Changing Odds - Surprises All Day

Good night.

Zuro signed his diary and put it away next to the rest that have been building up over the years then turned to face the sleeping mare he loved the most on his bed. Her body moving up and down with her gentle breathing as she slept peacefully.

He smiled at the sight of his lover sleeping as he got up from his desk and walked quietly over to the bed. He got to her side and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek, causing her to stir and moan lightly. He smiled again as she continued to sleep.

"I love you, Angel." He whispered.

She moaned in response and he could swear he heard her say the same thing back to him as a reply to his words. He gently slipped himself under the covers with her and when he was settled in she curled up against him, wrapping her forelegs around his chest. He managed to slide his foreleg under her and wrap it around her shoulder and back without disturbing her. Soon enough he found himself drifting off into sleep, ready for the days activities and what they would hold for him.

The next morning Zuro and Angel got up and ready to go, then headed straight for the train station to Canterlot. Now they were on the train as it came closer to its destination. Zuro noticed that Angel seemed awfully close to him all morning. Not that it bothered him, he rather liked it, but he could not help but wonder if she knew something about his plans today.

"Next stop, Canterlot." The conductor called. "Everypony out for Canterlot." Zuro felt a kiss on his cheek and he turned to see Angel smiling at him.

"Guess this is our stop," she said.

"Mhmm." He replied with a nod. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips before they got up and grabbed their things from the overhead compartment then headed off the train where they were met with a score of rich ponies walking in the streets, some of which were giving them snobby looks.

"So, what are we going to do first?" Angel asked.

"We'll find a cheap hotel, then I have a few things I want to take care of before we head to the stadium tonight." Zuro answered.

"Okay."

They both walked side by side down the road looking for a place he could afford, but soon found that Canterlot was the most expensive place he had ever seen. However they did find a reasonably priced hotel near the edge of the city. They checked in and were directed to their room and when they were alone he reverted back to his changeling form to get everything they needed for the night unpacked with his magic.

After he unpacked what they need Angel came up to him and smiled. "Zuro. I have something I want to tell you."

Just then a clock chimed eleven o'clock and he frowned. "Can it wait until lunch?" He asked. She frowned in response. "I have to go get things set up for tonight. I promise I'll be back by twelve." After a short minute she nodded then he changed back to his pony form and gave her a kiss before leaving.

Zuro was now waiting for the guards to announce him to the princess in the castle. On the outside he appeared as calm as anypony who came to see the princess with a comment or a concern they wished to be dealt with, but on the inside he was as terrified as a foal in a haunted house on Nightmare Night. The guards paid no attention to him, but that still did not help his nerves.

"Zuro?" A guard called. Zuro looked up. "The princess will see you now."

Zuro got to his hooves and trotted over to the guard, then followed him down the hall into the audience chamber where Princess Celestia sat on a throne waiting for her subjects to present their troubles. As he approached the princess she smiled at him warmly.

"Welcome, Zuro." She said in a gentle voice. "How might I be of service to you?"

"Well... um.." Zuro stammered. Celestia waited patiently for him to speak. "Princess, I wish to confess to you that I am not a pony." She raised her eyebrow in confusion. To answer her unspoken question he closed his eyes and allowed his disguise to fade, revealing his true form. The guards jumped into action and aimed their spears at him.

"Stand down!" Celestia ordered. The guards held their ground, but made no farther movement against the changeling in their presence. "Why have you come to me like this?" The princess asked.

"Well... all my life, princess, I've been fascinated by your kind and have dreamed about being a part of your society." Zuro explained. Celestia gave him a look that said 'go on'. He took a deep breath and continued. "Three and a half years ago I came to your country from the mountains beyond the Everfree Forest and have been living in Ponyville ever since. I came here before you because I fell in love with one of your subjects."

"And this pony would be?" Celestia asked.

"Angel Wings, your highness." Zuro answered.

"And does she know you're a changeling?" She asked.

"Yes, your highness. I told her shortly after the Summer Sun Celebration and to this day she loves me." Zuro answered. After a moment Zuro spoke up again. "Your highness, I've come to you in this matter because I wish to ask your subjects hoof."

"Why haven't you approached her already?" She asked with a confused look.

"Because, since I'm not one of your subjects, I wanted to seek your blessing for a union of two kingdoms." He answered.

"Have you spoken to your monarch about this?" She asked.

"N-no..." He answered. "The monarch I knew died shortly before I left and I don't know the one who claimed the title of 'queen'. She assumed the throne some time after I moved out." There was a long, eary silence after this. None of the two spoke as they stared into each others eyes and the guards kept their battle ready positions.

"I don't want any trouble to come between our two races, your highness." Zuro said. "I only want to live as a pony with Angel. She is the love of my life." After a few more minutes of silence Celestia smiled at the changeling before her.

"I applaud your approach in this matter Zuro." She said. "But because you have revealed to me that you are a changeling I'm afraid I have no choice, but..."

"Please princess... I only wish to live as a pony." He pleaded.

"...I have no choice..." she continued. "...but to grant you my blessing." All in the room blinked as Zuro stood there in shock while his mind tried to process what he was just told.

Did she just say yes?

Celestia got up from her throne and rotted down to him with a warm smile on her face, so warm he could actually feel it radiating from her, and it was not the love she was giving him.

"Go to her my little changeling, and make her a happy mare." She said. Slowly a smile grew on his face and he wrapped his forelegs around her, causing the guards to jump until she raised her hoof to calm them. She held him at arm's length. "Go to her Zuro."

Gnator walked out of the throne room with a stern look pasted onto his face. Entibus was standing outside waiting for him and as he marched past her she trotted up next to him.

"Well, what's going on, babe?" She asked.

"The invasion begins on the day of the wedding." He answered, keeping his eyes locked on his destination.

"Where are you going now?" She asked. He said nothing. They rounded a corner and she started to grow angry with his silence. He had been growing more closed off from the rest, even her since Discord over a month ago. "Gnator, talk to me!"

"You don't need to worry about me." He replied. She stepped in front of him and glared up at him.

"Gnator, if you can't talk to me then I can't see us being together anymore!" She stated matter-of-factly. He blinked at her outburst. "I fell in love with you when we joined because I saw a changeling who needed guidance. I tried to help you, but you have been closing me out more and more lately, and you're letting your anger get the best of you."

"I'm trying to help save our race and my family!" He countered.

"By going with an invasion plan on a race your brother loves!" She announced.

"He loves his family more." Gnator stated. "If he wants what's best for me, our sisters, and our parents, he'll do the right thing and come back to us."

"You're blinded by your anger, Gnator!" She said. "I can't take it anymore!" He blinked at this.

"What are you saying?" He asked.

"I'm saying if you don't stop now..." she paused with a heavy sigh. "... then it's over between us." He flinched at this and felt as the a pony train hit him at top speed.

"Y... You don't mean that..." He stated.

"I'm done trying to help you, Gnator. You're filled with to much anger and you're too focused on taking back what only another can give. So this is goodbye."

"Go then!" He snapped. "Go ahead and leave like he did! See if I care!" He stormed passed her and continued on with more anger in his stride. She stood there watching him as he vanished in the distance, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I never wanted to leave you." She whispered to herself. "But I can't be with one full of anger for his past like you. Goodbye Gnator." She turned the opposite direction and flew off into the mountains, crying quietly to herself until she was well out of earshot, at which point she burst into full blown sobs.

Zuro and Angel were now seated, in a poor spot, and the large stadium watching the Wonderbolts perform their most gut turning stunts for the audience that came to see them fly. The two cheered with the crowd as the flyers flew toward each other, giving the impression they were intending to collide with the other only to turn away at the last second.

Zuro turned his gaze to a clock tower that could be seen over the audience on the other side of the stadium. Three-fifty five. He though to himself as he looked to Angel, who was enjoying the show. He reached back for his tail and pulled out a small box and looked back up while keeping it hidden.

Soon the Wonderbolts began changing their formation and flew all over the sky leaving a trail of smoke behind them as the twisted and curved through the air. As they continued it became apparent they were forming letters, starting with A. More and more letters were formed and as Angel watched her eyes widened and jaw dropped. While she was occupied with the Wonderbolts, Zuro turned and got down on one knee as he opened the box to her.

Angel's jaw was dangling when she read the words the Wonderbolts just created, then she looked over to see Zuro holding the box up to her. Inside the box was a hoof ring with a diamond as blue as her coat molded onto the mettle. She stood there in shock as she looked between his smiling face and the ring as one question flooded her head along with the overwhelming flow of joy swirling in her body. That one question, however, was overpowered by one word that she spoke with one motion, a nod of her head.

"Yes." She said. "I'll marry you." With that Zuro took the ring and slid it on her left hoof, then smiled up at her.

"I love you, Angel Wings." He said.

"Shut up and kiss me, my Guardian." She ordered.

The two embraced each other as they locked their lips in the most passionate kiss they ever shared. The crowd erupted into applause at the sight of a couple becoming engaged to one another and the Wonderbolts flew toward each other then flew up into the sky where they scattered like a firework going off.

Zuro opened the door to their hotel room and let his fiancée in after their dinner together at the most affordable restaurant they could find. When he closed the door behind him she tackled him, smothering him with kisses as she guided him to the bed while he let his disguise fade. They fell on the bed together and Angel released him, panting a little from the heat of their passion rising.

"Honey." She huffed as she kissed his neck.

"Yes?" He replied.

"That thing I wanted to tell you earlier?" She said. She never had the chance to tell him when he got back because they had to get to the stadium for the Wonderbolts.

"What was it?" He asked. She took a deep breath and held his head up to look into his eyes.

"I'm pregnant." She said. Zuro blinked at this and looked down at her belly, then back up. She smiled and nodded at him. It was then that he felt an extra love in the room coming from her. That was why he never realized it before. Because it is hard to depict the foal from the mother when in early stages of pregnancy, but now that he knew she was pregnant he could feel his child growing within her.

"That's..." he stuttered. "That's wonderful!" He lowered his hoof down and gently placed it on her belly and could feel the slightest bulge growing inside her. "How long?"

"Nine months left now." She answered. He smiled at her then planted a sweet kiss on her lips. She wrapped her forelegs around him and locked their lips together, not letting go until she was satisfied with her future husband.

Good night.