Pincer entered the chamber, looking more than a bit frazzled. A trio of drones following behind her as she approached.
“You! You did something to me!” she snarled as soon as she got close.
“Did I?” I asked as I watched her, “Maybe it’s just your age catching up to you. I mean, you do look about Chrysalis' age and she’s positively ancient. Can’t imagine she has more than a couple of years at most. She has a princess now, you know?”
The Queen growled at me, “Do not compare me to that weakling!”
Oh please. Chrysalis would fold you in half. Whatever else she was, she was powerful, smart and very skilled.
I smiled at her, “If you say so. You’re right, there is no comparison.”
Her wings buzzed as she glared at me, “What did you do to me, Pony?”
“Do? What could I possibly do? I’m stuck here with no magic,” I said before I shook my head, “No… but I think I’ll give you a choice instead.”
She sneered, “Choice? What choice?”
“Let us go,” I said with a sigh, “Let everypony go. Let Amber go with us and pull your infiltrators back. We can still have peace between us. Your drones no longer need to go hungry.”
Pincer snorted, “As your pets,like the others. They will pay for their weakness.”
“Or, you can go with the alternative,” I continued like she hadn't spoken, “I’ll bring your rule down around you. So please… don’t do this.”
She laughed at me, “Do your worst, Pony!”
Six words I once heard on TV. This… this seemed fitting.
I looked at her for a long moment before I turned my head to her drones, “Does she looks tired to you?”
Pincer glared at me, “You did! You did this! Enough of this!” she screamed and turned to her drones, “Drain them!!”
The drones looked at us before they looked at her but they didn’t move.
She stared at them for a moment before she spoke up again, “What are you doing? Drain them!”
The closest drone to her looked up at her, “You are bad for the hive,” she said and I recognized Ambrosia's voice.
“What!?”
The next one moved up next to her, “We are hungry.”
Another couple of drones filed into the chamber. Pincer looked between them and then stomped her hoof against the ground, “I am your Queen! Do as I say and you will eat well from the Ponies!”
Ambrosia shook her head, “Only hundred and half as many of us. Even if we win, too many ponies.”
Pincer looked at the growing gathering of drones, shaking her head, “No! We can win! We just need to take down the Princesses and they will fall in line!”
“We are hungry,” a new drone said, “The other hive isn’t hungry. They don’t get hunted.”
“Yes. No predators,” another filled in, “no hurting.”
Pincer shrieked and stomped her hoof, “No! No you will not do this!” and pointed her hoof at me, “It’s him! He’s doing this! I am your Queen! Listen to me!”
“We need new Queen,” Ambrosia said, her wings buzzing, “You are bad for the hive.”
“No! No!” Pincer said and took a step back as the drones started to approach her as more and more flooded into the chamber, “No! I am good for the hive! I have guided you! Kept you safe! I’m your Queen!”
It didn’t seem to convince them and suddenly something rippled through the group and they swarmed over her like ants over a dead lizard. Pincer screamed and I quickly closed my eyes and turned my face away. I didn’t want to see that.
The scream cut off but I kept my eyes closed, trying to ignore the sounds until it was completely quiet.
When I opened my eyes again, there were only three Changelings in the chamber, looking up at me.
“So what now?” I asked Ambrosia as I looked down at her.
“We need a new queen,” she said and buzzed her wings, “We want love.”
“I think I can help you with both of those,” I told her, “What usually happens when one hive conquers another?”
“The new Queen absorb the fallen hive into her own,” Ambrosia explained before she frowned up at me, “...She was right though. You did do this.”
“I did,” I admitted, “But if I hadn’t, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia would have come to save me. They would have burned your hive and all of you to the ground. They know what happened, they know about your infiltrators already.”
They buzzed their wings and looked between themselves for a second before Ambrosia looked up at me again, “...Can you take us to the other hive? We don’t want to be hungry.”
“Of course. But you need to release all the ponies and other creatures you are holding.”
Without answering, she and another drone crawled up and started to gnaw at the resin holding me and Blue Dawn to the wall.
There we go in the right story now or is it?
There we go. Love the Doctor reference.
I was wondering why Consequences was back in the Featured Box.
So, did Pincer get 'et, or did they just seal her up with resin and haul her off?
Seems a little too easy.
Very nice. Likely one of the sneakiest victories of the 10th.
And that's why you don't want to be a queen with hungry changelings. Waste not, want not.
9835187
Personally I would prefer Pincer being sealed in some way than dead, because she practically tried same thing as Chrysalis. It would be really unfair for her to be killed for her ploy, when Chrysalis get pardoned and somehow reformed with time for same. Also for Pincer's defence, she didn't even tried to use violence against open mutiny, when it's usually first thing, that's tyrant do. But Pincer probably is dead, as life isn't fair.
Well Skitter is getting an upgrade...
Wonder when Page and Sunbutt are having that rematch
Keep up the good work 👍
The words are: "Don't you think she looks tired?"
9835187
I hope she ded
9835211
Maybe, but it's a nice way for Skitter to develop and test her skills as a queen
9835243
Let me put it this way, her hive told her to change, she didn't listen, so she ded. Whereas Chrysalis did listen and adapted to the situation, so she's alive.
Granted, the tests and situations were different, so it wasn't the fairest, but the basics were the same.
Plus, she needs to go for Skitter to get an upgrade
Kind of unfair that Pincer got probably killed and Chrysalis not, who probably did worse
Looks like meat is back on the menu.
i.imgur.com/PUy658X.gif?noredirect
9835264
Chrysalis listened, because she had no choise being locked by Eqeustrians. If she was put there in same situation as Pincer here, she would (99% sure) do exactly same thing as Pincer. Probably Pincer, if gived time and ways to show, what is true deal of Chrysalis's Hive, would also accept this. That's why it's unfair.
9835187
Considering Page did the whole "averting his eyes", the scene brought to mind Scar's fate in TLK.
Blank Page: Pincer thought she was in control of the situation, but it was I, Blank Page!
Hmmm now that I think about that. . Before Skitter start to lay eggs she will need to find a male who will do male's job XD, I wonder who will be that lucky guy? ~
Keeping his poker face through this conversation is going to be a challenge
Ooooh, really shouldn't have said that
9835339
Mystery for the ages
9835407
blank page perhaps?
Oof, that quote right there is bringing some backburner vibes from that era. Thank you for reminding us this scene :)
This story is just too good
Luna and Celestia sit in the throne room worried beyond words. Sunset is being comforted by Twilight when the door are pushed open...
9835255
I’m glad I checked before I said that. Redundant comments can be annoying.
9835211
He's a lampshaded Mary Sue, it's all easy.
9835566
To be fair to Hiver, the results are spectacular enough to get away with it when they aren't just being present at the tipping point and having good reason to shove it against the grain of canon. (Referring to his assist on Chrysalis, where anyone else being there and doing anything probably would have sufficed)
9835589
Nah, I just meant he's called himself out on his Sue-y characteristics in a previous chapter. But, to be honest, he should be weeping like Alexander the Great by this point.
"Doesn't she look tired?"
Is that an Orderly Transfer of Power reference?
9835607
Duties, Chapter 35. Page calls Sunset a Mary Sue, but she points out it applies to him more.
While it was easy, it’s honestly to be expected. Not everything is a trial that’s going to take skill and brains and time to solve, and sometimes it’s nice to see this “real life” perspective on how long it would actually take to solve the problem.
I mean, best example is combat. Anime and movies and stuff make it out to be this long, drawn-out thing where both parties sustain various injuries but are able to remain in the fight. In real life, that rarely happens. Most battles are decided the moment sword touches flesh.
So, seeing how Page was able to easily deal with this problem, how quickly it was solved simply by sowing seeds of doubt, it’s very real.
9835696
I would say the seed of doubt was allready there, he just nurtured it with Love and
Mind MagicPatients9835691
It's a Doctor Who reference. The actual quote, as said by the Doctor to the aide of the Prime Minister, is "Don't you think she looks tired?".
"Skitter I'm home from my trip, and I brought a hive for you to princess!"
-Silly Page
Did somebody say cannibalistic feeding frenzy?
You know, some people are upset this win came so easy. But... This is step one and the easy part. Now he has to make good on his promise. He has an entire hive to try to find food for, and the complications that they will bring. So yeah easy part done, now comes the hard part. Intigration.
More... I need more.
Amazing chapter! Loved the dr. Who reference...
this is how to defeat a enemy and never lift a finger.
a grate story ark.
What a wonderful way to end that encounter. I love how he quoted the doctor at his most vicious, very fitting. Its easy to get what you want like this when you have access to the minds of the people. I'm eager to see where we go from here.
If we humans cold do it so easy we might not have so corrupted leaderships... Pincer get what she deserved even if it was a bit... Harsh
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Life isnt always fair... I life taken hundreds or thousand spared? ... Good deal when i ever see one
9835211
Glued for a week on a wall. Unmoving. Mind changing in dreams of hundreds. Under probably less than optimal rations of water and food. Magic exhausted.
Exposed to hive surroundings not suited for ponys... YEP!
To easy...
9835493
Fucking epic... Now i need to see the movie again
I saw this coming. Only made it so much sweeter.
9903759
Awesome chapter
Well it went just about as it could... The queen messed with wrong food. X)
Well, let it not be said that page is not working on his realm. Inspiring rebellion.
Seems a bit like termites. When the queen's usefulness runs out (eggs), the hive devours her.