Scootaloo and Storm Shade had been walking for a day and a half with very little excitement. Finally Canterlot came into view.

“I see it.” said Storm, “I should probably disguise myself. Help me get these vines off. My wing should be healed by now.”

Sure enough, the accelerated healing possessed by the changeling had completely fixed his wing.

“That's better.” he said

After about a half minute he was in his pegasus form that he typically favored.

“Let's go.” said Scootaloo.

As they walked up to the city Scootaloo got an uneasy feeling.

“Stop” she called to her coltfriend, “Somethings not right.”

She focused her sense forward and found a guard. He had a dark aura around his head.

“Oh no” she uttered, “She has the guards.” she felt a few citizens, “the citizens, too. Goddess I hope the princess' are immune.”

Storm winced. He didn't like the thought of having to face his former monarch and possibly Celestia and Luna. Scootaloo picked up on his fear.

“It's OK, Storm,” she said, “You can stay here if you want.”

He shook his head vigorously, “No. there's no way I’m letting you face her alone.”

Scootaloo smiled, “Good, cause I’m going to need you to fly us up to the castle.”

“Right.” he said and took off grabbing her in his legs and making for the looming structure.

He went slowly as to avoid patrols. Eventually they landed on a terrace on one of the towers. They quickly made their way through the tower and down to where the throne room is. A pair of guards stood outside. Both were easily dealt with before they even knew what the orange blur was.

Scootaloo peered into the room and felt Chrysalis sitting in the throne and the weakened energy of the two royal sisters on the floor in front of her. They were bound in some kind of magic. That was a concern, but not as much of one as the other six clouded auras she felt. The Elements of Harmony stood guard before the new queen of Equestria.

“Damn it!” she half whispered, half yelled, “The princesses are hurt, and she has My mom and the others in there. I think they're protecting her.”

Storm was gripped by fear once again, “So what you're saying is six of the most powerful ponies in Equestria are protecting the queen. Can we win?”

The lack of an immediate answer did nothing for his morale, and the answer that did come only worsened it.

“I don't know.” Scootaloo said, “but we have to try. We're all that's left.”

She walked directly in front of the door as Storm changed back into his normal form. With force enough to break one of the hinges, Scootaloo kicked the massive door open and jumped in with Storm at her side.

“There you are.” said the changeling ruler as she smirked at Storm, “It seems I really did missed one.”

“Missed one what?” spat Storm.

“One of my minions of course.” said the evil mare, “I thought I had killed them ALL, but one slipped by.”

Storm's eyes widened in horror. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but somehow he knew it was true. Now he knew why she didn't have an escort. There was nopony left TO escort her.

“Why?” he asked, the hatred dripping from his words.

“Simple,” she explained, “They were useless to me.”

Storm was shaking with anger as a green aura surrounded him, “So you just threw them away? Like garbage?”

His horn sparked to life and a bolt of green fire flew towards the queen only to hit a purple barrier. Twilight jumped to the aide of her master.

“Scootaloo, you take the elements.” Storm growled, “The bitch is mine”

He took to the air as Scootaloo shot toward her family. Twilight tried using a shield, but it was nowhere near as powerful as her brother's and was quickly shattered by the blindingly fast strikes of the young pegasus.

Bursts of green light flooded the sky as Scootaloo dodged and weaved around spells and strikes of the mares. Luckily for her they didn't seem to be able to use their runes. If they could this would already be over.

They could still fight like they use to. Scootaloo figured they must be acting on instinct alone. Runes require logical, conscious thought, where as martial arts becomes instinctive.

She had access to her runes and was the best fighter of the Dawn Shield, but fighting six skilled mares still put her on the defensive. It took all she had to avoid the deadly strikes and spells her loved ones threw at her.

Above, the two changelings closed the distance and took to fencing with their horns. The queen had power, but thanks to sparring with Scootaloo and the girls, Storm has skill. The two locked horns again

“Do you really think you have a chance?” she laughed.

“I'm stronger than you think, Chrysalis.” he spat her name laced with as much acid as he could muster, “The love I have is given to me, not just somepony I’m copying.”

He released a burst of magic in Chrysalis's face sending her crashing down. He lit his horn ready to finish the cruel creature, but a rainbow comet interrupted his charge. He went crashing this time. Now beset by two opponents there was little he could do. They bashed and battered his body without mercy. In the brief moments between assaults he could see his love similarly suffering, as five ponies beat her senseless, having finally caught her.

Storm had just managed to get a single breath when a purple covered orange mass collided with him, and they both landed in a tangled mass in a corner. They looked up and saw the six elements looking at them with blank emotionless faces. They tried to stand but Storms exhaustion and the bone protruding from Scootaloo's leg kept them on the ground.

Queen Chrysalis reveled in the sight and feel of the emotions flying between the two. She decided to draw out their demise.

“I'm sorry I dragged you into this, Stormy.” Scootaloo's voice was cracking with the tears falling down her face.

“Don't be, Hummingbird.” Storm replied, “I'm glad to be here with you.”

“I just wish I could have seen the real you.” Scootaloo sobbed.

They held each other crying at their failure. It hurt to loose Equestria, but it hurt worse to loose each other.

Scootaloo leaned in closer to Storm as Storm mirrored her action. Their lips met in a deep passion-filled kiss.

Scootaloo watched expecting to see the pink energy flow slowly from her to him like before, but that's not what she saw. Instead, it was like a dam burst and a torrent of vivid red energy flooded into the changeling colt. It filled his chest, then his torso, the his entire being lit up with energy.

Storm's eyes shot open, glowing white with untold power. His body ignited with green flames as the pure, willing love energy overflowed in him. They broke the kiss as his head shot up and, with a yell, released the energy in a wave of fire that spread out. Chrysalis, once again, was thrown from the throne room as the wave washed over the six elements cleansing them of the dark spell's influence as it passed. The purifying fire covered Equestria from Manehattan to Appleloosa, breaking the hold the dark monarch had.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Midnight burst into the throne room, his medallion drained of energy from his flight. He walked in to find the girls walking uneasily to the corner of the throne room. He made his way to their side and saw something he had only ever heard about.

Cowering in the corner, was a changeling, with Scootaloo in front of it defensively. It was terrified of them. Midnight looked at his wife and friends and saw looks of pure hatred.

Celestia looked down at Scootaloo and said, “How dare you protect an enemy of Equestria!!!”

Scootaloo shot back, “Because he's not evil. He's the kindest, most caring colt I’ve ever met, and I love him.”

“No you don't.” said Rainbow Dash, “He's a changeling. He just used his magic to make you think you love him.”

“It's the same thing his Queen did to my brother.” stated Twilight, “You remember that right.”

“His magic doesn't work like that.” Scootaloo said, “He's a healer. He's healed me several times. He healed all of you!”

“Is that what he said?” asked AJ, “How do ya know he ain't lyin' to ya.”

“Because I know him!”  Scootaloo shouted.

Midnight saw a look of familiarity, and fear in the creatures face.

“We do not have time for this” the moon princess pushed to the front of the crowd and made for the still cowering changeling.

“No!” Scootaloo cried as she leaped toward the goddess, only to be stopped by the changeling. He pulled her back into a hug. Luna stopped.

“Don't, please.” He said, “I don't want see you get hurt for me.”

Scootaloo cried into his armored carapace, “But I don't want to loose you Stormy.”

“Did she just say 'Stormy'.” asked Dash.

So that's his shame. That's what he was hiding from us. Midnight thought.

Midnight stepped forward and sat beside the two young ponies.

“So, Storm,” he said, “I think you have some things to tell us.”

Storm nodded and told them his life story as he turned back into his pegasus form. He told them about his role in the invasion, how the love wave passed over him, his survival, the real story of how he met Scootaloo, and what happened after they fled into the woods. He finished with the events that had just passed, which got the biggest reaction, especially from Rainbow Dash.

“You kissed him!” Dash yelled, “wha... ho... wh...” she looked ready to pass out.

“Well I kinda thought we were going to die.” Scootaloo's said, “and it was what gave him the power to defeat Chrysalis and cure you guys.”

“So what 're we goin' ta do bout him.” asked Applejack.

“I do not know,” said Celestia, “I'm not sure if he's trust worthy. For all we know this could be a trick.”

“No, princess, it's not a trick,” said Midnight, “Chrysalis won. She was the Queen of Equestria. There was no reason to trick us.”

He let the others think about that. When he saw understanding take hold he continued.

“I think we should let him come back with us, and continue his life like it was. We owe him that much. He can never go back to his own kind after defying her like that.”

“I have no kind anymore.” Storm said, “She killed them all. I’m all that's left.”

Shock was evident on every face.

“She killed her own subjects.” said Luna, “How... How could she do that?”

Nopony else spoke for some time. They were to busy trying to comprehend such a thing.

“Because she saw them as her property.” Midnight said, “I've seen it plenty of times before. Kings and Emperors ordering the slaughter of hundreds, thousands even. All for nothing but to remind the people who's in charge. Because they believe the people exist only to serve them.”

Memories of blood and death filled his mind. Thoughts of innocent women and children begging to be spared before he cut them down. Scars like those never fade. Twilight put her hooves around her husband. Comforting away the painful memories he was reliving.

“Very well.” said Celestia, “I will allow Storm to live in Ponyville under the supervision of one of you. Who will take him in.”

“I will, I will. Pick me.” Pinkie held her hoof up, bouncing.

“Are you sure?” asked the sun goddess.

Pinkie smiled, “Sure I’m sure. I’ve been needing help at the shop anyway.”

“Very well,” said Celestia, “But if you feed on anypony who does not give willingly. I will lock you in the dungeon until you rot.”

“You don't have to worry about that your highness.” Storm said, “I don't need to steal emotion anymore.”

Scootaloo leaned in and kissed him on the lips. Rainbow Dash cringed, trying not to knock the colt out.

“I have all the love I’ll ever need.”

“Um... Scoots?” Dash interrupted, “Why are you wearing jewelry?”

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

The next day Canterlot was abuzz with excitement. Everypony wanted to meet the hero that saved Equestria.

The amphitheater was filled with ponies as well as camera crews to broadcast the event to vid displays supplied to every settlement, town and city in Equestria by Magecraft Industries about four months prior.

Celestia, Scootaloo, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash were trying to calm a hyperventilating Storm Shade. He was going to be presented to Equestria, not as Storm Shade the pegasus, but Storm Shade the changeling. The thing ponies hate most.

“With Princess Celestia introducing you, you have nothing to worry about.” Twilight said.

“I'll warm them up to you before bringing you out.” said Celestia.

“Nonononono,” Storm said, “th-th-th-they're going to k-k-kill me.”

“Please, Stormy.” Scootaloo said nuzzling his chin, “I'll give you another kiss.”

He was up in a flash, “Let's do this!”

Celestia just chuckled and asked, “By the way, is Storm Shade your real name?”

Storm smiled and answered, “No. My real name is...” he made a series of clicks and chirps.

Celestia looked entirely flabbergasted, “So then... Storm Shade?”

He laughed, “That's why I use it.”

The alicorn turned and walked onto the stage to a cheering crowd. She approached the microphone and cleared her throat before speaking into the device.

“Equestrians, yesterday Queen Chrysalis returned to Canterlot for the purpose of stealing the throne. A purpose she fulfilled. Fueled by the stolen emotions of enslaved ponies, her power was even greater than mine or my sisters. I am ashamed to say we were both defeated.”

gasps and murmurs rose from the crowd as the ponies registered the information.

Celestia continued, “Not five minutes later, two young heroes burst into the throne room to confront the evil queen in our stead. One was a young pegasus filly, and the other... was a changeling.”

The combined whispers from the crowd sounded like a roar. Ponies asked if they heard right or if she meant a 'changeling' changeling, or if there was another kind.

“You heard me right, my little ponies. A single changeling, that was disillusioned with Chrysalis's rule, tried living in peace with us. He eventually found love in the filly he came here with, but not love taken. She knew what he was and gave willingly. This gift of love gave him the power to fight his former queen, and like before it was the power of love that defeated Chrysalis, and cured us all.”

She watched the faces of the ponies shift through emotions, until they settled on understanding.

“So without further ado, I present to you, Storm Shade, the hero of Equestria.”Celestia held out a hoof as a black figure stepped onto the stage who nervously and took his place beside the sun princess who levitated a medal shaped like a crescent moon overlaying a sun, “For services to the ponies of Equestria, and standing for what is right in the face of overwhelming odds, I present you with this nations highest honor, The Seal of the Sun and Moon.” she placed the award around his neck, “And as the princess of the day, I invite you to join the ranks of Equestria's most elite protectors, the Dawn Shield.”

The whispers and murmurs stopped.

Storm didn't need to think too hard about it. He knew she was going to ask and he rehearsed something for just this.

He cleared his throat, “I accept this illustrious honor. I vow, as the last of my kind, to show Equestria what changelings once were before Queen Chrysalis was stricken with madness. I will show that we were a peace loving species, and only sought out love freely given.”

Now they know the changeling race is dead and the queen wasn't always evil. he thought, Maybe now they can forgive my kind.

All was silent... deafeningly silent. Storms first thought was that they were mad but then he heard something. It started like a small tapping, and grew until it was more an earthquake. Pony hooves stomping wildly in cheers for their new savior.

Maybe it won't be so bad. he thought. Next Chapter: Epilogue Estimated time remaining: 5 Minutes