16 - Siblings
A lone changeling drone allowed himself a small smile as he looked on his work in satisfaction, duster held within his magical green aura. Not a single speck of dust inhabited the princess’ room, every corner, and every hole had been cleaned to perfection. He had taken particular care to place everything back just the way Princess Twilight had left them, his superior having wisely informed the drone about the princess’ unique… difficulties with OCD. The last thing the drone wanted to do was earn the ire of the future Changeling Queen.
Unfortunately for the drone however, Queen Chrysalis had forgot that he was even there, and thus he didn’t get her message to vacate all area’s leading from the prisons to that very room, and as the drone packed up his equipment to leave the bedroom’s door opened. A lavender unicorn mare strutted in, followed by an armor adorned alabaster unicorn stallion. When both parties saw each other they froze for a few moments, the stallion in particular stared at the drone looking very displeased, or would the word be murderous?
Suddenly the drone dropped into a low bow in front of the mare. “Princess Twilight, my apologies I didn’t realize you would return so soon, the room has been cleaned and I… I-“
Twilight mentally sighed as the drone began to hyperventilate, what did the drone honestly think she would do to him? Quickly she put on her friendliest smile as she addressed the drone. “It's fine, thank you for cleaning my room for me, I can see right away you did an excellent job.”
The drone seemed to calm slightly at the compliment.
“However right now I would like to talk to my brother in private,” Twilight finished.
The drone rose from his bow and quickly vacated the room, Shining Armor watching him go, before turning to Twilight with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, anypony would think you were the boogymare with that reaction.”
Twilight pouted while flicking a chuckling Shining Armor with her tail in mild annoyance. “Yeah yeah, laugh it up tough guy. It’s no different to how some ponies react to the princesses.”
“Heh, point taken. Not sure if I can really wrap my head around the whole you being a changeling equivalent to an alicorn, and not forgetting royalty as well.”
“Speaking of which…” Shining started, with slight hesitation. “Could I see? The ‘other’ you I mean.” He looked at the floor, waiting to be scolded.
Twilight too hesitated, before slowly nodding. “OK.” A moment later, Shining took a step backwards, as green flames whipped around the lavender form of his sister. Quicker than he could see, it began tearing the image away and warping it into a chitin clad being, far too reminiscent of the cackling figure that stole his mind and crashed his wedding.
Twilight stood before Shining, noticing his disapproval by the fact he had flinched, and now leaned slightly away from her. She began to scuff the floor once more, a despondent look on her face.
“Honestly, I prefer the real you,” Shining deadpanned.
Twilight’s head whipped up and she looked at her brother. “This IS the real me,” she truthfully insisted.
Shining didn’t answer, opting instead to observe the room in detail for the first time. “Well you’ve certainly done well for yourself Twily. Got enough books?” The change of subject was painfully obvious.
“One can never have enough books,” Twilight chuckled, trying to hide her still despondent tone.
“Erm, do you want to sit or…” Twilight motioned towards the seating cushions surrounding the circular table in the very center of the room.
Shining nodded, and took his place at one end of the table while Twilight plonked herself down at the other.
An uncomfortable silence echoed throughout the room, Twilight noticing that her brother couldn’t quite meet her reptilian-like eyes.
“Shiny, look you have every reason to be angry, I understand. What they did, to you and Cadance, it was wrong. And I could never approve of such a thing, and will never.”
“I know LSBFF, you aren’t like these monsters.”
“Monsters? BBBFF I’ve forgiven them.” Her face was stern.
“What?” His was full of surprise.
“I said; I’ve forgiven them. And they… we most certainly aren’t monsters!” Twilight said with conviction.
Anger flashed across his muzzle now. “Twilight how could you say that? You saw what they did, you know what they’re capable of.”
“They did it to save me Shining!” Twilight’s voice started to rise.
“That was then. Now they know how to fight us, what’s to stop them from finishing the job and taking Equestria?” he said calmly, the military captain in him showing through.
“They wouldn’t do something like that! If you would just walk around the halls of the hive, see the atrium and all the changelings going about their lives, we’re not so different from ponies. They laugh with their friends with a drink in hoof; they marry their special somepony, like Carduus and Panacea, fillies and colts play and laugh, like little Iuvenes. They may have done something wrong I admit, but it doesn’t define who they are, it’s not who they are. Not this hive… not MY hive.”
“Your…” Shining started, exasperation now evident in his voice. “And what of the queen? She displayed who she is crystal clear to the whole of Canterlot.”
Twilight allowed herself a chuckle as she reflected on Chrysalis’s softer side she had heavily born witness to the last few days. “Believe me, mother is not that intimidating when you truly get to know her.”
“Mother!?” Shining suddenly snapped, causing Twilight to jump in fright. “You would call that monster mother!? What is with you?”
Twilight set her legs, and stood to full height. “Don’t… you… dare ever, ever call her a monster Shining Armor! You ask what’s wrong with me, but what’s with you. The agitation, the sudden shouting. What happened to the stallion I reunited with just five minutes ago?”
“Chrysalis is twisting your mind! You can’t see her for who she truly is!”
“You’re not listening to me! Why can’t you just give them a chance, for me?”
“You’re kidding? Changelings are monsters, after what they did… I’ve seen enough.”
“Odd, I never took you for a xenophobic bigot,” Twilight muttered, tears beginning to form.
“What did you call me?”
“A bigot, a massive bigot! I would have expected this from some of the Canterlot nobles but… but not from you. You know what? Chrysalis is my mother, that doesn’t make Twilight Velvet any less so. I have friends here and… and if you could just see past your own one dimensional perceptions for one, just one minute! You could see the good in changelings.” Tears had started to flow now.
Shining just looked at Twilight in a way that broke her heart… disgust. “I honestly don’t know who you are anymore.”
Twilight sniffed. “I could say the same BBBFF…”
Shining slammed a hoof down. “Don’t call me that, changeling, only my sister calls me that.”
Twilight’s ears wilted and the tears became a full on breakdown, sobbing echoing the room before Twilight suddenly got up and bolted for the door.
Shining’s brain suddenly seemed to catch up with what he said, and a guilty expression descended onto his face. “Twily…” he called out, his call being lost amidst the sound of a mare’s sorrow.
The doors reacted with a lavender hue, swinging open as the distraught princess barreled through, completely missing the earth pony eavesdropper falling flat onto his face as the door he was leaning on jolted forwards.
Longshot looked up down the corridor as the sobs became a faint echo. Once they were gone he turned to look at his superior with a strong disgust.
“What the hay hero?”
Shining only responded by burying his head in his hooves in ultimate shame.
Queen Chrysalis sat regally on her obsidian throne, or as regally as her bored mind would allow as she went over a particularly dull report on the state and productivity of the hive’s agriculture. After she finished another report, yet another would take its place.
“Ugh, paperwork. Organisation is more my daughters forte,” Chrysalis mused to herself, taking a glance at the empty throne beside her.
“Your highness?” A voice pinged over the hive.
‘At last, a distraction from these accursed reports!’
“What is it?”
“It’s- it’s Princess Twilight your highness.”
That got her attention.
“She was crying profusely, and-"
“She was what!? Where is she now?”
“In her agitated state she may have… accidentally lashed out and demolished a wall with her magic. A-after that she, w-well, spent about five minutes apologizing during which she only became more agitated, after which she ran into your bedchambers and slammed the door!”
“No drone goes near my chambers, I’m on my way!”
Chrysalis scattered all the reports she had in her grasp to one side and sprinted immediately. Jumping off her throne, she created a portal opening beneath her leading to the one place she currently wanted to be.
Twilight lay on her mother’s bed, curled into the sheets as sorrowful sobs echoed throughout the chambers.
--“I could say the same BBBFF…”
“Don’t call me that, changeling, only my sister calls me that.”--
He had rejected her. All of her worst fears had played out right before her eyes, was this the reaction she could expect from everypony else?
She laid there for what seemed like an eternity in the depths of Tartarus, before a fiery green glow introduced a new presence in the tear filled room.
Chrysalis gingerly approached the bed, where her daughter lay. “Twilight?”
Out of nowhere Twilight lunged and held onto to Chrysalis, nuzzling her chest. “He… he…”
“Shhh, it’s okay,” Chrysalis cooed, nuzzling the top of her daughters head, taking her place on the bed next to Twilight. Right now she had to be there for her daughter; she could, and would have words with Captain Armor later.
“I just… never thought he’d…”
“I know Twilight, I’m so sorry. If I had known, I would never had left you alone with him.”
“He just wouldn’t listen, I tried to explain but…”
Twilight didn’t continue, instead the sobbing returned, and it was several long minutes before she spoke again.
“I… I need to go back to Canterlot,” Twilight sniffled. “I need to know.”
“Are you sure? Twilight I…”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“OK… if that’s what you want I will arrange passage in the morning for you and the ponies. My only condition is that you take Carduus and his squad with you.”
After a moment Twilight nodded, before burying her head in Chrysalis’ chest, letting all the built up tears fall. Chrysalis lay there as her daughter continued to sob, gently stroking her mane while draping a protective wing over her daughters trembling body. They continued to lay there like this, until all of Twilight’s tears were spent and she drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Chrysalis looked over her daughters form, this was real. She was here, after so many years.
Chrysalis gently nuzzled her daughter one last time before laying her head down, and too drifting to a peaceful slumber.
Will Shining Armor fall victim to the fandom's hate?
Or more importantly, will I after writing and releasing this chapter? 
Find out, in the comments section!
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I still like him maybe not in this story. I have low tolerance for bigots. Good chapter.
Let wona kick some sense into that noob shining armor
"What the hay, hero?"
I think that people still like you. However, they seem to dislike this version's Shining Armor.
You know...
Just once I'd like to see the basic set-up used here, and Shining at least begrudgingly forgiving everything becuse it was to save his LSBFF. The drama instead being based on his conflicting duties between family now serving a foregein power, and his duty to the Equestrian crown... or something.
No offence, I do get that there's such a thing as a bad first impression (and boy-howdy was that a bad one), but seeing Shining as a specist in every single changeling story just gets so old. Heck, him just hating Chrysalis would be a step up, even.
I still approve. Shining is certainly somewhat justified, though that last one was totally not (but hey anger over a species that tried to brainwash you and take over the capital and your sister's defending them).
Won't lie though, that was a poor moment for Shining.
Hmm... Well he clearly regrets what he did but it doesn't change the fact that he said it. I'll reserve my judgement in later chapters.
Wow Shining is such a dick in this chapter. Cadance is gonna be pissed.
As an observer I would get a few more Changelings with her, only to monitor Shining Armor while they probably get them back to Canterlot.
I know Twilight still likes him, but I get the feeling he maybe assist the others if they should suddenly attack Twilight in Canterlot. However it would be strange if Celestia wouldn´t notice anything, or I just hope it isn´t exactly ending in a foalnapping without a trace of where she was taken to. (urg I hope I didn´t messed up that sentence to much, I´m still not confident enough about my english grammar).
I would like it if they take it a bit more serious, and if he has to really make it up to her, not that he is just getting out of it to easy. (Shining I mean)
Don't worry we still like you
. Only problem that I found is that the whole chapter feels rushed and I mean it.
Is it wrong that I want to smack Shining upside the head?
No?
Alright then*smack*
That's for calling your sister a monster.
(why are there no Shining Armor Emotes?)
Shining you piece of s****
I can understand where Shining Armor is coming from, considering he was brainwashed by them while his fiancée was kidnapped by them. He personally took a lot of abuse from the changelings regardless of their intentions, so of course he's going to be wary.
What the heck, he went there KNOWING that she was a changeling. so this xenopohia came completely out of no where.
Personally redo the chapter because it doesn't fit with the rest of the story. You can't just 180 a character like that.
6819232 Chill your fucking shit.
6819120 Ditto
6819272 It was a little rough.
Shinings part felt a bit forced at the end of the conversation. Also his overall reaction is completely reasonable considering (mind controlled and all that) i say its only forced because of his solidarity in getting his sister back displayed earlier in the book. It was when he reffered to twilight as "changeling" that whole phrase felt forced.
Otherwise good work cant wait for more
Yes Shining, you should give the creatures that invaded, knocked out/bound/forcefully drained love energy from innocent ponies, bound and shoved Cadence into the caves below, and mind controlled your brother.
Twilight you are an idiot, even if they used non-lethal methods. They still basically invaded a kingdom, beat people up, stole energy from them, and basically caused havoc! In a normal court of law they would be tried on many counts alone and locked up, if not set up for execution!
6819290
On some points, you're right. It felt just a little forced... But at the same time, its an understandable reaction, really. We don't have any real way to relate to that, but think of it this way. Someone you love was taken from you. You find them again, only to find they now match the very thing that took them from you and sympathize with their captors. Add onto this that Shining has every reason to mistrust Changelings... The dialogue could have been better, but I'd say Shining's reaction was spot on.
Another thing to consider... He was just fine with Twilight right up until she showed him her real form... That's when the trouble started. "I prefer your REAL form" doesn't really leave much room for things to go well.
KILL HIM
6819120
I agree but he is a captain who is supposed to keep canterlot safe its actually harder to imagine him not being specist or at least paranoid. Not justifing this particular case as nopony died during invasion. But if everything had happaned as the show did it would be reasonable to act that way. So in order to stop his being biased against changelings the canterlot invasion would either not to have happened at all or very differently.
6819323 Why would them not killing anyone be justifying it anyways? They still invaded, forcefully stole from the bodies of ponies, knocked out those who resisted, and generally used mind magic on ponies. Not to mention knocking out and locking Cadence somewhere else (Abuse of royalty).
I mean really, it's still an invasion that forcefully stole from pony bodies, the invasion would have to not happen at all otherwise to have Shining be justified as wrong.
When a chapter feels rushed, should we assume that the story will be updated every 6 months, then forgotten without a proper ending?
As most of the stories that I've been waiting for updates for a very, very long time ?
6819314
Ah yes i addressed as much in a prior comment and i did say this case excluded. In my reply to your comment i was addressing shinnings char from the show. In this instance it truly felt forced at the end when (as i stated in earlier comment) he referred to twilight as just changeling denying the pony infromt of him as being his sister. His first comment i let go because well ponies are idiots and can be seen as a slip of the toung.
I hope shining armor is aware of what he did as he spoke at twilight .
I believe that her friends will want the same good although it is a changeling , and also the two princesses , especially Princess Celestia .
6819272 Yes he KNEW but he probably didn't expect her to have embraced it or forgiven her mother
The whole thing kinda reminds me of my own family when bigotry had my father pretty much disown my sister. They did make up [weeks] later but it was all still worthy of a soap opera TV show as they're both bull-headed. While Shining hating on changelings and, in turn, Twilight for being one I really feel he will accept what Twilight is and remember that she is still family. Oh yes, I fully expect liquid pride will be shed in mass quantities when those two do make up. Will Shining ever forgive changelings? Maybe, ponies seem to be a lot more forgiving than humans. But he won't forget. Frienemies, or just snarky, with Chrysalis would be a good place to end up at.
6819331
Well if u take into account the actions of the ponies from the show forgiving discord and all doing almost the exact same thing. That shows a strong willingness to forgive and yes this a fanfic but until i see more how they react i can only go off the show for probable and resonable reactions. if you want to be realistic shinning should never have been sent on this mission its far too personel. Just like doctors dont work on family and what not.
Oh and lets see we got kidnapping, worst case of unliscensed marching and supposedly draining ponies of love. Yeah twilights been taking love from her loved ones and no harm done sooo yeah not quite monster catagory stupid maybe deffenitely jail time. Extinction worthy not even
Twilight, Shining, Ponies, Changelings you've forgotten the most IMPORTANT RULE!
45.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzyut9CZhb1qeg7cro1_500.gif
Nice chapter. Cadence is going to be mad at Shining when they get back, and Chrysalis is going to have words for him before they leave. Can't wait for the next chapter.
6819323
Well, yes, protection is down-right his special talent.
However, there's a big, big difference between being on opposing sides to somebody, and outright hating them. And that's a line I don't see drawn much in fan fiction dealing with Shining and the changeling invasion.
And well... Given that this is a world where Discord was given a chance to live in, well, Harmony, I really don't see why Shining so often gets given the changeling bigot card.
I'm not saying he should be giving changelings big hugs right after his nearly destroyed wedding, mind you, just puzzled why the reaction is always 'hate forever' when nopony was even seriously hurt.
6819398
Yeah if u read some of my other comments youll,see i agree one hundred percent. Like i just posted shining should not have been allowed on the mission in the first place. He would be far too emotional.
Try this story http://www.fimfiction.net/story/82748/princess-celestia-the-changeling-queen
It potrayed him much better in relation to changelings.
Here's hoping Longshot will take charge and do some damage control as well as talk to the Queen and Princess.
6819383 Discord was also at least punished by being resealed in stone for a long period of time before being freed again and was under the control of heroes that would re-seal him if neccessary, here Chrysalis would be getting off scot free along with her army there is no punishment.
Also it's not supposedly, an earlier chapter describes them as doing it, so basically it would be.
Kidnapping, Kidnapping Royalty, Theft of Love Energy, Assault, Battery (As they knocked out and fought those that resisted), Invasion of another kingdom (seriously, this is not a light crime!) and use of mind magic to force ponies to do against what they will.
6819285 Lol, that why I said "s***".....
While I have little to no sympathy for bigots, I think Shining can be brought around. At the very least, he knows he's fucked up.
Deus tecum.
Absolutely
I swear by Celestia's forehooves, you better make things okay with Shining and Twilight!
No matter what happens please have Chrysalis have some... 'Words' for Shining Armor, maybe along with other things as well......
6819457
Okay i never said she shouldnt be punished twilight never said she shouldnt be punished. And it is far too early to say she gets off scott free. Mind control magic? Are you ok with princess cadence? Again i have seen no reprocussions (may have spelt that wrong) for feeding off love in the show or this story. And i feel your making light of the situation in regarding two foreign powers having a dispute yes chrysalis did those things but she is not a citizen and therfore does not answer to equestrian law. She was an invading force yes and i believe in this story it will come to war.
And finally what punishment would you give her because in many countries shed be hung. And can you really see ponies doing so. Imprisonment yes but execution nope.
In regards to twilight and shining, twilight was defending her stand point of theyre not all monsters what would you do a loved one calling your race monsters wouldnt want them to give you a chance or are you deluded in thinking youd be okay walking with everyone cursing your existance.
"The problen eye for an eye is everyone ends up blind."
Jesus christ Shining, what the hell. That was totally uncalled for.
6819552
And there's none for chopping off hair either, but its still serviceable by jail time and a heavy fine because you are still stealing something from the person. If there was a way to steal blood harmlessly without losing any of it it'd still be a crime as it was taken by force without consent.
What?
Turned to stone, or Tartarus
Whatever you commit on foreign soil typically comes with the caveat that one is subject to the laws of the land of those who own it, regardless of ones feelings on it.
Well considering that they haven't really shown themselves in any decent light, any good light at all and Shining so far has only experienced terror, mind control, and overall seen his wife kidnapped and thrown to the crystal.. So far if it looks like a monster, acts like a monster... Heck Twilight herself cannot fully justify their race because she was raised by Ponies her entire existence.
And letting others cut your eyes out without response just ends with a victim.
SHIT!
6819457 I say it's all okay because I like changelings.
And I can see Shining being wary of changelings, but extending it into complete hatred of the entire race for one action? That's a bit much, I don't see Americans still hating Japanese for Pearl Harbour andnowadays people agree that extending the repercussions to every single person of Japanese descent was a bad idea. I'm quite sure not every single changeling actively participated in the attack, so the idea of hating every single one of them for it doesn't sit well with me.
Also, theft of love energy? I kinda doubt that's actually an officially recognised punishable offence in Equestria, seeing that up until the invasion changelings were at most a myth.
Cya
Raziel-chan
6819610 Considering it's been 50 years and all that I'd hope not, but that's also ignoring that after Pearl Harbor the United States entered into war and actually fought the enemy, bringing them and their administration down, and that more importantly they surrendered afterwords.
In this case, the queen's still there, the ponies were invaded and it's been quite literally days and weeks, not years, and the fact that Chrysalis did infact have a ton of her changlings there to invade and steal quite willingly, and of course there's the fact there's been no punishment or any sort of overall change. They invaded, they stole, they hurt, and left.
In your analogy, Japan would've invaded Pearl Harbor and the United States would've just accepted that.
The problem with changlings so far is that they don't know of anything else because they quite literally came out of nowhere, attacked, and that's the last of them seen so far of an entirely different species and creature (And considering the other hive so far, doesn't seem like they are very nice to each other either). And for all Shining could really know, is that Twilight is being mindwashed by Chrysalis to accept their kind.
One could say that stealing magic would be akin to the same punishment rate.
6819597
I suppose we will just have to agree to disagree in this regard i still see the changelings here acting on the same ground as the show a starving people who were forced into action. And should be getting the benefit of the doubt and that includes chrysalis. I have not read the comics mind you. Also there will always be victims just as there will always be agressors. Its called the cycle of violence for peace someone must relent and let go. And when did the changelings act as monsters. Here they didnt kill anyone didnt cause too much damage or become overly sadistic. Terrorist doesnt even come to mind. The only they did was make the ponies uncomfortabe. This was at most a hostage situation.
Oh and i mention cadence because her use with love magic looks an awful like mind control.
6819642 I suppose we will then, good luck to you.
The idiot is pushed aside, so we're gonna now go to Canterlot. I think Longshot will try to flirt with Twilight along the way...
6819647
to you as well
6819610
Now, after so many years, no, we don't hate them at all. Back then though? When the attack was still recent, yes, there was quite a bit of hate there.
And it was a hatred of them as a whole, not just the military who executed the attack.