//------------------------------//
// Student vs. Teacher 
// Story: Trial of a Changeling 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 18

"Student vs. Teacher"

Shining Armor was in a situation that would be impossible to get out of. Here he was about to fight the one pony that had taught him everything that he needed to know to become what he was today. As he confronted Lock Down, Shining Armor was now beginning to realize that maybe Lock Down had used him to get what he wanted, which was to see Kuwaga dead.

Before Shining Armor could say another word, Lock Down leapt into the air and charged at him, knocking Shining Armor to the ground. Shining Armor tried fighting back, firing his horn at Lock Down and striking him in the face. He then realized that he was in a fight that he wasn't going to get out unscathed.

"We've got to help him!" cried Twilight, horrified to see the situation her brother was in. However, Luna and Cadence stopped her.

"No, we need to let him do this," advised Celestia, groaning in pain from her brief battle with Lock Down's dogs. "Lock Down needs to learn how Equestria deals with its enemies."

Getting back to his feet, Shining Armor fired a blast from his horn at Lock Down, only for him to dodge it quickly. At that moment, one of Lock Down's dogs leapt onto Shining Armor's back, sinking its teeth into him, causing him to scream loudly in pain while trying to get it off. After a few moments, Shining Armor managed to throw the dog off, despite having his back bleeding from the scratches and bites he had sustained.

"One little dog isn't going to keep me from fighting you," cried Shining Armor, firing a blast of his magic at Lock Down, which he countered with his own magic inducing shield. "You used me to kill Kuwaga!"

"So what if I did?" remarked Lock Down, firing a blast of magic at Shining Armor, hitting him and knocking him to the ground. "Your wife and sister would have been dead otherwise had we not rescued him. I provided the poison that Kuwaga used to kill himself! He told me that he would rather die in his cell than be hanged like a common criminal!"

"You lie!" snapped Shining Armor, who got up and tackled Lock Down to the ground, punching and kicking him with all his strength. Lock Down managed to recover and use his hook horn to slice Shining Armor across the chest, badly injuring him.

For the next few moments, the battle continued going back and forth and at this moment, neither Cadence nor Twilight could stand by and watch any more. Leaping into action, the two princesses fired several blast of their alicorn magic at Lock Down, sending him crashing into one of his dogs and into a few trees.

"Leave him alone!" cried Twilight, firing several more blasts of magic at Lock Down. "Can't you see he's hurt?"

"Stay out of this, Princess," growled Lock Down, slowly getting back on his feet. "This is between me and him!"

"Then you leave us with no choice," cried Cadence, powering up her horn to its maximum capacity. "Take this!"

But, Lock Down wasn't going to go down quietly as he leapt towards Cadence and pushed her against a tree, knocking off her crown, messing up her mane and scratching her skin. Nevertheless, Cadence was going to defend her husband to the death, even if it meant she could possibly die herself.

"You will regret ever intruding on matter's that don't concern you," snarled Lock Down, holding Cadence by her throat with his magic.

Fortunately, Cadence and Twlight's intervention managed to give Shining Armor to rebound and get back on his feet. However, seeing his wife in mortal danger caused Shining Armor to forget that he was in pain and charge into action.

"You see my face, your life is done!" cried Lock Down, throwing Cadence hard onto the ground as several of Lock Down's dogs moved in to attack Cadence, only for Shining Armor to confront them and throw them away against a tree, killing one of the dogs. The death of one of his dogs sent Lock Down into a rage and charged at Shining Armor once again, determined to avenge the death of his dog.

The furious Lock Down grabbed Shining Armor and the two began facing off once again as the royal guards managed to kill off the remaining dogs. After several more struggles, Lock Down managed to get Shining Armor pinned down and now, he had the stallion that he had mentored for several years at his mercy.

"You should never have come after me," seethed Lock Down, his horn pointed right at Shining Armor's throat. "Now, in front of all that love and respect you, I shall deliver the final lesson that I will ever teach you…what happens when you deal with traitors, particularly !"

Shining Armor closed his eyes and his life began flashing before his eyes as Lock Down powered up his horn and prepared to administer the final blow, only for him to feel a sharp pain in his back and scream out loudly.

"Who dares strike me?" he cried and turned to see Private Centipede standing behind with a spear in his claws. The young Changeling gave Lock Down a dirty look as he tried to advance towards him, but his badly injured body prevented him from doing so. "You will pay dearly for that, Changeling, if it is the last thing I…"

Then suddenly, Lock Down felt his body give out and with one final gasp, he fell onto his side and drew his last breath, his eyes locked onto Centipede. Once Lock Down had died, Centipede looked back at Shining Armor and helped him back onto his feet. Even though Shining Armor had been badly hurt, Cadence was his main concern.

"Cadence!" cried Shining Armor in a weak voice, as he struggled over to his equally injured wife as Twilight, Luna and those guards that weren't greatly hurt attempted to pull themselves together and return to Canterlot. "You'll be alright. Just hang on."

Cadence smiled weakly, knowing her love was out of harm's way as Private Centipede came over to help Cadence get back on her feet. However, she couldn't and several guards helped carry her away along with the wounded Celestia. But, Shining Armor had one very important question for Centipede.

"Centipede, why?" he asked as they made their back to Canterlot. "Why did you interfere in this fight?"