Slipping back into reality, I suppressed a yawn before forcing my eyes open. Only to see a pair of slightly luminous eyes looking into mine from less than a hoof width away.
It says a bit about how used I am to changelings that I didn’t catapult myself backwards, screaming.
“Amber, that’s still creepy,” I mumbled, lighting my horn as I glanced back, putting a bubble of silence over Luna, Sunset and Twilight. Sunny and Sparks had shown up really late last… actually this morning.
Amber raised her head and blinked at me in slight confusion but seemed to shake it off, “The Queen wishes to speak with you, sir.”
The queen can buck the fuck off.
Amber apparently felt my emotion on the subject and had planned ahead as she lit her horn and lifted a cup of hot tea to float before me aloing with a plate of diced mango.
I glowered at her for a second before I took it in my magic and sipped.
...Okay, fine…
Suppressing another yawn, I scooted to jump off the bed and snacked on mango cubes, “What does she want to talk about?”
“Don’t know, sir.”
“Lead the way.”
At least the inside of the Changeling Hive is warm and not too bright. It’s actually slightly comfortable. Not as fond of the close spaces and the resin covered tunnels will always scream xenomorph to me, but the rest?
Kinda liked it.
Amber led the way down deeper into the hive, it was very soon clear where we were going. The Throne Room.
A pair of drones moved to the side to allow us past.
Chrysalis were lounging on her throne in the middle, Skitter sitting on the slightly raised rim just beneath it. Skitter seemed annoyed, looking away from her mother.
I gave them both a bow, spreading my wings wide, “Queen Chrysalis, Princess Skitter.”
Chrysalis waited for several long moments before she turned her head to look towards me, “Welcome back, my little predator. I expected you to come to me as soon as you returned with my daughter.”
I took a step forward, meeting her eyes, “I’m not one of your children, Chrysalis. I don’t answer to you and I had more important things to do.”
The Changeling Queen stared at me for a moment before she slid off her throne, walking down the steps to me, slowly circling me once, “You are wounded, pony. Drop your illusion.”
I didn’t bother following her with my eyes, but did as she said, revealing the mostly useless by now bandages.
Chrysalis lit her horn and energy lashed out, cutting the bandages and they fell off me as green blades of energy flashed past me close enough to part my coat.
I turned my head to look at her, “Seriously?”
Chrysalis ignored me, running her hoof along my barrel, “Amber. Explain?”
“It was a duel with a griffon, My Queen,” Amber said and walked up to look up at her, “My charge was never in any real danger.”
“Hmm.”
I sighed and moved between Amber and Chrysalis, facing the Queen, “Not her fault in any way. Now what do you want? I was having a perfectly happy afternoon.”
Chrysalis regarded me for a moment, her hoof raising to touch my chin, “You taste…” she said and frowned slightly, “...frustrated.”
I looked up at her and sighed, shaking my head as I reached up to take her hoof, pushing it towards the side and down, “I’m not in the mood, Chryssy,” I told her firmly, “I know you already know what happened from Skitter.”
Chrysalis blinked at me and then lowered her hoof, putting it back down, “My daughter intends to try again. Talk sense into her!”
Glowering up at her, I then shook my head and walked around her, walking over to the ‘ling Princess, “Skitter?”
“It can still work, sir,” Skitter said softly, “It has to work. Unless other changelings start to work with other creatures… they will never survive. Things are so much better now!”
I sighed softly and touched her with my hoof, “I don’t know, Skitter,” I admitted, “Last time didn’t go well. Maybe it was because I was there, but… your hive doesn't seem to have the best reputation among other ‘lings. I don’t know if it’s possible to make them listen.”
Skitter buzzed her wings, sounding annoyed, “I...know. But like you do with the Thestrals, I can’t just give up, sir.”
I sighed, “Maybe… maybe approaching them is the wrong way of doing things,” I said after a moment before I frowned, “One moment,” I then said and turned to look at Chrysalis, “I had an idea. The Queen we talked with actually gave it to me, but I have no idea if it will have any effect. How close an eye does ‘lings keep on other hives?”
Chrysalis raised an eyebrow at me, “Usually not at all. But I suppose it would make sense they would be paying attention to us.”
I nodded, “‘lings don’t mix a lot with ponies, do you? Even in Canterlot?”
“Not particularly, no.”
“Start.”
“Sir?” Skitter asked, walking around to look down at me with a frown, “How do you mean?”
“Stop trying to convince them and start showing them how things could be. You have plenty of food, but that doesn't show on the surface and to observers. Most ‘lings are down here in the hive when not gathering love,” I said and looked between them, “Well, change that. Have drones start taking jobs around town. Work in cafes, libraries, take courses at schools. The exact same thing I would have tried with Thestrals if there were enough of us. But as you’re all in a single city and some in the Crystal Empire, it might work.”
Chrysalis regarded me for a long moment, not saying anything.
“Do you think that might work, sir?” Skitter asked, looking thoughtful.
“I don’t know,” I admitted and stomped my hoof, “But I think it at least has a chance. It’s what I would have tried if there had been enough thestrals, but isolating yourselves won’t work in this case. Different problem. If it works, we might see other hives copying you or approaching you.”
Chrysalis made a small sound and looked at Skitter, “Well, Daughter?”
Skitter nodded, “...Yes, we will try it first, Mother. Even if it does not work with other Hives, it should improve the view of Changelings to most ponies. At the very least in Canterlot.”
“Perhaps,” Chrysalis said and then looked down at me, “We will attempt this, pony. I do not think it will work, ponies are… hesitant about outsiders.”
I looked up at her in turn, “That’s the entire point. Stop being outsiders. Be seen every single day, sell them their coffee, deliver their newspapers, take classes and go to theaters. Become normal to them. And this is the most important part… no disguises and try to make friends.”
Skitter looked hesitant and then glanced at her mother, “...Perhaps we should discuss this with Princess Twilight as well? She may have ideas.”
“Indeed,” Chrysalis said and then looked at me again, “Go rest, my little predator. You are still injured.”
If Page wanted to make a statement about integration, he should ask Skitter to marry him! Surprising Chrissy didn't suggest something like that.
Seems like the author already has Celestia lined up for him at some point down the road we might as well throw a changeling or 2 as well
I like that chryssi has slowly, very slowly come to accept that things can be better for her kind
One does not break hundreds of years of wariness in a day
If this succeeds it will be a huge boon for the Hive
Dawww... I can see it now. Chrysalis sending a assasin to get rid of the Griffon daring to hurt her free meal ticket named Page
She can presents his severed head as a love gift and they consumate there alliance by making a clutch of Eggs ♡
Luna now wanting a foal to. Celestia become inpatient and asking for foal service as well...
Sunset and Twilight of course not far behind.
Page sire a company worth of foals/Grubs
11035549
Who's to say that she hasn't been pulling the strings from the shadows with this end-game in mind?
11035549
To soon... But maybe a royal consort instead. Or a concubine?
11035571
Idealy. But easyer said than done... Than again one night of passion with Chrysalis & Skitter for a new wave of Lings ♡
You know, I like this Chrysalis. She is still very much a powerful queen, but she is not above trying something new if it can benefit her Changelings.
Very refreshing compared to her usual portrayal.
...and this, my little ponies, was the exact moment when Page became the Minor Prince of Friendship.
11035604
ya but in this case its skitter wanting to go poking other 'ling hives vs just making the tabloids and the racist nobles nervous. Her princess has a pet project and she knows Celestia is going to get at least 1.5* warmer from the constant stream of xenophobic nobles
Cause Chrysalis would very much still want Page to "tame" her after all.
Now that's a "taps head" meme if I ever saw one.
*Changeling Queen studies every inch of Page*
Chrysalis: Hmm...the scars are unfortunate but it adds to the predatory sex appeal. Oh good! The reproductive organs are still intact!
Page: What was that?
Chrysalis: NOTHING!
11035709
Indeed. I think Queen Chrysalis is--if nothing else--interested in Page's exotic predatory appeal.
Still don't trust her though.
There are certainly worse ways to go about integration, give the other 'lings a bit of time to come around...
Meanwhile in the comments... Good grief.
Grammar jackboots:
Plural error, there is only one Chrysalis, thus 'were' should be replaced with 'was'.
Another plural error, should be: an eye do ‘lings keep
he tells them to mix with the ponys but fucks off into the woods with other bat ponies. :P logic :P
If the different hives don't generally talk to each other, how do they know about what Page did to the jungle hive?
I'm late.
Nice
11035992
Well, as he said to Skitter, he would have done it with the Thestrals, but he needs a stable population of them first.
Which meant his safest option was to get them in one place, get them decursed, and get them breeding (get onto it Page!).
The Changelings on the other hoof, just need public presence. They already have a stable population now that they have a steady food supply from the Princess of Food.
The Prince of Stories and PR (pony/public relations HAHA) The One and only... His majesty Page!
11035810
Maybe... That's kind of what the Federation thought about the Borg Queen--many bodies/clones, but still one Queen. Could work here, too.
Meh. Forget it--it's an error--burn it!
11035992
11033033
i'm quiet sure she didnt really join to the jungel i get the feeling he just forgot about her
I like this idea. even if it does not bring the other hives to you this is going to be vary good for your hive in the long run.
I'm thinking Chrysalis likes talking to Page, and her being all agro and stuff is unintentional
11037115
Of course she does. Page is a predator among ponies almost exactly like Changelings are. Disguised as one of them. He's also a fresh perspective and one that isn't outwardly afraid of her and actively defies her.
In other words he interests and amuses her.
Page: *gets hurt
Big bad Queen Chrysalis: "Show me."
i.ibb.co/yf5d4wx/asdasd2q1eaqwqe.png
11051553
I am thoroughly convinced Chrysalis has taken some form of liking to Page, if only for the sheer difference in thought processes when it comes to him and other ponies.
Did Book Horse & Co. ever get the Gaudiest Gaudy Crystal Tree Castle of Gaudiness patent pending from the Harmony box? Don't know why I thought about this but I couldn't stop thinking about it so I'm hoping asking will help.
Quite a few years and quite a few rereadings and I've only just now realized the unintended perhaps irony of chrysalis's nickname for page that being she refers to him as my little predator when he sees changelings initially as comparable to the xenomorphs from alien and still sees that in their architecture what was the one species in that universe that could stand toe to toe with the xenomorphs that's right the predator
11051553
I could have gone my entire life without seeing that.
11051553
What the fu-
11187642
well they have the box but only 5 of 6 keys so no crystal tree.