EoH Evolution: Season 2

by Bahamut0

Episode 6: Fresh Start

Shadow Thunder was sitting in the living room. Scratching his head in thought as he looked at the job listings available. "I don't think the Weather Team needs another worker. They've got plenty enough as is. My brothers are on the Elements of Heroism, and I guess that counts as a job for me too. Still, there's other things I wanna do besides that."

"What to do? What to do?" Shadow mused to himself as he lay on the couch and stared at the ceiling. He then smiled as an idea came to him. "Hey, this could be my chance to live out my dream! Now to just head to the Mayor's office." An hour or two later, Shadow was walking out of the mayor's office with a certificate in his hands. "Sweet! Now I just need to find the building I'll be occupying. Ah! There it is." Shadow flew over to the empty building. "From this moment forth, this space is gonna be Unityville's dedicated cosplay shop!"

But not a minute after Shadow began celebrating his newfound store, he was hit with an unpleasant realization. "Oh man. . . I've got no costumes to sell to people!" Shadow whipped out his phone, and dialed up his brothers. "Hey guys! Oh, not much. I just decided to open up a cosplay shop! I even got the rights to the building I want to use! Yes I'm here right now. Yeah, I know that it was a crazy dream I had when I was a kid, but this is my best chance to make it real. Well, yeah. I did hit a snag. I've got no costumes to sell. Oh? Rarity makes clothing for a living? That's great! She might be just what I need right now! Thanks guys! See ya!"

Shadow flew off to Carousel Boutique, and knocked on the door rapidly! Sure enough, Rarity. "Shadow, darling. You look absolutely frazzled! Is something the matter."

"Yup! BIG problem!" Shadow said with a frantic nod. "See, I just recently came into ownership of some property that I'm using as a cosplay shop. But the problem is that I haven't ordered any costumes or accessories to fill up my inventory space!"

Rarity sighed. "Oh darling, you should have come to me sooner. I'd be more than happy to assist you with your business. However, my assistance won't come without its fee." Rarity smiled. "I wish to be your business partner and supplier. While it would be easier to simply order a whole store's worth of costumes, they just don't retain the same craftsmanship as a hand-made piece."

"That's a price I can more than live with." Shadow said with a sigh of relief. "Plus, with Nightmare Night coming up in a couple of weeks, it'll be an excellent chance to drum up some business!" Shadow then pulled out a file filled with images of characters from video games, anime, movies, and many other forms of popular media. "I've got a few ideas for some best-sellers. . ."

A few hours, the pair were busy at work. "I must say Shadow. Your energy's infectious." Rarity called out as she and Shadow worked on the various costumes they planned on stocking the store with.

"Well, it always help to stay upbeat." Shadow said with a smile. "You've got to weather the storm to see the rainbow. That's what my dad always said. Besides, you really can't get anything done when you're sad or angry." Shadow smiled as he took in the work he and Rarity had accomplished. "At this rate, we'll be fully stocked just in time!" Shadow then heard the doorbell ring as the store's door was opened. "Huh. Wasn't expecting to have my first customer today." Shadow headed up to the register, and greeted his potential customer. "Welcome to Suit Up Cosplay! We're pretty much ready for business, so how can I help you?" Shadow then noticed Twilight and Burst had popped in. "Oh, hi you two! What's up?"

Twilight giggled. "Ace was just telling us about your first day blunder. So we thought we could lend you a n extra hand or two." Twilight pulled out a book from her bag, and opened it to a bookmarked page. "I found a replica spell that can help make prop weapons or accessories for some of the costumes you have! I was teaching it to Burst on our way here!"

"So just tell us what you need Shadow." Burst said with a smile as he gave Shadow a thumbs-up. "We'll craft it in a heartbeat!"

Shadow smiled as he pulled out more pictures of various weapons and accessories. "You two are gonna be pretty busy." And with that, Burst and Twilight set to work casting the replica spell to create various props that could be paired with some of the now completed costumes filling the shop. About a few hours later, the group's labors were complete. "Ah. A beautiful sight if I do say so myself." Shadow said with a fond sigh.

"Hey Shadow? You got a Dante costume from Devil May Cry?" Burst asked. "I've always wanted to cosplay as him! He's one of my favorite video game heroes!"

Shadow chuckled. "Who would've thought that the leader of the Elements of Heroism had such an enormous inner geek?"

"Well, I do." Burst said proudly. "And I raise my geek flag high."

Shadow smiled at seeing how much of a kid at heart Burst was. "It's in the video games section. Capcom rack. You can't miss it." Burst zipped off as soon as Shadow told him the location of the costume he sought. "He can be totally serious and badass in battle, and totally cheerful whenever he's just going around." Shadow then looked to Twilight. "You looking for anything in specific Twi?"

"No. I already made my own costume." Twilight said with a light blush. "I'm kinda into cosplay myself. I made sure to get every detail just right for mine!

Shadow chuckled at hering this. "If you're that good, I just might have to recruit you for the workshop sessions I've got planned for the future!" As soon as Burst paid for his costume, the rest of the group aside from Shadow left. Leaving Shadow to admire his new workplace. "Yep. This fresh start's gonna lead to some big changes!"

The Changeling Hive. Throne Room.
Chrysalis was staring at the footage of the Elements of Heroism training that the drone had provided her. "These new elements could present quite the obstacle for my plan." She then looked to the six mutant changelings before her. One looked like a beetle, another a wasp, one was spider-like, there was one that was based on a centipede and the others had the appearance of a praying mantis and yet another looked like a scorpion. "Forgive me for not releasing you all at once. Some of your fellow mutations were a bit more. . . uncooperative than you six."

The praying mantis changeling stepped forward. "So why set us loose now? Or did you forget just how maddened with pain we were when we underwent your little mutation project?" He then snorted. "Whatever. I don't care about that. Just tell us who you want us to fight. The Heart of the Swarm will show them the sting of defeat."

Chrysalis smiled. "Right to business as always Blade. Just like when you first signed up for the mutation program." She then showed the Heart of the Swarm images of the Elements of Heroism. "A new set of elements has arisen alongside the Elements of Harmony reawakening. They call themselves the Elements of Heroism. They've destroyed the Nightmare Forces and assisted with the reimprisonment of Discord. They represent the most significant threat to my plans. But don't eliminate them just yet. I wish to see how much of a threat they prove against my soldiers. For now? Take your time to refamiliarize yourselves with the hive. I'm sure you're all dying to walk freely after all these years."

"Whatever." Blade said with a shrug as he motioned for the scorpion and wasp changelings. "Stinger. Needle. Let's ditch this room."

The remaining mutant changelings stood idle. The spide-like one being the first to speak as she looked to the centipede and beetle changelings. "I guess my new abilities are obvious. But what about you Constrictor?"

Constrictor scratched his head. "Well the new insect I'm based on is pretty long. So. . ." Constrictor lunged forward, and his entire torso expanded as he coiled around a pillar. "Well how about that?" He then tightened his hold and crushed the pillar! "You got any idea how you've changed Carapace?"

The large beetle-like changeling beat his chest. "Looks like my chitin's gotten the armor treatment. Also. . ." Carapace charged up his horn, and a blast of energy shot out from it! "It looks like I'm packing some serious firepower now. Maybe all that pain from mutating was worth it. Eh, Silk?"

Silk Snare just held herself. Unpleasant memories of her painful transformation surfacing. "Yeah. Sure it was. . ." She then looked back to her fellow mutant changelings. "But what about Drake and Kicker? Last I remember was a whole battalion of guards dragged them into the stasis cocoons kicking and screaming."

"You need not concern yourselves with those two." Chrysalis said coldly as she approached the three. "There is no room in my kingdom for those who do not accept their place. As soon as they accept their roles, I shall release them. Now if you'll excuse me, the instructor wishes to inform me of the progress of the nymphs." Chrysalis left the throne room, and flew down to what looked like a teaching area. "You wished to inform me of their progress?"

The instructor drone nodded. "Yes my queen. You'll be pleased to know that the nymphs are progressing quite nicely. They shall make fine soldiers and workers."

Chrysalis smiled as she watched the younger changelings pummeling away at practice dummies or greedily feeding off of love provisions. However, she frowned when she saw one nymph refusing to eat the love right in front of him. "It seems there's a problem child among your class."

"O-Oh!" The instructor drone said nervously. "Y-Yes. He is called Narico. I suppose you could call him a delinquent."

Chrysalis raised a brow. "How so?"

"W-Well, he refuses to do any of the mandated training or skills of a worker or soldier." The instructor drone replied. "But the most abnormal thing about him is that he refuses to feed on love."

Chrysalis frowned. "And why might that be?"

"He says he isn't hungry." The instructor replied.

Chrysalis looked right at Narico. "Troubling indeed." She then looked at the instructor. "Send him to me later. I wish to speak with young Narico on his troubling behavior."

"O-Of course my queen." The isntructor said with a bow.

Chrysalis smiled as she flew back to her throne room. "Would you be so kind as to give me some privacy?" She asked the remaining mutant changelings. "There's a nymph with whom I plan on having a very important conversation with." Silk Snare, Constrictor, and Carapace left the room, but waited out of sight.

Carapace was utterly puzzled at the recent turn of events. "Odd. The queen never asked to see just one nymph before. What makes this one so special?"

"Why don't we eavesdrop and find out?" Constrictor suggested. "Besides. Silk's probably busy spinning herself a web." Constrictor and Carapace put their heads against the door, and listened in on Chrysalis's musings. Their eyes went wide with horror as soon as they found out what she had planned for Narico. "We need to tell Silk. NOW." The two of them raced off to find Silk Snare, and relayed the troubling news they'd discovered.

Silk Snare was utterly horrified. "This nymph, Narico, is like us? He doesn't need to feed either?" Both Carapace and Constrictor nodded. "Then, we can't let him stay here. When the time comes for him to meet Chrysalis, you two take care of the guards. I'll see to his safety." Sure enough, a very nervous Narico was escorted by two guards. Constrictor and Carapace distracted the guards by pretending to get used to their abilites. As they did so, Silk Snare yanked Narico away while the guards were occupied. "Come with me." She whispered.

"Um, am I in trouble?" Narico asked nervously.

Silk Snare looked back to Narico as she crawled her way towards one of the exits. "No. But you would have been if you met with the queen."

"Why?" Narico asked. "What's wrong with me?"

Silk sighed as she put her hands on Narico's shoulders. "It's because you're like me and my friends. You're not like everyone else." She then noticed the sad look in Narico's eyes. "But don't be scared. And don't let anyone judge you because of that. When a person really loves you, they don't care if you're different." Silk Snare smiled as she remembered her younger days with Carapace and Constrictor. "That's what a family is."

"Does this mean you can be my family?" Narico asked. "But then why are you sending me away?"

Silk Snare smiled. "Someday we'll meet again. But we can't be together right now. You're not safe here." She then wrapped her arms around Narico. "Right now you need to run Narico. Run as far as you can, and don't look back. Do you understand?" Narico nodded. "Good. Do that for big sis, won't you?"

"Okay." Narico said as he started to run out the exit.

Silk Snare breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Narico was safely away. She turned around and was faced by two guards. "So. How's it hanging?"

"Where is the nymph?" One of the guards asked. "Queen Chrysalis requests his presence."

Silk shrugged. "Haven't seen him. So buzz off." The guards grumbled to themselves as the flew off to the rest of the hive. "Wherever you are Narico, I hope you find someone to be your family."

Comments

[Bahamut0]

8754991
Next chapter's up.

[ArcticAce01]

8756735
A great and wonderful chapter! Shadow finally opened up His cosplay shop and now with Chrysalis introduced and 3 of the mutant changelling helping Narico out of the kingdom things from now might turn good for him

[Cloud43323]

Does this mean the mutant changelings might turn into good guys this time?