//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Prince Shining Armor or King Metamorphosis // by Fullmetal_Pony //------------------------------// *SLAP!* “Wake up!” Shining jolted awake after getting slapped in the face, only to see Chrysalis a little ways in front of him in the Hive throne room surrounded by changelings. He became enraged at the mere sight of her and tried to use his magic but an all too familiar suppressor was around his horn again. “Hello again Metamorphosis.” “My name is Shining Armor.” “Sorry but you are no longer a pony so that name just doesn’t work anymore. You know my offer still stands. You can still join me and together we can take Equestria.” “Never! Do you have any idea what kind of hell you put me through! I’m leaving!” “And just where will you go? You’re an outcast like the rest of our kind, no longer welcome in pony society, and I know that no pony will give you the benefit of the doubt. You just need some time to think things over. Put him into a holding cell for the time being.” Some changelings started shoving him in the right direction. “Get moving!” Shining wanted to fight back but he was hopelessly out numbered and started walking. The Hive was a virtual labyrinth with many chambers and tunnels going every which way. How they managed to traverse it on a daily bases was beyond him. He was led to his cell and the door closed behind him. Two guards were stationed outside his cell. An hour later and one of the guards had been thinking and struck up a conversation with Shining. “Hey Metamorphosis.” They continue to keep calling me that. Might as well stop fighting it. “Yes.” “Do you think there’s any chance of peace between ponies and changelings?” The question caught him off guard and he paused for a minute. “What are you going on about?” said the other guard. “Aren’t you tired of Chrysalis’s reign, it seems like it’s one bad decision after another. The invasion failed and so far her latest plan is going down in flames.” “What is her latest plan?” said Shining. “It had something to do with you joining us and-” “Don’t tell him you idiot.” “What’s it matter, it probably won’t work anyways. The point I’m trying to make is that we need new leadership and our Queen made the mistake of making Metamorphosis here a royal changeling instead of a drone like you and me.” “So?” “So, don’t you remember the law that says another royal changeling can challenge the current monarch for the right to lead to hive?” “You had to bring that up. It was so much easier just guarding him. You also remember he has to issue the challenge to her in front of the whole Hive.” “That can be easily arranged. Plus she is bound to accept or she automatically forfeits and you know what happens to the loser.” “Yeah-yeah they’re forever exiled from the hive unless the new monarch dies and leaves no heirs in which case the ex-monarch has a chance to reclaim the throne.” “Exactly, what do you say Metamorphosis. Do you want to issue a challenge?” Shining weighed his options. If I do nothing I’m no better off than I am now. If I do make a challenge and I win then it may give me the time and resources I need to convince the others that I’m telling the truth. “I do.” “If he loses then this was all your idea and I had nothing to do with it.” Queen Chrysalis sat at her throne thinking of how she was going to get Shining to come to her. After all now that he was a changeling her powers of manipulation no longer worked on him, but that didn’t matter anymore, it would make the victory all the more sweet if he joined her willingly. Then a couple of changelings entered the room. “My Queen there is a situation in the assembly chamber that requires your immediate attention.” “This had better be important.” Chrysalis made her way through the tunnels and arrived at the chamber only to find it packed with changelings and Shining in the middle of the room. “What’s going on here? Why is he out of his cell?” “Chrysalis I hereby challenge you for leadership of the Hive!” She was taken aback, that was the last thing she expected to hear. I’m going to kill whoever told him about that. “I…accept.” She said grudgingly. “We will do this outside.” Chrysalis and Shining made their way out with the rest of the Hive following behind them. Once they made it out Shining saw that the changelings had made their home in the side of a canyon in the Badlands. Chrysalis and Shining flew down to the ground and faced each other a few feet apart from one another. They stared each out down for a moment, then charged each other and fired off a blast. Both beams impacted and an explosion followed. Shining took to the air and Chrysalis pursued, firing blasts of magic at him. He dodged and the blasts hit the side of the canyon wall causing part of it to collapse. Shining fired back but she either dodged or put up a shield. A minute passed by with neither landing a hit. Chrysalis fired again, and again hit the canyon wall but this time Shining flew close to it and caught a large chunk of rock falling from the side of the canyon in his magic. He whipped it and threw it straight at her. She managed to destroy it a few feet from her leaving a cloud of smoke behind. Shining flew through the cloud horn ablaze. He tackled Chrysalis and fired a spell point blank. The blast sent her flying into the other side of the canyon. Seizing the opportunity Shining fired a few more shots at Chrysalis before she could react. Shining stopped and as much as he wanted to, despite all the pain and misery she caused him he wasn’t going to kill her. She fell from where she was and hit the ground hard. He landed next to her, she tried to get up but he put his hoof on her to keep her down. She looked up at him and scowled. “You lose.” “THE QUEEN UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT! METAMORPHOSIS WINS! LONG LIVE THE KING!” “LONG LIVE THE KING!” said the other changelings in unison. Chrysalis slapped Shining’s hoof away and as best she could flew away. This isn’t over yet. All I need is a little help to retake my throne and it will come from the last place he’ll expect. After the former Queen was out of sight one of the changelings offered to escort Shining to his new quarters and told him how to better navigate the Hive on the way there. His room wasn’t far from the throne room which was good to know. Once there the changeling took his leave and after Shining got better acquainted with his surroundings managed to find some blank parchment and continued to record his thoughts. Day ? I don’t even know what day it is anymore from being knocked out so much. I defeated Chrysalis and have become the new King of the changelings. Now that I’m King I just have to figure out how I’m going to prove I am who I say I am to Cadence and the others. It won’t be easy but I just know I’ll convince them somehow, I have to.