//------------------------------// // Metamorphose. // Story: Of Sound Mind. // by Debonair //------------------------------// I am Monarch, such a strange occurrence. All of my years catching criminals that were named by others, and I adopt a new one, an Alias. An Eponymous disassociation of my former self. Am I a new man, or have I just been given something no man has. As he led me across the bridge to the Castle I saw many creatures like him flying around carrying eggs, honey, things I thought needed for life. "Master, Monarch." He seemed to stutter, as if he was afraid. "What is it," "Do you have any, preference?" His question was too vague or that was his intention. "Elaborate." "Food, females, anything." "Do you have a name?" I thought it best to flesh out his character, give me a better profile. "A name, no Sire." No name, served under one mother, a society based on Insect evolution. They know one thing, to follow orders. Without a competent mind to take the reigns, there would be utter chaos. That is why their so called Queen would have chosen a human. And the insect evolution aspect would entail her want to choose a female. "Larvaes," "It shall be so Master Monarch." "I need a female able to challenge my intellect, I eat whatever I find tasty, and I need to know everything." "But Sire..." "Silence, you must have some archive of some sort." I raised my voice, on edge about the whole situation as would any in my case, "Of course, this way." Larvaes led me through the double doors, and through the very ornate halls. The color scheme was hues of hunter green, and dark black. each room had six walls and every so often there were more Changelings, crawling up the walls and cleaning the floors. All of them were like zombies, some type of Haitian voodoo perhaps. But how would she be able to pass on ownership? The Shard, it must be part of this somehow. "Here we are, Hive Mind Center. Everything that needs to be known, is in there, the past lives of each Queen, notes on the evolution of Equestrian Society." "Equestrian Society?" "Yes Equestrian, Horses, Ponies, Unicorns, Pegasi, and Alicorns. They believe they are the native species even though ours far outlasts theirs in longevity and evolutionary standards." "Elaborate." "Which fact?" "Equestrians, no humans, any other creatures?" "There are quite a varied supply of creatures such as the Manticore, and others." "Sire!" Another burst through the doors, he was rather large, where Larvaes was the size of a miniature horse this one was more along the Clydesdale variety. "We have captured two intruders, what would you have us do with them?" His voice was deep and rather dark. "Bring them to me." "At once My Liege." I would assume this one has no name as well. "Scarab." He turned as if he knew I was addressing him. "Yes?" "Be gentle with them, I wouldn't want to come off as rude." "An odd request," He hesitated. "As you wish." Scarab left the room. "My attire is hardly befitting a king." "Try changing it." He said it in a way that sounded like sarcasm. "Explain." "Each of our race can take the shape of another, you have been given the powers of our Queen, all we need do is look at it once in our lives. All we need do from that point forward is remember. Just hold to the blade in your hands, and concentrate." What's the harm in trying. My image, is simple, a man, black slacks, and a shirt. Not much of a king's wardrobe but business casual. I look aside as a green film creeps from the Blade, and over my clothing. shifting it into exactly what I wanted. A very surreal experience. "What are the other, abilities of your kind?" "We can not only alter our shape but our voice as well," "I suppose anything is possible, for a shape shifter." "Let Go of me," A Unicorn was thrown before my feet, she was rather young, wore glasses, and was light blue in color, her mane a slightly darker shade. "We weren't trying to do anything!" Then Scarab was thrown before me. "I'll do my job," This one had no real outstanding features a plain white coat and golden armor. "Now Let Us Go!" "Hold, I mean you no harm." I held out my hand to the Unicorn, and helped her up. "Now why did my guard find you here?" "There were fluctuations in magical energy at this point, the Princesses sent me to investigate." "So they have other Royalty?" Strange Princesses with more power than a Queen, it now sounds more like a name than a title, it may not carry the same weight as here. "I see you're as in the dark as I am." She seemed unaffected by my appearance. "I was unaware there would be anyone here. This region is uninhabited last I checked." "I have no idea where this region is." Maybe if I find out where I am It may give me insight on why I was brought here to begin with. "South Southeast of the San Palomino Desert, in Froud Valley." "Where are you from?" "I'm a third year student at The School For Gifted Unicorns, near Canterlot. Your turn." "New Mexico," "What happened to old Mexico?" An innocent question, but others would find a need to Troll as the children call it. "Still there, New Mexico combines tradition of the Latino, and modern society of Mexican Americans." "Okay, what's your name?" "Monarch," "Like the butterfly?" "Yes. What's your name?" "I'm Skye and this is B.A." "Bad attitude?" "Blazing Armistice." For one with a name of peace he seems rather hostile. His eyes watched my every move, I dismissed this as his job, which I assume is bodyguard. Still I felt a little unnerved as would any paranoid schizophrenic. I found myself reaching for the blade at my hip. An involuntary action, as if my hand was driven by fear. "Your Blade looks familiar, I've seen it before." He paused a moment as he took a defensive stance. "The horn of the Queen!" As if guided by pure instinct the blade was whipped out of it's casing and was placed to his neck. It was as if it's curve was made to go around it. "I'm sure we can talk this out." He kept his calm even though his life was in my hands. "You will forget what you found here Armistice, you will never return, unless I command." His gaze went blank, and his eyes glazed over with a tinge of green. "I shall keep her safe until I see fit for her to return." As I lifted off he scrambled back to from wherever he came. "What did you do to him?" "I don't know," My palms slicked with sweat began to shake, I threw the blade to the ground and reached for my medication. It had been years since my last attack, but I'm better safe than sorry. "Larvaes water now!" "Here you are Sire." I snatched the glass and threw it over my face after swallowing the pill. I fell back onto the chaise and tried to calm my nerves. My heart slowed to normal, and my breaths were calm. "What happened? Are you okay?" She was frantic as I tried to calm her down before she made me have another. "Anxiety attack, though infrequent are life threatening if I run out of this special medicine." "What caused it, we were just talking, then out of nowhere you just, that!" Am I having hallucinations? I swore I threatened his life, it was so real. "I mean "Are you alright?" I asked, for the first time in years I was actually worried about something other than time. "Of course I am, but he just left not a word." "Interesting, Larvaes bring me the journal of my predecessor." "At once Your Grace." He ran out as Scarab regained consciousness. "Are you okay Your Majesty, he blindsided me." "He's been taken care of. Sent back to where he came from. Skye here is going to stay with us for a while. Get one of the Maidens to get a room ready for me she can have mine." "But sire there is no reason for the enemy to be here." All this one thinks about is violence, as if waging war was second nature to him. I need to speak a language he does, Sun Tzu should suffice. "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. I do not know myself or this enemy which seems almost non threatening. I can't extend an olive branch if I don't know the culture." "But sir we lost hundreds of soldiers to six of them." "Why should I be concerned?" "If six can take hundreds, an entire army of them would be unstoppable, as your Military advisor I strongly suggest executing her not treating her like one of our own." "Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." "As you wish, Your Excellence. Don't come crying to me if this doesn't go according to your plans." He stormed out leaving upturned tables and broken vases in his wake. "Um may I make a suggestion?" Skye asked with a puzzled tone of voice. "This isn't making a good impression, want to start over?" What, this girl is willing to overlook the threat I just unwittingly proposed. To what end, this is most peculiar, I have to study these new minds. I need to learn all I can, as soon as possible.