Since our day out, Twilight and I grew closer than ever. Not a single night went by where I didn’t fall asleep in her arms, and not a single night did she let out a single scream. The Princess of Friendship was finally able to enjoy her sleep. However, over the course of the next week, Sam had been acting… I want to say strange, but I couldn’t.

Samantha seemed to act the same as before, but now there’s was this... I want to call it a 'malicious aura,' around her. Every now and then, I’d see her sneaking glances at me and Twilight. In all honesty it was making me increasingly uneasy.

“Ashley?” Twilight said, pulling me from my thoughts and back to the castle library. Which was where we were at.

“Sorry bout that,” I apologized, leaning against the table. “I’m just worried about Sam.”

“You’re not the only one,” Twilight admitted, closing her book. “Ashley, can I ask you something?”

“Fire away, sweetheart."

She paused. “Do you love Sam?”

“No,” I replied, no hesitation. “Even if she has feelings for me, I've always just seen her as a sister." I kept my eyes on the various entrances, before adding in a whisper, “Which is why I never told her about any relationship I had.”

Twilight nodded, a small smile creasing her face as she tried to lift her books.

“Here," I said, taking half the books. "Let me help, Princess.”

Twilight's smile widened. "My, aren't you a gentleman."

“Don’t tell anyone,” I say with a grin. “I’ve got a reputation to keep.” Moving down the aisles, I placed the books in the gaps left behind by Twilight.

“Well, I find it one of your most redeeming qualities,” Twilight said, causing me to pause. I couldn't help but smile.

“You honor me with your kind words, Your Majesty.”

She stifled a giggle; I knew immediately that I made her blush. As I put one of the books back on it’s shelf my body froze as I felt someone pull my boomstick from my back.

I spun, but I wasn't fast enough. The walnut stock of my shotgun slammed into my face. I hit the ground, books falling around me as spots danced in front of my eyes.

“Ashley!” I heard Twilight yell.

I tried to pull myself up, but the shotgun hit me again, and everything faded to black.

---

Twilight covered her mouth in horror as Sam knocked Ash unconsious. Turning from her friend, Twilight backed up at the fire in Sam's eyes.

Twilight turned to run, but the half deadite was faster, and tackled Twilight to the ground. She broke Twilight's nose with a brutal strike, but Twilight fired back with a beam spell, hurling her opponent into the bookshelves. Scrambling to her feet, Twilight fled the library, as Sam burst from the fallen books with a growl.

Thankfully, a guard met Twilgiht outside the library. "Princess Twilight," he said. "We heard your screams. Is something..."

Twilight only had to point, but even then, it wasn't enough. With a loud BOOM, the guard was flung into the wall, buckshot riddling his armor. Twilight covered her mouth again as he went limp and didn't move again.

“You... killed him!” Twilight uttered in horror. She turned to Sam. "Why did you kill him?!"

However Sam wasn’t in the mood to speak. She slammed the walnut stock into Twilight's face, and the Princess of Friendship hit the ground, too stunned to move as Sam lifted her by her collar.

“You should have stayed away from Ash,” Sam growled, glaring at the princess as her eyes fluttered shut. “Once I hand you over to the Bug Bitch, Jacob and I can finally be together.”

The sound of rapid footsteps registered to Sam's ears. Hefting Twilight over her shoulder, Sam leaped out the nearest window.

Which turned out to be a mistake, as the fall broke her legs and part of her back.

“FUCK!!!” Sam screamed, dropping the Princess and glowering at her lower body. “Hurry up and do your thing!”

Her half-deadite nature complied, and her limbs healed themselves with a bright glow.

Shaking off her fall, Sam collected the princess and Ash's shotgun, and sprinted out of the empire.

Towards the Changeling Hive.

Back at the castle, Shining Armor, the princesses, and Twilight’s friends stared in horror at the dead guard. Shining knelt down to remove his Faust Idol before shutting his still open eyes.

“Rest, and my Faust guide you into the next Life,” Shining whispered, rising to his feet.

“Princess, look at them wounds,” Applejack said, pointing out the wounds on the dead guard. “That's the work of the demon's weapon!”

“Applejack!” Rarity shouted.

“So the Demon is finally showing his true colors,” Celestia declared with a smug smile.

“Celestia, Ash wouldn’t do this,” Shining insisted.

However, Celestia ignored the Royal Consort as she approached one of the surrounding guards. “Find the Demon and kill him on sight!”

“Celestia,” Cadance growled, standing in front of the Princess of Equestria. “You are in my Empire. You have no authority to make such an order” Cadance turned to the Guard. “Find Twilight’s Bodyguard and bring him to me.”

The guard nodded and raced off, causing Celestia's hair to flicker with embers.

“Cadance, when will you learn the longer we keep the demon alive, the more Equus will suffer!” Celestia demanded.

“Ash has done nothing but help!” Cadence argued, right as the guard returned.

“Princess,” the guard reported. “We found Princess Twilight’s Bodyguard in the Library."

Everyone ran to the Library and found Ash unconscious on the ground, books covering his body.

“Ash?” Shining Armor said, checking the human’s vitals. He sighed. "Thank Faust, he’s only unconscious.”

Luna approached, casting healing magic on the Human. Ash's eyes briefly fluttered, before he bolted up.

“Twilight, run!” Ash yelled, before noticing the others before him. For a moment, confusion shined on his face, before it was replaced with realization... and then anger. “I’m going to kill her.” Ash growled.

He rose, but Celestia stood in his path. "Kill who exactly?" she demanded. "I don't think you should be going anywhere."

Ash seized her by the collar, dragging her after him. The others, too stunned by his rage, could only mutely follow along.

“You hate me," Ash said. "I know that. But right now, I don't care." He dragged her out of the palace. "Twilight's been caught again, and I'll need your help to get her back!” He all but threw Celestia into his Delta. “So shut up and help me prevent the end of both the princess and the world!”

"I..." Celestia stammered, but Ash got into the driver's side, and slammed on the gas. The roar of the engine drowned out her yelp of shock, and he peeled out towards the Hive.

In the Changeling Hive, a six and a half foot tall bipedal form with eight inch long curving claws stared out of the shadows. "Good. The herbal blend is working. Soon, the cybernetic horsefly will deliver the control chip, strengthening your hold on your little spy, as agreed," the cloaked form growled, the liquid nitrogen fog curling around his claws. His baleful gaze shifted to Queen Chrysalis.

“Yes,” Chrysalis said as she paced around, waiting for her desperate puppet. “The more of her I control, the better,” the Changeling Queen turned to the cloaked figure. “And you’re positive this chip of yours will work on her? She’s recovered from almost everything I’ve used on her almost instantly.” Chrysalis scowled. “She truly has a remarkable form of regeneration.”

A slight smirk crossed the lupine's countenance. "Even if she does, the chip will be planted. If anything her enhanced regeneration will work in our favor, hiding the chip from any scans… not that your enemies will even know what to seek out. The technology level is downright archaic."

Privately, he smirked. He knew he'd merely identified himself as 'one who could help with your pony trash problem'... of course… after freezing a half dozen of her Changeling Drones solid from one slam of his claws. Two more had tried to attack him from a distance, only to be hit by shards of ice that not only froze their blood in their veins in seconds, but perforated their bodies from within with close to two hundred wounds

“You never did mention what you get out of helping me... Wolfang?” Chrysalis asked glaring at the Lupine with concern

"Who says I want anything? I find ponies to be remarkably weak… not even worth fighting."

“They are far stronger than you believe,” Chrysalis argued

Before Wolfang could speak, the doors burst open. Sam stood tall, the Princess over her shoulder.

“One Princess, as promised,” Sam threw the Princess at the Queen's feet. “And don’t worry about this little thing” Sam flashed Jacob’s Cross around her neck with a grin. “It’s right where it belongs."

Wolfang cocked his head, his pale golden irises very noticeable against his dark emerald sclera. His gaze rose slightly as the cybernetic horsefly shot out of the darkness, landing and sinking its tiny mandibles into Sam's skin as the control chip, no larger than a quarter the size of a grain of rice, was implanted. He knew it was likely she'd notice the sting as it also acquired a blood sample at the same time. He had acquired it from Yammark. He knew the dragonfly Maverick had a very strong grudge against Zero… as did he. However, when they'd been sent here, they had been commanded to watch for darker hearts. It made no sense to him, but if it brought especially Zero or X into his claws, he'd be satisfied, though any Hunter would do.

Sam’s eyes shone a light pistachio green which made Chrysalis smile. “Very impressive” the queen praised, turning to the lupine. “But how do we know it’s affecting her?”

"You claimed there was a Hunter. She can delay him…. as for killing him… that, we will do," Wolfang growled. The chip would make her a bit more resistant to damage, however, if the chip itself were destroyed before it merged with her neural network, it wouldn't matter… not that he would reveal that fact. Of course…. if it successfully ingrained with her neural network… only killing her would break its hold. As to his knowledge, there was no knowledge of electromagnetic technology in this backwards world.

Chrysalis smiled as she returned her gaze to the Half-Deadite. “Stall your mate. Do not let him interrupt me again.”

Sam nodded and left the room, leaving Chrysalis with the lupine. “She won’t hold him long, and I need a safe place to finish the ritual.” Chrysalis groaned in frustration. “I’m going to have to return home to finish my book.”

"And how do you plan to go home without your book?" Wolfang growled.

Chrysalis just smiled as she approached the unconscious princess. “I don’t need a book,” Chrysalis lifted Twilight by her hair before gripping her clothes in her claws. “After all…” With a quick pull Chrysalis relieved Twilight of her clothes revealing the Sumarian symbols across her body. “...All I have to do is read from her body.”

Wolfang grunted, shrugging as he didn't care much. "If you can," he growled. "Though there are other Mavericks more linguistic than I," he growled.

“Then bring them,'' Chrysalis ordered, looking over the Sumarian Text. “I’ll need all the time I need to open the portal between worlds.”

"That implies I have such an ability, bug,"Wolfang growled with a roll of his eyes.

“My Queen!” a changeling shouted, entering the room. “The Hunter! He’s approaching fast!”

“Stop him! Do whatever you must” Chrysalis ordered her spawn. “He does NOT interfere!”

Chrysalis teleported to the Hive entrance. A pedestal stood tall, and Chrysalis put Twilight on top of it. Running her hands over her body, Chrysalis sought out the right series of symbols.

"If you want to return home you better start reading," Wolfang warned.

“It’s not as simple as that!” Chrysalis barked at the Lupine. “I need to find the right text otherwise it won’t work!” She turned back to Twilight's body. “Aberuhauke,” Chrysalis began as the wind began to pick up speed. "Tarutoudari, Isabebe, Risutouru.”

In front of Twilight and the queen a massive green portal began to open. Twilight began to stir which made it harder for the Queen to finish.

“Aburuze” Chrysalis’s voice echoed, completely awakening the princess.

Twilight tried to blast at Chrysalis with magic, only for a dagger to press against her throat.

“So much as move and I’ll start carving my pages now!” Chrysalis threatened as gunfire thundered in the distance.

Wolfang rolled his eyes before his auditory sensors picked up the roar of an engine as well as ballistic gunfire. "Plasma bullets are far more elegant than flying metal… and far more effective…. even if I prefer a good liquid nitrogen bullet within a helium gas shell," he mused as one of his palms rotated as the claws shifted into a more 'starburst' appearance, revealing three slowly rotating barrels leaking frigid fog.

The bullets fired from the Lupine hit the human’s car in the front, freezing the front along with the front wheels causing it to flip over.

“Sutoumanu, Aberuge” the center of the portal began to slowly open up revealing a black hive surrounded by green flames.

Twilight looked through the portal and her eyes widened in Horror. “Ashley!” Twilight screamed out

Chrysalis plunged her dagger into Twilight's arm, eliciting a bloodcurdling scream from the princess.

“Twilight!!” Ash roared, pulling himself out of the Delta.

Equipped with his Gatling and chainsaw Ash was ready to carve and mow down every changeling in his path. But the bugs didn't dare confront him. Not when there was someone they hoped would stand a chance.

They parted before Ash, and he soon found himself face to face... with Samantha.

“Stand down, Jacob,” Sam said, pointing the Shotgun at him.

Ash aimed his own gatling at her, the barrel beginning to spin. "What are you gonna do?" he demanded. "Shoot me?"

Sam hesitated, and in that hesitation, Celestia was able to rip her way free of the Delta. With a beam of golden sun magic, Sam was sent hurtling into the hive.

Celestia and Ash glared at each other, before Celestia returned her attention to the changelings.

“Go get Twilight,” Celestia ordered

“Thanks,” Ash said rushing through the changelings

"Still as arrogant as ever, Sun Bitch," Wolfang growled firing off several volleys of glacial bullets at the Hunter and the Alicorn.

The bullets heading towards Celestia were immediately melted by her magic aura, however Ash was hit in three places on his left shin. Ash turned his gaze towards the cloaked Lupine, closing his eyes Ash reopened them revealing his red Sharingan eyes

Wolfang cocked his head. He wasn't an organic creature, nor did he have anything organic. However, he was just as vulnerable as any machine to EMPs or extreme electrical voltage.

Ash charged the Lupine as his opponent fired his bullets at the Human, fortunately Ash was able to evade his strikes. His Sharingan made everything feel like it was going in slow-motion, and once close enough, Ash body checked the lupine hard, sending him off balence.

Wolfang rolled with the impact, retracting his Glacial Gatling upgrade into his arm before he slashed out with his claws, the air becoming supercooled in their wake. "Very few humans could hit a Maverick off their feet… your kind are too easily broken." he snarled as he tossed his cloak at Ash.

Without hesitation, Ash blasted through the cloak and found his opponent gone. “True, but our will to survive can never be stopped,” Ash said, dodging on instinct, and avoiding a thick shard of ice fired from Wolfang.

Rolling forward, Ash opened fire with his gatling, turning the ice to snow in seconds.

Wolfang sneered as he dropped down, his claws trailing blue light as he leaped at Ash, a half dozen thin knife-like shards forming between his claws before he threw them. Within moments, he saw two of the shards hit the Hunter.

Ash closed his eyes from the pain when dropped to his knees as he dropped his Chainsaw and gripped the shards. “I told you..” Ash said, raising to his feet. “A humans will to survive...” Ash opened his eyes.

“Can never be stopped!”

"Ha. Humans are weak in mind and body. Reploids are superior… and Mavericks superior to them," Wolfang snarled.

Ash focused his gaze on a single point on the Lupine, without warning the Lupine’s hand was engulfed by a raging black fire, to which Wolfang snarled, thrusting his burning fist at the Hunter, ignoring the glowing molten metal falling to the chilled floor and sizzling loudly.

Ash had no way to avoid the attack as his eyes began to bleed, Blinking several times Ash regained his sight in time to see Sam’s lower half crash into the Lupine before her upper half knocked him off his feet. Rolling with the fall, Ash grabbed his Boomstick from Sam's remains before going straight for Chrysalis.

“Uru, Mahoraba” Chrysalis said, holding Twilight’s thrashing body. “Tsure..Raggh!!” Chrysalis howled in pain as Ash shot her leg.

Throwing the queen to the side, Ash lifted Twilight's naked body off the pedestal, as lightning flickered and coursed around the portal.

"You IMBECILE!" Chrysalis roared. "You've doomed us all!"

Ash glared at her, before he noticed the snow shifting towards the portal.

"Shit..." Ash grumbled, trying to race towards the castle.

Unfortunately, the portal's pull was too great. Changelings and outworlders alike were sucked into its grasp. Ash tripped, and was immediately behind pulled towards the portal. Just before they could be dragged in, Ash and Twilight slammed into the pedestal, Ash embedding his chainsaw into the stone and hanging onto Twilight for dear life.

Unfortunately, cracks begin to form in between them as Celestia, Chrysalis, and Wolfang were dragged through the portal. The stone holding Twilight gives way forcing Ash to grab hold of her hand. Barely able to fight the pull of the portal, Celestia and Twilight exchanged a sad look of resignation, before Celestia fired a tracker spell at Twilight. The tracker spell hit just as the stone gave way, and Twilight and Ash vanished through the portal.

“I got you,” Ash said, hanging on for dear life as both of them tumbled through space and time.

However, gravity seemed to have a mind of its own. It pushed, pulled and ripped at them. Almost like it wanted them apart. Despite their best efforts, Twilight’s hand began to slip from his grip. Both of them stared at each other in mounting horror.

“Ashley!!” Twilight whimpered, before her hand was torn from his grip.

“Twilight!!” Ash screamed, but in seconds, she was gone. “God Damn it,” Ash roared, before he saw his car fly past him. "How do we stop this!"

Almost as if fate was answering him, he heard a loud Crack. “Oh, shit,” Ash muttered, before the pedestal flew at him from who knew where. There was a white flash, and everything went black.

A portal opened above the Everfree before expelling a white Alicorn into the forest, the Alicorn plummeted to the ground close to a tree hut. As Celestia lay moaning on the ground, a familiar zebra appeared over her.

“Princess Celestia," Zecora greeted. "At the Everfree you’re never near. What are you doing here?”

---

Chrysalis fell to the ground covered in demonic blood. A group of changelings approached her.

“Chrysalis?” one of the changelings said, helping her up. “What are you doing out this far from the Hive?”

The Queen was unresponsive. Exchanging worried glances, the changelings lifted their queen, and carried her back for the hive.

"Doesn't she look bigger to you" One of them asked

"Probably was too weak to change back"

---

The citizens of Ponyville moved through their days before they all heard the sound of screaming. Looking up, they yelped and dodged as the Delta plummeted into their town. The car crashed to the ground a full second before Ash and all his weapons followed after it.

“Tw..Twilight…” Ash mumbled, before he blacked out.

---

A portal opened up in the Canterlot mines. Princess Twilight Sparkle emerged from the portal. Aside from the stab wound in her arm, she was relatively safe and alive. However, her wound still leaked blood, and the portal travel left her disoriented and very weak. Twilight slumped to the ground, barely caring about the dirt around her.

Just before she lost her grip on consiousness, she heard footsteps... and a voice.

"Twilight?"

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