On the Road to Canterlot

by Knight of Lycaeus

Part I: Threat of Survival

Part I: Threat of Survival

Edited by Compact-Cassette Pony

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A gleaming city of marble and gold, a symbol of pride for the nation coated thickly in green. Overhead the skies are dark with the oncoming army of the invader. All residents pushed within the thick green pods dotting the city streets. A city conquered, victory to the invader, the moment of triumph...

Suddenly, a blinding, white light cast throughout the city. Love Magic far more powerful than it had been earlier. And then, a thundering earthquake heard throughout the land. The skies cleared once more, and the invaders were gone, banished to the four winds.

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The imagery from that day often plays in my head; and of how close I was to my goal. I shake my head slightly, trying to forget what had happened two years ago during the failed invasion of Canterlot, and how close I came to having everything only for it to end in failure.

I let out a deep sigh.

I was doing something I never would have thought I would do or be expected to do, now. I was standing in line disguised as a pony about to petition to the Throne. I was not going to petition the Changeling Collective as an equal but to an Equestrian Throne as though I were a citizen. To me this was neither dignified nor was it expected, especially for one of my stature. How could I have predicted that my plans would not only be ruined but that it would also lead to the destruction of a sizable portion of the Hive? That accursed unicorn! My very severe and rather publicized failure had been deemed by the Changeling Collective to have damnable consequences for Changelings overall and so our Hive was announced as Outcast, and promptly ejected from the Collective. I let out another deep sigh. I knew how the Changeling nation has survived and we did so through having our Hives scattered across the sphere. To aid in our survival we had to be united, to be unified in mind and in intent of preserving our existence as an unknown race among the other races of this sphere. Through this practice we could live and survive, hidden away. And hiding from the world was what granted and preserved our ability to feed, live, and survive under the radar of the other races..

Damn the Collective! I’ve always been considered an upstart for the more aggressive measures I wanted to take. And why should we not do so? With it we could find far better means to feed ourselves. Why should we starve while so many other species live on plenty and all Changelings have to make do with practically nothing? So many species, blissfully unaware of our plight, and that's because of our damned Changeling Policy of being unknown entities. Trying my best to keep myself a quiet as possible, I let out a silent growl and thought about the first time that I saw Ponies... I could see the prosperous utopia they've built for themselves, but where were the Changelings? Nowhere! By our own damned policy we had no known existence and we were making do on scraps! And now, by my own actions, I was considered unfit to be among the Collective. Thus, I, and my Hive, must make do and begin anew, apart from the Collective.

Although making do in this case seems to be grovelling at the hooves of ponies for aid, as I recalled what limited resources I had. My Hive was never large given the scarcity of our resources and it was made even smaller by the failed invasion.

The invasion is what set us back so far, especially since, in the immediate aftermath, the majority of my drones were injured, some even gravely injured. I let out yet another sigh. Even now, there were some who have not recovered well, not to mention there was a constant lack of food and resources. Moreover, two years later and our recovery is still slow, but we were making progress. Then Tirek came.

I sighed out loud again. I really seem to be doing this a lot these days.... His magical drain exposed our hiding and further reduced our already difficult recovery.

The plan I had devised had been to hide amongst the settlements of ponykind, to recover, all-the-while plotting my next move to secure a suitable place for the Hive. But Tirek, with his damned draining magic, had forced all of the Changelings out of their assumed roles and set us back even further.

The line finally moved forward, taking me deeper into the looming structure. I had very little available to offer. In fact, my surrender seemed to be the only viable option I had. As I looked up I could see long branches of crystal reaching high above me. Is she really the best option? Ponykind was not necessarily the option I would have preferred but it was the most viable one. I would much rather to not to return to Ponykind in this pitiful state, but all other options had been discarded due to the required distance to travel or some other hindering factor. I held no love for ponies, and the one I was waiting to speak to with was the very pony who had derailed my invasion plans.

To see through my disguise when so many others failed to do so, she certainly has my respect if nothing else. But I refuse to return to Canterlot like this, for I would be arrested on the spot before I could ever speak. Plus, I'm not begging that damned Princess of the Sun for aid. Of all the Equestrian Princesses, I despised Celestia the most for her position. It was secure and strong, and she had a nation by her side. She had power, loyalty, security — everything that I could only ever dream of possessing. I recoiled, my mind flashing through the failed invasion again, and I relieved one of my many crowning moments before everything fell apart. I remember — even with all her support — still managing to best the so-called Sol Invictus in combat.

I sighed again and shook my head to clear my mind of what happened after the fact. I almost had everything I could have ever dreamed of; and yet, in the end, what did I achieve? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I had little to begin with and even less now. I despised the idea of being so desperate that I would even consider the idea of asking for help.

The Pink One would be pointless to even consider asking as her homeland would be far too harsh, and her husband.... I could sense from him the intense hatred he bore against Changelings, but ever moreso the deep hatred he bore for me. I felt all of this just before we were forcibly evicted from Canterlot.

I know nothing of the Lunar One other than the fact she is rumoured to be far too unstable. The horrific tales ponies weave about her… The idea of being restrained I could manage, but what she might do if... I shook my head, displacing my innermost thoughts once again. This truly was the better option.

Looking up I could see that I now stood before a sizable circle of thrones, and walked until I had placed myself directly across from the purple princess whom presided dead centre of the group. Before a question could be asked I dropped the disguise. I stood tall, in a posture of confidence even as I met the hard eyes of most of the ponies in the room. I spoke out in a clear voice. "I, Queen Chrysalis of the Western Desert Ridge Hive, am here to seek aid and sanctuary. My Hive has been declared and branded as Outcasts by the Changeling Collective; I stand here to ask for aid from the newest Princess of Equestria: Princess Twilight.” I paused momentarily, before continuing with gusto. “Princess of Magic and Friendship, we have little to offer but are willing to cooperate for the continued existence of our Hive."

Comments

[Bronzedragon]

Shining Armor is going to have a cow when he finds out. Good start up voted and tracked.

[Xaldon Ajide]

Need More.

[Razzy]

Somewhere far away a certain white unicorn stallion suddenly punches a wall.

Nice start, good to see Chryssie being reasonable and capable of swallowing her pride to a degree.

'relieved one of my many crowning moments' - relived

[verypeeved]

still managing to best the so-called Sol Invictus in combat.

doesn't that make her the Sol victus, then?

[Starlight Glimmer1]

10710321
It says so-called.