//------------------------------// // ...Might Be Dangerous // Story: Long Live the Queen // by QueenChrysalisForever //------------------------------// Changeling Castle- Royal Guard’s Quarters- Apatelodes It had been almost morning before I made it back up to my quarters, tossing my saddlebags on the floor at the foot of my bed. Phengaris had cried herself to sleep against me as the body of little Pachlio had burned. The poor mare, perhaps I should find her someling to help her out in the hatchery. One of our other older females might do well. Perhaps Acraea? Usually, she helped out in training the young anyway after their third molting. There was maybe one or two she was training at the moment, so helping in the hatchery wouldn’t be a problem. Or Zeuxidia, she was still young but had had a few hatchlings of her own. All were growing into strong young changelings. She mostly made little trinkets, imbued with spells to help with one thing or another. I myself owned one that strengthened my chitin when worn. After all, being a royal guard could be dangerous. A powerful buck from an earth pony could easily shatter a breastplate. I let out a yawn and opened the door to my bed chambers. It was too late to find anyling tonight anyway, I could talk to the two mares tomorrow. After I slept until noon. I levitated my armor over to its stand next to my bed. Would have to polish it up tomorrow, soot from the fire was streaked across it. I pulled down the covers of my bed and crawled inside, snuggling into my pillow. A bird chirped outside, then with the rustling of feathers flew away. Good riddance, the less noise the better I could sleep. Just as I closed my eyes a buzzing came from my nightstand. “What now?” I moaned and opened my eyes to see it was my casting emerald. I levitated it over and tapped it with a hoof. “Whatever it is, this better be important for calling so early,” I grumbled. “Of course it is,” I heard Morpheus’s voice from the other end. “The four of us have arrived in Dodge Junction.” “So you’re making good time,” I grunted, rolling onto my side. “Any problems? Any news?” “No problems. The fillies are doing fine for their first time out, though getting annoying with all their whistle practicing.” He let out a groan. “But we do have news,” Morpheus said. “A pony matching the description of Shiny Whistle bought a ticket to the train yesterday afternoon. He had three other unicorns with him, two stallions, one with a flank injury, and a young mare said to be his sister.” “And what of our Queen?” “No word, but we assume one of the three was likely her in disguise. They were headed on a one-way trip to Canterlot.” “Well, either catch the next train or continue on to Canterlot, whichever would be quicker.” I let out a yawn and leaned back against my pillow. “They are likely already there or almost there. If I remember right, the train from Dodge Junction to Canterlot takes about fifteen hours not accounting for any stops. Find them, and give the Queen her new casting crystal.” “Will do,” Morpheus said. “Any news for us? Did you find out anything else from that book?” “Haven’t had a chance to read any more of it yet.” “Well, I’ll call upon you again when we reach Ponyville in case you have more news for us.” He was silent for a moment as if listening to something. “Fine, I’ll ask!” He let out a frustrated sigh. “Any new orders for us?” I shook my head, then realized how silly that was when he couldn’t see me. “No, just keep doing what you are doing.” “Very well. Goodbye.” With that my casting emerald dulled and grew still. I rubbed my aching head as I looked down to where my saddlebags rested. No matter how tired I was, I should try to read a little more of the book. My magic encased the saddlebags as I searched for it, pulling it out and levitating it over to me. Readjusting my pillows, I leaned back against the headrest and opened it to my bookmark. --- A few months have passed, and I’m surprised nopony has told the two sisters of Sombra’s doings. Or have they, and they just don’t care? No, Princess Celestia is kind and a just ruler. If she knew of all the deaths, she would come. Sombra managed to capture a dragon today. It was still kind of young and small compared to most dragons I had seen, maybe around fifty years old and a little bigger than Princess Celestia. How he captured it I have no idea, but when I came back from lunch it was sitting in his study with him. Its-excuse me, his- scales were of a gala apple red, golden-yellow running down his belly with fiery orange-yellow eyes. The two of them were having tea, though the dragon could hardly hold onto his own cup, actually, a soup bowl rather than the tiny porcelain one Sombra held. The dragon eyed me as I trotted in, sending shivers down my spine. If the princesses had stares that could get anypony to confess their wrongdoings, this dragon had it just as strong if not worse. “What’s she doing here?” “Hayfeather is my scribe,” Sombra explained, taking a sip from his cup. “She’ll write down about our little experiments.” The dragon snorted, “I already told you it would be foolish to try to kill me. Your pony magic rarely works well on my kind. When we are young, mere hatchlings, before we grow our wings, we are not impervious to your magic. But the moment adolescence arrives and our wings start to sprout, none but the most powerful would stand a chance.” He spread out his own wings behind him, a good eight feet wingspan if not larger, knocking down a vase on its stand beside him. “And I am no hatchling.” He turned his gaze back over to me, “well then, Hayfeather, it is a pleasure. I am Razeth. Sombra believes he has captured me.” He smirked. “You wouldn’t be here now if you hadn’t fallen in my trap would you?” Sombra muttered, taking a sip from his own cup. Razeth chuckled. “Fair enough. But if you will excuse us, we have strategy to discuss.” “Of course,” I said and bowed to them both. “Call for me if you need anything,” I told Sombra and trotted up to my rooms. Things were getting serious, it seemed Sombra had a dragon on his side now. If he didn’t betray Razeth like he had so many others, and figure out how to capture his power. As I took my notes from their hiding place to continue my scribing, there was a knock on my door. “Enter,” I said, pushing them back into place and closing the drawer. “Oh good, you’re home.” Radiant Hope stepped lightly into my room and closed the door behind her. While I had been gone for a few weeks, she had returned from Canterlot. I guess things hadn’t been going well with the Princesses for her, but she wouldn’t speak of it. But then I could have seen that from long ago. She and Sombra had always been close, whenever I had seen them while they grew, they would always be by each other’s side, even more so once Radiant had gained her cutie mark. It might not have been obvious to her then, but I had seen it in Sombra’s eyes. He loved her. Even with all the horrors he had committed, it was no surprise to anypony when he asked for her to be his special somepony. She had been reluctant, even angry at him, but eventually gave in and moved in with him. I suspected it was mind control but had never been able to prove it. I’d thought we’d seen the last of her when she got the letter from the princesses, but Sombra’s power was stronger than I gave it credit for. “Yes, was there something you needed?” I asked, standing and trotting over to her. “Well, yes,” she bit her lip, ears trembling. “May I see your notes you have been taking for Sombra? About his amulets?” “What? Why would you want to see those? They are filled with blood and death.” A sweet young mare like her shouldn’t see such things. Even I regret writing them, helping Sombra. “Please!” She begged, grasping my forehooves in her own. “I… have a plan. One last try to save him from all this. Before the princesses get involved. I know the pony I remember from long ago is still in there, somewhere. If this plan works, perhaps I can heal him. Make the Crystal Empire what it once was again.” She gazed up at me, and I could feel the determination in her eyes. “You don’t want to continue writing of all this death do you?” She had me there. If there was a way to bring him back, it would be her. It had been healing him in the first place that brought out her cutie mark, but it was still dangerous. “You don’t know what you are asking.” “Perhaps not, but I must know. Please Hayfeather, please.” She gazed up at me, eyes sparkling with tears. Looking back now, I wish I had turned her away. It hadn’t helped anyway. The sisters still came, they still defeated him, and in his usual sneaky ways, he took the Crystal Empire down with him. I know not if it will reappear. If it does, I will surely be long gone by that time. Did anypony else escape before the empire disappeared? I know not. Radiant tried to, I know that much. --- I paused in my reading, weariness escaping me as I held onto each word. There was just a paltry amount of pages left, three, and this Hayfeather still hadn’t explained how to defeat the amulet! By the sound of it even she didn’t know. I ran a hoof down my frilled mane, ugh this was frustrating! What was I supposed to tell the others? That we were all doomed? And what had that plan of Radiant’s been? “That would have been the important thing to write down, Miss Hayfeather!” I growled. “Then maybe we would have some idea of what to do!” But then, there were still three more pages. These ones looked different from the rest, newer if only slightly. Long time in between writing maybe? Well, either way, I was almost done. The same bird chirped irritably right outside my window. I looked to see the sun had fully risen now, still morning but lunch would be soon. Perhaps I could finish before I had to be back down there. Perhaps, I would have some good news. I picked the book back up and continued. --- I didn’t think I would write in here again after last time. So much has happened, so much has changed. A changeling hive took me in on my escape from the Crystal Empire, mostly to use as food, I think, but then their Queen saw more potential in me. Once again I have become a scribe, and at least this time it is for a more benevolent ruler. The changelings, of course, have their battles among the other hives, but for the most part, ours stays out of them. --- I dropped the book again. Hives? No, Hayfeather must be mistaken, there was only our hive. We’d have known if there were other hives, right? Our queen wouldn’t hide such a significant detail from us. Or well, maybe she had forgotten too? What with the spell she and Discord did- I shook my head. If they had been, they were surely long gone now. I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. The solution first, questions about the past later. Let’s finish this. Ponyville- Queen Chrysalis We raced down the alleyways of Ponyville, the cloaked mare staying just far enough ahead of us that we’d spy her turning the corners. Ugh, curse these smaller legs! I didn’t even know where we were anymore. She’d taken so many turns randomly that we could be anywhere in Ponyville. As we turned one last corner, we came to a dead-end alley. “Ha, now I got you,” I grunted, breathing heavily as she came to a stop near the wall blocking off the alley. With a great leap, I closed my eyes, landed on her back, and wrapped my hooves around her, and leaned to the side. But nothing happened. “Wha?” I opened my eyes to see her just standing still below me. She let out a sigh. “Ah, Chrysalis. Did you forget your little disguise?” She turned around to look at me, her muzzle poking out beneath the hood a pale purple. “Your little Shiny’s sister? Still such a young filly, I doubt you even weight half of my own weight right now.” She smirked, chuckling. “Did you really think to take me down with a tackle?” With a spark of magic, she teleported out from under me and a few feet away. I let out an oomph as I fell to the ground. Shaking my head, I opened my eyes and looked down below me. Her black cloak had not teleported with her, the soft fabric lay against my barrel. Looking up, I gasped upon seeing who this mare really was. She looked different from how she had looked in the comics, older certainly, but nowhere near as old as one would think for her age. She was nearly the same shade of purple as Shiny, with pale pink scars running along her barrel and legs, one scar nearly cutting her caduceus cutie mark in half. A thick ragged scar ran over her neck, looking almost as if somepony had tried to slice her throat. Her grayish-blue mane had been cut shorter, almost a very coltish fashion with spiky bangs. The eyes that had looked so optimistic and friendly in picture, were now as cold as the arctic blue color they possessed. “Radiant Hope?” I couldn’t believe it, she was the mysterious mare? “You were expecting somepony else?” She grinned, looking down at me. The amulet around her neck caught the sun, making the jewels embedded in it shine like fresh blood. I nodded, trying to form words but unable to. “How?” Chrys yelled. “She was on the road to being a princess. I myself might not have been there but a previous Chrysalis was. What in the hay happened?” “Why… how?” I stammered. “You are really determined to get me monologuing aren’t you?” She let out a sigh and trotted over to me, holding out a hoof. “Get up.” I stared at the hoof for a moment but then nodded, taking it. She pulled me to my hooves and then backed up a step. “That’s better. Now, I think your little friends need some attention,” she grinned, lighting up her horn and shooting out a spark of red light. A cold shiver ran down my spine as laughter filled the alleyway, and from the roofs of the buildings around us came the three Umbrum I had met before. They folded their moth-like wings against their shimmering black coats, glowing white eyes staring at me as they took up places beside Radiant. “What would you have us do?” One hissed, turning its gaze to Radiant. “Take care of this little pink filly for you?” Another chuckled, grinning and showing off its mismatched teeth. “No, Rabia,” Radiant said, grinning slyly at the second one to speak. “I want you to keep her little friends occupied while we talk. But no killing them, at least not until they get closer.” The middle one, Rabia, nodded. “Of course, we can do that right girls?” The other two nodded and spreading their wings, they launched into the sky and back down the alleyways we had come down. “You think killing my companions is going to make me want to join you?” I snarled. “Oh, so is that all you feel for that little purple stallion? He’s just a companion, nothing more?” “What he is to us doesn’t matter. We need him to get Leptostales back.” Chrys growled, but I just couldn’t agree with her this time. Yes, we did need him, but how we felt mattered, didn’t it? Would it make any difference in Radiant’s plans though? “Just don’t let your goons kill him, any of them. Haven’t you done enough killing? What good does killing civilians do for you?” “Who are you to lecture about killing?” She snorted, slamming a hoof to the ground. “Your little minions have done so plenty of times.” “Not under my orders. What use is a dead pony to us?” She stared at me wide-eyed for a moment, then lowered her ears slightly as she smirked. “You really don’t know, do you? Either that or you are a better actress than I took you for.” “Know what?” I asked. Chrys sighed. “Okay yes, they have killed a few, I can admit that. But a whole village? Wait…. There was that village of those little critters whose castle we stole. Fine, we have killed, but not nearly as many as she!” “You mean the critter village?” I asked, to which she just laughed. “No, you don’t know!” She let out a cackle. “Well, you are in for a surprise when you reach Canterlot. Until then, let’s get down to business.” Turning my head to the side, I just stared at her for a moment. What in the hay was she going on about? Well, it didn’t matter for now. “I’m guessing you still want my changelings and me to join your side?” “Very perceptive, that’s why I like you. For now.” Her horn lit up with her red magic and grabbed her cloak, tossing it across her back in a heap. “Yes, I still want you to join me. A battle is coming and you need to decide if you want to be on the winning side.” “And how can you be so sure that is with you?” “Why?” She looked at me, mouth open in mock shock. She trotted right over to me until we were nearly muzzle to muzzle. “I shall win because my army will be the larger one, and the one more willing to kill.” She turned away, slapping me in the face with her tail. “As we speak, my army grows. I have sent my Umbrum out to negotiate with my future allies.” “Oh really? And who do you think would join you against the might of Equestria? Against those Elements of Harmony? The might and strength of four alicorns!” I snorted. “You tell her! Not just anypony would tangle with all of that. She might have those Umbrum, and it would seem Sombra’s Alicorn Amulet, but that doesn’t mean she will win.” I looked over at the amulet, pondering for a moment. How did she come across it anyway? Last I remembered Trixie had had it until Twilight tricked her into giving it up. Hadn’t Princess Celestia taken it and hidden it? “Oh, I’ll be a match for even those elements soon, I imagine,” she chuckled, stroking the amulet. “I see you seem to recognize my little… trinket here.” “Yes, Sombra’s Alicorn amulet,” I said. “But how did you come across it? I thought it was in Celestia’s possession.” Radiant smiled, letting out a little chuckle. “One of his amulets is in her possession.” “Wait, wait, wait- he made MORE THAN ONE?” Chrys yelled, and our mouth gaped open in shock. “M-more than one?” I gasped. How?? “Oblivious as ever I see.” She grinned, stepped closer, and closed our mouth with one hoof. “He made more than one, obviously. The one Celestia has was just a prototype.” She sighed. “This one though, has the real power,” she crooned, her eyes glowing red for a moment as she turned back to stroking it. “Well I think we now know what made her go crazy,” Chrys sighed and I nodded. Partly at least. If the ‘prototype’ had turned Trixie into such an evil version of herself –sure she was proud and boastful without it, but not evil- then I could just imagine what it would do to such a sweet, innocent young mare like Radiant. “But why do you have it?” I questioned, stepping forward. “You should have known what it would do to you, right?” “And what is that supposed to mean?” she growled, narrowing her eyes at me. “I am fine! This is the only way to get what I really want. Nothing will stop me. Not the two sisters, not the elements of harmony, not even the crystal heart!” She yelled. Her eyes, horn, and amulet glowed red, as she breathed heavily. “Tread carefully,” Chrys said, “we don’t know what kind of power gained with that amulet.” Our heart was beating quickly against our chest, staring at the angry unicorn. “Well- just that you- have changed?” I gave her a weak grin, to which she returned closing her eyes. I breathed a sigh of relief as the red glow faded. “Of course I have Chrysalis. How many years has it been since we last met? Too many to count really. Just a few years after those princesses stole away my whole life and the stallion I cared for!” What was she talking about? I didn’t remember any visit around then. At least nothing in the comics said anything, right? “Hmm that would have been before my time, maybe even before the time of the Chrysalis before me.” Chrys hummed in thought. “So it would be no wonder she has changed from what we recall. Perhaps her visit was not as significant to the previous Chrysalis as she thought, or I might just not remember her telling me of it. Five hundred years is a long time to remember everything after all.” She was right about that. Wait, had Radiant said ‘care for’? “You mean you and Sombra, were lovers?” “Of course we were,” she snorted, “everypony knows that!” “Not in this day and age,” I said softly. “They think you were just friends if even that in the end.” “Whatever,” she grunted, lifting her ears as the sounds of screams and fighting floated toward us on the wind. “Seems Rabia has found your little friends,” she grinned. “Now, I suppose I could spare them. If you will but join me? I can give you so much more than those silly princesses ever could. You want your little lingfriend back? I can get him out of those dungeons with a flick of my hoof! You want to rule Equestria? Battle with me and my other allies and we can rule it together.” She leaned in closer to me, eyes glowing softly. “But if you will not join me, I can make that decision a costly one. I won’t tell you what I’ll do, but know this- you’ll never recover from it. Physically maybe, but mentally? Never.” She grinned, leaning in closer. I bit my lip, backing away from her. What should I do? “Don’t give in!” Chrys said, letting out a growl. “We know she has great power, what with that…. thing. But I don’t believe her threats.” My ears twitched slightly, I was not sure if I believed them either, but could we really take that chance? “Can we get an extension on that ‘we’ll think about it'?” I said softly, to which she just narrowed her eyes and frowned at me. “Oh, so you can get to the princesses and spill all you know?” She paused, a smile slowly forming on her face as she chuckled. “You know, fine. Three more days, that is all I am giving you. I want to see the look on the face of the princesses when you tell them I’M the one doing all this!” She cackled. “So you ARE the one who turned Ponyville into this… this,” I said, gesturing a hoof around us. “Oh no, that wasn’t me. Not Discord either.” She chuckled. “Then who?” “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she huffed, closing her eyes and looking away. I rolled my eyes. Had this happened in the show? If so that episode I could not recall. “Just tell me,” I grunted. “Rarity and Spike,” she said softly. “Twilight Sparkles friend and little dragon?” Chrys said, and I could swear she would have grinned. “So not one, but two of her little friends have gone bad? Oh, this is delicious!” “So the element of generosity has gone bad?” Radiant let out a cackle but shook her head. “She is kind of under a spell, not my doing! Well not entirely, I did suggest to her little dragon friend that he might be able to help the poor crying pony with a book from the two sisters' old castle. But he is the one who brought home the spell that caused all this… gaudiness. Really, I thought Rarity had better taste.” “Cadence and the others are still blaming me for what you did though.” “And that is all part of the plan, dear Chrysalis!” She reared and clapped her forehooves together. “You see, if everypony blames you, they’ll never believe your story about me. Those pegasi that flew to tell the princesses about Hoofville? Under my control.” She turned around, lighting up her horn, and secured her cloak around her once more, covering her face. “You are the only one who has seen who I really am.” “Not for long, we’ll figure out a way to expose her!” Chrys growled. “We don’t play by the rules of some pony! If we are to take over Equestria, we’ll do it by our own hooves.” Radiant lifted her head again, shooting out another spark of red. Silence fell around us, and about a minute later the three Umbrum returned. Two were supporting the other, who looked like one of its moth-like wings was nearly burned off. The others looked a little banged up, but not much worse. “What happened Rabia?” Radiant asked, looking to the one on the right of the injured Umbrum. “They were… stronger than they looked master Radiant. But don’t worry, they won’t be interrupting you.” Rabia chuckled. “Nopony hurts my daughter and gets away with it.” “Oooooh if they killed them, they will pay!” Chrys growled. I scrunched up my nose, baring my fangs- well okay teeth in this form- and couldn’t help but agree. “Excellent my dears,” Radiant said and patted them each on the head. “Come, let’s get out of here.” Closing her eyes, Radiant’s horn glowed red again. She paused, opening one eye to look at me. "Three days Chrysalis, that is it." A moment later all four disappeared with the faint pop of a teleportation spell. “We better go check on them,” Chrys said and I nodded. “I thought you didn’t care about them?” “I don’t,” Chrys snorted, “but you do, and I don’t want to live in our mind if you are pouting about your friends getting hurt or killed.” “Aw, you do care,” I said grinning. “But yes, no time to waste. I just hope we can find them in all this… maze.”