Chapters Prince Sundown Shifter was sparring with Aunt Bending Loyalty. As usual, his Aunt was winning.
C'mon, Prince! You need to learn to anticipate and not plan! Use your instincts!
Grr... I know, I know! It's just... I'm so use to planning! Bending Loyalty suddenly lunged. Sundown used a shield spell, but nothing hit it. His Aunt had tricked him into wasting his magic!
Anticipate!! Prince Sundown Shifter gritted his teeth. Then he closed his eyes and shut his mind down. When he opened his eyes back up, he took in everything. His Aunt then charged her horn and teleported somewhere. Sundown sensed a presence above. He rolled to the left. Bending Loyalty, for once, had not anticipated this. She buzzed her wings to slow the fall. Bending Loyalty scanned the room. No Prince.
Magic bolts struck her body. She screamed in pain. The Prince had never used this magic before. With instincts in control, he did anything he thought. Because of this, drones appeared and tackled the Prince. Prince Sundown Shifter struggled and fought, but couldn't win against the three drones pinning him. His mind resurfaced. He remembered almost killing his favorite Aunt. Sundown fell unconscious from magic-exhaustion.
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"Sundown," screamed Shimmering Dusk, "do you know what you did!?!!"
Sundown looked shamefully at the ground, "Yes, Mommy. I almost killed Aunt Loyalty while following her instructions." Dusk was taken aback by this. Following her instructions?!
"Alright, Sundown. What did Aunt Loyalty tell you to do?"
"She told me to anticipate and not plan, so I shut down my mind and let instincts take over." Dusk face-hoofed.
"Sundown? Is 'anticipating' and 'using instincts' the same thing?" Prince Sundown Shifter pondered for a moment.
"No..?"
"No. They are not the same." Sundown looked shamefully at the floor again.
"... Then how do I anticipate?" Dusk looked at her son. She trotted over and hugged him.
"By trusting that whatever you believe is going to happen, will. It's similar to planning, but not the same." The stayed in their embrace.
He sniffed. "Why can't I anticipate, Mommy?" She began to stroke his mane.
"I don't know, sweetie. But how about, we go to the hospital section and visit Aunt Loyalty. Okay?"
"Okay, Mommy..."
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Bending Loyalty was in a wheelchair looking through a magic-window portal. She sighed. The harvesters were being morons again. In fact, one strolled up to a stallion and began making-out inappropriately in public. Her right ear twitched, and she heard the door open. She turned her wheelchair to see a sad Sundown Shifter and a sympathetic Shimmering Dusk. Dusk nudged Sundown.
"S-sorry, Aunt Loyalty," said Sundown. The prince looked terrible. His dragonic eyes were rimmed with red, and he was sniffling. Bending Loyalty also saw his face had dried tear marks.
Come 'ere, squirt. Stop that belly-aching, would 'ya?
O-okay... Aunt Loyalty?
Hmm?
When do you think you can teach me anticipation?
Dusk, how hard is it to have a personal student? Sundown gasped. Him!? A personal student to Aunt Bending Loyalty!?
Oh, Mommy! Please, say "yes!!" Shimmering Dusk smirked.
"Not too hard," she said.
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Today was Prince Sundown Shifter's first lesson in "anticipation." He was nerv-excited! (You're welcome Laughing.)
Aww... Thanks, DiscordFan!! Ahem. As I was saying...
He was nerv-excited! His favorite Aunt was taking him as a personal student!
WHOA, whoa, whoa! Whose his favorite Aunt!!?! Erm... the narration is gonna stop for a little guys so... Bye.
LAUGHING!!!!!!!!
"Alright," Bending Loyalty said, "Prince, your first lesson in 'anticipation.'"
Prince Sundown Shifter stomped his front right hoof, "I'm ready. Bring it on!" Loyalty shook her head while smiling. Just as much ego and pride as she had when she was his age.
"Well, Step 1: Do not plan. If you do, then trying to anticipate is pointless." Bending Loyalty face turned stoic. Sundown Shifter plastered a fierce and determined expression on his face.
I will conquer "anticipation!"
No, no. Stop planning! Just... Just do!
B-but last time I "just did," I almost killed you... He sniffled. Bending Loyalty's face turned from stoic to caring.
It's okay, squirt. Some of us are just better at some things than others. You're good at planning. I'm good at following instinct while controlling it...
"... Which leads us to Step 2: Follow and control your instincts; achieve balance. This is very important, but we will not be learning that today," Bending announced. Her caring, magenta-dragon eyes looked at Sundown lovingly. She trotted over, and Sundown embraced her. She smirked. "You just partially completed Step 1..."
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The next few days were like this. All Sundown Shifter had to do for "homework" was (almost) anything that popped into his head. He hadn't stopped thinking; he had just let his body do what it wanted after being approved by his mind.
Finally, Bending had asked, "What is 'anticipation?'"
Anticipation is to trust your instincts and approve of them before they perform their deed. His Aunt clapped her hooves.
"Omigosh! This is just, totally, great! You even completed Step 2 without realizing it!" Sundown cocked his head. What did Aunt Loyalty say he did, now? "Now, for the final test..."
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Prince Sundown Shifter was preparing for his final test. It was to spar. But it was to spar against Queen Shimmering Dusk, or Mommy. Sundown didn't plan anything. No moves, tactics, guessed-stats of his opponent. Nothing. He was ready. He trotted into the sparring room, where he saw Mommy already preparing a defensive position and had a fierce expression. His Aunts and Chrysalis (Uncle Thorn) were sitting on... the bleacher-seat-things? Each wore a judging expression (except Laughing) on their faces. He trotted onto the "field," and he stood in the red-outlined circle. Mommy was standing in a blue-outlined circle. Aunt Loyalty flew off the bleachers (that's what we're gonna call 'em) and landed on the "field."
"You may each choose a weapon," she announced, "Only one weapon; no more, no less. Also, I want a clean fight. So, no. Magic." Mommy kept her fierce expression, but her eyes widened a bit. Mommy must be worried about the "no magic" rule. She trotted over to the weapon rack and choose... nunchucks. Sundown Shifter picked throwing stars. Aunt Loyalty trotted over to the sidelines with a referee hat (I don't know where she got it) to make sure they followed the rules.
Six voices began to chorus, "3... 2... 1..!"
"SPAR," Aunt Loyalty screamed. It had begun.
Shimmering Dusk lunged and waved her nunchucks, one being held in her mouth, the other in hoof. Sundown Shifter rolled and dodged. Dusk's fierceness increased. She leaped and landed on top of Sundown... to have him disappear!?!! She facehoofed. She hated changeling-clouds (illusions that looked like a certain changeling).
She sensed a presence above. Shimmering Dusk looked to see her son about to fall on top of her. She waved the nunchucks, creating a shield. Sundown Shifter threw two throwing stars (out of ten on a leather belt) that landed directly in a chain hole on each of Dusk's nunchucks. The shield failed. Sundown Shifter landed a more than a meter away from Dusk, two stars in hooves. Shimmering Dusk braced herself while keeping her eyes open. Suddenly, her back was against the wall, Sundown Shifter was in front of her, and he was holding a star on her throat.
I win... Sundown Shifter heard clapping, and he turned to see Aunt Loyalty gaping, sitting on the floor, and clapping her hooves slowly. What had he done?
"Aunt Loyalty," he asked, "what is it?"
She leaped into the air, wings buzzing, "You passed the test!" Sundown Shifter was taken aback. He had passed the test! He smiled. Not a smirk, a sarcastic look, or any of that. A genuine smile.
Oo, oo! And that's not all, every-ling! Look at his flank! Every changeling focused on Sundown's flank. Instead of the bare black they usually saw, there were three throwing stars. The two on the sides were small and black, while the middle star was large and cerulean. Sundown Shifter blinked.
What??? How could he have a cutie mark!? He was a changeling!! Changelings don't have talents! D-do they? Mommy? How? And... why?
"I don't know, Sundown," Dusk said, "I always thought your Aunts and I had cutie marks because we use to be ponies... Perhaps it's because your a royal changeling." Every-ling continued gaping at his cutie mark. What did it mean?
I don't know why, Sunny. I don't know...
But I believe I do. I'm not positive, but I think it's because of your DNA, my Queen. Do you deem this reasonable?
Yes, that seems reasonable. Thank you, Chrysalis.
Of course, Queen Shimmering Dusk.
I think this is AWESOME!! Um, any-ling else think it means he's gonna destroy the sun in some way?
... That's it! You're gonna destroy that b**th, Celestia! You're gonna avenge the changelings!
Sundown Shifter, avenge his brothers and sisters! Yes, he could, and he would. For his changelings. For he is their prince. He is Prince Sundown Shifter.
I, Prince Sundown Shifter, will avenge my Mother's changelings. And I will make all who hurt them, pay dearly..!
Prince Sundown Shifter was making plans. Mommy had told him to, for they were going to conquer the Crystal Empire. Mommy had already told them part of the plan.
Queen Shimmering Dusk was discussing the key part of the plan.
"We're going to conquer the Crystal Empire and convert Cadence and him.
Sundown?"
Sundown Shifter replied, "Yes, Mommy?"
"You are going to build onto that. Make a good plan. It doesn't have to be flawless,
just good." Sundown nodded and saluted.
"I won't let you down, Mommy!" Shimmering Dusk nodded in approval of his
attitude.
He sketched out a plan on a gridded, blank blueprint. They would create a changeling army and infiltrate the empire. They would replace all of the Royal Guard. Except for their pony infiltrator.
He used to be Dusk's personal guard when she was Twilight and Celestia's protégé. His name was Silent Shield, but his "fellow" guards nicknamed him "Stealth." Without armor, he was a black unicorn with a bronze-colored mane and tail with a gold streak. Silent Shield's eyes were a lovely blue, but had recently turned green when he became part of the Hivemind.
They would slowly take out guard, extract their memories and personalities, and convert them into changelings by cocoon. It was practically perfect.
Once they took out the Royal Guard, they carefully pony-nap Cadence. Chrysalis refused to help Queen Dusk and Prince Sundown plan this part. She said it was too painful for her to simply think about that. They would cocoon Cadence as well.
As for him , they didn't know yet, but Sundown were thinking that maybe Shimmering Dusk should play Cadence and drain his love. When he was almost dead from lack of love, they would cocoon him. Then Sundown Shifter would then replace him.
After that, they would negotiate with Sombra. They would offer the Crystal Empire to him, and in return, he had to keep all other nations, kingdom, empires, etc. out of the empire.
Mommy, my Queen?
Yes, Prince Sundown Shifter?
We are ready to start preparing for the infiltration...
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"Alright," Queen Dusk stated, "what's your plan, Prince Sundown Shifter?" She raised her eyebrow curiously. Chrysalis, listening as well, was sitting next to her.
"Alright," Prince Sundown said calmly, "first, we're gonna replace it he Royal Guard. Preferably one by one. And , of course, Silent Shield can help." Listening, Dusk nodded. "We'll convert them by cocoon. Once all of the guard is converted, except for Silent Shield, we will carefully pony-nap Cadence and convert her by cocoon as well." Chrysalis facehoofed.
Why didn't I do that?!
Silence, Chrysalis. Please continue, Sundown.
"*ahem* Then, maybe, Mommy, you could pretend to be her, and you can suck all of his love. Before he dies from the lack of love, we'll cocoon him, and I'll replace him." Chrysalis nodded in approval.
"Finally, we will negotiate with Sombra. We'll offer him the Crystal Empire, and in return, he'll keep all nations, kingdoms, empires, etc. out of the empire and help us conquer Equestria." He met Dusk's and Chrysalis' eyes. They were surprised. He flattened his ears. His wings wilted a little.
"That," Dusk said, "That would work!" Sundown smiled.
"Alright," he said, "we're gonna need a bigger changeling army though. Oh, and make Aunt Charity teach the harvesters to not be whores. They're not getting any love. It's all drunk love." Sundown snorted.
Morphing Charity! Teach the harvesters how not to be stupid whores. We need them to stop for the crystal infiltration.
Of course, darling! They are always being stupid whores. And that drunk love tastes disgusting!
Thank you, Charity!
"And, Sundown," Dusk said, "I'll gave birthing rights to your Aunts and keep my own. I'll also double egg delivery."
"Thank you, Mommy," whispered Sundown. He embraced Queen Dusk. "Thank you for listening and agreeing..." They continued their embrace for a few more minutes, and Chrysalis summoned a harvester to obtain the Royals love.
(Because their changelings, they can't die when love is taken by another changeling. They can die by age and starvation only.)
<><><><><>
It had been a month since Prince Sundown Shifter told Queen Shimmering Dusk his plan, and they had been preparing for a month. Queen Dusk and his Aunts had laid a total of... 847? Yeah, 847. 434 were drones and 413 were harvesters. Queen Dusk had used a lot of aging spells to make all of the newborns adults. They trained them easily. The harvesters, 'cause of the quick growth, weren't whores.
Also, only Bending Loyalty and Honest Change did not get the birthing rights. They worked on making metal armor for the drones and themselves. They were almost ready.
The Hive was now made up of 1,064,803 changelings. Sundown Shifter trotted towards Mommy's room to talk to her. He just hoped he hasn't let some of these thoughts out into the Hivemind.
He knocked on Mommy's door.
"Come in," Dusk called. Sundown Shifter opened the door and trotted in. He closed the door.
"Hey, Mommy," he said.
"Sundown."
"Um, can I talk to you without you communicating with Chrysalis or anything?" Dusk looked confused.
"Sure?" Sundown Shifter sat on the floor and sighed.
"When are we gonna begin the infiltration? Why am I in charge? Why am I so important?!" Shimmering Dusk was taken aback.
"Are you okay, Cerul? Is something going on in the Hive that I didn't 'hear?'" Dusk began to panic. Was her son okay!?!
"It's fine, Mommy; it's fine. I'm just... curious, I guess." Dusk pondered.
"You are in charge because you are brave, smart, and can understand others very well. You're important for the same reasons and because you are Royal. As for the infiltration, we must wait until Aunt Loyalty and Aunt Honest finish the armor... which they're almost done with..." Sundown's ears perked up.
"Really? Shouldn't we prepare to travel?" She smiled and nodded. Sundown began bouncing around the room, and he was buzzing his wings.
Dark. Cold.
Prince Sundown Shifter and an army of 5,000 changelings trudged through the snow towards the Crystal Mountains. A small tribe of 500 changelings were waiting for them in an unfinished base within the Mountains.
Also, two out of the Queen's five advisors had come along: Bending Loyalty and Morphing Charity.
Bending Loyalty had come along to keep the drones in shape and to study the magic of the cold, so she may make the armor resistant to it.
Morphing Charity came for similar reasons. She had come to keep the harvesters from going back to whores and to study shadow magic. (Not dark magic. More will be explained later.)
Sundown Shifter checked in with Bending Loyalty, who was making sure all changeling wouldn't get riled up.
Aunt Loyalty. How are the changelings holding up?
We're doin' good. Drones are mingling peacefully with the harvesters. I haven't heard any complaints on lack of love. Nothing else currently to report.
Thank you, Aunt Loyalty.
Sundown Shifter continued trudging forward through the cold blizzard. He shivered slightly. Stupid bug traits, he thought to himself.
Morphing Charity, report how much farther we must go to reach the Mountains.
From your coordinates, 228 meters.
Thank you, Aunt Charity.
Not much more, Cerulean. Not much more, he told himself.
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They had reached the unfinished base safely.
All 500 drones were working hard to finish, and the 500 that had come with Sundown were now working as well.
Prince Sundown Shifter, are you near the Cyrstal Base 1?
Actually, we have arrived safely. Not a single changeling complained and/or rivaled on our journey.
This is pleasing news. Thank you, Prince.
Sundown Shifter sighed. There were still many preparations to make...
And he was in charge of them all. He sighed again. At the moment, he felt like he had responsibilities over responsibilities over responsibilities!
"Most High Prince," a harvester said bowing. She had a hot pink mane and tail with a pair of lighter pink wings.
"Yes," Sundown responded. "Speak, harvester."
"The Queen's, Her advisors', and your chambers are ready to be occupied," she said, still bowing.
"Please, rise," Sundown commanded. He use to be one of them. He didn't like them bowing. It made him feel... different.
The changeling harvester rose and opened her, revealing normal pony eyes.
Sundown leaned backwards. "Wha..?"
"Oh," the harvester exclaimed. "I suppose I should explain."
But before she could, Sundown Shifter raised his front left hoof. "In a more private area. Something tells me your story is very strange, and it shouldn't be public."
She nodded in reply.
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Sundown closed the door to his chamber with the strange harvester sitting in a bean-bag (Sundown loves bean-bags.
He sat down in the second bean-bag.
Wait... I should probably describe the room first...
His chamber had the black, cave walls. He had a black queen-sized bed with a cerulean blanket and neon orange sheets. There were two bean-bags. The first one, currently holding the harvester, was neon orange, and the second one, currently holding Sundown, was orchid-purple. The both were on top of a cerulean circle rug with a black fringe. On the far wall, a magic window portal showed static, but above it, a plaque read 'Communication with Ponyville Base 1.'
Sundown Shifter lit up his horn to detect any spells anywhere within the chamber, and there was one. It was the Change spell.
Sundown narrowed his eyes at the harvester. "Release your disguise," he commanded.
The harvester sighed, and then she let flames lick her body. Her true form was white. Her mane and tail were longer and had a light blue stripe. Her eyes remained the same, but her eyelashes had a butterfly effect now. Her hooves had holes, and her horn was a unicorn horn with holes. She had no carapace, and at the base of her insectoid wings were a few feathers.
Sundown Shifter blinked. "Wha-what?! What are you?!"
The changeling-pony-hybrid harvester sighed. She flared her wings and announced, "I am Princess Heart Shield." She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "Daughter of the rulers of the Crystal Empire..." She opened her eyes. "Prince Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza."
Sundown Shifter blacked out.
"Uh-oh," Heart Shield whispered. "This... This is bad." She scanned the room, bored.
Then a thought popped into her head.
"Ha! Wait 'til he hears my story!" She clutched her stomach and continued laughing. Suddenly, she stopped. "He'll probably think I'm lying." She sighed.
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Queen Shimmering Dusk was laying eggs at the moment. Advisor Shifting Kindly and Laughing Flip-Flop were doing the same. Every day, each usually laid 100 eggs.
Dusk heaved and huff. She was going over her limit. She had already laid over 400 eggs. A changeling queen was not made for such labor.
Oh wow... I didn't mean for that pun. Continuing...
"Um, my Queen," Shifting Kindly said, "I don't think you should lay any more eggs."
"No," Dusk panted. "We... Need... More changelings... We... Must... Keep... Laying them!" Dusk pushed, but then she cried out in pain.
Laughing Flip-Flop screamed, "Dusk!"
Green blood began flowing out of Shimmering Dusk's behind. (Royal changelings' blood is green.)
"Guards! Guards!? Get in the egg-nursery now! It's the Queen!"
Several drone guards rushed into the room and immediately spotted the blood. The commander quickly levitated Dusk onto his back.
"O-oh my," Shifting Kindly whispered when she saw the blood start to flow quicker.
"Geez, DiscordFan! What's with this dramatic plot-twist?! You better make her okay," Laughing Flip-Flop hissed.
... I can't make any promises.
"God dammit, DiscordFan!"
"Um, Laughing," Kindly said, worried. "Are you okay?"
"Yes! No... I don't know! Our Queen and best friend received a serious injury! What do you think!?"
"... I don't know either..."
Interlude: Heart Shield's Story
After Sundown Shifter had woken up, Heart Shield began to unravel her tale of woe (~shrugs~).
"Mom and Dad told me that my birth was strange," she said, "because when I was born, I had holes in my hooves, but that was it. Of course...
... more changes took place as I grew up.
Now, as a foal, I was rather normal if you exclude the holes. I had completely feathered wings, no bug wings in sight! My horn was also normal.
Cadence told me my birth was rather painful for her. I don't know why. She just said it hurt as though something glass broke inside of her first. Only many years later, did she, Shining Armor, and I discover I hatched from an egg in her womb.
Skipping ahead to my fifth birthday...
My party was to be held out in the park, where every single crystal pony was invited! It was then that I learned ponies equaled a buffet...
A small, white alicorn with blue and pink hair squeaked and giggled as she tried to tag some other foals in order to make one of them 'it'. Suddenly, she heard a "d'aw", and something filled her stomach. It was... sweet... but at the same time, it tastes bland. She paused in her steps as the strangely intoxicating substance filled her stomach. What was it?
Then she heard her mother's voice call to her. "Heart Shield! Time for cake!"
The little alicorn began galloping over to her mother while she also fluttered her wings in anticipation.
Her mother was a pink alicorn with a magenta, yellow, and purple hair. Her mother smiled at her, and she felt the intoxicating substance fill her stomach again, except this time, it didn't taste bland. She clutched her stomach. She was completely full...
Of course, I didn't know the substance was love, but it's not like I cared. All I knew was that something was filling my stomach, and I was fine with that.
Now we skip to my eighth birthday. At first, I thought it was the worst day in my life, but I soon realized that it was far from it.
A white alicorn filly with blue and pink hair stared at her horn in the mirror. Last night, it was normal as she went to bed, but this morning, however-
"Mooom..!" Suddenly, the alicorn rushed out of the room and bolted down the crystal hallways of the castle she called home. "Mom! Mom!?" She repeated this as she slammed open the door to her parents' bedroom.
"Mom," she said as she shook a pink figure wrapped in pristine sheets. "Mom, wake up!"
"What is it, Shield," her mother muttered in a groggy state.
"Mom, you need to wake up and look at my horn!"
The pink figure began to sit up and rub her eyes. She stretched and yawned as she sleepily opened her eyes. "What happened to your-" Her eyes snapped open as they fixed their gaze open the white alicorn's horn. "- horn!" It had holes that went right through the bone of the horn...
On my tenth birthday, my feathers molted and revealed these bug monstrosities on my back. On my fifteenth birthday, I got the sudden urge to go to a certain location. When I got there, I met changelings...
"... and I lived like one ever since." She crossed her hooves and raised an eyebrow at Sundown Shifter. "Any questions, your highness?"
Sundown Shifter stared blankly at the mare-hybrid. "What. The. Buck! Did I just listen to?!"