The Black Knight simply tapped his fingertips together, his visor raising up like an eyebrow. * Well then…. That sure was unexpected to happen. Heh, I do hope you all like what happens next! I’m going to work on the next few chapters. Let us see what happens to Chrysalis, with our favorite Nightborne Hunter hot on her trail, shall we?

Twilight landed at the town center, Scootaloo riding on her back. The princess let out a sigh of relief, nervous about having to fly with someone riding on her back, just as her friends rushed over to them. “Twilight! You’re ok!” They all said, stopping just short of her, and allowed the Princess to let Scootaloo off her back. “Where is Night Claw at?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking for the large stallion.

Twilight looked at her, and smiled at her daredevil friend. “He’s currently on a Hunt.” She answered, rather cryptically, making her friends raise their eyebrows.

“Hunting? Why in Equestria would he be hunting? After all, Chrysalis is still out there! Unless you guys somehow beat her to a pulp already?” Rainbow Dash asked, the most confused of the group, while Rarity smirked.

“Darling…” She started, making Rainbow Dash look at her. “I think, what Twilight meant, was that he is hunting Chrysalis.” Rarity stated, smiling at her friend, who just realized the connection.

“Oh… Heh, sorry.” Rainbow Dash said, rubbing the back of her head with a smile. “So, how did you get away from there, without any Changelings following?”

This time, it was Scootaloo’s turn to answer, and she jumped in the middle of their group. “It was so awesome! Chrysalis had turned into Twilight, and actually knew their code word. Every bit of her was the exact same as Twilight, but Night Claw had another trick up his sleeve!” She beamed, her smile not faltering once. “He spread his wings, and yelled out ‘I stand in Midnight Clad!’ Then, in a flash of light, he suddenly-?”

Twilight placed a hoof over Scootaloo’s mouth, making her look around at the fact that they were suddenly surrounded by nearly all of Ponyville now! “Shhh… Remember what he told you.” She whispered in the filly’s ear, who nodded.

“Annnnd then he was suddenly wearing this awesome looking armor! It looked like something from old pony times, but also futuristic and everything!” She lied, the other mares catching on to why she described him so. “And, once the light faded, he finished with. ‘My claws forever red!’ Revealing these weird talon-like things on his hoof armor! It was so amazing!” Scootaloo’s excitement was proven, when her wings started to buzz and lifted her off the ground. “If anyone didn’t think of him, as a hero, then… They probably do now! I mean, he looked so heroic, his eyes locked on to Chrysalis like some sort of powerful hero, from a fairy tale!” She said, Twilight floating up, and having her come back down to the ground.

“Agreed… His eyes were able to tell the two of us apart, if you understand what I mean, girls.” Twilight said, the other elements nodding… Understanding that Night Claw had transformed into Xeron, just to battle Chrysalis within the castle. “I told him, once he finished with Chrysalis, to meet us back here…. The castle, with the Changelings in there, was too dangerous for Scootaloo. My best option was to bring her back here, where it was safe.”

The group nodded, agreeing with Twilight’s thoughts on the matter. “Ah do hope he ends this soon… No tellin’ what that there varmit might be plannin’, if she escapes Night.” Applejack said, the group looking towards the Everfree Forest, as a storm started to form above where the Castle of Two Sister was.

“Me too, Applejack… Me too.” Twilight said, wrapping a hoof around Scootaloo…. Her gaze locked on the storm.

-Castle of Two Sisters-

Chrysalis was in a complete, and utter, panic now! Her hooves moving so fast, that she thought the sheer fear of being caught by this monster made her legs become super powered. She threw every last one of her subjects at him, and yet the eight foot, metal, giant butchered them like nothing! His claws ripping through their exo-skeleton like a hot knife through butter. It even seemed like, everywhere she turned, he was waiting for her on the other end of the corridor! Waiting for her to come close enough for his claws to rip her apart.

Without thinking about it, the Changeling Queen rushed outside a window, and ran across the castle rooftop. She quickly braced herself against the wall, standing on her back legs, and pressed so close that it would become hard just to spot her. “H-Hopefully he won’t… F-Find me up here.” She thought, trying to control her heavy breathing. “What exactly is he? I’ve never seen anything like him, anywhere, on our world… He also took down my subjects like they were nothing.”

Just then, a flash of lighting lightened the area and thunder boomed. Unknown to Chrysalis, the lightning flash revealed that she wasn’t alone, a row of gargoyles overhead… One much larger than the others. The rain started to come down hard, pouring and causing the rooftops to become drenched in streams of water. Her ears flicked up, when she caught the sounds of rain drops hitting against metal. She slowly looked up, and caught the sight of two red, glowing, eyes locked on to her. “Greetings, your majesty.” Xeron whispered, Chrysalis suddenly letting out the loudest shriek she possibly could! Her screams of terrors cut short, the moment Xeron’s grip grabbed her throat! “Now, to make sure you don’t try to escape me again.” He grabbed her disfigured horn with the other claw.

In a split second, there was a loud crack, followed by the pain filled screams of Chrysalis, her horn being completely ripped off. Xeron held her to his right, the disembodied horn towards his left. He tilted his helmeted head at her, the Changeling Queen could feel that depraved grin behind his helmet. The Astartes dropped her horn to the grounds below, so far up that there was no possible way they could hear it hit the ground with a thud. “W-What… A-Are you going… T-To do with me?” She, barely, asked… Xeron’s grip actually causing green blood to ooze from her body.

“So strange of you to ask, your majesty… Then again, you don’t know the rules of Night Lords.” He gave a demented cackle, holding her close to his helmet, his free hand’s claw stroking her muzzle. “Those put within a Night Lord’s charge, are protected by that Night Lord…. If one were to harm said mortal, would incur the Night Lord’s wrath and terrible vengeance. Which, I might add, they are bound to hunt down, and slaughter, the ones who caused the harm.” When she was about to speak, his claw clamped down on her muzzle, the blades causing blood to ooze from there. “Oh, save your breath, your majesty… You’ll need it to scream.”

He turned around, on the pedestal he had claimed, and slammed Chrysalis against the castle roof, causing spider web cracks to appear where she was pinned. He slowly reached forward, sticking out his index claw. The Astartes began to give out a depraved cackle, rain running down his armor. The sight was something out of Chrysalis’ nightmares, made real by some depraved entity. His claw slowly laid its blade at the top of her wing, making a slight cut in the bug-like wing. “N-No! Please, no, I beg of you! Not that!” She pleaded, realizing what the Night Lord had planned for her.

“Your pleas fall on deaf ears, your majesty.” Xeron leaned closer to her, his claw just over her wing. “You should have thought of such consequences, when you aimed to harm Scootaloo and Twilight.” With that, his claw swiftly came down, followed by the tearing that only resembled someone ripping a silk cloth in half by hand. Chrysalis’ screams filled the castle walls once more, her blood mixing with the water flowing from its ceiling, while Xeron let out a dark cackle. He pinned her with his left hand, going through with ripping her other wing off instead of cutting it like the others… This earned even louder screams of agony from the Changeling Queen. “Scream all you like, Chrysalis. For these will be your final, long, moments… And I will ensure that every second is filled with agonizing pain.”

Chrysalis begged, pleaded, for him to stop. However, Xeron did not listen and continued to mutilate her body, sliding his claw from the top of her collar down to her waist, deep enough to cause the blood to flow. He drew more lines from the long one going down her center, cutting away her exo-skeleton and exposing the soft, vulnerable, flesh beneath. Her screams of agony went into the Everfree Forest, the creatures within backing away from the castle… Though, this was not the end, her body too weak from the pain to run, Xeron proceeded to pull out her eyes, blood spurting from the empty sockets.

“Now, Chrysalis… I shall silence your venomous voice, for good.” He whispered to her, her sightless gaze looking up at him…. Just as his claws forced themselves into her mouth, and pulled out the Changeling Queen’s tongue. “Be silent, within the afterlife!” He ripped her tongue clean out, green blood pouring from her fanged mouth! Gurgling screams of pain following his brutal action.

By the time it was all done, Night Claw slowly made his way towards the castle bridge. He turned his head back to the castle, and smirked. At the castle’s main building, was the brutalized, mutilated, corpse of Chrysalis…. Chained from gargoyle to gargoyle, making it seem like the stone watchers were holding her out for display… As if the stone guardians were showing what would happen, if one were to harm the Princess and her Subject, what would happen… If you were hunted by the Terror Guard of Twilight.

The mares all waited for their friend to return, not wishing to retire until they knew he was safe. The storm over Everfree Forest started to disappear, as if some dreaded intent had summoned it, and caused it to fade away once it was finished. But that was a couple of hours after the return of Twilight and Scootaloo. “Where could he be?” Scootaloo said, watching the forest’s horizon with the Mane Six.

Twilight wrapped a hoof around the filly, nuzzling her. “Do not worry, Scootaloo… Night Claw will return, do not worry. It’ll take a lot more than Chrysalis to bring him down, trust me… I know.” She coo’ed trying to calm the filly down. Her gaze went back to the forest, a concerned feeling appearing on her muzzle. “Please, Night Claw… Don’t tell me she bested you, you’re far better than that.”

After a few more moments, Pinkie Pie suddenly leapt up into the air. “There! There, see! I see him!” She pointed a hoof towards the forest’s edge, mid-air. The group all looked to where she was pointing, and saw somepony making their way out of the forest… Upon closer inspection, and the pony stepping into the sunlight, they all saw who it was.

“Night Claw!” The group yelled, rushing over and actually hugging the large batpony, making him laugh. “Well now, this is quite the reception!” He boasted, looking at the mares, as they backed away from him. “You all seem like you were expecting somepony else?” He teased, making them all roll their eyes.

“When it comes to Chrysalis, darling, one cannot help but worry about their friends.” Rarity said, the five backing away as Twilight hugged the stallion. “After all, she did do quite the number on Twilight’s brother.”

Night Claw nodded to her, his eyes giving a serious look. “Trust me, I was briefed on such things after they occurred… However, we will not have to worry about Chrysalis ever causing us anymore trouble… Again.” His eyes flashed red, for only a second, the group placing a hoof over their muzzles. They knew what that meant, only Scootaloo was clueless.

“What did you do? Kick her into next year, or something? Give her a beating, or something?” She asked, tilting her head and earned a rather strange look from Twilight and Night Claw.

“Well… Um… You see, Scootaloo, what Night meant was that…” Twilight stuttered, trying to think of the best way to tell her that Night Claw had actually killed the Changeling Queen.

“Her demise was met at my blades, like the monsters of your old pony tales.” Night Claw simply stated, nonchalantly.

“Y-You actually slayed her!” Scootaloo asked, eyes wider than ever, Night Claw giving her a simple nod. The group were surprised that he just flat out said it, instead of making up some story that ended with him barely hinting at what he done, or making up some lie. “That is… So cool!” The filly shouted, bouncing up and down. “To think, I know someone who brought down not one, but two of Equestria’s greatest villains! That is so awesome!”

Night Claw and Twilight looked at one another, smiling, before laughing at the filly’s antics. “Well then, Twilight… Shall we move on to what we were planning, before Chrysalis ruined it?” The stallion asked, the group raising an eyebrow at him.

“Lets!” Twilight smiled, looking down at Scootaloo. “Alright, Scootaloo… We need to go back to the Orphanage. Both Night and I will go with you, this time. There is something we need to do.” The filly nodded, leading the two adult ponies back to the Orphanage, the other Elements smiling and returning to their homes… Today was one exciting for them.

“There, safe and sound.” Night Claw said, as Scootaloo went into her room. “And not a single dark scent or noise to be found, I think you’ll be safe from here on out.” The stallion turned around, Twilight had told him to walk Scootaloo back up while she spoke with the Orphanage Matron. When he felt a tug on his wing, the batpony turned back around and smiled. “Yes?”

“U-Um… Thanks, for saving me, and all.” She said, shifting her hooves on the floor, nervously. “And I promise not to say a word to anypony, not even to the other Crusaders, about your secret.” She looked up at him, confidently.

Night Claw continued to hold his smile at her, and nodded, before leaning his head down to her. “Thank you, Scootaloo… That means a lot to me. Now.” He pulled his head back up. “I hope my catch phrase was to your liking, it was from my Legion, before we went on the hunt.”

Scootaloo nodded, smiling. “It was so cool! I can’t wait to see the next time you use it!” She said, earning a chuckle from the stallion.

“Glad you liked it, now… See you around, Scootaloo.” With that, Night Claw walked back down from the stairs, the filly shutting her door.

Scootaloo quickly leapt on to her bed, and laid down. The smile on her face felt like it would never go away, almost like it was permanently glued there. “Man, Night Claw is becoming even more awesome with each passing day! Makes me really wish…. He was my dad, and Twilight was my mom, like Chrysalis said she seemed.”

The filly laid her face on to the pillow, and thought over all that happened to day. Her ears suddenly shot up when the Orphanage Matron suddenly shouted for her. “Scootaloo! Can you please come down here, please? I have a surprise for you!”

“Coming, ma’am!” She shouted back, quickly exiting her room and walking into her office. “Yes?” Scootaloo looked at the aged pony, who simply smiled at her.

“Scootaloo…. I know how you’re the oldest one here, and I know about how you’ve felt about no pony seeming interested.” Scootaloo nodded, frowning a bit, and looking off to the side. “However, a couple came in earlier, to adopt you. But that incident with Chrysalis foalnapping you prevented that, at the time.”

Scootaloo’s ears shot up, a look of surprise on the filly’s face. “W-What? Really!” She squeaked, looking around. “W-Where are they? Can I meet them?” She asked, her wings buzzing a bit.

“In a second, I wish to talk to you about it first…” The Orphanage Matron said, thinking for a moment, smiling at the filly’s reaction. “They aren’t your average couple, not really married just yet… However, I can tell how closely they care for each other, and they seemed adamant about taking you in… One who lived the same way you did, and doesn’t wish for you to have the same life he did.” She lowered her head, remembering the mare’s story about her coltfriend. “Broke my heart, and I teared up at how much he had struggled, and I felt that he was the one to convince her to do this…. So.” She got up and walked over to a nearby door, smiling at Scootaloo. “Time to meet your new family.”

When the Orphanage Matron opened that door, Scootaloo suddenly felt like hitting the roof, her squeals of excitement heard all over Ponyville. “R-Really!? Y-You actually want to adopt me!!!” She asked the couple.

“The Matron took the words right out of my mouth, Scootaloo… And yes, it took a bit of convincing to bring her on board.” Night Claw said, nuzzling Twilight, with a smile.

The princess’ horn suddenly glowed, a document suddenly floating from behind her. “Will you allow us to… Be your mother and father, Scootaloo? We won’t do it, unless you want us to.” Twilight asked, her eyes tearing up at how Scootaloo’s reaction.

“Yes!” She shouted, rushing over to them and hugging both adult ponies, who both wrapped a hoof around her. “A million times, yes! I-I can’t tell you… H-How h-happy this… Makes me!” Scootaloo somehow managed to say, through her tears.

“Then… We’re glad to call you our own.” Night Claw said, the two leaning down and nuzzling their new filly. “And proud to have such a brave, and strong, filly to call us her parents.” He chuckled, the filly’s grip tightening around them. “You’re now our daughter.”