the others at school if they start seeing Guards around the school?”

“Training,” he said. “Tell them that they are just training in case something happens…”

“Do you really think…?” I started to say. “That it’s a good idea, to not tell the city that an incoming Changeling attack is coming soon?”

“We don’t want to start a full on panic,” he sated as he sighed putting his glass down. “I mean…if Shining and Cadence were to go right now outside, and announce that a hoard of two different types of Changelings were on their way here for an all out attack…what would they do you think?”

“Do you even know if it’s really is an attack?” I asked my Dad as he closed his eyes to answer.

“I have no doubt that it is,” I sighed softly as he came over and nudged me with his hoof, smiling softly. “Come on, I’ll walk you to school.”

After fetching his sword, strapping it to his back, and making his way beside me toward the heart of the city, we made soft chatter with one another. He was no wearing his helm, covering his head, save the front. After a while, I came to a stop in front of my school. It was a rather small school for a high school, there were only so many students there, it was three story high, and like everything else, made of crystal; or something that made it look like one. I could see guards station along the borderline of the school, as well as in front of every doorway. Many of the students around would stand in front of them, making funny faces to try and make them move. I saw one guard, when the colt’s back was turned; made the same face he was just given, making his friends laugh loudly. He returned to his former poster before he was caught. I heard my Dad laugh a bit as he petted my back, bidding me farewell, before walking off.

Ugh…first class of the day…math, oh how I hated it; how I wished that I could just skip this class and be over and done with it. I mean really…what was wrong with there just being numbers in math, and then they have to add letters and such?! Had they made a time machine yet…because I wish to go back in time to the pony who thought of this idea and fully bitch-hoof him across the face! Ugh, anyway, it was nearing the end of class, when I felt a bump beside me, looking over; I saw that it was my pure black unicorn friend. We didn’t know his real name; he just always called himself Buck…maybe because of his buck tooth? “Psst…Shadow?”

“Yeah?” I whispered back as he then said.

“What’s with the guards?”

“I dunno,” I lied. “Maybe it’s a training thing?”

“You don’t know?” he asked in slight confusion as I nodded. “How can you not know? I mean…your Dad is the Captain!”

“Boys?” we both jerked to see our teacher staring at us. “You wish to tell the class what you’re whispering about?”

We both looked at the teacher, everypony else was also watching us as Buck then answered. “Well…um…I was asking…” he sighed and then said. “I was asking him about all the guards around.”

“Yeah, why are they all around?” another student asked, as the whole class seem to come alive with chatter before the teacher then tapped her hooves on the floor.

“Class, class!” he called for our ears as everypony stopped. “I know you are wondering about the guards being sent around here, believe me I do…but that is not needed to be known at the moment.”

“Why not?” one student asked. “Do you know the true reason they are here?”She then sighed softly, looking at e, I could see it in her eyes…she knew.

“Teachers of the school, as well as nurses and other such ponies were told yes, but we swore not to speak of it. The guards are here for that reason, and we are to do as they say, if such a thing happens.”

Again, the clamors of voices overlapped each other as I looked around, the teacher was about to say something else, when the bell rang for class to change. Everypony, save for the teacher and myself soon left, as she went over to her desk and sat down sighing. I watched my friends leave; I waved them off as they left, as I went over. “Do…you really know?” she looked over, seeing it was me, and not anypony else eavesdropping on us.

“Yes…” she answered. “About…the Changeling attack on the way, I’m guessing you already knew yes?”

“I overheard my Dad speaking of it yesterday…:

“The princess called all teachers and nurses, and others that would care for young ponies, or sick ones, and told us. I’ll be truthful…I was…am, rather scared.”

“My Dad and the rest of the guards will stop them,” I answered with true belief in my voice. “I know he will, I mean…” I stopped when I felt her hoof on my shoulder.

“I know,” she smiled at me. “You look up to him greatly do you?”

“He’s my hero…” I admitted looking away. “But…he doesn’t want me to join the Guards, and I do want to!”

“He is just worried for you Shadow,” she answered as I looked up. “He doesn’t want your life to be just around fighting and such. Yes…all those years ago, with the civil war that happened in Higher Wing and such; but the guards are not needed that much.”

“Did you forget about the drug bust a few months back?”

“Well…that too, but you know what I mean,”

“I know…” I chuckled. “But still…this is my life, and this is the work I want to do!” I made a weird grunting sound, something even I don’t know how to do…it just…comes when I’m pissed you know? She smiled softly and chuckled.

“If only you were this passionate when it came to your work,”

“You know I loathed math!” she gave a small smile before nudging toward the door.

“Go to class Shadow,”

“I got an off block, but thanks,” she smiled and waved as I left, making my way to the mess hall.

Once I was seated in the mess hall, I took my bag that was now beside me on the table, and opened it up. Inside, I saw the lunch my Mom made me, cheese pizza. I smiled; she always knew how to make me happy. Unwrapping the few slices of pizza that was there, I placed one back in the wrapper, saving one for lunch when it came in the next few hours. I took the pizza out and slowly chewed on it, pizza cold was always the best. As I chewed, I pulled out a book, the cover was black, and I slightly smiled to myself from what the title was; Changeling Heart.

Dad and Mom gave the Princess of the Sun, there blessing to making copies of the book and sending it around the different area of the world, they wanted the whole world to know, and that anypony could love each other. Mom and Dad got a large sum of bits from the selling of the book, I mean, Dad did write it, and it was of there life. At first they didn’t care about the money, they just wanted their story, (well, the story that they shared, Mom and Dad told me of some things they left out) to be told. But, Nina was on the way when the book was just coming up, so they agreed. Most of the money went away for things like haircuts, or food and such; you know basic things that would be needed. Dad held onto the book he wrote in jail, in fact, this was indeed the one he wrote in. I read the book many times…and at one time or another, I read their little…sex parts; most of the time I would just skip over them. I must’ve read this book so many times, over and over again…why did I keep reading it, and I don’t know. Most of the stuff in the book, Dad rarely spoke of. One of those topics was his Mom. He spoke highly of her when he did speak about her…but, many times he just changed the subject when I would ask him about her. I would send letters to Grand-dad about her, and he told me all he knew of her. Mom told me, he was still haunted about her death, so I guess this was why.

Anyway, for someone that was in jail, his writing was rather neat, right now, I was at the part where he was knighted by King Vloor. I met him once in fact; I was rather small, Nina, only a small filly. Seems he wanted to have dinner with Dad, Mom, Grand-dad Shade, Doctor Love; and also Nina and I. And I knew I could possible skip this part of the story and just go on to the next part. But I couldn’t, there was something about HAVING to read it through and through I had to do. (Even though as I said, read it many times) I was just about to turn the page when I heard a voice beside me. “Um…can I sit here?” I placed the book down as I just looked ahead…that voice…I knew it all too well.

I slowly turned to my right, and looked away once more…it was my ex-mare-friend. Remember when I said that a mare broke off with me because her friends were making fun of her because of who I was…well here she was. “What do you want, Crystal Glimmer…?” looking with only my right eye, as I looked onto the mare I use to date, I turned back away. Even after she broke up with me, I still had deep feelings for her; I mean, we had dated for almost four years before she broke up with me for the dumbest reason ever! I could see that she looked hurt, I never, ever, called her by her full name, it was always ether Crystal, Glimmer, or even Glimm; but she didn’t like that nickname at all. She was a Pegasus, standing a bit shorter then I, her coat, was that of a light blue, almost like the sky in the morning type blue; her dark ocean color eyes looking at me, when I dared to sneak a peak at her. She changed her mane…I remember it being short, now it was long, her coat had a shade of a whitish grey to it, a light grey, but still white ether way as well. Part of her hair, covered her left side of her face, a small bit was out of the way, to allow me to see her eye. Her Cutie Mark was that what looked like two uncut gems, looking like it was a pair of Quartz; they were in a spot to make them look like they were making a V and a four point sparkle that pointed to the top, bottom, left and right. One was standing between the gems, below it, and one on the left and right of the gems. One was I looked back down at the half eaten pizza I had before me, not wanting to look at her.

“I…I want to talk?”

“Oh NOW you want to talk,” I heard her let out a small whimper as I looked back at her. “What happened a few months ago when I wanted to talk after you broke up with me? WHY did you huh? That’s what I want to know,” I looked at her fully, my left forearm on the table. “I mean…what went wrong, I mean, sure we had our fights and that, its normal…but then when your friends…”

“They didn’t make me break up with you…”

“But you said…”

“I know what I said!” she turned to face me, her face showed that of sadness, I wanted to hug her, but I forced myself not to. “It was…my Father.”

Her Dad…hrm…oh yeah, now I know him. It seems he use to be a Guard here, moved here when I was still a young colt, with Crystal as well. Not sure where they came from, and she couldn’t remember much anyway. Her Father was a large Earth Pony, and I mean big! I saw him sparing once before, he took down three guards easily; his weapon of choice, hammer. Seems one day he got hit hard in the head, though he looked fine, he couldn’t wield his weapon, or anything really, that well. Seems the blow to the head, damaged his nerves. This too, was around the same time he was let go, and Crystal here breaking up with me.

“He…He never did like you dating me,” she spoke as she looked down at the table before me. “The only reason he allowed us to date…was because he thought it would gain him a few ranks in the guards.” I looked at her in agape, he…what? “And when your Father pretty much made him leave, he told me…he didn’t want me dating someone that would MAKE me love him!” she sighed and looked back at me. “Didn’t help ether when that time you did make me love you, to heal my broken leg.”

“Again…sorry,” I told her. “Wasn’t thinking right…I saw you hurt and…”

“Shh…” she pressed her wing to my lips as I looked. “I know…”

“So then…?”

“I…I miss you Shadow,” she spoke looking at me again. “I truly do, I tried dating again but well…it never happened as well as I wished. Many of those horn balls just wanted to get me in bed!”

“Can you blame them?” I asked looking at her with a small blush. “You are a beautiful mare,” she blushed at my words as she smiled again at me.

“See…I miss that, you never forced yourself onto me, I tried to explain this to Daddy but…”

“So why now?” I asked as she sighed again.

“I’m going to be old enough to move out soon,” she sated as she looked to me. “In fact, already have a place in mind, the pony who owns it, is even holding it for me, it’s only a few houses down from your place.” She smiled and then said. “I am old enough to make my own choices Shadow…and…as much as he may hate it, I want you to be n my life.”

“I…I…” I don’t understand why I couldn’t speak; she giggled and leaned closer, pressing her lips to mine. I closed my eyes at once, as I felt the love she had for me, flow into my body, filling me more then the pizza ever could. When she broke away, I slowly opened my eyes to look at her as she was looking at me as well. “O…okay,”

“You’re cute when you act like that, you know that?” I could only smile as she moved the chair closer to me, nuzzling me under the chin softly as I sighed.

“Are you sure about this?”

“Sure, I’m sure, and beside…I will be gone for the next few weeks.”

“What….why?” I looked down at her as she explained.

“Grand-folks, they wanted to know if I wanted to spend the next few weeks with them in Ponyville, I agreed, been a while since I last saw them. they’re coming over for dinner tonight…in fact, they didn’t find out that you and me broke up, my grandmother even wanted to meet you in her last letter.”

“Say what?” she giggled again and said.

“Not everyday somepony dates a Changeling,”

“I’m only three-forth a Changeling,”

“Close enough,” she joked as I smiled.

It was the end of the school day, everypony was rushing out as me and Crystal walked side by side. My friends warned me to be careful, I brushed it off, and I knew what I was doing. But after a while, we both stopped, as a cretin Earth Pony was eyeing us. Even from here, he looked large, he was taller then my Dad, maybe by a foot and a half, and his body was wide. His coat was that of a muddy brain, his left eye, a large white circle around it. His mane was a simple black mane, that was cut slightly short, as well as his tail. He was glaring at me mostly, as I heard Crystal let out a small sigh of worry. “Stay here,” I whispered. “I wanna talk to him.”

“Shadow?”

“Please…” I looked to her as she looked up at me. She nodded once and stayed put, as I stayed my bag with her and walked up toward her father. I believe his name was Quake Rumble.

“What are you doing with my daughter?” he demanded when I was earshot of him. “From what I understood, she dumped your sorry ass,”

“We’re back together,”

“Like hell you are!”

“She told me why she ‘broke’ up with me,” I answered as he looked from me to her. “Listen…Quake…”

“That’s Mister Rumble to you,” sweet Celestia I hated this guy.

“Mister Rumble,” I corrected myself. “Tell me yourself, why do you not want me dating your daughter?”

“You are a Changeling,”

“Three forth,” I cut in.

“Still a Changeling ether way,” he snorted before poking my chest. “How do I know you haven’t got her under your spell?”

“Do you know what a Changeling spell looks like?”

“Course I do,” he answered as if I insulted him. “What do you take me for?” an idiot who needs a breath mint…

‘At any point, did she look like she was under any sort of spell?” I saw him glare down at me as he then answered.

“How do I know you just didn’t make a new spell that can’t be seen like the old one?”

“Can I venomous snake change it’s venom?”

“No, that’s impossible,”

“Same with me, I can’t change something that was given to me at birth!”

“But that one time…”

“ONE time…was to save the trip to the hospital; I knew she was scared of all the things there, so I did that to keep her away from it!”

We were glaring at each other before I gave in and sighed. “Look…I care for your daughter, truly I do. I would never, ever do anything to harm her in any way at all! If you just give me a chance…please,” we stared at each other for a while, before I saw him look up, I looked back, seeing that she was still watching us.

“You fuck up once,” he warned as I looked back. “That’s it, got it?”

“Got it,” I answered.

“Good…you…eat right?”

“I do,”

“Good,” he said again. “Eight o’clock come to the house, her grandmother and grandfather are coming, and from what I heard, they want to meet Crystal’s…colt-friend.”

I could only nod as he walked past me, I watched as he went over to Crystal, I was too far no to hear what she and he were saying, but when I saw the happiness in her face; it caused me to smile. He then walked back toward me, and then past me. “One, fuck up,” he reminded me, before walking away. When he was gone, I took a huge sigh of relief as I felt the arms of Crystal around my neck.

“You did it!” she cried out as I smiled softly.

“Yeah…I did,”

“How did you do it?”

“I have no idea…” I admitted. “Truthfully…didn’t think that would work.”

“Well I’m glad,” she got off my back and stood beside me, before then looking far off ahead. “Hey…isn’t that your Father with all those guards over there?”

I made a small ‘hrm?’ sound as I looked over, and sure enough, there he was; leading a large group of guard ponies toward the gate of the Crystal Kingdom. I looked to Crystal, telling her I would see her at her place later as she nodded, passing me my bag as I ran up to catch up to Dad. “Dad!” I called out as he turned to face me. “What’s going on?” he kept walking as I followed beside him.

“We’re going intercept of hoards of both Cocoon, and Chrysalis,” he told me looking ahead. “We still have many guards here to defend if any get through, and with the Equestria Guards coming in just the next few hours, we will be well defended.”

“Dad…”

“Don’t worry son,” he looked down to me and smiled. “Everything will be fine…but,” he sighed softly as he closed his eyes. He then stopped as the rest of the guards did as well as he undid the left forearm gantlet, before taking out from it, the hidden hoof-blade from it. He slipped the armor back on, leaving only the part where the blade would go inside the sheath, as well as the bound that would tie it to the hoof. He took my right hoof, and strapped it on, before looking to me. “IF it comes to it, only IF; do you understand me?”

“Dad…” I whispered again. “I thought…”

“I don’t want you to fight in a full fledge fight like this,” he spoke. “But…if it comes to it, where you have to fight to protect yourself…I rather you have something like this, and also your magic. But don’t you dare try and be a hero if it will cost you your life. Keep yourself, Nina, and your mother safe if it comes to it; alright?” I looked down at my hoof, flicking it as the blade came out. Dad taught me how to use this, seeing how I always wanted one myself. Mom barely used her at all anymore, so she said when I was older, she would give it to me.

“Alright Dad…you be careful.”

“Always am,”

“That’s a load of bull and you know it,” I heard a few guards snicker behind him as he looked back, they straightened up and said nothing as he smiled.

“We’re moving out!” he called out waving his arm as the small army of ponies made their way toward the gate. I watched as they want, Dad looking back at me once, as he nodded his head; I too, nodded back. Come back safe Dad…please, come back safe.