//------------------------------//
// Confronting Lock Down 
// Story: Trial of a Changeling 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 17

"Confronting Lock Down"

While Equestria's four princesses led their small group of guards into the Everfree Forest, Shining Armor ran as fast as his legs could carry him in pursuit of Lock Down and his dogs. The young prince of the Crystal Empire could not believe that his mentor would run away under mysterious circumstances. Shining Armor had every reason to believe that his mentor had something to do with Kuwaga's suicide. He knew that Lock Down was a creature of unpredictability and somehow, Kuwaga didn't die under his own influence.

"Lock Down!" cried Shining Armor, as he saw his mentor run towards the safety of his hut. "Stop! We can talk about this!"

In an effort to stop the bounty hunter, Shining Armor fired a blast of his magic to create a force field that encircled Lock Down and his dogs from going any further. This infuriated Lock Down as he tried to break down the force field.

"Release me at once, Shining Armor!" shouted Lock Down, banging on the force field. "You know very well that Kuwaga deserved to die! I was only trying to spare Equestria from an execution!"

"We have laws, Lock Down!" retorted Shining Armor, his horn glowing to maintain the force field. "Do you realize that Kuwaga was going to be given clemency and at least live?"

At that moment, Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Twilight along with the platoon of Royal Guards arrived on the scene and the guards pointed their spears at the captured Lock Down while his dogs growled to protect their master.

"Lock Down!" cried Celestia, stepping forward towards her former royal guard captain. "What is the meaning of this move that you had made? I want to know why Kuwaga is dead and I want to know now!"

"I knew that traitorous Changeling would find a way to keep him alive," cried Lock Down. "He doesn't deserve to live and you know that! He kidnapped your wife and we risked our lives to save her and your sister! All Changelings are a threat to Equestria and we cannot rest until they are all exterminated!"

"That is not true!" added Private Centipede, who had secretly followed the princesses to the Everfree Forest. "We are not all a threat, Lock Down! For most of my life, I followed a murderous creature that would do anything to get what he wanted by shedding blood and stealing the love of Equestria. When I witnessed our kind nearly take Canterlot for themselves, it opened my eyes that there are consequences for our actions."

As Centipede spoke, Lock Down felt the force field lower as Shining Armor's magic began to give away, the strains of holding the force field around his mentor were starting to cause him to develop a migraine. He saw this as an opportunity to free himself and his dogs from their temporary prison.

"Shining Armor," cried Twilight as she and Cadence ran over to him. "Are you all right?"

Once the force field was completely gone, Lock Down turned his full attention towards Centipede. He was now seeing him as a supporter of Kuwaga and that his testimony at the trial was nothing more than a lie under oath.

"So, you dare to betray Equestria?" remarked Lock Down, who motions for his dogs to face Centipede. "Then, you shall join your fellow Changelings in hell! Sic him!"

On their master's command, the three dogs charged at Centipede, their teeth white as the snows of the Crystal Empire. But, just as they were about to attack Centipede, Celestia leapt in and took the full brunt of the dogs attack. Using her magic powered horn, Celestia attempted to defend herself and Centipede from the fury of the dogs while they stuck their teeth and claws deep into her skin.

"SISTER!" screamed Luna, as she charged over to the dogs, using her magic to get them off of her. Luna threw the dogs enveloped in her magic against the trees, and then came down to her badly injured sister. Shining Armor could not believe what he was seeing and directed all of his anger towards Lock Down, his horn glowing with rage.

"You pathetic excuse for a pony," cried Shining Armor, angrily. "You dare attack a princess to save your sorry hide?"

"She got in the way, it's her own fault!" protested Lock Down, as Centipede joined Shining Armor in confronting Lock Down. "Don't blame me for what she did! I was doing what I have always done…exterminating what is a threat to Equestria!"

"By acting as the judge, jury and executioner all at the same time?" remarked Shining Armor. "I now regret ever having you as a mentor even more than before. I know that Kuwaga didn't take the easy way out, Lock Down! You killed him yourself!"

In a fit of rage, Shining Armor fired a blast of magic at Lock Down, who merely cut through it with his hook shaped horn.

"I did kill him," confessed Lock Down. "All I ever wanted was to see Kuwaga dead and when I heard that he was going to be given a chance at clemency and live in Tartarus, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Did you want to witness another Tirek incident or not?"

Shining Armor said nothing, for he maintained his dignity as a Prince, a former Captain of the Royal Guard, a husband and a brother. He made many mistakes in his young life, but not as much as Lock Down and this hook shaped pony needed to understand what he had done.

"What you did was much worse than Tirek escaping from prison," seethed Shining Armor. "And now, you are going to face the consequences of your actions, Lock Down!"

At that moment, several royal guard ponies came forward to assist Shining Armor in confronting Lock Down, but Lock Down's dogs had managed to rebound and Lock Down motioned for them to attack Centipede and the royal guard ponies, leaving only him and Shining Armor to face each other one on one while Luna, Cadence and Twilight tended to the badly injured Celestia.

"Now is the time that I teach you the greatest lesson you will ever learn, Shining Armor," cried Lock Down, his hook shaped horn glowing brightly. "That all enemies and traitors to Equestria will pay for the crimes they commit with their lives!"

With the chaos surrounding them, both Shining Armor and Lock Down were about to face off in a battle to the death…