//------------------------------// // Shifting Priorities // Story: The Queen's Shining Armor // by mushrumluver //------------------------------// “I find this get-up really annoying and irritating.” Chrysalis said in gruff and manly tone, ignorant and indifferent to her current appearance. It was high noon by the time Shining Armor and Chrysalis got down on the same café they went to earlier morning. The sun was furiously up above with the cool mountain breeze providing a warm, cool and dry air to the town. For the young changeling princess, it was all hot and humid wearing the cloak Shining Armor conjured to hide her current form. Beads of sweat were starting to roll down her forehead and all over her bulky and muscular body. She continued to act like her usual self without her knowing she was wearing the Captain of the Royal Guard’s appearance, yet she remained doubtful of Shining Armor’s explanation to the identity of her disguise. “I’m really sorry about this, but you can’t reveal yourself looking like that in the public.” Shining Armor said in a soft, whisper-like tone. “Fine!” she shrugged “Just get me something to eat.” She maintained her spoiled princess-like attitude as she commanded the unicorn in front of her. Shining silently nodded in agreement with his eye was twitching and lips slightly inclined to burst out of laughter from the mixed emotions he had at the moment. Never will he again see his captain the same way ever again. The images of Captain Sonic Boom acting all prissy were burned into his head courtesy of Chrysalis. Soon after their conversation, the waiter came in and gently placed their food on the table. “You’re having that cake again?” Shining Armor noticed the same dessert he had given her earlier this morning. “I thought you didn’t liked it?” he asked with a sly and playful smile in his face. “Oh just shut up!” she raised her rough and deep voice as she took a bite out of the cake. She sat silently chewing on the sweets. But something perplexed her, it didn’t tasted quite the same. There was something missing. She placed her hoof under her chin and recalled that missing piece. She then darted her attention towards the white unicorn in front of her. “Hmmm? What’s wrong?” Shining Armor noticed her stare. “Feed me!” she said with a straight face. “What?!” Shining Armor’s jaw dropped along with his sandwich levitated through his magic. His eyes were staring at her widely surprised to hear her command. There is no way in Equestria that he is going to spoon-feed an overly buff stallion especially when that stallion is his captain he thought. He clearly knew that it was Chrysalis behind that bulk exterior but still it felt awkward to him. “Didn’t you hear me? I said Feed me!” she pushed the plate forward to Shining Armor prompting him to do what she commanded. “But…” Shining Armor could only recognize the rough deep voice of the captain despite it coming from Chrysalis. He was starting to get angst from the judging stares of the crowd slowly growing, looking at them like some queer couple. He slowly came closer to Chrysalis and whispered. “I know you’re already aware of this but right now you’re a stallion… a really muscular kind of stallion.” “So?” She argued back. “It may seem that I look like stallion but inside I AM A PRINCESS” she emphasized the last few words of her statement. The sudden volume made the other guest turned their heads towards the source of the sound. Hearing the intense masculinity of the voice and the mixture of the queerness of the message and seeing that that certain pony is together with a guard, they started murmurs of gossip and whispers of rumors and speculations. A huge surge of embarrassment welled up inside Shining Armor finding himself in the hotseat. Never did he was in a situation like this. It was more nerve-wrecking than the time they were sent to their first sortie. The scheduled escorts of Princess Celestia and acting as bouncers proved to be less stressful compared to the situation he was in right now. It was too late; any form of denial would sink him down into a deeper hole. He was sweating profusely, The images of ponies laughing at him with such smirks on their faces, looking at him in some weird way, pointing at him like some kind of odd ball were painted into his mind. “Can you believe that?” “A guard going out with a stallion of all the things” “I can’t believe they let those kinds in to guard the town.” the messages played back and forth like a broken record coming from the imaginary ponies in his mind. Without hesitation, he followed the first thing that popped into his head, Run!” Grabbing Chrysalis’ muscular hoof, courtesy of her disguise, Shining Armor quickly charged up his horn for a spell. “How dare you touch me without—“ Before Chrysalis could finish her sentence, they were instantly gone, teleported by Shining Armor’s spell and panic to find the most private place he could think of at that moment, leaving only puffs of smoke and dust, several blue sparkles and some bits lying on the table as payment for their food. “—my permission” she continued on, the moment she reappeared along with Shining Armor. Noticing that they have gone off from the café, she took a quick glance around their new environment. It seemed so familiar, in fact too familiar that she realized that they were back in her room. “How did we?” she asked with a puzzled look on her face. “I don’t know…” Shining Armor replied trying to regain his breath. “I panicked?” he huffed. “and casted a teleportation spell to who wherever nearby with some privacy… and here we are back into your room.” he took a deep breath and turned his attention back to Chrysalis. “What about the cake?! Why did you do it?” She quickly pushed herself towards Shining Armor, shaking him back and forth insisting to know why the stallion parted her with her delectable delight. “WAIT!” Shining Armor pushed back as he shouted. “Before you do anything, I mean ANYTHING” he huffed emphasizing on the last word. “Would you please go back to your original form.” his voice lowered down. “I kinda preferred that look of yours.” “You… liked the way I really looked?” she replied with a joyful shine gleaming in her eyes; thinking that Shining Armor was implying something, something pleasing to every mare’s or in her case lady’s ear. “Trust me, its way better.” Shining Armor continued on oblivious to Chrysalis’ feelings. “I supposed I could give in to your” she cleared her throat before continuing “’unreasonable request.” She removed the cloak hanging on her body and changed back to her true form. She shied her face away the moment she changed back “Do I look better right now?” “Yes, definitely, compared to earlier. “Shining Armor quickly replied as he remained dense. “That form earlier was too ‘ugh’” he shook his head stopping his sentence for he had no word to describe the feeling of disgust he had. “Is that why?” Chrysalis expressed an annoyed look her once joyful feeling turned grim and dark. She began to catch up with Shining Armor’s denseness and his motive in asking her to change back and she was not too happy about it. “Yeah!” Shining Armor nodded still unknown to the dangers that lies in front of him “I mean honestly you look terrifying back there. I rather see you like this.” “You uncouth excuse of a Bollusk!” she was steaming furious. A lot could easily tick her off but they were only quick burst of annoyance. In this case, she felt that no pony, changeling or whatever got her riled up and fidgety for no reason at all. She dug her hoof on the wooden planks of the floor as she begins to attack the white unicorn in front of her. “What I do?” Shining Armor slowly backs off fully aware of the danger yet still oblivious to his crimes against Chrysalis. He quickly did a 180 turn, turning his back and prepared to dash away from the crazed changeling princess. “Come back here!” She quickly jumped tackling down Shining Armor before even run off. Shining Armor struggled to escape Chrysalis’s fury pushing away and trying to remove the holed hooves of Chrysalis wrapped around him. Chrysalis, in turn gripped tighter and tighter and if the stallion managed to push away one of her hooves, she quickly grabbed hold another spot. The struggling continued on until Chrysalis accidentally poked Shining Armor’s side sending the stallion shocked jumping while chuckling and laughing all of a sudden. She quickly took chance to pin down stallion as she felt him softening up due to her discovery. “Surprise surprise…” She looked down and said with a devious sly smile written all over her face. “Who would have thought that guards do have soft spots despite their hard exterior?” “Ugh… Call it truce?” Shining Armor sheepishly grinned in full knowledge to the princess’ plans for him. “I don’t know,” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll think about it.” without warning, she took advantage of Shining Armor’s ticklish spot and started tickling him down to submission. The sheer delight in putting the stallion in a ‘torturous’ position made her smile and laugh in ways she never felt before. For the first time she didn’t had to wear disguises and pretentions. She was happy the way she is right now. Although the feelings seemed foreign to her, she enjoyed the last bit of joy it had to offer. Chrysalis continued her ‘attacks’ to Shining Armor sending him into a fit of laughter nearly breaking him into tears. After a few minutes, Shining Armor raised his hoof prompting the changeling princess to pause her ‘torture’ for a while. “Had enough?” she asked positioning herself to continue as a form of threat. “Okay I give up.” Shining Armor responded out of breath. He had never laughed like that for months or years even. it was quite refreshing in fact to simply laugh because of getting tickled. Although forced, it made him forget the incident at the café and focused on the changeling in front of him; “I’m sorry…” he apologized, although he had small hints of what he did to tick her off but he still haven’t got the whole understanding, perhaps pony or changeling a lady will always be a lady. “I guess what I mean is I prefer that look of yours rather than any other form you might take. I mean the original is the best right?” he quickly thought of something hoping to quell down the moody princess. “You seriously mean that do you?” Skeptical of the stallion’s words, she asked staring at him with eyes narrowed down on his every facial expression. “I mean it. You look way better or should I say cute when you’re yourself.” Shining Armor quickly replied. “I do?” her face instantly beamed in joy and delight turning red but quickly turned serious and flat “I mean… of course I am “ she coughed and gloated. “But I suppose I could let you go now…” she placed a hoof under her chin thinking about Shining Armor’s words. Shining Armor saw Chrysalis’ opening and quickly flipped her turning the tables into his side. From Chrysalis being over him now he was on top standing above the laid down changeling princess. “Now I have the upper hand.” Shining Armor declared. “Now time for some payback.” He smiled the same way Chrysalis smiled at him earlier implying the same train of thought. Guessing that the most common tickle spot is at the side he began nearing his hoof towards that spot. “Don’t you dare!” Chrysalis demanded but her words fell into deaf ears as Shining Armor started his ‘attack’ sending her into the same burst of laughter like Shining Armor before. “I guess we had at least something in common.” He smiled after his joyful discovery. Who would have thought both of them had the same tickle spot. “The nerve of you I’ll—“ Chrysalis quickly responded the moment Shining Armor stopped but her sudden words only prompted the stallion so poke her 'spot' sending her back laughing and unable to finish her sentence. “I’ll have you beheaded for this—“ “My changeling army will—“ “I’ll will send you straight to the—“ Every single sentence she tried to make, Shining Armor interrupted it through tickling her, but his fun soon turned grim when one poke signaled Chrysalis’ back hoof to kick upward, sending him squirming in pain on the floor with a sharp kick to Shining Armor’s shining balls of glory. Shining Armor instantly fell, groaning in pain and groveling on the floor. Chrysalis quickly stood up and went to Shining Armor’s side. “Well, I did tell you to stop.” Chrysalis said with a pretentious uncaring tone. “Does that really hurt?” her façade began to melt away seeing the stallion still in intense pain moments after. “Well I’ve been through worse.” Shining Armor replied covering his pain through jokes and chuckles. “Just remember that you brought this all upon yourself.” She shrugged. “That’ll remind me to not incur the wrath of the princess.” He smiled and looked towards the changeling princess still feeling the stinging pain of the kick earlier. “If it really hurts that much...” she stammered trying to avoid eye contact with the stallion. “Fine! I’m sorry…” she mumbled. “What?” Shining Armor barely heard her last words asked. “I’M SORRY!” she shouted in front of Shining Armor and shrugged afterwards. “You should consider yourself fortunate enough that I haven’t had you beheaded for your insolence…” she quickly got up and went towards the bed. She sat heavily on the edge of the bed still feeling grumpy after being forcing herself to apologize to Shining Armor. “If this is fortunate then I’m afraid to know what does being unfortunate meant to you.” Shining Armor chuckled as he rolled himself to his hooves in firm contact with the floor and got up. “Now that I recalled… ” Chrysalis placed a hoof under her chin. “You still haven’t properly introduced yourself.” She darted a gaze at him. All she knew of the stallion was his name and his occupation although partially. “It seemed unfair that you know quite a deal about me.” “Seems fair enough; our first meeting wasn’t in the most hospitable environment.” Shining Armor nodded. “Where should I start?” he gave his introduction some thought. After a few seconds his mood lit up ready to do his introduction. “I’m Shining Armor, well you know that already.” He sheepishly grinned for informing her something she already knew. “Well, I came from Canterlot.” “What?!” Chrysalis asked surprised to hear that the stallion she belittled so much hailed from Canterlot. “You came from Canterlot? Why are you doing in a backwater town like this?” she quickly noticed Shining Armor’s sudden change in expression to a more offended look. “I mean compared to Canterlot that is…” she interjected before Shining Armor was able to say something. “Well, truth be told I’m part of the Royal Guards, well still in probation though. And we’re tasked to do guard duties in this town.” Shining Armor dropped his offended look. “Hold on!” Chrysalis suddenly interrupted with her hooves pushing forward, eyebrows angled and with a puzzled look. “Not only you came from Canterlot, but you’re also a part of the Royal Guards?” she asked hoping for a clarification. “Yeah!” Shining Armor smilingly nodded. “One lie at a time.” She pressed her hoof against her forehead. “What?!” Shining Armor surprised to hear the accusation. “You’re serious about that?” Chrysalis noticed Shining Armor’s disbelief. “Of course I am!” Shining Armor firmly replied. “Just what do you peg me for?” He asked a bit annoyed at the changeling’s reply. “Well, I thought you were some common local guard at a backwater—“she cleared her throat pretending to correct her last word. “I mean outpost town such as this one.” “That hurts you know that…” Shining Armor replied, his tone dropping giving an impression that he was hurt by her remark with his eyes drooping down and his expression turning sad. “Cease your useless feigning, I know how to spot a fake cry miles away.” Chrysalis quickly said the moment Shining Armor wore his sad face. “So how is it like in Canterlot?” Shining Armor quickly regain his usual self when Chrysalis brushed off his teasing expression. “For starters, it’s a beautiful city; full of all sorts of ponies from artists to artisans, from engineers to designers and different types of business ponies. Although most of the upper crust ponies are snobs, don’t tell them that. You’d best be avoiding them.” He chuckled. “Mostly you can find almost everything there, from food to dresses and to other knickknacks and novelties.” He tried to recall as much as he could picture but as he tried to put them in words those were the things he could describe about his home. “You can visit me in my home and I’ll give you a tour around, it’s much better than me describing Canterlot, I assure you.” he suggested. “And of course, there’s the royal palace. Well I think you already know that.” “I’m quite aware of that.” Chrysalis replied with a flat tone but deep inside her, she remembered her life’s mission ironic to the stallion’s offer to tour her around the city she was meant to destroy. “What’s wrong?” Shining Armor noticed the deep sadness welling up inside her. “Nothing, there’s just a lot in my mind.” Chrysalis brushed off the stallion coming to her. “I know it’s a bit cliché but i was told by my friend that whenever a mare tell you that there is nothing wrong, there is definitely something wrong.” Shining Armor continued on despite Chrysalis pushing him away. “Can you tell me?” “Just look at me!” Chrysalis pointed herself. “I am a changeling, how will you give me a tour if there’s no way that they will just let me waltz in any city especially in the capital of Equestria.” her voice was raising. “Can’t you just change?” Shining Armor suggested confused with what was her problem. She could just slap into her disguise and problem solve. “I don’t want to!” Chrysalis strongly rejected his idea. “I look best in this, and a lady always wants to look her best.” She shrugged at Shining Armor’s insensitivity to her feelings . she did consider his suggestion but she also wanted to go as herself; no disguises no pretentions no falsification of identities, just herself. Shining Armor recalled to what Sharpeye told him before that the most important rule is that one should never ever argue with a mare even if she doesn’t make sense. He scratched his head hoping to come up with something again; his face quickly lit up. He gently placed his hoof on her shoulder “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of everything. Trust me.” Shining Armor warmly smiled staring closer to her eyes. He looked at her with a sincere look “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Chrysalis in turn looked at his sincere and dreamy sky blue eyes. Her heart was pounding and melting at the same time. Her blood was gushing to her face making look like a tomato. She quickly pushed the stallion away. “You’re an oaf you know that?” she turned her head away hiding away her redness. “I’m an oaf now?” Shining Armor replied. Again he was dumbfounded by Chrysalis sudden mood swings. “Yes you’re an oaf!” Chrysalis nodded still maintaining her head away from the stallion’s view. Shining Armor groaned in confusion. His head was hurting trying to figure out Chrysalis. “When you said you’re only here because you were tasked does that mean you’re going away after your job is over?” Chrysalis again quickly changed her expression. “Guard Duty!” the keywords ‘task and job’ quickly reminded Shining Armor he still had guard duty for that day. “What time is it?” he asked panicked and in a hurry to know the time. “If I’m not mistaken it’s about 5’o clock. “ Chyrsalis looked outside the window and used the position of the sun as basis for her time. The huge yellow red ball of light was already in between the two mountains in the far side of the town. From the sun was still in the middle of the sky and in just a few moments now it’s already setting down, time flew so fast that Shining Armor didn’t even noticed it. “I’m sorry to leave you like this but I have to get back at the barracks.” Shining Armor apologized and hastily went towards the door. “I’ll probably come back again tomorrow. “And in a flash he was out and gone, leaving Chrysalis alone in the room. Moments later after Shining Armor got back to the barracks, he was immediately sent to the lieutenant’s office. A loud voice was heard inside Lieutenant Flash’s office in the barracks. Furious jabs of harsh words came from the lieutenant’s mouth after Shining Armor came back and he was instantly sent to Flash’s office. It took almost half an hour before Shining Armor was able to leave the office. Shining Armor gave a huge depressing sigh the moment got out. “Heard what happened!” Sharpeye quickly approached him. “But still I can’t believe that you did that.” He said with a smirk on his face. “What do you mean?” Shining Armor still feeling the depression looked at his friend. “I mean, no offense but I can’t believe your dating stallions.” Sharpeye replied with a devious grin on his face. “What?! No!”Shining Armor strongly denied “That’s not what it is… Not you too.” His expression was filled with disbelief and shock. “Right…” Sharpeye replied maintaining his sly and devious tone. “You’re my friend, I can accept you even if you’re dating stallions.” “Shut up!” Shining Armor said. “You’re my friend right?” he looked left and right making sure the coast was clear. “I guess but let’s keep it In a platonic way of course.” Sharpeye felt unsure of what was Shining Armor getting to. “Just shut up!” Shining Armor was starting to get annoyed at his friend’s jokes “Can you keep a secret?” With Shining Armor all gone, she giggled and smiled like a school filly on her first win on a contest. “I can’t believe he just said that.” The words still echoed in her mind. “I like you the way you are.” “I won’t let anything happen to you.” although edited in her interpretation. She still felt warm and happy about those words. It might be the break she was looking for. No more lies and deceit, no more use and abuse. It was everything she dreamed of ACCEPTANCE and with the hope of being loved. Her train of happy thoughts was soon interrupted by a sudden glow in her horn. “Mother?!” she was surprise to hear her mother’s voice echoing, calling her. “No! it’s nothing like that!” she nervously shook her head. “I’m only getting close to him because…” she tried to think of some excuse. “…because, he’s part of the Royal Guard!” She hoped that her mother would buy that. “What do you mean we’re still sticking to the original plan?” she asked raising her voice. “You don’t understand, we could seize Canterlot with him!” she tried to reason out. “There’s nothing between us!” she said. “Yes… I understand…” her voice lowered down into submission. Moments after her last words, she felt that it was like a reality slapping her. It slapped so hard that it sent her breaking into a few tears. There was no chance to begin with; she will forever be a changeling trapped in her duties to the swarm. Author's Notes: Sorry it a while with Diablo 3 and all. and by far this is most wordy chapter i have ever done. So again thanks for the time and enjoy