//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: The Domino Effect // Story: Howlite Howler Part 2: Trust Denied // by JNKing //------------------------------// The roles may have been reversed, but not in the way Shiva wanted. Where once she had been chained to a wall with some pony interrogating her, now she was the interrogator. But the one chained to the wall wasn’t one of her pony tormentors. It was a changeling whom she honestly still sympathized with. To make matters even worse, Celestia and Luna stood right outside the cell, and they were watching Shiva; Celestia with hope, Luna with bitterness. “Heck of a thing, isn’t it?” Thorax noted. “Despite everything, we’re back in their cage.” “Yet only one of us is still in chains,” Shiva replied morosely. Thorax grinned softly. “One of us?” he mused. “Maybe in physical chains. But metaphorical chains?” He chuckled. “Now, that’s a different story, isn’t it?” Shiva shook her head. “I’d prefer metaphorical to the physical chains I’d be in if my dogs were taken by your changelings.” Thorax chuckled. “Shiva,” he chastised. “You really think that little of me?” “Not of you,” Shiva assured him. “But your Queen’s another story.” Thorax’s eyes narrowed. “Queen Chrysalis has been wronged,” he insisted. “Our entire hive was banished to the wasteland just for trying to think of new ways to extract love. And that’s all we really need; love.” Shiva’s ear flicked in disbelief. “Love?” she asked. “Lust… family… friendship…” Thorax shrugged. “If it’s a positive emotion gained from another being, we need it, the same way you need food like gems and meat.” “Then why be blunt about it?” Shiva asked. “Why not just stay in a pack, help them grow, and then feed off the love others would show you as a member of the pack?” Thorax thought about it, before noticing he was thinking about it. He covered his doubt with a scoff. “Y-You sound just like the other hives. They all said the same thing; ‘strengthen the community; put the food before yourself.’” His voice hitched, like he might just believe these ‘other hives,’ but he shook his head, clearing it. “The Queen found another way; a way to get a subject’s full love, instead of just partial love.” He leaned forward. “Your pack wouldn’t suffer; you’d be able to live in a paradise.” “Paradise?” “Illusions inside the cocoons; where we can make your dreams reality. O-Or, apparently, reality,” Thorax promised. “And all you’d need to do is let us feed off the joy and happiness you’d have in that illusion.” Shiva’s ears flattened. “Until what?” she asked. “Until we die from starvation or thirst? Or when you drain us of all the love in our bodies?” Thorax winced, but tried to cover for it with a sheepish shrug. “Is it really that bad?” he asked. “I mean… you’d at least see the ponies get captured before you did.” Shiva glared at him. “You know, it’s a good thing I can sense part of you doesn’t believe a word you just said,” she said. “Otherwise, I’d have smacked you so hard, your head would spin.” Thorax sighed. “So… I’m guessing you’re still declining our queen’s offer.” Shiva sighed. “Thorax,” she said. “I’m not the only one that should be denying the queen.” She indicated him. “You’re different from Queen Chrysalis. Better. I can sense it.” Thorax looked down. “Who cares?” he asked. “I’m just a drone. I serve the hive, and the queen. What other life do I have?” Shiva thought about it, before offering her claw. “A life with my pack,” she offered, trying to ignore the burst of outrage that echoed up from Luke. She spoke just as much to the disbelieving diamond dogs as she did to Thorax. “You suffered alongside me and Luke. You deserve to have a pack who cares about you.” Thorax looked up at Shiva with a tilted head. He glanced at the cell door, and chuckled. “Would your pony friends like that? Your pack taking on a changeling?” Shiva followed his gaze. Luna didn’t look happy with her offer. But Celestia was pricking her ears with intrigue. Shiva turned her backs on them, focusing on Thorax. “They aren’t my friends,” Shiva growled. “And I don’t care what they think. But let me ask you this: is Queen Chrysalis doing this just to take over Equestria? Or is she doing it because you got hurt? Because ponies hurt you, and she cares enough about her subjects to see some form of justice done?” Thorax just stared at her, like such empathy was unbelievable among his kind. Shiva sighed. “I guess not.” Shiva looked up at him. “I know it’s different for you, but I can’t understand that type of apathy. That level of utter disregard for one’s people.” Thorax smiled. “Because you’re a good soul,” he replied. “Despite what every pony thinks… you really are better than them.” Shiva looked away with a blush. Luna fumed, Celestia holding her back with a wing. Thorax looked down, in consideration. Shiva found herself holding her breath. A second passed. Then another. Then another. Thorax then looked up… and grinned, showing his fangs. “So… would I have to do to join your pack?” he asked, before his eyes darted to the cell door. “Hypothetically speaking, of course?” Shiva breathed in, despite already holding her breath. Here goes, she thought. “Do the changelings have Princess Cadence?” Shiva asked. Another second passed. And another. “Yes,” Thorax said. Celestia’s breath caught in her throat, and Luna nearly charged forward, her sister’s wing keeping her from interfering. Shiva’s own gaze grew intense. “Then just tell us where she is?” Shiva asked. # Down in the Canterlot mines, Skippy stared in horror as Princess Cadence slowly rose to her hooves. The disguise Chrysalis had used had not been hyperbole; the poor alicorn looked like she had been dragged through a mountain and then left in this cave for a month. Her fur was scuffed, torn out in places and almost black with soot. Her regalia was chipped and cracked. And her eyes had a dead look to them, like she had grown used to torment and distrust. He glanced towards the entrance. Thankfully, there was only one guard. The other changeling had flown off. For what purpose, Skippy was unsure of. But it was an opportunity he had to take advantage of. Zipping down, he landed on the guard’s back. The guard barely had a chance to hiss before Skippy zapped him with a burst of stun magic. As the changeling went limp, Skippy yanked him back up into the shadows, webbing him in green resin. Skippy flipped back down with a burst of green fire, quickly assuming the form of the changeling guard. Looking around again, he shifted into the form of Twilight and dove into the cell. “Princess Cadence?” he whispered. Cadence’s eyes widened in hope. “Twilight?” she whimpered, before shaking her head. “No… no-no, just… it’s just another illusion.” Despite her mantra, Skippy shivered at the love that had briefly shined on Cadence’s face. But he forced himself not to focus on it. He held out a hoof for her. “It’s okay,” he assured her. “I’m going to get you out of here…” “Just an illusion,” Cadence almost sang. “Not real…” But before he could say more, they heard the buzz of wings. Skippy glanced outside, and clenched his teeth in horror; a guard was coming back. He cursed, drawing a gasp from the Princess, but he didn’t have time for her shock, shoving her back. “Just follow my lead,” he said, hoping Twilight Sparkle would say something like that. Thankfully, the Princess seemed to have enough sense left in her to scoot back to her usual spot, while Skippy scooted back into the shadows. The other guard entered, only to get a face full of stun spells. He crumbled to the ground, and Skippy dragged him inside, as Cadence gasped in shock. “You…” she stammered, looking between the two. “But your magic was green. Twilight’s is purple, I…” Skippy hissed as he realized his horn had lit up in the classic changeling green. “Look, what does it matter?” he demanded. “I’m trying to get you away from Chrysalis.” “But…” Cadence’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re not from Chrysalis’ Hive, are you?” “Normally, I love Twenty Questions,” Skippy said, grabbing Cadence. “But we really need to do this on the move.” Cadence looked around furiously, but realized he was right, and resigned herself to a nod. Skippy inched out, checking for guards before motioning for Cadence to follow. Realizing Cadence already knew what he was, he shifted into the more starved appearance of the changeling guards, and he let Cadence move ahead of him. “If anyone else comes,” Skippy told Cadence, “Just pretend like I’m keeping you from escaping.” Cadence nodded mutely, still staring transfixed at Skippy’s form. A changeling guard appeared ahead of them, and Skippy forced himself to look threatening and intimidating. Before he could think of something to say, the changeling moved to the side, letting him and Cadence pass. “Thorax played his role to perfection,” the changeling hissed with laughter. “Just set the bait for the intruders.” Skippy paled under his disguise. What did that mean? Was he leading Cadence into another trap? But he couldn’t let his fear show, and he couldn’t risk blowing his cover just yet. Settling for a quick nod, he pulled Cadence past, and continued down the tunnel, his compound eyes darting around carefully to ensure the cryptic guard didn't follow them. Cadence limped along, drinking in his appearance. “It’s gotta be Vespin Hive,” Cadence muttered to herself. “I know Queen Vespa; if you’re not her, you’re…” She resisted stomping in realization. “Her daughter Scorpia? Wait… no,” she chastised herself. “Scorpia’s female.” “Sh!” Skippy hissed, looking around again before continuing. “It’s technically Mandible,” he whispered. “Scorpia’s son and 20th in line for the throne. But please… call me Skippy.” “Skippy?” Cadence mumbled. “That’s… a nice name for a changeling.” Skippy grinned. “Grandmother started it. Or maybe I did; I just couldn’t wait for my legs to grow in, so I skipped everywhere until they did.” Cadence chuckled, before looking around with a fearful look. “I’m glad you’re on my side, at least, Skippy,” she said. “Though… I don’t understand. The last thing I remember was working out the details of helping out Caritatin Hive.” “Caritatin Hive?” Skippy mumbled, confused. “That Hive lost their royal family 50 years ago?” But both of them ducked as another buzzing sound emanated from above. Both of them were silent until it faded away, and even then, their voices were softer. Cadence turned back to Skippy. “I've been trying to help them get back on their hooves. Except... why did they turn on me?” she demanded. “Are they with Chrysalis?” “No,” Skippy assured her. “This was only Chrysalis.” Cadence’s brows furrowed. “But I thought your grandmother banished that maniac for making those awful cocoons. And then Auntie Celestia defeated her when she tried to prove her way was stronger.” “Unfortunately, Chrysalis never knew how to stay down,” Skippy said. “That, and a new diamond dog I’ve been looking over has reignited her hope that she can take Equestria.” Cadence’s eyes glanced ahead of Skippy. “You mean that Diamond Dog?” Skippy spun, his breath hitching in his throat. Luke and a band of Iron Paws were racing into the tunnel ahead of them, axes held aloft. “Changeling!” Luke snarled. “And… pony?” another iron paw mumbled confused. Skippy cursed. With barely another word, he shot into the shadows and vanished with a burst of green. “Wait!” Cadence cried, but Skippy didn’t give her the chance to speak his name. And in seconds, he was gone. Cadence was left on her own with the iron paw diamond dogs. They all looked to Luke in confusion. “So… what do we do?” one of them asked. Luke shook his head, unsure, but before he could say anything, the pack link flared. Luke almost doubled over in shock. “Luke!” Shiva cried through the link. “Get everyone out of the mines. Hide them! Now!” “Alpha?” Luke whimpered. “W-What is…” “The changelings are down there!” Shiva’s thoughts screamed. “Princess Luna got ahead of me. She’s going to catch you. Please, you’ve got to hide.” Luke gasped. He turned around. “All dogs, back into the tunnels!” he barked. “Move! Mothers and pups first!” The dogs sprung to action, racing back into the mines. “Wait!” Cadence yelled, glancing at where Skippy had gone before running after them. “Are you helping? What’s going on?” Though most of the diamond dogs ignored her, a familiar brown diamond dog raced out of the shadows. “Follow me,” Skippy said. “We’ll get you above ground.” But just as he led her towards the mines, a bellow of rage echoed down the tunnels. Cadence froze. “A-Auntie Luna?” Cadence asked. Skippy froze, his skin paling under his fur. “Luna?” he asked. “She’s here?” “I almost hope not,” she whimpered. “I’ve never heard her that angry before.” Then a burst of magic sounded. The two raced out just in time to see two dogs go sprawling, Luna towering over them in a rage. “FILTHY BRUTES!” Luna roared. “CRUEL BEASTS! THOU DARES TO STEAL FROM THE MINES OF CANTERLOT! THOU RISKS SENDING OUR PALACE INTO THE WATERS BELOW!” She prepared a second blast, only for a flash of white to cannonball into her with a howl. Luna went tumbling across the mines, as Shiva landed before her, eyes black with rage and fangs bared all the way up to the gums. “Don’t! TOUCH! MY DOGS!” Shiva bellowed at the staggered princess. “Alpha!” the dogs cheered. “Mothers and pups out!” Shiva ordered, glaring at Luna. “This one’s mine!” The dogs obeyed, but Cadence tried to jump in before the alicorn and howlite howler could begin to fight. “Wait!” she screamed. “Everyone stop!” “Alpha Shiva, there’s been a big mistake!” Skippy insisted. But as Shiva's gaze softened at the sight of her advisor, Luna's expression only hardened. “Princess Cadenza!” Luna growled, turning her venomous gaze back on Shiva. “Thou had our princess down here the whole time?!” Cadence put her hooves against her mouth, and backed up with Skippy into the shadows. But the damage had already been done. Shiva’s ears plastered against her skull, her link strengthening as her Iron Paws formed around her. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Shiva snarled. “Another way to paint me as the bad guy, right?” “Enough!”a regal voice boomed. Seconds later, Celestia and a smattering of royal guards appeared in a flash of golden light, eyes wide in shock at the sight of the other diamond dogs. "Shiva!” Celestia demanded. “What are these diamond dogs doing here?” “Is it not clear, sister?” Luna demanded. She pointed at the chipped supports where the dogs had been mining. “These tunnels run directly under Canterlot. She sought to steal our gems… and likely worse!” “Of course,” a guard said. “Look at the support structures. That dog must be planning to bring the whole castle down into the water!” “You stinking liar!” Shiva snarled. “Blueblood was right to distrust her,” Luna declared. “We must defeat these monsters. Once and for all!” But Shiva jumped between the ponies and dogs and flared her lightning. “You want to find out how it felt for Beast Breaker when I murdered him?!” Shiva demanded. Luna’s horn lit up with a snarl of her own, but Celestia forced herself between them. “Every pony calm down!” Celestia demanded, flaring her horn. Shiva and the dogs prepared for an attack, but Celestia simply crafted a barrier, defending Luna and her guards while also keeping them from attacking the dogs. She fixed her gaze on Shiva. “Now, Shiva. Stow your threats and calmly explain; why did your Diamond Dogs come under Canterlot?” she asked. Celestia’s soothing voice just barely snapped Shiva out of her anger, her eyes turning back from black to brown. Despite the fear and loathing reeling through her link, she struggled to keep her voice level. “The changelings could have hurt them,” Shiva tried to explain. “My link protects them; all I was trying to do was protect them!” “Why would the changelings attack their own allies?” Luna demanded. “You had the Princess down here the whole time.” “No, they didn’t!” Cadence insisted. She struggled forward, Skippy wisely not holding her back. “They were just down here by coincidence. I was only running away from the changelings.” Luna glanced at her niece with doubt, while Celestia nodded in thanks. Then, one guard ruined it. “W-Wait…” he pointed out. “How do we know you’re not another changeling? Trying to make the diamond dog Alpha look good!” Before Cadence could prove it was her, Luke spoke up. “How dare you accuse my Alpha of such treachery!” Luke snarled. Cadence tried to protest, but her voice was lost over the hum of lightning, as the diamond dogs all powered up with the pack link. Part of Shiva knew she should’ve been trying to calm the situation down, but her own anger mixed with Luke’s and the other dogs, forming a cocktail of rage and distrust that made her light-headed. “You, who sicced ponies onto us with declarations of invasion,” Luke insisted, pointing at Luna. “You, who couldn’t even see the changeling fleeing as…” “As he delivered your prize for some nefarious scheme?!” one of the guards countered. “Undisputable proof that Blueblood was the wrong pony to cage!” “For the love of everything sacred, will you SHUT UP!” Shiva screamed, lightning flaring from her form. One guard jumped away from one of her bolts. “Shiva!” Celestia barked, “I will not allow you to threaten my subjects again!” “You see?” the guard cried. “She’s just as foul as the changelings. We need to clear them out! All of them!” Before Celestia could order them to stop, several guards stepped towards Shiva’s dogs. Beast Breaker flashed through her mind, and Shiva’s eyes went back to pitch black. “Touch them and you burn like the sun,” she promised. The guards grouped up, horns glowing and wings flaring, only for Luke to step between them. “Threaten my subjects,” Luna threatened back. “And I’ll turn you into a star in my sky.” “Both of you, enough!” Celestia snapped. Yet, as the dogs and ponies faced off, just barely held back by Celestia's voice, Skippy and Cadence had backed up towards the wall. “We have to stop this,” Cadence insisted. She looked back to Skippy, before double-taking. “Wait… aren’t you…?” She stepped towards him… and one of the guards saw. “Princess, get away from that!” he yelled. A bolt of magic flung through the air. And even though it missed Skippy, it set off the bomb. Shiva bellowed, and her shield dogs shot forward. Celestia flared her barrier, but didn’t think to look below. The ponies were seized from below by Iron Paws digging up from the ground, and were dragged deeper into the earth. They kicked themselves free, but several guards weren’t so lucky, their screams emanating as they vanished under the rock. Luna bashed into the shields of the diamond dogs with her shoulder. Celestia’s horn started to flare, only for Shiva and Luke to jump over it. Twin bursts of magic flared from the dogs, and Celestia sent stumbling back from their force. “Shiva, wait!” Celestia pleaded. “Don’t do this!” But the dogs were beyond caring at this point. Shiva and Luke dug under and behind Luna. The princess sensed them, but they ducked as she tried to kick at them. Celestia had moved to try and subdue Shiva, and instead took Luna’s back hooves to her chest. “Princess Celestia!” another guard screamed, as the kick of an alicorn sent Celestia across the tunnel. Luna growled as she found herself surrounded. “You make a grave mistake fighting me,” Luna warned. “You made a grave mistake attacking my pack mates,” Shiva retorted. But as the diamond dogs tried to close in, Luna’s eyes glowed, and her horn flared with magic. Shiva’s pack link was no match; in mere seconds, the dogs were sent flying through the mines. Shiva slammed into Celestia, who enclosed her and Luke in a bubble of light. “Shiva, stop this!” Celestia demanded. "You can't beat us." But then Shiva saw Luna turn back on her scattered diamond dogs. They were snarling behind the few shields they still had, but shivered with fear as Luna advanced on them. “Your murderous Alpha cannot save you,” Luna snarled at the dogs. “The Princesses are victorious!” one guard cheered with a laugh. “You foolish diamond dogs and your murderer of a leader never had a chance.” Murder… Murderer. The word echoed in Shiva’s mind, and she felt the last vestiges of her sanity snap. Shiva howled in blind animal rage, her magic grabbing the bubble Celestia enclosed her in, and draining the magic. Celestia gasped and jumped back as her bubble popped and Shiva charged Luna again. “Luna!” Celestia screamed, firing another burst of magic. But Shiva caught the blast, screaming as it burned her claw, and channeled the magic into a blast that hit Luna. “Duck!” Luke yelled, and the dogs obeyed, diving back into the earth as Luna smashed right through the earth. Celestia shut off her magic in horror, but Shiva still managed to channel the last vestiges of magic back at Celestia, throwing her back even as Shiva collapsed, both hands scorched and trembling in pain. “Shiva, please,” Celestia insisted. “Call off your diamond dogs. We’re both forgetting the real threat here.” Briefly, Shiva remembered the changelings, and her eyes strayed from the ponies in horror. But Luna was still in battle mode. And as Shiva’s hesitation spread to the rest of the dogs through the link, Luna burst from the rock and fire another midnight blue beam of magic at Shiva. “Alpha!” Luke cried. “NO!” Skippy, Celestia and Cadence cried. Shiva turned, but not fast enough. Luna’s beam burned into the palms of her claws. The fur on her arms burst into flames. Shiva screamed in agony, before she was punched into the ground and out of sight. “Luna, stop!” Celestia screamed, teleporting to her sister. Cadence tried to go to them as well, only for two guards to grab her and pull her away from the battle. But as Shiva vanished from view, an explosion of magic blasted everyone back. Luna and Celestia were the first to rise. Luke and the other diamond dogs hadn’t even fallen. But all of them howled in despair. A scorched hole was all that was left of where Shiva stood. The last of her link faded away. But Luna’s magic did not. It swirled around the diamond dogs, pulsating as Luke turned from Shiva’s burial site, his eyes glowing in rage. When he spoke, his voice was soft as snow from a rampant blizzard. “Shiva’s given us one last gift, boys,” he said to his dogs. “Let’s put it to good use.” # As the diamond dogs attacked, Skippy crept towards where Shiva had been buried. With his changeling wings, he managed to fly the length of the tunnel and find her. His breathing slowed as he realized she was alive; her chest just barely rising and falling. Yet the rest of her appearance made Skippy shudder; arms blackened with burned fur, glassy eyes fluttering shut, her whole-body limp as a ragdoll. Yet, as he turned to howl for help, the sound of magic and combat drew his gaze. He looked up, seeing magic beams flying over the holes above. The magic illuminated the changelings – Chrysalis’ changelings – entering the fray. Skippy whimpered, holding Shiva close to his chest, as the changelings began to join the diamond dogs.