What followed was painful.
I had my ears folded flat against my head, unable to stop myself cringing slightly as Midnight dressed Chrysalis down. Midnight were standing on the crystal table with the changeling queen backed straight up against the throne behind her, watching the alicorn with wide eyes.
There were times thestral hearing was a bad thing.
The yelling alone likely had an effect on its own, but the wavy mane and glowing eyes likely helped as well.
So far the subjects had involved but weren't limited to 'we use our words', 'what do you think you are doing', 'how dare you' and 'this is not how you act around ponies'.
Nopony or noling had dared to interrupt her since she started and I'm not too much of a coward to admit I had taken cover behind one of the thrones.
Poke.
I glanced back to spot two of the changelings behind me. He looked at me and then poked my back again before pointing around the throne towards Midnight. I quickly shook my head.
Poke poke!
Nope!
I shook my head again before he and the other changeling hiding with me both put their hooves against my back to push me out into the open.
Traitors!
I shot them a glare and then took a deep breath and got to my hooves. They were right though, this couldn't continue, we needed to get things done before the solar guard leveled the place. Or worse, Celestia arrived in warmode.
Ignoring my sudden urge to run, I crossed over and stood between Midnight and Chrysalis, "Midnight," I said, meeting her eyes.
She broke off mid word to glare at me, "And you! What were you thinking com-"
"Yell at me later," I told her, "Right now we have a situation to get under hoof. The solar guard will reach us by sunrise and by then we." I said and half turned to meet Chrysalis eyes, "Need to have at least a preliminary agreement in place and all ponies released."
The Changeling Queen looked at me in surprise, "The solar guard!?"
"Of course, did you think I came in here without a backup plan?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
She regarded me for a moment, climbing back onto her hooves, "...I am starting to understand my counterparts choice in names," she said with a small hiss before she looked to Midnight who's mane had started to settle down, "What say you, pony?"
Midnight took a deep breath and closed her eyes before she nodded firmly, "Let everypony go first and we'll talk. Nopony or ling is getting hurt today."
Chrysalis shook her head, "The Princess of Food and her consort will disrupt any possible discussions."
Midnight didn't look happy and stomped her hoof, "No. They will be released with everypony else," she said and then looked over at Shining Armor, "They will behave like everypony else. Right!?"
Shining Armor visibly swallowed and then nodded.
"May I suggest everypony but Shining Armor and Midnight leave the chamber before Cadance is released?" I suggested, "Just to avoid trouble."
"No!" Chrysalis quickly said, "Together the Princess of Food and the male can eject every Changeling in the castle from the Ponyville!"
Oh for...
"Fine," I said and rubbed my forehead with a hoof, "Everypony but Midnight and Talon leaves the throne room for-"
"I'm not leaving Cadance with any of you! You're all mind controlled!"
Two guesses who that was. Guess they removed the gunk from his muzzle by now.
I looked to Midnight, "Is it too late to put him in a pod?"
"Sadly yes," she grumbled and jumped off the table to trot off to talk to him.
I looked at Chrysalis, "Just so you know, part of this is going to involve apologies and offers of reparations to the Princess of Food and her consort," I told her.
Chrysalis bared her fangs at me, "Absolutely not, we do not apologize to food."
"You do if you want the food to cooperate," I told her firmly, "And if you want the food not to exterminate you. I don't give a buck if you mean it or not, what's important is that they believe it. Are you a changeling or not?"
She hissed at me, wings vibrating on her back, "I could turn you into a mushy spot on the wall. I defeated the Princess of Fire once!"
"Oh yeah?" I asked and stepped forward, almost nose to nose as I looked up at her, "Try me. See how things end up if you win."
Chrysalis hissed before she looked to the side.
"You find me infuriating," I told her quietly, "But I am the only pony here that's somewhat on your side of things and you can taste it. I will never lie to you and you know that as well. You need me for this to work."
She was quiet for a long moment, "...I will apologize to the food. We have nothing for reparations," she finally answered.
"We can work with that."
So time to start actual hard part of settling thing down, but I don't understand this part:
I don't believe, that Midnight never talked with Chrysalis, Skitter or even any changeling in Page!verse about their motives, it would be too important and interesting issue for her to ignore, especially as she is Twilight. So she exactly know what they had through, what they were doing. Why they dare. Also she would know, why they acted this way with ponies. So it kinda look unlogically in my opinion.
I can't believe, that Midnight haven't prepared any plan for mending relations with changelings in her world just in case, as she would surely try to emulate this aspect of Page!verse in her world. Yet in this chapter she behave like she get totally suprised and also too emotional about thing.
Anyway, good chapter.
It is 1:23 am. I should be asleep, but instead I'm reading a my little pony fanfiction. What am I doing with my life?
11316028
enjoying it to the fullest?
Excellent chapter.
11316018
But it's understandable that she is surprised to suddenly have uninvited guests like that. I bet she is more upset of how she couldn't put her plans to deal with them into motion before and now has to hastly improvise. Which is tippicaly for the princess of scheduldes and checklists.
Nice
Though I keep cadence and kick out shining amour considering they trying to get permanent peace with all changelings starting with this hive and all he can think is to ruin it. If he understood the brainwashing he could have told the difference but like Celestia it is not my problem anymore caused more problems down the road.
11316018
I think the thing is, Midnight is used to the Pageverse Changelings now, so when Chryssy just comes barrelling in and taking over the place, it's a bit like if you had a normally well behaved friend suddenly tromp mud all through your living room, spill snacks on the couch, and splash sticky fizzy drink all over the coffee table, while playing some obnoxiously loud show on your TV.
She's in shock, so she's defaulted to Lecture Mode. Once everything calms down a bit, she'll probably go back to Friendship Mode.
11316055
Well, your comparision don't work, because she know, that Chryssy she known in Page!verse was after rather long process of becoming trusty ally to ponies, so she can't use this standard to this Chryssy. But she must know motivation and character of Chrysalis and changelings actions, so her raging against them is strange. And undiplomatical.
Thanks for chapter!
Have a good day!
The haha funny moment at the beginning kinda detracts from any competence that he showed last chapter. Dont know why but this chapter feels kinda odd after the last one.
That's nice Chryssy BUT WHAT IS HIS NAME!!!
11316107
he proberbly will only get to know it once a way between worlds has been made and both queens can talk
11316084
Well she never really had to make peace with someone. Everyone has been open to the magic of friendship to a degree even discord came around even though she pretend to be his friend before the castle.
11316107
My money is on "Infuriating Necessity".
11316107
I'm starting think this is changeling analog along the lines of "Dick" in English with connotations "rude", "stupid", "unpleasant" etc..
*Chrysalis glancing back and forward between Midnight and Page*
Chrysalis: I should pay attention to the purple one but can't! Must he look so adorable cowering with my hive?! Stupid pretty stallion! Stop giving me feelings!
Midnight: ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!
Chrysalis: Y-yes! Still listening!
Great development. After Shining get his flank verbaly kicked
Lings could need a snuggel after that mutch trouble...
11316018
You have good points. Hiver probably just overlooked that...
11316028
Enjoying it 1:23 in the morning
11316036
(^-^)/)'(\(^-~) Exacly
11316040
Twilights Checklist is now useless
11316042
yep
11316084
Right in all points!
11316124
sounds about night. or 'the lesser pain in the royal flank'
11316158
Ha-Haaa Cute no matter the universe or situaton
11316018
gotta remember midnight is kind of raging right now and not thinking straight, had she maybe been thinking she would have considered the changelings but its also been like 2-3 daysish since they left
11316107
"I don't know whether to him or kill him."
Bet she didn't expect that either
Now let's be fair to Chrysalis, Midnight has had a rough couple of days and this was just the the straw that broke the camel's back
I am soooo interested in the meaning of that name
While surrounded by potential hostages/collateral damage, this was also after you had spent, I don't know how long, feasting on Shiny's love for the Princess of Food.
Not to mention Page knows changelings a lot better, knows you a lot better and fights dirty
"Geez, Chrissy, I'm just telling you to lie. What the buck is your problem?"
11316138
Dick-head might actually be a compliment in a changeling sort of way, he is a fertile male and also has intelligence but also a play on words since he's also infuriating
11313563
already did 5 or so stories back, I just missed its existence...
11313589
sadly im camping atm with very spotty internet so no can do...
11316107
11312243
Probably much like
WendyWindy conjectured, "Beloved Seed Provider", but with likely additional terms meaning "stupid", "moronic", "ID-10-T", "exasperating", "putz", and perhaps other terms that might not appropriate for all drones.11316365
Wow..Wendy and I have a lot of things in common!
11316371
Sorry! lesdexic hands--"I" and "E" are each typed with the middle finger
11316429
Its ok. Its now officially a running joke!
Why is it here that too many ponies in Midnight's dimension all need some serious Gibbs slaps!!!
Midnight was so angry she cloned herself, clearly!
Shining Armour laddie, I know you think they're all out to get you, and one of them sort of is, but paranoia isn't the solution and yelling what you know at 'untrustworthy' ears doesn't help anything from a tactical perspective...
A more minor grammar jackboot:
my counterpart's choice
11316759
Nah, she was just yelling so loudly that the resultant shockwaves in the air caused her to appear in two places at once through simple refraction.
11316365
Baka?
11316107
I'm thinking "son in law." Page is a precious resource, and there is no way Chrysalis is going to let him slip. It'd be just like her to decide Page is to be paired to one of her children without so much as informing him.
Even having just met him, the cuddlebugs trust him to protect them
11317477
"He" is different to the ponies, after all.
Prince Page doesn't have the same mindset as the normal denizens of Equestria. Whether it has something to do with that ongoing conversation with him coming from a predator species vs a prey species (not getting into that), the bottom line is that our human nature allows to, at the very least, better understand the viewpoint of the Changelings.
What also helps is that when Chrysalis pushes, Page pushes back. In terms of conversation, he puts himself on level ground with her, and when she tries to get the upper hand and be in control he doesn't let her, bringing her back down to his level. In that way it is similar to fishing, and Page is the fisherman who knows when to pull on the line or when to give it slack; who is also not afraid to use the dynamite in his back pocket if the fish proves too stubborn.
Plus I think Chrysalis prefers to deal with him than the Princess of Food.
11320777
I think that there's the added benefit of her being able to understand him a little bit as well. That predator connection goes both ways. He's still a pony, and she's still a changeling... but she can taste him, and he knows to listen. To her, he is "something new" - and "new" can mean "opportunity". She is a changeling, after all.
Besides, it must be refreshing to be judged by your actions rather than expectations.
That title will never fail to make me snicker, it’s just too good.