//------------------------------// // Shower of Emotions // Story: The Queen's Shining Armor // by mushrumluver //------------------------------// “Did any pony come by here earlier?” Shining Armor asked a yellow coated, green curly maned earth pony mare standing behind the wooden counter at the inn Chyrsalis was staying at. His once well-groomed appearance now sweaty and messed-up; he was breathing heavily in his rush to make it in time before something happens to the changeling princess. “You have to be more specific soldier boy.” the innkeeper answered with a flat tone as she kept filing her hoof. “A lot of ponies come and go, especially with the festival going,” she continued to file her hoof. “Okay,” he started thinking. “Did a brown earth pony came by? He had a spiked mane sort of.” Shining Armor added. “Sorry never seen him before.” the innkeeper replied. “Okay,” Shining Armor closed his eyes thinking for more questions as hints. “Is Alice still in her room?” he asked hoping that the answer is yes. “Alice, Alice,” the innkeeper kept tapping the hoof file on her chin trying to recall some events regarding the pony named Alice. “Ah!” her eyes widened. “I’m afraid she already left, although I did remember her leaving with two strange looking stallions.” “What?!” Shining Armor slammed the wooden counter. “Where were they headed?” “Easy there soldier boy, How should I know?” the innkeeper replied indifferent to the stallion’s concern. Shining Armor gritted his teeth in frustration he was too late. He quickly dashed outside with only the letter he received as his clue. “A thank you would be nice,” the innkeeper said with an indifferent tone as she resumed filing her hoof. As soon as the white unicorn stallion was out of sight, the innkeeper smirked as small green embers flashed within her eyes. Shining stood tall as he stared upon the entrance of the forest, concealing what is inside the grove in the ever stretching darkness. It felt nostalgic to the stallion, it was like two days or so that he first met Chrysalis. Everything felt ironic as Shining Armor entered the forest. A cold chilling air breezed through Shining Armor’s white pelt. Staring down at the unknown, Shining braved his way towards the forest hoping to find and bring his black princess back. Walking through the thick forest, Shining Armor took left and right glances around the surroundings. It was dark, with just the moonlight and a purple light generated from his horn his source of illumination. The night crickets chirping sounds echoed thought out Shining Armor’s trek inside the forest. The dried leaves cracking and breaking with every step he made. Preparing for anything that may come, the white unicorn walked through in full attention to anything that sounded other than the sounds that he was making; putting the training he did in the barracks to good use. A swoosh sounded from up above as the first meteor showered down in the vast night sky. Shining Armor darted his attention towards the sky seeing a few meteors fly by. With their nearly untraceable speed, the meteors looked like they were racing towards the far end of the sky; one by one the bright white lights passed by; some were already moving in a circular pattern swirling around in a make shift center in the starry night sky. The sudden shift of the stars instantly grabbed Shining Armor’s attention, leaving him open to most surprise attacks. Shining Armor’s stare on starry spectacle made him realize how much wanted Chrysalis on his side. It made him desire for her even more, stay by her side, hold her hand, caress her mane and stare at her deep green eyes. The image was already forming in his mind distracting him from the situation. With his mind drifting off somewhere, Shining Armor left his guard open. Slowly walking forward with his head tilted upwards gazing at the meteor shower it reminded him of his colthood days with his parents and younger sister who was by then just a foal. The memory made the depressed stallion curve up a smile. From the dark side of the forest, a hoof-like figure suddenly stretched out rustling the bushes and grabbed the inattentive guard pulling him away from the pathway and into the deeper parts of the forest. It was only a matter of time until the trained-guard quickly overpowered his attacker and freed himself from its clutches. “Who goes there?” he asked. “It’s me,” The figure revealed itself to be Chrysalis. “You’re ok!” Shining Armor without hesitation squeezed the changeling princess. Chrysalis quickly turned red with the sudden hug. “What are you doing?” she pushed the stallion away as reflex from her nature. “Didn’t I tell you never touch me without my permission?” she shrugged. “Sorry about that,” Shining Armor scratched his head apologizing to the changeling princess. “It’s just that I was so worried about you.” “You are?” Chrysalis’ mood quickly brightened in delight. “I mean, I had things to do.” Her mood quickly died but she averted her eyes away from the unicorn. “Are you hurt or anything?” Shining Armor held Chrysalis on her shoulders ignoring her earlier words due to his worry. “I heard that you were taken here. “One of Mother’s messengers came right?” she asked. “How did you—“Shining Armor was quickly interrupted by the holey hoof muffled in his mouth. “Actually, Mother has been aware of my recent failures.” Chyrsalis sighed. “Failures?” Shining Armor asked with a puzzled look on his face. “What do you mean by failures?” “Take me away!” Chyrsalis suddenly held firmly on the stallion’s shoulder. “Take me somewhere far away from my Mother.” Her face was begging in desperation. “After meeting you, I realized that I don’t want to live a life full of deception and lies.” Her face writhing in agony remembering all the times she would put up to her Mother’s commands. “But,” her face turned away from the stallion. “you’re one of the Royal Guards and I am a changeling princess, there’s no way that it would work.” She smiled with a pitiful look on her face. “I harm ponies, you protect them.” she slowly pushed the stallion away and slowly getting up leaving the stallion alone. “Wait!” Shining Armor grasped his hoof over the changeling’s shoulder. “Please hear me out.” “Hmm?” Chyrsalis turned around with half of her already set to leave the white unicorn. “True, we are so different.” Shining Armor sighed. “But after meeting you, I realized that there is more to life than simply serving those you are familiar with.” He looked deeply into Chyrsalis’ green eyes. “I—“ his lips were stammering. “I want to do something for you, I want to change this strive between changelings and ponies. I want to be with you in that change.” His mind was made up. Chrysalis turned around back at the stallion, with a more serious look on her face. “If you’re serious about what you have said then,” She paused. Slowly her cheeks were turning red hoping to finish her sentence; her eyes moving restlessly left and right up and down. “K-ki-kis,” she was stuttering nervous as her heart pounded vigorously even by just thinking of the word. “Kiss me!” she said it but the intense pounding in her chest didn’t stopped. Shining Armor stiffened up his expression; sensing Chrysalis’ words true and serious. With closed eyes, Shining Armor’s lips drew closer and closer to the changeling’s showing that he was also serious about his feelings through the kiss. Chrysalis also closed her eyes waiting for the kiss from her prince or knight in shining armor. as the stallion’s lips draws near, she tilted her head and moved behind the stallion’s ear. “I’m sorry” she whispered behind the stallion’s ear as she drains him with her spells as drops of tears jerked out from her. Shining Armor quickly loses his senses before he could even react to Chrysalis’ whisper. His grip slowly losing and weakening, his sight getting blurrier and blurrier as the eerie green glow kept feeding his strength. His hooves were already wobbly and soft as they were staggering just to even keep him upright. His vision soon faded into black with the changeling princess as his last sight. Seeing the stallion down and unconscious, Chrysalis waved her punctured hoof as a signal. From the depths of the forests and trees, appeared two changelings. Their body structures seemed somewhat similar to the princess but were a bit smaller compared to her and their eyes were of a solid blue with no pupils rather than Chrysalis’ green eyes. “Take him back to town.” Chyrsalis commanded the two changelings. “He has fulfilled his purpose and I have no further use for him.” She remained stern, vigilant and unemotional in the issue of her command. “Ensure that he is safely returned to town.” She added one last addition to her command. The two drones bowed in agreement as they carried the unconscious stallion up and hurried to leave the princess alone who was starring at the starry night sky being showered with countless of meteors dancing in the moonlight. Chrysalis now alone, sat on the edge of the cliff staring on the bright starry night that seemed barren and blank in her eyes; the stars raining down like little droplets of water falling as they move about the night sky. Each passing moment of the night seemed to reflect onto the changeling princess’ greenish eyes. A loud thud echoed in the lonely scenery as Chrysalis slammed her hoof on the hard rocky terrain. She had her teeth gritted and her expression writhing in frustration. She slowly opened her eyes seeing the vast expanse of the forest below the cliff; it made her recall the few events that transpired with the few days from their first meeting. Chrysalis gave out a huge depressing sigh with the thoughts of betrayal lingering inside her. She felt like being stabbed directly in the heart. The searing pain of betraying the stallion pierced through her. The guild was slowly consuming her eating at the cold heart she developed through the years of lies and deception. Chrysalis got up hoping to bring closure and end her attachment to the young guard. She quickly went back towards the area where she drained and left Shining Armor alone with two of her changeling minions. She galloped quickly as she can, hoping that they were still inside the forest or not to near the town. The two changeling minions looked at the unconscious guard with other plans in stored. Setting the stallion as their ‘target’, they started the transformation spell. Small green embers rose up from the ground under one of the changeling minions. Its body was soon covered In the eerie green flame burning away its former appearance for a more deceiving one based on their target. Her eyes widened in shock. One of the changeling minions transformed into something so familiar to her. The body structure, the mane, the tail, the face, every physical features from head to hoof were all so familiar to her it was like seeing herself in front of the mirror. It was all clear, the changeling transformed into Chrysalis herself. Puzzled by the transformation, the changeling minion brushed it off and continued the mission given by the Queen. “Transform into that unicorn’s loved one, infiltrate the town and continue where her daughter has failed, and of course drain the unicorn to Death.” Sensing the imminent danger, Chrysalis leapt at the two changeling minions catching them off guard. “What are you doing to him?” Chrysalis raised her voice “Didn’t I told you to bring him back to town?” The one wearing Chrysali’s appearance suddenly dropped the disguise shocked to see their princess standing near them with rage forming insider her. The two changelings looked at each other confused. Starting at each other with the question “whose order to follow or better yet what to do?” boggling their minds. Lesser changelings were simply followers, unquestioning, and blindly following the instructions of those in the upper echelons of their colony. They were never given the capacity to disobey those higher than them and only those in the top of the colony were given free wills and a mind to think for themselves and for the colony. “Leave us be,” Chrysalis narrowed her eyes giving an intimidating look towards the lesser changelings. The two changeling minions suddenly recalled a last minute statement regarding their order. Everything was clear for them, they were losing their princess and this is entirely the stallion’s fault. Preparing to do away with the stallion by draining him to the point of death, their horns glowed in an eerie green pointed at the stallion. “STOP!” Chrysalis cried, knowing what is going to happen if it were to continue, Chrysalis jumped on one of the changelings striking it down. Surprised of their princess’ actions, the standing changeling attempted to flee reporting the events back to their Queen. “No this is,” Chyrsalis trying to explain herself. The changeling minion slowly backed away hoping to find an opening. It quickly pivoted around attempting to flee the scene. If one of them were to escape then word would quickly be sent out to her Mother. Being faster and more powerful compared to the lesser changelings, she was able to pounce on the escaping changeling pinning it down. “Please, I don’t want to do this.” She begged. “Just let him escape, and don’t tell Mother about this.” With its Queen’s words only in its mind, it bore its fangs towards Chrysalis recognizing her as a traitor and as an enemy. It was beyond talking, Chrysalis realized. The mere thought of killing her own kin sent shivers down her spine, but she would be reported as a traitor to colony as she knew how the lesser minions think. It was either let her Mother know or end the changeling’s life. Moments later, Chyrsalis returned with a grim look on her face. She stared onto the other unconscious changeling with grim intentions. With the surroundings all hazy, Shining Armor slowly tried to open his eyes, still feeling the effects of the drain earlier. With everything still unclear, he only relied on the sounds generated from his surroundings as a mean of grasping his current situation. He could hear sniffs of cries, turning to the direction of the sound, he saw a familiar black figure. It was a changeling, a familiar crying changeling. Her back was facing him. He groaned in pain trying to regain consciousness. “Shut Up!” she cried upon hearing a familiar groaning sound. “Just shut up!” tears were flowing down her cheeks. She tried to cover her tears with her hoof but they seemed to endlessly flow from her eyes. Shining Armor looked around the area still laying down flat on the ground. To his surprise he found two changelings unconscious and lifeless; laid down on the ground. “Chrysalis,” he looked at her. “you…” “THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!” she bawled at the stallion. “I don’t know what came over me.” She interrupted the unicorn before he could even ask. “I saw them,” she burst in tears “the moment they attempted to take you life.” She went on crying “I- I” she was losing her will to even complete the sentence. She was lost, confused with what she did. Does seeing her own reflection made by her very minions in attempt to execute her mother’s other plan waved her resolve to leave the stallion and return to her kin? Did losing the stallion meant greater than the loss of two of her changelings? She thought as the tears continued to fall down Shining Armor was at a lost for word. He didn’t know what to say or react; there was only one thing he knew what to do in that moment. “I’m sorry.” Shining Armor whispered behind her ear; embracing her comforting the changeling princess in her confusion. Forget what she did to him earlier, that moment she needed him and he was there. She turned to the stallion. “This is your fault,” her voice stammering and her hoof hammering the stallion’s chest. “If I hadn’t met you, things would be simpler for me.” she looked at him with bloodshot eyes from the excessive tears. “I’m sorry.” Shining Armor apologized again sincere with his words. “Because of you,” tears were falling down on the changeling’s cheeks. “because of you…” Shining Armor continued to be silent embracing the changeling princess, not letting her go. The night continued to pass on with the two in their sanctuary resting in the edge of the cliff. Shining Armor still feeling the massive drain, rested on Chrysalis’ lap. Stroking the stallion’s mane, the changeling princess smiled as she stared into Shining Armor’s sky blue eyes feeling at peace. Chrysalis stared off in the forest below the edge of the cliff, countless of trees stretched out towards the mountains in the end. The eventful night sky has simmered out leaving a simple starry sky. A cool and gentle breeze swept through the grasses swaying left and right following the wind. Tranquility as one would say describe the setting, all was in a stand still except for the dancing leaves and grasses. “Look!” Shining Armor pointed towards the sky. “It seems that they still haven’t forgotten about us.” Shining Armor smiled weakly staring off into the wide night sky. “Want to make a wish?” he smiled at the young princess pointing out a few shooting stars passing by. “I don’t believe in making wishes,” she deeply stared at the stallion’s pupil. “Well I do.” Shining Armor replied with a gentle smile on his face. “I know it’s a bit wrong to say this especially in your case but,” he paused for a second. “Will you be my mare or princess whichever you feel comfortable?” “Princess, I’ll be your princess.” Chrysalis replied with a simple gentle smile as her lips draws closer and closer to Shining Armor’s taking the initiative for the kiss. This time she meant it; no lies and no deceptions. For the two, it felt like an eternal night as if time has stopped. An exchange of feelings, doubts and memories brought an unlikely couple together. Together with the star’s blessing, the two held on to each other in the cold but warm air of the night breezing from the forest to wherever the end of the horizon stretching out in the forest below and beyond. ~1 week later~ Canterlot barracks was as busy as always, armored ponies marching left and right through the vast training grounds. New recruits and some regulars busy with their training; running through series of rubber tires without tripping over; dashing through a 40 yard field with hurdles along the way. The pegasus soldiers were flying rounds around the barrack’s obstacle course vying for the best time in the barracks. Earth ponies were training to improve their strength by pulling blocks nearly larger than their size and handling some melee weaponries. Unicorn soldiers in turn were practicing and improving their defensive spells all day long. “Should we call of the search?” a weakly armored messenger asked. “NO!” Captain Sonic Boom slammed his wooden desk. The sheer power of his hoof sent several of his desk items bouncing off his desk. “CONTINUE THE SEARCH, UNTIL WE FIND A CORPSE, WE WILL KEEP ON SEARCHING!” he bawled at the meekly messenger pegasus. “But sir,” the messenger was shaking “Shining Armor has been MiA for a week now every since the attack on their carriage on the way back to Canterlor.” “ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY AUTHORITY?” the larger captain stared straight into the eyes of the smaller messenger sending greater fear towards the messenger. “No sir! On it sir!” the messenger quickly stormed out of the room hoping to escape the captain’s rage. The captain’s office was never colorful. It had dull grey unpainted blocks serving as the four walls, a wooden trophy and medal case resting on the left corner of the room showing the captain’s numerous achievements and awards, a metal filing cabinet on the other side of the trophy case storing several files and documents. The center of his office was empty only a simple bear rug personally slain and carved by the captain himself. And directly in front of the door was the wooden desk of the captain. On the desk were Sonic Boom’s heavily armored golden helmet, a few papers and a quill dipped in an ink bottle. A soft thud knocked on the captain’s door. “Enter!” the captain commanded with a lower tone compared to his usual speaking voice. A familiar brown earth pony entered the room with a serious look on his face. “I have a message that I think you might find interesting.” An evil smile crept up his face with his eyes burning in a small green ember.