Going deep undercover, Shining Armor will have to enter a whole other realm to stop the strange disappearances that are seeing ponies vanish all over Equestria. Can he get to the bottom of things and come out the other side intact?
I won't lie, this story has been harder to give a title to, and describe, than it has been to write. I don't want to give it all away, because there are going to be quite a few twists and turns in here. At least one later-on character I will be leaving out of the tags, it is such a surprise.
Art by the wonderful Mix-up (link to their DA). Please head to their Deviant Art page and leave a nice comment. 
Contains: Parasitization, transformation, gender (and sex) changing, a little roughhousing, mental conditioning, the strangest egg laying you will ever see (I have since made stranger), and a very confused Cadance.
See This Blog for licensing.
This one bears the weight of some odd tags. AU is going to be quite obvious, once you read the first chapter. Being a Teen rated story, the Gore tag must be present for the body-horror-esque scene. Horror is going to be a thing, and Dark it shall become. The CMC? Oh you had better believe they are going to be involved, that wasn't just a random bow.
Welcome aboard for another weekly ride!
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The ride never ends
I'm the commissioner for this story. Several things influenced this story, but I can't talk about them without spoiling since of the directions this will go.
It's a rather complicated piece that will swing between slice of life antics and some rather dark, depressing, and dramatic moments. Anything involving changelings tends to be rather serious, and I hope this story will take a stab at exploring some slice of life moments instead of relying on contrivances like a hivemind or instincts.
That said, it won't be a very dark story, just have a few dark moments to set the stage for the real shenanigans to follow.
7830724 Indeed, if this was a mature rated fic, I wouldn't even have used the dark and gore tags.
Wow! This is awesome thus far. You've got me hooked.
I like ovaposation stories, but I have a had time imagining that Shining Armor would have the time to have a second identity as a DJ mare, it would need a lot of explanation of how it started. Still I am looking forward to see what will happen next. If they are used a Broodmares I would imagine that they would be constantly fatten up to make sure that the eggs get all the nutritions they need.
7831203 His/her backstory will be revealed during the story as it progresses. This is pre-wedding, so Shining hasn't had too many official duties yet, and none so far as the Crystal Empire are concerned. The story is rated Teen, with no sex tag, so there will be no shenanigans with brood mares or such. The life-cycle of these changelings is an odd one, but often insects do have strange and (to some) horrifying stages of development.
The strangest egg laying scene? You have our attention!
Ohhh, we think we see what you mean.
To Shining: where's Vinyl!? What did you do to her?
Keep going! ;)
Oh, this is going to be goooood
Oh now that is interesting. Mind control through the spinal cord? Not very common but it works.
To Cadance: do you KNOW where shining is?
Keep going! ;)
goodbye
dǝʎ 'ɹǝɥʇouɐ oʇ ǝıssnɐ ǝuo ɯoɹɟ
Oh good, only four in total makes it easy to contain them... Wait, that's not good, is it?
So the mind control isn't totally absolute, which is good. Still, it will take a lot of careful manipulation to escape...
To Vinyl: is your CHA high enough for that roll?
Keep going! ;)
Haha, they're not bigger, you're smaller!
So they're already being connected to the hive? Interesting. We had anticipated a local net, but if the signs are correct they're already downloading the indoctrination files...
Keep going! ;)
This is getting interesting, your writing is really getting better as you keep writing. I wander how they will adjust to the indoctrination, also I wander what happen when they are determent to defy the orders even if they they ignore the parasite manipulating them.
This reminds me a lot of the story Intergeneration By Ragos With Carmel slowly turning into a Changeling and learning how to live like a them. It also reminds me of Chrysalis’ Harvesting that I wrote the outline of story, did you got your idea from that for the parasite?
7878477 While I have read the story about Carmel slowly turning into a changeling (and loved it), I have not read the other one. Our inspiration for this started with just wanting to turn the CMC into changelings and... oops, if I say any more, I will give away the plot!
7878454 The problem is, changebugs run on debian, and all the indoctrination files are .bat-scripts!
What the heck was the point of having Vinyl secretly be Shining Armor? The changeling stuff is the central plot, but the SA part is just there like it's fulfilling some magic transformation quota for no reason.
I really like this snide, snarky Vinyl. to put it in the words of the Lady of Windemere (Kingdoms of Amalur)
7878675 Well, it surely wouldn't have been built for elements later in the plot.
7878700 Thanks. I always try to portray characters as close to the show as possible, but with subtle changes.
Why does Vinyl care about fiilies so much?
Head, meet desk. I loathe split personalities/shared bodies/etc.
7884072 It's a good thing their bodies are not going to stay that way, then!
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Ok, but if Shining and Vinyl "talk" to each other after that I will be very disappoint.
This is awesome! Love it.
I see what is happening. You can't hide it from my special eyes!
7895155 MOUSE EYES?!
Honestly, I was a little turned off by the shining/vinyl thing at the start. But after going in a while I'd say I'm excited for more!
7903351 Glad to hear it!
This was a great chapter, I wander how the school will be like for them.
Wonderful chapter! Looking forward to the next.
Oh, now that is interesting. Plus sympathy points here.
See, there's a reason why they don't take adults! And especially not one with a will this strong and adept at maintaining multiple personalities!
We wonder if this is how they knew an attack on Canterlot was imminent? Curious continuity, we like it!
Keep going! ;)
great to see an other chapter of this story again, I am curious to know what what they meant that they where changeling 'inside'. Do they mean that they become loyal to the Queen or is it in the biological aspect?
I am curiouser to know how Thorax was assigned to teaching the grubs and if it was as a reward or a punishment of him?
Articulate: You wouldn't be lying about any of this now would ya?
crash course on life in the hive. Fortunate they can't boredom their way out of it, huh?
This exactly what Shining needs, internal intel!
If the grub is expected to come along and learn too... What is preventing resistence once training is complete? Hmmm...
Keep going!
;)
Wait til Shiny has a feed, might be bigger than expected?
So Shining is some sort of secret agent or something? If so when Vinyl Scratch don't actually exist, it's just a cover?
Did Cadence know about Vinyl?
They have Crystal ponies? Interesting...
Thorax is harboring things, we sense a strong will and stubborn hope!
If what she let slip is true... Well, the fight will be real!
To Thorax: what was losing your other half like? What would you do to prevent another from going through the same?
Keep going! ;)
a class on how to lie. I would ace that.
Scootaloo's lie was a bit over the top. But I guess people would assume she was exaggerating the details and not making up the whole thing.
7994704 Exactly, in case it wasn't obvious enough, she was trying to emulate Rainbow Dash's bragging style, taken to a higher degree.
Well this was interesting to see Shining/Vinyl realizing that he the indoctrination make him/her create a bond with Thorax. I wander how the group will deal with the other grubs. I would have thought that the class that they have should be better called drama class, as it's basically the same.
Feeling neck ache today giving me a headache but happy with this chapter.
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We're convinced that Thorax, even though she's not being completely forthcoming, is an important pony. She seems to be investing a lot into this...
Her other half? Are we reading too much into that, or is there going to be a soul-splitting in by near future?
So after learning is.... Training? Actually getting to use that new body? Changeling puberty?
To Glimmer: do you still hold hope?
Keep going! ;)
This was an interesting chapter, Shining is going to give birth to Vinyl as his/her twin and that is isn't the only case for others new grubs. I am surprised that the CMC have started to get attached to their caretaker, all does I think it's more of a Stockholm Syndrome that is in effect. it also seem that the the foals also start to lose their memories after a while, that is worrying factor as it mean that they have a limited time to try to get out of their situation before they eventually forget how they are. I can't wait to see what will happen next.
Remember ponies, friendship is magic!
Things are looking up, shared secrets can start turning into plans, and a revolution might spark!
To Applebloom: what about family?
Keep going! ;)
So they are laying the developed larva that crawled into them at the start in eggs?
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*Gasps* What!?!?!
Wha wha what????!!?! Glimmer Wing is actually Sunset Shimmer??!! That.... Well, our chances of success just raised considerably!
Of course, care must be taken , but fate seems to be smiling on them for the moment.
To Glimmer: can you remember your lessons from before? Might come in handy!
Keep going! ;)