It had been three days since I arrived in this world and through most of that, I had been working on my arm. That isn’t to say that I did not talk to my people in some form but usually it was through Dart as most of the others feared I would turn out like their previous master. I of course knew I would never do such a thing but I decided to give them a few days in which I would work on my arm. Luckily my crystal manipulation allowed me to make my crystal arm which could turn into any type of screw or latch to pull apart the destroyed piece of machinery. So I sat at the crystal desk in my room looking over the deconstructed form of my left arm. I had taken a few classes on how to perform minor repairs after my arms were attached so I understood my mechanical appendages pretty well. From reading up on my technomagic ability I learned that it could also help with developing mental blueprints and so with a blueprint in my mind I got to work on the new arm as I knew it would be impossible to return it to its original form. I stripped it of all but the lightest armor leaving the arm as skin as a skeleton with the exception of the joints which were their original size. I then put several bands of metal on the arm and hand, one for each finger bone including the thumb, two on the forearm, and three on the upper arm ending at my shoulder which held the battery and connector to my body. It moved at the same speed as my other arm but lacked any mass which is where my crystal manipulation came in. I formed crystals around the skeleton-like arm and hand fitting within the bands of metal and tightly against the armored joints leaving only them and my palm and the back of my hand crystal free. I then deconstructed my crystal arm detaching it from my arm and setting it on a stand labeled “MK1” before slowly and carefully attaching my new arm which clicked into place with a mechanical whine.

I stood and moved my arm in all directions noticing that the crystal was thinner than the armor on my right arm but that could easily be fixed I thought and flexed my powers which I had found felt like flexing some sort of invisible muscle. The crystal grew thicker and denser overtaking the metal bands but allowing the joints to be free while the bands were seen through the clear areas on the crystal. I also grew an Aquila symbol like that on my throne on the upper arm. Finishing looking at my new arm I pulled on my direwolf fur coat and pulled up its hood along with a face mask I had made from some old cloth that looked like the sleeve of a shirt I found in my closet. I then left my room returning to the throne room my heavy metal feet thumped against the floor in the thick leather boots I had found in my closet. They had a visible metal toe that went perfectly with the dark black of the boots and the rest of my clothing which was from when I first got here. I eventually made my way to the throne room just in time to see Dart walk in.

“Boss thank the maker, you’re here the guard needs your help!” shouted Dart waving for me to follow which I did following her outside to see the guard with their spears pointed at bug pony creatures. As we slowed dark energy filled my right hand and the fingertips of my left lengthened an inch and tapered into claws. As I did these crystals floated from the groundbreaking into thin six two-inch in diameter, one foot-long spikes. Dart stopped at this as I walked forward to see my guards holding makeshift weapons while the captain held what looked like a crystal poleaxe.

“Identify yourselves immediately by order of the Crystal Guard!” he shouted at the multitude of creatures which had begun to hiss as their leader whose wings looked shredded began to speak.

“I am queen Chrysalis of the Changelings. I wish to speak to your leader,” she said just as I arrived and stood tall my entire right hand coated in black energy now.

“And what would you like to talk about?” I asked.

“You are the leader here?” she asked.

“I am King Jekyll of the Crystal Kingdom, identify your purpose for your presence in my land,” I said loudly but not quite as a yell, more of a forceful demand as I pulsed energy into my eyes.

“We come begging to be allowed safety from the other species who inhabit the world they wish to exterminate my kind out of fear although I did do something out of desperation that I probably shouldn’t have done,” she said as she fell to her knees and began begging.

“We do not have the food to spare. I am sorry.”

“We don’t need food. We feed off emotion, preferably love with happiness as second and lust as a third. We feed passively off of the aura that is produced magically by these emotions unless those producing it hate our species and would deny it to us.”

“Does this harm those you feed upon?” I asked.

“No, it doesn’t it is a common misconception about our species.”

“Your people would be required to assist in the recovery of this once great nation. You would not be allowed to sit around and do nothing,” I said to her.

“Yes yes, I understand completely.”

“I must go talk to my people you stay here while I do this,” I slowly backed up and turned around walking back to my guards. “Leave two of you to watch,” I said and formed crystal spikes into large spears. “The rest of you go and gather those you consider leaders to the people when I am not around,” I told them, sending them scattering in all directions.

It wasn’t long before they returned with a group of elderly ponies bundled up in heavy clothing. As I saw their state I built a large cube of crystal with a small crystal door and ushered them inside then followed along with the guards before closing the door to keep in the heat. Two of those with us pulled out torches which an elder unicorn mare lit causing heat and light. I quickly constructed chairs and a table from crystal for us to sit upon despite the fact they were probably uncomfortable. Sitting down were four elder ponies, Dart who had followed me and the guards, the guard captain, and myself.

“So the others look to you for guidance,” I said looking at the elders. “And to you for protection,” I said to the captain. “And to you for a way to get their voices heard,” I said to Dart. “Now I need all of your help deciding something that will influence our people forever.”

“What do you need?” asked an elder who was covered in too much clothing to be properly discernible.

“These creatures have been turned away by everyone who they asked for help because of a misunderstanding about their biology and I have no doubt that if we turn them away they will all die,” I said before continuing. “These beings feed on the emotions of Love, happiness, and lust but not to the extent of harming those they feed off of. Their leader told me they feed off ambient magic created by these emotions and as such do not feed on the being's emotions or ability to create emotions but rather those which their targets produce,” I explained slowly.

“And you want our help in deciding whether or not to allow them to stay,” stated another elder, the unicorn who had lit the torches.

“Yes I want your help in this decision as I am new and not trusted by those I rule over but if you make the decision then they will trust you.”

“Will they help us?” asked Dart.

“They have sworn to assist us in any way they can if they are given shelter and food,” I told them.

“I don’t like it,” said the guard captain.

“Good this is the reason why I included you because I knew you’d be skeptical and we always need someone who is skeptical,” I told him.

“How did they find us and what did they do to cause others to turn them away,” he said. “Also how many of them are there.”

“Good questions,” I said as the others nodded their heads. “Here is my proposition we let them stay for five days in a large crystal building I will construct and if they are helpful and don’t do anything we will vote again on what we have seen and whether they can stay or not.. Also I will be the first to give up some happy emotions to them. I need a show of hands who accepts this proposal,” I said, raising my own hand which was quickly followed by Dart’s hand. Next came three of the elders the fourth slowly raising his while the captain didn’t raise his.

“My reasoning for not agreeing with you is because after dealing with Sombra I am naturally untrustworthy,” he said and the last elder dropped his hand leaving it five to two.

“The vote to allow the Changelings to stay for five days before we vote again is a yes with five yesses and two nos,” I said before standing. “I shall go speak with our guests,” said before walking out the door quickly being followed by the captain.

“I don’t completely disagree with you on this but I distrust them more than I trust them,” explained the guard.

“Just don’t be xenophobic towards them ok,” I said as we stopped before Chrysalis.

“May we stay?” she asked.

“For the next five days you will be staying in a large building I will construct after the five days my council will vote on whether your kind can fully join the kingdom,” I explained only to be tackle hugged by the large bug queen.

“Thank you I promise you will not regret this,” she said before standing up as the captain snickered.

“Yes well I will be the first one of your kind feeds on as an example to my people,” I said before continuing. “So how do we do this?” I asked.

“Just think of your happiest memory or of ones you love or lust after and I shall do the rest.”

“Ok I’m trusting you not to stab me ok,” I said closing my eyes and thought of my happiest moments and suddenly I felt a tug and I was there in my memories with my family laughing and playing with them as if they were really there. It felt like I was there forever but soon I felt a tapping on my side that awoke me.

“Sir are you alright?” asked the form of Dart.

“Yes, just happy memories,” I said as I wiped away what was most definitely not a tear.

“By the maker that was a lot of emotion!” shouted Chrysalis whose wings now looked whole along with the holes in her legs being filled up. She also seemed to have more muscle and from her mouth dripped a blue liquid. “If that was happiness I wonder what love is like,” she said smiling at me.

“Glad you enjoyed it but I’m going to go build your new home now ok,” I said before quickly walking away from her hungry look only barely hearing her last comments along with Darts.

“So where’s the queen?”

“Oh there is no queen, it's just him ruling the kingdom.”

“I might have to change that.”

Author's Note

So the Changelings have arrived and he's fixed his arm. Please tell me what you think and please if you have input try not to be too mean.