*A Black Knight idly sits in a quite comfy arm chair, one leg dangling over the other while he watches the show* Heh… After what I just saw, I really wonder how Night Claw and Twilight are going to save Scootaloo from Chrysalis and her Changelings? Oh wait, I already do… *looks at you and gives a glowing red eye wink* But, let’s enjoy the transpiring events, shall we?

After returning to the Friendship Castle, so Night Claw could retrieve his armor, both Twilight and the stallion were racing off towards the Castle of Two Sisters. Night Claw’s eyes were narrowed, like that of a hunter in search of his prey or an alpha chasing after something that took its cub. Twilight, on the other hand, seemed like she was in a full blown hysteria, praying to Celestia that Chrysalis hadn’t done anything to poor Scootaloo. The two adult ponies flew through the forest, as if they had constantly been doing it and memorized the route in their heads… No tree, or bush, was able to slow them down.

“We have to hurry, Night! There’s no telling what Chrysalis has already done to her!” Twilight said, flying fast as she possibly could.

Night Claw’s eyes narrowed further, his wings starting to move faster. “I know… Quickly, get on, Twilight. I’ll have us there, in no time!” He said, the princess quickly flying over his back and grabbing on to him. Once she was secured on him, the stallion gave his bat wings one good flap, and shot forward! Moving so fast, Twilight’s hair was blown back. At this rate, they’ll be at the castle doors in seconds.

-Somewhere inside the Castle of Two Sister-

Scootaloo backed up to the wall, trying to stay away from the tall Changeling Queen, the irises of her eyes shrinking in terror. “What’s wrong, little filly? Why do you act so scared?” Chrysalis asked, giving the filly a fanged grin. “I won’t hurt you… Much.” She gave a quick cackle before looking back down at her.

“S-Stay away f-from me!” Scootaloo said, trying to act brave but… It was rather hard, after all, this was the Queen of Changelings! One of the most dangerous villains in all of Equestria! “I-I’m warning you!”

“Or what?” Chrysalis asked, leaning down to where she was eye to eye with the filly. “You’re going to scream? Try and hit me with one of your hooves? Fly away?” She cackled at the last part, making Scootaloo’s ears fold down into her mane. “I’ve been keeping an eye on you, that prissy little princess, and the strange stallion; for the past two weeks, little filly. I already know about your inability to fly. So, don’t try and do anything…” A green flame suddenly flashed around Chrysalis’ body, making her transform into Twilight. “We wouldn’t want anything to harm your precious little head, now do we?” She coo’ed leaning up close to the filly.

“S-Stop that, why are you trying to be like Twilight!?” Scootaloo screamed, trying to get away from the fake Twilight… But the wall prevented her from getting away.

“What? Didn’t you know?” Chrysalis asked, a twisted grin on her face. “I felt so much motherly love from that worthless alicorn, when she joined you and the stallion for the training… It was almost like she believed herself like your mother, or wished to be.” She laughed, moving hoof back and forth, the thought funny to her. “But… Who would want an undeveloped filly, like you, anyways?”

Scootaloo’s eyes started to tear up at that statement… It wasn’t how she said it, but the form she took on when she did. Scootaloo just scrunched down, balling up and prayed it all to be a dream. She didn’t want to be there anymore. “Somepony… Anypony… Help me…” She thought, trying to hide her face from the laughing Twilight fake.

“Oh, how your fear brings a smile to my-?” The door suddenly opened, forcing Chrysalis to turn around and see one of her Changelings rushing up. “What is it?”

“Your majesty… The princess and that stallion are already here! What are your orders?” The Changeling asked, bowing before the Changeling Queen.

“Try and mislead them, keep them from finding the filly… Oh, and do whatever you can to separate the two.” Chrysalis’ eyes suddenly glowed green at a malevolent idea. “I wish to try and take that stallion as mine.”

“Yes, your majesty.” The Changeling quickly flew back out the door, as Chrysalis turned her attention back to the filly.

“Well then, little Scootaloo.” She coo’d, leaning down to her level. “I will go deal with your rescuers… Once I have that stallion, and the Princess’ head, I’ll come back for you next.” She cackled, leaving the room… Scootaloo still balled up, and crying.

Night Claw landed before the castle doors, bending down so Twilight could get off then stood right back up. “We’re here, and the place doesn’t have any obvious guards.” He said, looking around at the ruined castle, snorting. “She probably has them placed within the shadows or behind ruin rubble.”

“Agreed… But we need to make something clear, first, Night.” Twilight said, the stallion looking down at her. “The Changelings can turn into any one of us, probably not you because of your size. However, they could easily turn into me or Scootaloo.”

Night Claw gave a nod to her words. “I understand where you’re going with this, Twilight… In other words, I need to keep my guard up at all times.”

“Yes, so we’ll need a code word, to make sure we know it is us and not a Changeling.” Twilight started to think of something, a smile coming on to her face. “Something like… I’ll say Star, and you’ll say Swirl. Or maybe I’ll ask a question about me, and you answer…” She had several ideas, but Night Claw suddenly smirked.

“Here’s one that they’ll never know.” He looked down at her, right in the eyes. “The moment you see me, say ‘Ave’, then I’ll respond with ‘Dominus Nox’. I’ll know it is you and you’ll know it is me, right then and there.” Twilight smirked, not many knew of Night Claw’s secret form… So his war cry would be perfect for this!

“Sounds great! Let’s get started.” She said, walking up to the doors, but stopped when Night Claw didn’t budge. “Are you… Coming?”

Night Claw shook his head. “No, they’re expecting us to come together, and probably planned a trap to grab us both. Remember, this is a trap to grab us…. Not to mention, we can cover more ground separately, and I can actually ‘Go Hunting’ if I’m alone.” He walked up next to her, leaning down and nuzzling the side of her face. “But you be careful, alright? Do not be afraid to run and try to find me.”

Twilight smiled, and returned his affection with a peck on the stallion’s cheek. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine…. Happy Hunting, Night.” She said, the stallion nodding, quickly flying up and went through one of the holes within the castle walls, his armor and body cloaked by the shadows within. Twilight, on the other hand, used her magic to open the doors, a determined look on her face, and trotted in. “Alright, Twilight… Scootaloo is in danger, Night has gone hunting for Chrysalis, probably, and it’s up to you to find the filly.” She whispered, to herself, while looking around for any Changelings. “No pressure… No pressure at all.”

“Twilight!” A voice called, making the princess turn to see… Rainbow Dash flying towards her?

“Rainbow? What are you doing here?” She asked, tilting her head.

“I came quickly, as I could, after finding out what happened to Scoots and read the note…. No way I’m letting the two of you do this alone, especially when my little buddy is in danger!” Rainbow Dash said, smiling at her friend. “Now, where do we start looking?”

Twilight raised a brow… If Rainbow Dash did read the letter, then she would have known how dangerous it would have been for Scootaloo if she came here. The princess’ eyes narrowed, her horn lighting up. Before Rainbow Dash knew it, the pegasus was sent flying by a bolt of lavender energy, straight into a wall! Her head was swirling a bit, obviously dazed, before a green flame appeared around her, revealing the Changeling that tried to trick Twilight. “Nice try… But I know Rainbow Dash, and despite being the Element of Loyalty… She would never do anything that could possibly hurt one of her close friends.” Twilight said, continuing down the hallway. “This may be easier than I thought… If Chrysalis is having her Changelings only do the obvious tricks, I won’t be fooled by them.” She thought, a confident smirk on her face.

Though, unfortunately for Twilight and Night Claw…. Another overheard their conversation outside the castle, a second Twilight hidden just out of sight on the wall. “Perfect… Now I know what to say, if I run into that batpony.” Chrysalis thought, a wide grin appearing on her face.

The stallion moved through the castle’s shadows, like a specter of darkness. He passed hallway after hallway, unnoticed and hidden. When he came across a pair of Changelings, the stallion dangling from the hallway ceiling. He could hear what they were saying, readying his bladed wings for a swift kill… A fanged grin on his face. “Smaller than what I was hoping for, but a prey is still a prey…” He thought, listening to their conversation.

“The Princess has been spotted in the main hallway, moving towards the lower levels… She already discovered one of us, and her majesty wants us to try and trick her. We haven’t found the stallion yet, he went away somewhere else… The Queen wants him for herself.” One said, the other nodding.

“Think we should try another approach? Maybe someone she doesn’t know, lost ponies within the castle?” The second Changeling asked.

“Would make things easier, and we could use that to our advantage. Make her think we were also captured, for food.” The two shared a hissed cackle, before they felt a presence near them.

They didn’t notice a pair of wings, one going to each side of the Changelings. “A clever planned… Too bad you won’t enact it.” Night Claw said, the two Changelings looking up to see his, fanged exposed, grinning face…. Snake-like eyes locked on to them, like he was thirsting for their blood. “Greetings.”

Before they could act, or even say a word, the bladed wings sliced into their throats! Silencing the Changelings from alerting any others that could be near them. Night Claw quickly leapt down from the ceiling, using one wing to completely behead one of the Changelings before he bit down into the other’s throat! He lifted it into the air, and tossed it to the side, a crack being heard from the Changeling’s body when it hit the wall.

Night Claw spat out the green blood, wiping his mouth. “Disgusting…” He grumbled, before looking down the hallway. “So, she wants to try and take me on, all by herself?” The stallion thought, a grin appearing on his face. “Something tells me; I’m going to enjoy this hunt.” The stallion quickly leapt back up on to the ceiling, and started to make his way down the hallway…. But a sound caught his attention, forcing Night Claw to stop in his tracks and look towards a door. It was the sounds of somepony crying, making him raise an eyebrow.

Then, a very familiar voice whispered out, his enhanced hearing catching it. “Somepony, anypony… Help me.”

Night Claw’s eyes went wide. “Scootaloo!?” He whispered, quickly noticing the two Changeling guards standing at the door, making sure she didn’t escape. His eyes narrowed at them, and made a silent hiss-like noise. The guards looked around, a sound catching their attention, but they shrugged, believing it was the castle playing tricks on them…. Oh, how wrong they were to think that.

Without warning, Night Claw struck! He tackled the first one, slamming his hoof on to their skull, blood spraying out from the Changeling’s eyes and mouth, as the creature’s skull was crushed. The second was frozen, in shock, at the sudden brutal attack on his comrade. When it recovered, the Changeling tried to blast Night Claw with his magic, but the stallion moved far too quickly for him, dodging from side to side. Within seconds, Night Claw, swiftly, moved behind the Changeling and used his wing blades to slice him in half, from the barrel to his flank. The batpony had a murderous look in his narrowed eyes, as the Changeling slowly split in half… Blood staining the dusty floor.

With an angered snort, Night Claw turned his attention towards the door, and glared at it. Behind that door, was the filly he was planning to take on as his own…. The one that bitch of a queen foalnapped. He walked up to the door, turning around, and readied his legs; the next second he suddenly slammed his hooves against the door! Actually snapping it in two, the top piece falling down on to the bottom half. “Scootaloo!” He shouted, into the room. “Are you in here?”

“N-Night Claw?” She spoke up, coming out of her little ball, eyes wet with tears. “I-Is that really you?” Scootaloo backed up against the wall, remembering how Changelings can take on any form they want.

“I am, and to give proof of that.” He extended his wing, and laid the blade over an exposed point of his arm. Night Claw slid the wing blade across his fur, allowing the red blood to slightly flow out. “Changelings bleed green, my blood is red… Which proves that I am-?” Before he could finish the sentence, Scootaloo was hugging on to his chest.

“I was so scared! S-She said so many things, so many terrible things.” The filly cried into his armor, Night Claw lowering his head down, and wrapping a hoof around her small frame. He knew it was her, the Changeling had a strange scent to them, it reminded him of the Tyranids… But Scootaloo actually smelt of shampoo, and of Ponyville.

“It’s alright, Scootaloo… I’m here now.” He said, using his chin to rub the back of her head. “Now, let us go find Twilight. It would be better to leave you with her, while I hunt down Chrysalis, and end this farce.” The filly nodded, Night Claw lowering himself and allowed the filly to climb on to his back. “Alright, hold on.” When she held on to him, tightly, the stallion quickly rushed out the door, moving rather fast for a pony…. His eyes searching each corridor they passed, looking for that tale tell lavender coat.

Night Claw came to a halt in the throne room, Scootaloo still holding on to his back. He looked around, he could smell Twilight in here but something was off... “Why is there… Two scents of Twilight?” He thought, his gaze quickly looking around but couldn’t find the source.

“Night!” Twilight called out to him, making both Scootaloo and the stallion to look down the chamber to see her at the door way. “You found Scootaloo!”

Before Night Claw could say anything, another voice spoke up. “Night! Don’t believe her, its Chrysalis!” Another Twilight, across from him, called out. “She’s trying to trick you!”

The stallion and Scootaloo looked at both of them, confused at the moment. “Ooooook… Seriously underestimated the queen’s ability to transform, their scent is completely the same.” He looked between them, backing up and allowed Scootaloo off of his back. “Alright, I know how to solve this… Twilight, the real one, say the code word!”

At the exact same time, both Twilights yelled out. “Ave!” They looked at each other, confused. “How did you know that!? Hey, stop copying me! Quit it!”

“Uh…. That plan backfired…” Night Claw said, really confused now. Their scent was the same, their voice was the same, their movement was the same. Chrysalis’ illusionary magic was really good, it made it very difficult to tell the two apart… “Wait! That’s it, she uses illusionary magic, which means…” He looked down to Scootaloo, with a worried smile on his face. “Scootaloo… Would you like to see what made me so dangerous against Sombra? The reason why I’m so strong?”

Scootaloo looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. “You mean, there is more to your secret?” She asked him.

Night Claw gave a nod, looking towards the two Twilights. “A lot more. It is a closely guarded secret between the Princesses, the Elements, and the Royal Guard.” He looked down at her. “Promise me you won’t be afraid, when you see. I will not harm you.”

Scootaloo nodded, shaking a bit at what the secret may be. “Night! What are you doing?” One Twilight asked, her eyes wide with concern.

“Don’t do it Night!” The other called out, panicked at what he was about to do.

“It is what I must do, to protect both Scootaloo and you, Twilight.” He said, widening his wings, extending the bat-like wings until they were wide as he could make them and stood stoically. A grin formed on his face, when a thought came across him… A memory.

It was the first time he had a training session with Scootaloo, and what she told him before he left… “You should totally have a catch phrase! Like, something to yell when you’re fighting bad guys!” The memory made him chuckle a bit.

“I have a catch phrase, for when I do this, now… Scootaloo.” He glanced down at her, seeing the inquisitive look on the filly’s face, before he looked back forward. “I Stand in Midnight Clad!” He roared out, a light suddenly enveloping his entire body! So bright, the three ponies had to shield their eyes, unable to see his body transforming.

When the light died down, and the three ponies looked back at him… They were all shocked at what now stood in his place. Where Night Claw once stood, a midnight armored, bipedal, giant stood in his place! His eyes red, and claws painted blood red. He extended the wings on his jump pack and held out both clawed hands. “My Claws Forever Red!”

Scootaloo looked at him, in disbelief. “N-Night Claw?” She asked, slowly backing away from the Astartes.

“In this form, I am known as Xeron, Scootaloo…. My real form.” He looked down at her, the emotionless helmet staring down at the filly. “But I am still the stallion you knew, and I will never harm you…. I used this form to fight Sombra, and many others.” His gaze returned to the two Twilights. “Now, I will find and defeat Chrysalis using this same form.”

“H-How are you going to do that, Nig-… I mean, Xeron?” She asked him, the terror drawings all around his armor actually making her nervous.

“Easy… I’ll use the very thing that made Night Lords deadly hunters.” Xeron said, the wings slowly going back against his jump pack. He raised a claw, looking at the two, before a snake-like whisper spoke out. “Juthai’lah!” His eyes suddenly let up red, his gaze looking at both Twilights. After a second, he locked on to the one at the chamber’s entrance. “Found you!” He roared out, the jump pack roaring to life and he flew straight towards her! Claws raised, and a deafening wail followed from his helmet. “Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings! I, Xeron, Son of the Eight Legion, have come for you!”

Chrysalis suddenly dropped her disguise, and flew away just before Xeron slammed his claws into the ground, destroying the stone floor! “W-What!? How did you-!”

Xeron was on her now, and grabbed a hold of Chrysalis’ throat. “Your magic is used for illusionary magic, designed to fool one’s eyes… However, you cannot hide your true self.” He answered, holding her up into the air, the Changeling Queen trying to resist, but her magic only pinged off of the Astartes’ armor. “Juthai’lah, or Preysight, allows me to see your body heat… Your real form.” His claws wrapped around her throat even tighter. “Now, your majesty I have much planned for you.”

Chrysalis suddenly panicked, she charged a spell and hit Xeron square in the face with it! The recoil from her spell forced Xeron to release her neck, allowing Chrysalis to escape in fear. The Astartes stepped back, rubbing his face from where the spell had hit, his visual sensors trying to reset themselves. “Night! Are you alright?” Twilight asked, walking up with Scootaloo right behind her.

Xeron growled behind his helmet, the sensors coming back on line. “I’ll be fine, yes… She couldn’t really harm me.” He said, the claws spreading apart as he looked to where Chrysalis escaped to. “It seems my true hunt… Is beginning.” The Astartes stepped forward before feeling something grab hold of his leg, and looked down to see Scootaloo holding his leg.

“T-Thank you, N-Night Claw…” She continued to hold on to the Astartes’ leg, surprising not shaking anymore. “Good luck!” Scootaloo smiling up at him.

Xeron slowly reached down, and placed his clawed hand over her head. “Thank you, Scootaloo. Stay with Twilight, until I return. Do not leave her side for a second.” He stood back up, stepping towards the door way, his eyes flaring red. “I have a Hunt to complete."

Twilight smiled at how gentle the Astartes was, with the filly. She waited until Scootaloo got right next to her, using her magic to place the filly on to her back. “We’ll be waiting for you in Ponyville… Good Hunting, Night Claw.”

The Astartes spread his claws open, in front of his helmet. “Always.” Before he rushed into the darkness, his armor disappearing within the castle’s shadows.