Cadance stirred in the darkness. The ground was hard beneath her, and she hurt all over. She tried to search her memories, but everything was still fuzzy. She tried to force herself onto her hooves, but her hooves wouldn't support her. So instead, she lay there, able to do little but breathe.
"Hello?"
Cadance immediately perked up. She tried to light up the area around her, but she could barely concentrate on her magic. "Blueblood?" she called out. "Blueblood?"
"Cadance?" the voice groaned from the left. "Cadance, is that you?"
Cadance shoved herself over. "BLUEBLOOD!" Finally, light sprang from her horn. She saw him: sprawled out, scraped up, and still hazy. "Blueblood!" Cadance pulled herself across the ground towards him. Blueblood didn't move, and was covered in blood, though Cadance was glad to see that he didn't seem to have anything broken. Finally, she managed to reach him. "Are you OK?" she asked.
Blueblood forced his head up, but Cadance gently pushed it back down. "Careful," she said. "I couldn't get up at first either."
"I'm confused," Blueblood said. "I remember us being attacked on the way to your bachelorette party, but after that... where are we?"
Carefully, Cadance looked around. It looked like a cave, walls dotted with rock spines. Cadance couldn't see anything pony-made, and she'd never gone underground. "I don't know," she told Blueblood. "It looks like we're underground."
"That's obvious."
Cadance glared at Blueblood. "OK, you tell us where we are!" she snapped.
Looking away from Cadance, Blueblood sat up. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just-"
"Scared? So am I." Cadance's face softened a little. "We're going to get out of here," she assured him. "Just don't be an idiot and we'll be fine."
She used her light to check him over. Barring a few scrapes and a swelling on the back of his head, he seemed fine. Feeling a little more presence in her limbs, Cadance got up and started to stumble around. She stayed close. The caverns around her stretched on for what could've been miles; exploring them could be fatal. "I don't suppose your company did anything in this cave, did they?" she asked.
Nothing. Even after giving him a few moments to remember, Blueblood had said nothing. When the silence stretched on longer, Cadance finally had to turn around. To her surprise, Blueblood seemed to have lost focus, staring at something off in the distance. Cadance shined her light in his face. "Blueblood?"
He turned to face her. "There's something I have to tell you," he mumbled.
"If it's about all those times you called me an orphan, it can wait."
Wearily, Blueblood shook his head. "No, it's not that, but I'm sorry for that, too." He took in a deep breath, then another, then one more deep one. "... I-"
A wall in a nearby crystal opened and Cadance stumbled over as quick as she could. Striding forward were two black ponies, but not. They looked like beetles given equine form: black, hard, and glossy. Their eyes were glowing blue, their legs dotted with holes going straight through to the other side, and draping out of their mouths were long, pointed fangs. One raised a hoof and pointed to Blueblood.
"Come with us."
<***>
Chrysalis sat with her elbow on the table. Her eyes were half-lidded as she looked around the room, and her eyebrows were starting to pull downwards as well. The various fruits and vegetables on the table looked delicious, at least from her perspective. The room had been well-decorated to look normal: pleasantly lit, and jasmine candles were burning softly in out-of-the-way places. The only problem was that the man of the hour was several minutes delayed. As the clock ticked on
Finally, a changeling skittered in. At least his armor was cracked a little around what looked like a hoof print. "B-beg pa-"
"Just show him in," she hissed. As soon as the drone slipped out, she sat up straight in her chair, her elbows at her sides, and she smiled. "Please, come in," she beckoned, her voice soft and soothing.
Clop. Clop. Clop. Clop. After a few long seconds, in plodded Blueblood. He was well-bandaged, and he limped a little, but she didn't seen any new bruises, so her servants were off the hook. As soon as he entered and saw Chrysalis, he scowled at her. "Of course," he huffed. "Cockroach ponies, cockroach queen. Makes perfect sense."
Chrysalis bowed her head a little, just enough to acknowledge him. "You must be the Prince," she said. She spread her hooves. "Please, sit and eat. I know it isn't much, but my servants tried so very hard."
Blueblood's gaze did not turn from Chrysalis as he limped forward and flopped down into his seat. He took a brief look down at the meager banquet, then sniffed and turned his nose away, glaring back at Chrysalis. "What are you doing?" he asked. "I know who you are, Queen Chrysalis. I also know that you've violated the Treaty of Canterlot and that there's not one loving, charitable, or in any sense amicable bone in your body. This is probably a bribe, if it hasn't been..." He looked down at it, then took a deep sniff of it. "...poisoned in some way."
Chrysalis's smile faded from her face. "Oh, your highness," she moaned, "you shouldn't believe all of what you hear. I've been-"
"Nice try," Blueblood growled. "Despite popular scuttlebutt, I trust my aunt Celestia too much for that 'history maligned me' garbage to work. So if you'll just get out and let me and everyone else you've kidnapped go, we'll pretend this never happened."
Sadly, Chrysalis shook her head. "I cannot sway you?" she asked. She turned away from Blueblood with a sniff. "Very well, go on your way."
Blueblood stood. "Thank you." Quick as a whip, he turned and started to storm off.
"However..." Chrysalis said. Instantly, Blueblood stopped and slowly turned around. "Blueblood, that name rings a bell. In fact, I believe my drones found some ponies recently who mentioned that name. They were badly burned, and covered in magic which neither I nor my subjects have ever seen the like of. They, too, seemed to be quite close to Canterlot."
Chrysalis turned. Blueblood had gone stiff, much as he tried to mask it in his scowl. "Now, this magic caused several of my drones to become sick," she continued, a scowl of her own developing. "One of them might not recover. Now, regardless of where they are, any leader would be a fool not to ignore a potential weapon being developed for use against them. Now tell me, your highness, what do you know of this? I have places to be, so I suggest you talk quickly."
Nothing was said. Blueblood glared at Chrysalis, but his face was almost frozen. His mouth had opened slightly, but no sound came out of it. For quite some time, the two glared at each other. Finally, Blueblood's teeth gritted together and he hissed to his host "Go ask Cronus." Then he spun on his hindlegs and stormed out the door.
<***>
Blueblood said nothing as he sped through the black, porous corridor. Between the stomping of his good hooves and the hissing from his nostrils, however, he didn't need to. Anyone else who encountered him quickly moved to the side. Thus, Blueblood moved past quite a few corridor intersections before he finally pulled to a halt in the middle of one.
Blueblood's head fell to between his knees, his eyes closed. He tried to force his lungs into a deep, regular pattern as sweat trickled down from his brow. "One, seven, thirteen, nineteen, twenty-three..." His heart started to pound again as he stalled. His teeth gritted together and his breaths started to hiss from his nostrils. "...seventy-nine-"
Then someone plowed into him, knocking him over. "I'm so sorry! I-"
In an instant, Blueblood sprung up and pinned the changeling against a nearby wall. "STAY AWAY FROM ME!" he screamed.
Under his hooves, the drone blanched, freezing in place. "Uh, I, I-I-I-"
The changeling's stuttering turned into gasps as Blueblood's hooves pressed into his chest. Blueblood's lips curled up off of his teeth as he glared fire into his target's eyes. The prince remained that way so long that the corners of the drone's vision began to blur. Then, a sudden burst of magic ripped the changeling away, throwing him to the ground. Blueblood growled at the drone, then turned and started to clomp away. After only a few steps, though, he had to stop and breathe again.
After a few moments, though, he noticed something. At first, he couldn't believe it, but then he looked up. The changeling he had thrown aside was crying. Not just crying: shuddering, hooves-to-eyes blubbering. Blueblood's scowl deepened, then he heavily stamped forward. "What are you doing?" he spat.
The insect's eyes suddenly darted to Blueblood. Tears dribbling down his face, the drone hurriedly wiped them away. "I-it's nothing," he said.
"Tell me what you're doing," Blueblood snarled, his muzzle right next to the bug's.
"Y-you don't have to-"
"TALK!"
With a violent flinch, the changeling stumbled and fell backwards. "I couldn't find anything!" he blurted out. "And she, she said if I... if I failed to bring something to eat back, th-th-then she'd eat me!" Fresh tears started to fall down his cheeks. "I hate it here. I-I-I never wanted to be here! I... I..." The changeling moaned, then he turned away, putting his face in his hooves. "I wish I was dead already!"
The drone erupted into another series of sobs, shaking as he did so. Blueblood's scowl faltered for a moment as he saw what he thought was impossible. Then his scowl returned and he jerked his head away. "Liar," he hissed under his breath. Then his frown faded again and his eyes darted back. The changeling was still shaking and sniffling. For a moment, Blueblood stared at the drone. Then he stepped forward.
"I'll talk to her, Mister..."
The changeling was wiping his eyes when he suddenly stopped. "What?" he breathed.
Blueblood's face didn't change from neutral. "Well, Mr. What," he continued, "I assume you mean the evil Queen. I shall convince her not to kill you. After all, I've managed to talk yaks into compromise: Queen Chrysalis shouldn't be a problem."
Mr. What had stopped weeping and was just staring at Blueblood now. "You can't be serious," he mumbled.
In response, Blueblood just smirked. "Watch me," he said. Then he started to trot off.
<***>
"Now, even if you don't believe me, I have the right to investigate any potential threats..."
Chrysalis stopped herself mid-growl. She was still seated at the table, scowling at nothing. "No, that's too confrontational," she told herself. Instantly, her face fell. "I know you don't believe me," she said, her voice low and soft. "And I understand that. But I have the right to defe-" Scowling, she shook her head. "Not a chance in Tartarus he'd believe that." She cleared her throat.
"I thought the truth was naked."
Chrysalis looked up as Blueblood walked in, impassively taking his seat back at the table. "That's why so many people turn it away," Chrysalis replied. "It isn't dressed properly."
Blueblood put his hooves together. "So, how would you dress the fact that your worker drones are killed for mere acts of ineptitude? That's hardly justifiable."
Chrysalis frowned. "When you're reduced to scraping out a living in the desert, you don't have resources to waste on those who continuously cannot perform their tasks. You can agree that, however justified, they would be... unwelcome and untrusted outside of the hive. I let a group separate and try to live their own life; they were quickly lynched. The only drones who would leave now are too stupid to keep."
Blueblood's mouth dropped open to answer that question, but all he produced was a grunt before he turned his head away. After a few moments, though, he turned it back. "Suppose I could get you to change your mind," he said. "That treating your workers with dignity and respect is good business."
Chrysalis glared down her nose at him. "I'm over one thousand years old," she said. "If you think you know more about my drones than I do, then you are incredibly naive."
"Ponies have been around for five thousand years," Blueblood instantly rebutted, "and we're only just now using fair and efficient means of living. Give my way a try, and I promise you the benefits will reap themselves."
Slowly, Chrysalis's lips pinched together. "And if I'm not convinced?" she asked. "What will you give me as compensation? Bearing in mind that there is only one thing you have at the moment that I want."
Blueblood frowned at her. In response, she merely glared back. The two sat, staring at each other over the table, neither one moving so much as a hair. Finally, however, Blueblood turned away.
"If it doesn't work," he said, "I'll tell you everything."
<***>
One week later, Blueblood was trotting down the hallway at a quick clip. He'd walked this hallway before, many many times. And every time he had found nothing of what he wanted. But still he did it. His eyes were dark, slightly glazed, and his coat was dull and a bit tangled. Even now, his eyes darted from place to place, and he was covered in a light film of perspiration.
"Your highness?"
Blueblood stopped as chitinous hooves sounded on the ground. After a deep breath and a forced smile, he turned around. "Mandible," he said. "How goes everything?"
The changeling formerly known as Mr. What was smiling back at him. "Great," he said. "I found a herd of peccaries this morning and my party's just bringing them in. It's not love, but pork's a close second."
Blueblood smiled and nodded. "Bacon," he said, "the one meat no pony can deny." He quickly led him to one side of the corridor. "Have you found the other prisoners?" he whispered.
Mandible's smile faded. "Maybe," he said. "Try finding section 84, level 12. I heard there's something going on there."
Blueblood had to force himself not to hug the drone in public. "It's a start," he said. "Thank you."
A changeling ran up. "Blueblood," he said, "the Queen wishes to speak with you."
Blueblood's smile fell off of his face again. "Wonderful," he spat. "Thank you, Proboscis. I'll be right there."
<***>
Blueblood plopped himself down into the chair at the table. "Well, Princess Carapace," he drawled, "it appears my method is working."
Chrysalis glared at him as several drones brought out bowls of various plants: flowers, vegetables, and fruits, along with plates and cups. As the drone came closer to the table, Chrysalis couldn't help but watch as Blueblood smiled. "Thank you, Chitin," he told the drone, bowing his head. "I'm glad to see you up and about again."
The changeling didn't smile, but as he left the room, he seemed to have an extra spring in his step. Chrysalis instantly, but distinguishedly, took to the food. As soon as the drone left the room, Blueblood's scowl returned, and he touched nothing. "So, you can be professional," she said. "Actually act like a business owner with sense and manners."
Blueblood laid an elbow on the table. "Oh, I'm nothing but professional with my work," he said. "Be it with my company or Aunt Celestia's requests. It's my 'equals' that I have a problem with."
Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "You're making a mistake," she said. "They might be more productive, but you're making them weaker."
Blueblood's eyebrows fell deeper. "Go on," he rumbled. "Tell me how treating your subordinates like slaves is making them stronger. It hasn't gotten rid of their allergy to apples."
Blueblood then casually scooped a golden delicious apple out of the bowl in front of him, placing it on his plate. In response, Chrysalis's glare deepened. "I do not treat them like slaves," she said. "They are flesh of my flesh, an extension of myself. Therefore, I treat them like I treat myself. They know what I know and eat what I eat. If I am any better fed, it is because I am the first among equals and the strongest warrior." As she said this, she spread her wings and laid her hooves on the table, leaving the holes in both visible. "I assure you, I starve as much as they do."
Blueblood's scowl didn't lift one bit. "Impressive," he muttered. "Do you mark all of your drones like that?"
"They mark themselves," Chrysalis deadpannedly replied. "Ponies have hoop earrings, do they not? Am I to assume that they are marked by some authority?"
Blueblood's scowl deepened. "Not all of them."
"Because it's not Equestrian culture." Chrysalis paused for a moment, but when Blueblood didn't reply, she continued. "The marking of hooves is a sign of unity. They pledge to follow me wherever I go, and I pledge to do what will benefit them the most. If they suffer for it, I suffer with them."
Suddenly, Blueblood's lips disappeared as he shot out of his seat. "You think that makes it alright?" he snapped. "You honestly think that just 'having their best intentions at heart' makes you infallible, that you can do whatever you want to them?"
Chrysalis's eyes widened, and she stood. "Your highness?" she asked. "Are you alright? Do you want me to send for-ARGH!"
Blueblood's apple shot across the table like a cannonball, striking Chrysalis in the chest and bursting into pulp. As soon as it struck her, Chrysalis fell forward onto the table, her hooves darting to her chest, scraping at the pulp on her reddening exoskeleton. For a moment, Blueblood watched her writhe and scream in pain. Then, he turned and bolted into the hallway.
Blueblood turned left and pounded down the hallway. While the corridors kept changing, changelings had developed a three-dimensional grid for keeping track of where everything was in the hive, which made it easier to find things. Keeping a count in his head, Blueblood sped onwards, downwards, ducking left or right into corridors or turning almost back around when he couldn't find a straight path. Finally, he came to the coordinates.
They were empty. It was just an open room full of building supplies. Instantly, Blueblood tried to launch an X-ray spell, but it just wouldn't form. He tried running into the room, but he'd run a long way, and his legs were just too sore. He fell forward, landing on his side and sucking breath in and out of his body. After a few moments, he started to count. "One, seven, thirteen..." He stopped for a moment, trying to breathe. "...thirteen..."
"Blueblood! What's going on?"
Instantly, Blueblood rocketed forward, punching a changeling square in the jaw and bowling him onto his back. When his target tried to move, Blueblood smacked him back down, then smacked him again. And again. And again and again and again. "LIAR!" he shouted as his hoof came down. "MONSTER! DIE!"
A blast of green energy threw Blueblood back across the room, pinning him to the wall. Blueblood wriggled and squirmed like a fish out of water, but the magic held him tightly to the wall. Soon, his sore muscles caught up with him, and his struggles lost most of their potency. At this, he was finally dropped to the floor. Blueblood instantly glared up at the drone. Of all things, the changeling wasn't scowling at him; he was staring, eyes wide. He'd taken quite a beating, bleeding in several places and big blue bruises starting to form.
Then Blueblood recognized the drone. It was Mandible, the same Mandible he'd interceded for; the same Mandible that given him this location. He was standing here now. Blueblood glowered, trying to well up enough hatred to hit him again, but he couldn't. If Mandible had lied for the Queen's sake, why was he here now? Did the Queen lie to him, too? Blueblood tried to concentrate, but then he noticed a small teardrop making its way down Mandible's muzzle.
"...I'm sorry. I-"
Blueblood tried to continue, but a sob hitched in his throat. Before he could clear it out, another had popped up. Blueblood's legs lost feeling as he started to sniffle, tears rolling down his eyes. Eventually, the choked sobs burst into full-out weeping, and Blueblood couldn't keep his head up. As he tried to clear his eyes, new tears sprang up to re-cloud his vision, and Blueblood's shaking hoof couldn't wipe them away fast enough or well enough. After a good, long while, Blueblood looked up. Mandible was still there, or at least, something that looked like him.
"It-it was a drill," Blueblood stammered. "It wasn't a weapon, it was a drill. We were trying to start a petroleum mine. M-my foreman warned me... she said I shouldn't take the drill up so high, that the magic running the drill could react badly with the oil." Blueblood sniffed. "But I told her it was safe. I'd heard it was safe. I even stood in the control room to prove it was safe. And then..."
Blueblood had to stop for a moment, forcing the words out through a throat that had suddenly gone silent. "I only survived by ducking behind a bulkhead with another pony. I don't know where she is. The others weren't so lucky. I..." His throat tightened up again. "...I should've died that day. I should have died... but I didn't!"
Then Blueblood burst into a new litany of sobbing and blubbering. He could see nothing, he could hear nothing. All that existed at that moment was his memory of those last few moments, watching the concussive wave plow into other ponies, trying to take count of all the wounded or dead, staggering out to try and find help. All he saw, all he felt, was the past.
Then everything faded away. The corners of his memory faded back into the present as the memory seemed to be pulled out of him. Silent for a moment, Blueblood could only blink and wipe away tears. Finally, the memories were gone, vanished into a black mist that Chrysalis was pulling into her mouth. Blueblood stared at her as she turned her head to the side and blew the mist out of her mouth, where it dissipated. The large spot on her chest was an angry red and criss-crossed with cracks: but when she turned back, her eyebrows were up, her eyes unsquinted, and her mouth was resting in a line.
"Come with me," she said.
<***>
One short walk later, Blueblood was staring at his crew. They were all in a massive room, which had been dressed up with tiled floors, painted walls and shining windows. All of the workers were confined to beds, some heavily bandaged, others sitting up. Nurse ponies walked up and down the aisles tending to them. Blueblood could only guess that these were changelings, and yet they didn't seem to do anything.
"Our spies saw the explosion," Chrysalis explained. "When they got to the drilling site, we found several ponies still clinging to life. After several drones started falling sick, Chitin got the idea to bring the wounded back to the hive for questioning . Unfortunately, with the state they're in, they'll be recovering for quite a while yet. Most of them should recover, though."
One of the ponies on the beds, a brown mare with bandages and a cast, started to stir. As soon as he saw her, Blueblood dashed over to her side. Just then, her eyes fluttered open. Though bleary at first, they started to focus, especially when she drew a bead on Blueblood. "Blueblood?" she asked.
Blueblood noticed a basket of fruit right next to her bed. Quick as he could, he swiped the green apple off the top and took a bite. Sure enough, it tasted like apple. Blueblood chewed the pulp up in his mouth before he quickly spat it onto the mare's neck. "Ugh, eww!" she moaned, raising a hoof to wipe herself off. However, her hide remained brown. "What is going on with-"
She didn't get any further because Blueblood had leapt forward, crushing her with a hug. "I thought I'd lost you!" he sniffled, beaming behind her back.
After a moment of surprised silence, the foreman leaned up and returned the embrace, smiling just as widely as the prince. Then, however, she noticed the Queen. "Uh, Blueblood?" she whispered. "What's going on?"
Blueblood pulled away. "It's alright," he told the mare. "Queen Chrysalis..." For a moment, he turned to her, silent. "... she saved your lives."
"You'll be free to go," Chrysalis said. "I have no interest in feeding you more than I have to, I have no long-standing grudges with any of you, and if your fearless leader finds out that I've killed her subjects, there isn't a force on Earth that would save me from her. Your memories will be modified, so you won't be able to tell your government where we are, but you will otherwise be quite safe."
The foreman turned to Blueblood, but Blueblood had turned his head back to Chrysalis. It wasn't everyone, but it was so much better than nothing. And Queen Chrysalis was willing to let them go. As he stood there, staring, she quickly turned her head back to look at something else. Blueblood quickly looked back at the foreman, but he couldn't stop thinking about Chrysalis.
<***>
"And you don't remember a thing?"
Blueblood shook his head at his aunt Luna's question. "Nothing," he said. "From then to now, it's just one big blank."
Just an hour ago, Blueblood and the missing workers had been found by a royal guard patrol. Now he was seated at the massive breakfast table in Canterlot Castle with his two aunts and Princess Cadence. A large pot of tea lay between the four, along with a small pile of cupcakes. "I don't like this," Luna said. "Memory alteration is never a good sign."
"Well, everyone's being interrogated now," Cadence said. "If there's a problem, Shiny promises he'll get to the bottom of it."
"Besides," Blueblood added, taking a dainty bite of chocolate cake, "it doesn't feel like something bad happened."
"Then where are your memories?" Celestia asked.
Blueblood frowned at her, but then stopped himself and shrugged. "Fair point," he said. For a moment, he sat stirring his tea, thinking. Then he turned to Cadence. "So, how is your boyfriend?"
Cadence's mouth formed a little 'o'. "I guess you haven't heard. Which makes sense, but..." She reached up and moved her mane away from her horn. Sitting there was a simple ring with a single diamond in it. "We just got engaged yesterday."
Blueblood smiled a little. "Congratulations," he said.
Cadence smiled. "Thanks. Look, I know this is short notice, and you're still relaxing, but would you mind helping me plan everything? You do know a bunch of the people here in Canterlot better than me or Shiny."
At that point, the server, a grey earth stallion, came by with a tray to refill everything. He didn't say a word as he replaced the pot, and the three princesses paid him no mind. However, while he was replacing the cupcakes, he turned to Blueblood and gave him a very brief wink.
At that moment, Blueblood's smile widened a little. He turned back to Cadence. "I'd be delighted."
<***>
"So, how many times does Diamond Dust sneeze in a row?"
In a large room of the hive, Blueblood frowned as he paced in front of a small cadre of changelings, most of whom had morphed into pony shape. One of them, a blue mare with white sock hooves, pinched her lips together. "Uh, three in high dust, once for allergies."
Blueblood nodded. "Good." Blueblood turned to the changelings. "Alright, that's everything I know about them. You'll have to figure out the rest on your own, but you should already be good at that. Remember, kissing only. If I find that rule has been broken, I will be extremely unhappy. Are we clear?"
Everyone shouted in unison "YES, YOUR HIGHNESS!"
Curtly, Blueblood nodded. "Good. You're ready."
<***>
"And there's Diamond Dust, she's an excellent jeweler."
Cadance was nodding off in the tearoom, and almost fell face-first into her scrapbook. "Ugh, Blueblood," she growled. "Couldn't we call it off for tonight?"
Blueblood shook his head. "Someone else wants to book her for the next two months. It's now or never."
Cadance, bleary and mussy, nodded, then took a sip of her tea. Carefully, Blueblood kept the little bottle up his sleeve as Cadance's eyes sparked red for a moment. She put the cup back down, then flipped back in the big book, scowling. "I can't believe you made me choose that dress," she snapped. "Nothing else goes with it."
"Actually..."
Cadance growled. "Blueblood, not a word!"
Blueblood then zipped his lips shut. "Alright," he promised.
<***>
Shining Armor pounded down the castle's entrance hall. "Cadance! Are you alright?"
In the middle of five unconscious changelings, Cadance whipped around. "Shining, take a look around you!" she barked. "This is the third attack this week. Does this look alright to you?"
Shining Armor winced. "I'm sorry. My guards are-"
In an instant, Cadance's face fell. "I'm sorry," she moaned. "I know you're trying, but my nerves are shot."
Blueblood stood up from over a changeling's body. "Is there anything else you can try?"
Shining Armor paused, then nodded.
<***>
Blueblood watched through the pounding rain as the shield came down. It was close, but it managed to clear the last wall of the city limits, just touching the old guardtower. Briefly, Blueblood turned around and fired a ball of green light up into the air. Another light from the keep answered him. Then Blueblood ducked down and stomped his hoof twice. "All clear," he announced.
A wooden trapdoor obscured by a bush opened up. Four ponies slipped up one at a time, quickly creeping off one-by-one into the shadows. Finally, a pink alicorn mare in golden jewelery climbed up, a scowl on her face. "This passage is secure," Queen Chrysalis told Blueblood. "We can get through the shield just fine. Well done."
Before she could walk off, Blueblood stepped in front of her. "Queen Chrysalis," he said, "are you sure this is right?"
Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "Now is not the time," she hissed.
"Chrysalis, please. Celestia is a reasonable woman, I'm sure she can-"
Chrysalis moved in close and snorted in Blueblood's face. "Not. Now."
Suddenly taught as a bowstring, Blueblood nodded. "Yes, ma'am," he squeaked.
Chrysalis stormed off for a few feet. Then, however, she stopped and sighed. When she turned around, she had a small, sad frown on her face. "I'm sorry," she said, running a hoof across his face. "You've been so very helpful, Blueblood. Just trust me for five more days."
As soon as she touched him, his tension instantly melted away. "As you wish," he said. "Five more days..." Slowly, he moved in closer, able to smell the lilac of the Queen's breath...
A moment later, Blueblood was waking up in an ambulance on a stretcher, an IV inserted in his arm. Standing over him was a black mare with wings and a horn. "What?" he slurred.
A hoof came down on top of him. "Nephew," Luna said, "you need to relax. We just found you."
Blueblood looked down at himself. The bruises had vanished, but his ribs still hurt. He opened his mouth, then stopped himself. "What's going on?" he asked.
Luna frowned as the ambulance bounced. "It all started at the wedding..."
<***>
"NO!"
Down in the mine, Cadence tried to blast the drones away, but her magic fizzled. The two drones instantly rushed forward and slammed into her, knocking her back to the ground. She tried to stand back up, but when she did, the two drones instantly slapped her back down.
"Cadence, stop!"
The drones turned. With a deep breath, Blueblood put his hooves under him and slowly pushed himself up. Shaking, he turned to the changelings. "I'll go with you peacefully."
Fluidly, the drones moved on either side of him, leaning together to keep him upright. "Blueblood, be careful," Cadence gasped.
Blueblood stared at her for a moment, then he smiled. For a moment, the two stared at each other. Then a flash of green light washed over him, making him grow, turning his fur into black chitin, and forming a green crown on his head.
"Thank you," Chrysalis chuckled.
Another flash turned her into Cadence as she walked away. Cadence tried to stumble to her hooves, but as a wall of rock rose behind the changelings, everything went black, and she remembered no more.