Months and months of searching had led up to this single moment. Everything he had planned he finally come into fruition, his hunt finally coming to an exhilarating halt. The walls around him had been encased in a sicking fleshy wrap, as if he was trapped inside a massive green cocoon. All of the strange organic matter could not hold his attention, as Shining Armor was too focused at the gravely wounded creature in front of him.
She coughed, her chest burning from the wound. “W-Why would you do this?” Chrysalis asked.
The stallion grinned, his face somewhat stained with her blood. “What? You really think you can ask that question?” He drew close to her, his hooves stomping a slow and methodical beat.
The Queen's heart raced with each step of his. Chrysalis had failed. Beyond all comparison, she had failed not only to capture the Equestrian capital, but also failed to save her brood.
Years and years of starvation in the frozen north had been the worst type of torture any being could ever endure. It took every ounce of her strength to travel far enough south to find civilization. The Changelings she had conquered had been shambling almost lifelessly alongside her. She was more worried about her own well being than these strange creatures.
Her progeny had taken up a form to mimic her own appearance. Had Chrysalis never sought after the Tyrant King of the Crystal Empire, she may have never come across the pitiful creatures. A small clan of equine beings that seemed to cling to her like a new born foal. She was more than happy to burden the new beats, hoping to overthrow the King.
The Princesses had beaten her to it, banish him to the shadows. What would have been a pleasant little feast of an empire now had an empty throne. If only Sombra hadn't cursed the place to disappear along with him.
The Queen had fled south in hopes of survival. If she wouldn't be able to feast on someone soon, her immortality would begin to waver, and she may even wither away. As time dragged on, she actually came to care for the brood she had created, and wished to keep them safe from harm's way. Once they had all reached the first northern Equestrian cities, she discovered that they had adopted the appetite for Love like the rest of her race. She grew more motherly towards them all as time went on, and eventually saw her opportunity. A chance to feast upon all of Equestria at once. IT all started with the stallion that now stood above her.
Shining Armor had the most lustfully excited look in his eyes, as his sword raised high in the air, waiting for the sweet release of his vengeance.
“I'm sorry...” Chrysalis muttered, her thoughts resonating throughout her brood.
“Me too, I wish I had more time to savor this.” Shining declared, as his sword invaded the Queen's heart.
Her blood danced and painted his blade, as some of it managed to find its way onto his hooves. The limp body of Chrysalis was all he needed to see, as almost a year of tension and rage had seeped through his being.
He fell to the ground, his body suddenly becoming very fatigued. A simple smile found its way onto his face, as he was content.
As soft rustling shifted his gaze to his left, as he saw seven Changelings slowly approach him. He reacted quickly, standing up and drawing his sword from the corpse of Chrysalis.
Their advance wasn't slow and threatening, but rather trepid. It was shy, and fearful. He also began to notice that their forms had changed since he had last saw them. What were once these black, pony like insects, were now replaced with soft and brittle creatures. They were faceless, and sported no distinguishing features beyond very ragged black manes and tails that maintained the membrane like texture. They had no eyes whatsoever, but Shining could tell the look they had.
It was a look of fear, and concern. A look that came with apprehension, but also with a plea. The unicorn carefully cantered over to the closest Changeling, waiting for her to strike with some horrific magic.
Instead, it merely lifted its hoof, as if asking for his own. With a very hesitant motion, Shining accepted. A strange prodding had slipped into his mind, as thoughts that were not his own rang out with immense clarity. Shining drew his hoof back immediately, ready to lash out at the Changeling, before the thoughts suddenly stopped.
The Changeling in front of his took a very shaken step forward, offering her hoof again. The look on her hollow face still rang loudly, and Shining could help but pity them.
He took a second chance, accepting the hoof and the thoughts long enough to hear what they had to say.
We have done terrible things, under the command of the Chryssalid. We are in the need of a new parent, one willing to look after so many of us. Would you save us from starvation?
“What starvation? Love? I'm not going to become a buffet for you parasites!” Shining lashed out, attempting to draw his hoof back.
The Changeling quickly grabbed back onto it. No! We only feasted on love because we had adopted the Chryssalid's diet. If you were to accept, we would adopt your diet as well. Our relationship would symbiotic, not parasitic.
“So you would eat as normal ponies do? I can't house all of you though. I can't have thousands of Changelings roaming about, suddenly becoming herbivores.”
I fear you victory over Canterlot had taken its toll on our race. Only the seven of us remain.
Shining looked at her in shock, as he eyed the other six Changelings. “I'm sorry about that. My grudge was with Chrysalis, not your entire race.”
Then make it up to us. Allow us to rest upon your conscious, become our patriarch. We will follow whatever order you give us with the utmost care. We only wish to survive, and right now you are our only option.
“Why do you need me to survive?” He asked. “What's going to kill you?”
In our current form, only magic could sustain us. However our magic is non existent without a host to charge it. If we were left alone here, it would only be a matter of time before our bodies give out from malnutrition.
Shining had found himself in a most interesting position. While he was very apprehensive of taking care of these Changelings, let alone letting them into his head, he pitied them. To live an existence like theirs, having to cling onto the care, and hopefully, compassion of another being.
The unicorn couldn't simply return with seven ponies in tow. A thousand questions would be raised that simply wouldn't have the answer to. Shining wasn't about to just leave them either. He couldn't simply let them die out, especially if he had been the main case to their endangerment. He owed them that.
Shining stood as he watched the Changeling approach him, extending her hoof. Accepting it a third time, she drew closer, until their horns made contact.
The thoughts he conversed with continued, even as he withdrew from the Changeling. The seven of them began to morph. Their carapace was replaced with a proper coat of white. Their manes still maintained their membrane texture, but now bore a special electric blue hue to them. They eyes returned, now looking like a proper pony then the strange eyelids they wore under Chrysalis. They all looked like variously different versions of himself, be it mare or stallion.
Thank you, the voices resounded in his mind, I'm sure you can feel how much this means to us.
Of course, Shining Armor responded, I kind owe it to you. C'mon, let's go home.
