//------------------------------//
// 5 - Glimpse 
// Story: Behind a Shifting Mask 
// by Oddling 
//------------------------------//

Silver walked just behind, to the left of Queen Chrysalis as they made their way through the tunnels of the Hive. His thoughts drifted back to his most recent experience. It had not been as Silver expected. His first impression of Chrysalis was one of oddly comfortable companionship. Speaking with her in her own chambers had allowed the grey stallion to see a more pleasant side of her. That changed shortly after they had exited her room.




~~***~~




Chrysalis stepped out into the medium sized dome and glanced at her guards – all of whom stiffened at her arrival. She cast a sweeping glance over them before she proceeded to walk toward one of the exits, with Silver following her lead. “All of you remain here, unless you receive word of the imposter,” Chrysalis ordered and turned her gaze to a side tunnel. Two of the female drones slipped from the shadows swiftly and took up a position on each side of Silver Skies.

Silver spared the two escorts a passive glance, noting that one of them might have been the lead ‘ling from the group the previous time he had walked through the tunnels. It was subtle, but he thought that he got a return glance from her, so he offered a small smile and tiny nod. He got nothing in return; aside from the female Changeling lifting her head to walk a little more proudly.

Chrysalis took notice of the slight shift in her Changeling’s emotions and suppressed a smirk. She continued to walk forward at a leisurely pace. Silver followed in silence. Before long the group of four arrived at the closest Nest and every Changeling came to a halt within. In a wave of nearly perfect unison, all of the Changelings bowed their heads respectfully.

Chrysalis took a few more steps before she came to a stop, just within the perimeter of the massive space. “Be at ease, my children. Carry on as you were. I am simply providing some enlightenment for our little pony diplomat,” she assured her subjects, her tone was that of superiority laced with slight boredom.

Silver Skies watched her display, noticing she had put on her regal mask. So this must be what Celestia meant, he thought quietly. She’s almost acting completely different. The only thing that she doesn’t hide is that confidence of hers.

Chrysalis then turned her head slightly as her Changelings resumed their daily business, the quiet suddenly shattering from the buzzing of wings and thudding of chitinous hooves. “Let us sit over there,” she said and nodded in the direction of a cluster of oddly shaped chairs around equally unusual tables.

As they walked, Silver noted the wide berth that the other Changelings were giving them, though he did notice a few glares that were definitely directed his way. Even without pupils, it was easy to pick up on passive-aggressive body language. An ear flick here, a subtle baring of fangs there… it was clear that not all of those within the presence of their queen were happy to see a pony among them.

The attention did little to faze Silver, however, and he continued to follow Chrysalis to the tables. As he grew near, he took notice of the materials that made up the seating arrangement. The table was made of surprisingly rich oak that was supported by an exquisitely crafted pillar of green slime. The chairs seemed to be half-open pods of some sort, crafted with a slightly translucent hard grey slime with something resembling a large partly inflated green balloon as the cushion.

Silver eyed the construction with a mild sense of wonderment until he watched Chrysalis simply pick one and gracefully take a seat. She cast an expectant glance at Silver and watched as he went to take his seat across from her. The Changeling queen held a perfect poker face, but just before he sat down, Silver noticed the very faint glimmer of mischief in her acid green eyes. A sinister grin slowly spread over Chrysalis’ features as she felt the wave of suspicion come off of the stallion. “Well? Have a seat,” she said calmly, “then I’ll have something brought over to us.”

Silver stared at her for a long moment before he took a closer look at the seat beside him. It then occurred to him what he was about to be in for. He sighed gently and positioned himself in front of the pod chair and lowered his rump. Nopony will ever know how he was able to hold his calm expression, but few would ever hear him retell what it was like to sit on a pile of soft gooey Changeling slime.

Chrysalis savored each and every moment of Silver’s reaction to the Changeling slime seat. It was the first time that she noted his emotional reset did nothing to stop his feelings on the unusual sensations he was experiencing, and it was worth it to watch the stallion struggle to hold his facial expression. The sight was made even more worthwhile when she saw the deadpan look he gave her. She could not wait to tease him about this moment in the future.

The Changeling Queen gestured to one of the guards with them. “Go and retrieve our guest something to eat,” she said calmly, “and bring me a love gem as well.”

The female drone bowed her head deeply and hastily weaved into the crowd. It was almost impossible to notice, but the other drones seemed to pause in their movements to let her pass by unobstructed. Silver Skies hummed softly as he pondered that. Chrysalis, who had not taken her eyes off of the stallion, watched his actions with masked interest. “See something interesting?” she asked bluntly.

Silver turned his gaze to the Changeling Queen and bowed his head slightly. “Yes, your highness. It appeared that the guard was able to slip right through the other Changelings unimpeded. I thought it was quite curious,” he replied.

Chrysalis gave a nod of understanding and cast her gaze across the sea of her subjects. “It’s something that comes from our teachings and combines a Changeling’s natural field of perception,” she explained. “Guards of the Hive are held above the lesser drones. It allows them adequate movement within our Hive so that nothing slows them down. Keeping a smoothly running military is essential for our survival. So every drone and nymph are taught to respect them and yield to their needs. As for the natural side of it, all Changelings have a sense for where other Changelings are around them. It comes from our pheromones, mainly. You could compare it to how a beehive works, only more efficient.”

Silver nodded and smiled kindly. “I see. That is quite effective. Also, is that how you refer to the different genders, males being drones and females nymphs?” he asked.

Chrysalis nodded and then gave Silver a flat look. “And that is as far as you’ll get in that subject. Don’t go prying into our reproductive habits or I’ll find something a bit more amusing to have you sit on,” she said warningly, though the subtle twitch at the corners of her mouth said she was merely joking… hopefully.

Silver did his best to hold his composure. He had just started to get over the slimy sensation conforming to his posterior and underside, but now he had to make a mental note to apply a very liberal amount of shampoo to himself as soon as he returned home. He shifted uncomfortably on his seat and sighed softly, eyeing the hidden amusement of his table partner.

Chrysalis returned Silver’s look with one of practiced boredom. The temptation to snicker at his efforts was strong, but she managed to keep her emotions locked away from her subjects. This has been quite fun, toying with him like this, she thought to herself. I’ll have to see what he thinks about a slime bed, at some point. That expression of his is almost priceless… well… that was a most disturbing thought. I think I’m becoming too comfortable with him around… she swiftly subdued her thoughts and turned her gaze toward her other nymph guard.

“Have you eaten?” she asked the nymph.

The female guard tensed slightly and glanced to her queen uncertainly. “I have made sure to maintain a healthy diet, my Queen,” she answered respectfully.

Chrysalis sighed. “That was not what I meant. Are you in need of sustenance right now? If so, I permit you to go and fetch yourself something.”

The nymph nodded graciously. “Very well, my Queen. I will be just a few moments,” she said and swiftly entered the hustling crowd beyond.

Silver watched her go, following the nymph’s movements through the crowd to his left. Chrysalis returned her gaze to the grey stallion where she got a better look at the scar across his right eye. The eye itself had filmed over, making it completely useless, yet it did not look festered or unsightly… simply pupil-less. The scarring around it showed the results of magical burning… almost as if his eye had been on fire at some point, with the majority of the flames licking back toward his ear.

“It looks worse that it is,” Silver said as he turned his head back to Chrysalis, a soft smile on his face.

Chrysalis eyed him curiously. “How did you know I was examining it?” she asked.

Silver simply winked. “Trade secret.”

Just as Chrysalis went to respond to that, the first nymph guard returned. She held a hoof-sized pink gem in her hooves as she hovered closer. Her glowing horn brought a glossy onyx plate with moss and berries out from behind her as she landed. Chrysalis nodded to her guard and her horn lit up to take the offered gem, while also gently swiping the plate from the nymph’s magical grasp to deposit it in front of Silver Skies.

Silver eyed the moss and berries, noticing that he recognized them as part of the local fauna of the region outside. He then glanced around at the many Changelings and did a small bit of mental math and realized that to sustain such numbers, it would require more than what the forests outside could provide. He then looked up to find Chrysalis in the middle of sipping the love essence from the gem she had received, a small trail of pink energy trailing from the gem to her parted lips. The expression on her face, plus the way she seemed to become more radiant captivated him for a moment.

Chrysalis quickly picked up on the change of Silver’s emotions. She finished draining the gem, leaving it nothing more than a clear chunk of quartz, and looked at him. Silver quickly distracted himself and dipped his head down to sample the moss. That was most curious… Chrysalis thought. For a moment there… he felt… attracted? I’ll have to ask him about that when we are alone.

Silver Skies, meanwhile, opened his mouth and took his first bite of Changeling cuisine, but could not really taste the earthy flavor as his mind had trailed off. That was strange… I think that was the first time I’ve had that kind of reaction to anypony before. To make the matter worse, she noticed it, too. But… what was that feeling? Seeing her like that was… well, it made me feel more comfortable with her, for one thing, but there’s more to it than that, he thought and then swallowed the moss, finally taking notice of the bland sensation plaguing his tongue.

Ugh, this won’t do, Silver thought and his horn lit up with his royal blue magic. It only took a brief moment, and then the moss and berries in front of him flashed and became a bowl of oatmeal. “Ah, there we go,” he said and went to take another bite… only to pause as he realized the room had gone silent. He lifted his head and looked around at all the staring Changelings. Even Chrysalis was eyeing him with slight surprise. “My apologies… did I surprise you with that spell?” he asked cautiously.

Chrysalis waved her hoof for the rest to go back to their business, but the display had shocked too many of them and made them cautious of the unicorn, so it took them a while before the resumed their day. The Changeling queen then let the glow of her horn die and the nymph guard was set back on the ground. “It would be wise if you warned us before using such intense magic…” Chrysalis said slowly, “before you cast it. I think you nearly lost your head just then.”

Silver looked at the alarmed guard and bowed his head. “I am truly sorry. I was lost in thought and cast a simple transmutation spell. I did not know it would result in such a profound reaction,” he said and offered a look of regret to the nymph guard.

Chrysalis stared at him for a moment before she snorted and shook her head. “’Simple’ and ‘transmutation’ don’t usually go together, Silver Skies. You surprised even me with that little spell. Just how much magic do you possess?” she asked with a curious tilt of her head.

Silver brought a hoof up to his chin as he thought about how to best word his response. Then he shrugged and offered a small smile. “Well, I’m more capable than your average unicorn, but not as powerful as an Alicorn,” he answered and took a bite of his oatmeal. “Mmm, much more satisfying. Don’t get me wrong, the moss was not terrible, but I have a bit of a soft spot for oatmeal.”

Chrysalis smirked and shook her head. “You’re turning out to be quite a little mystery. I could tell by your emotions that you said that to purposely tease us. I should warn you that such acts can warrant quite the competitive nature from a Changeling – especially their queen,” she said and reapplied her bored regal pose. “Now hurry up and finish your meal. We still have matters to discuss and we’ve wasted enough time.”

“Of course,” Silver replied and hastily finished his food.




~~***~~




They were now on their way to meet with Chrysalis’ most trusted Changelings. That was quite the experience, Silver thought as he followed behind the Queen. Chrysalis showed me a different side to her. She was composed, poised… but I also saw how she cared for her subjects. It came off as a bit controlling, but she did want her nymph to get something. I’ll have to ask her just how much love her Hive needs, and how soon.

They passed through another dome shaped area, this one filled with guards that flew by overhead, or skittered along the walls to make way for their Queen, as they went about their routine. It was evident that the Changeling military was engrained with a sense of discipline as not a single drone or nymph so much as passed a curious glance toward the unicorn accompanying their queen. Though, there was a slight shift in how proudly they held themselves when they picked up on Silver’s respect for such professional dedication. It would be nice if the Palace Guards in Canterlot could learn to be as professional as these Changelings, Silver mused.

The four passed through a short section of tunnel and came to a halt in front of what appeared to be a dead end. Silver eyed the bland grey stone in front of him for a brief moment before casting his gaze over to Chrysalis. “That is quite impressive. I assume it takes Changeling magic to open the way?” he asked appraisingly.

Chrysalis lifted a brow in slight amusement. “At some point you’re going to have to tell me how you even noticed that.”

Silver grinned pleasantly and winked at her. “I’m a stallion of many secrets, but I could kind of guess that there was something here. After all, those hoofprints ending right where the floor meets the wall are a small give away,” he reasoned coolly.

Chrysalis eyed him for a little longer before she shrugged and looked back to the wall. Oh, he thinks he’s so clever, she thought, fighting the urge to call his little bluff. I know I felt his emotions shift into being playful. He’s almost as good at hiding his emotions as I am… his little ability even helps him with that. But I get the feeling he’s hiding something more…

“Yes, well, it’s good to see that even with your condition, your vision is as sharp as a Pegasus,” she said and lit up her horn.

Silver Skies watched, utterly fascinated as the grey stone seemed to just melt open like a sheet of plastic does when poked by a hot iron. Within seconds, an opening was made that connected to a surprisingly well-lit room beyond. Chrysalis spared Silver a small smirk before she proceeded to the room beyond, her walk one filled with confidence and grace. Silver simply eyed her for a few seconds as he tried to keep a strait face, the urge to smile at her threatening to show through on the surface. He quickly resumed following the Changeling Queen as his emotions reset once more, though the small feeling of wonder still lingered in the back of his mind.

As he followed behind, he paused mid-step for a brief instant as he realized something. I’ve been prone to expressing my emotions more while I’ve been in their presence… he thought. I’ve never been so expressive – not since before the accident. Why is that different now?

Silver continued to silently ponder his sudden realization as he walked, but his wandering mind came to a halt as he laid eyes on three interesting Changelings within the room. He quickly swept his gaze across the area, getting a better feel for his new environment before he took in their unique appearances.

The room was about the size of your average meeting hall, with a large blackboard fixed to the far wall with slime and a large round table made of black slime in the center. The rest of the room held nothing noteworthy, aside from a pair of file cabinets in the corner. In some small way, the room reminded Silver of a larger version of his office.

Silver’s gaze then passed over the three Changelings seated around the table. The nymph on the far left held an air of authority, similar to Chrysalis only more reserved. Her shiny black carapace, being painstakingly polished, shown more than the other nymphs that Silver had seen and she eyed his entrance with a calm demeanor.

The second Changeling, the one in the middle, was a rather intimidating looking drone. Much like Silver, the drone had a striking scar that ran down his right eye, but it seemed the eye was still functional. The drone wore a battered set of dull dark blue armor plating that had about as many chips and dings in it as the Changeling’s own chitin. The drone eyed Silver’s entrance with a distinctly judgmental glare.

The final Changeling was another nymph. She was considerably older, by the looks of her dull grey carapace, but she seemed to have a sharp mind behind her appearance. The moment she caught Silver in her faded blue eyes, she held him in her sights with a serene smile, which actually mildly surprised Silver Skies as he had not expected an expression to be possible with fangs.

Chrysalis and Silver arrived beside the table, each taking a respective position across from the other three. The Changeling Queen then glanced over to her two escorts and gave them a silent nod. The two guards bowed their heads and swiftly left the room, the opening shrinking shut mere seconds after their departure.

Silver Skies then found himself in a very familiar environment, alone with important ponies, or in this case, Changelings. He quickly assumed a comfortably neutral state of mind and bowed his head to the three Changelings across from him before turning his head to Chrysalis and repeating the gesture. Once his respect had been offered, he held his gaze on the Queen and waited patiently for her to begin the meeting.

Chrysalis watched Silver’s actions out of the corner of her eye, and observed her most trusted trio of Changelings react subtly to him. As expected, her nymphs responded positively, where as her drone simply relaxed his glare for a brief moment. She sighed quietly. “Let us begin with minor introductions,” Chrysalis began, “everybuggy, this unicorn is Silver Skies. He is the diplomat sent here by Princess Celestia,” she said and merely offered a small nod of her head toward him.

She then pointed a hoof toward the left-most Changeling nymph. “Silver Skies, this is the nymph responsible for training my most skilled infiltrators and is responsible for all of the Intel that my Hive receives. Her name is Antennae.”

Her hoof swept over to the drone. “This is my army’s commander, Steel Carapace. He has never been bested by anyone, pony or otherwise and he has yet to fail me.”

Chrysalis’ hoof then swept over to the last Changeling to be introduced. “And she is, Tender. Tender is… the nymph in charge of overseeing the hatchlings,” she finished and lowered her hoof.

Silver’s eye twitched ever so slightly as he noticed the very subtle pause in Chrysalis’ words. It really must pain her to be unable to have more children, he thought sadly. He felt for her, he really did, but he held his composure and nodded respectfully once more to the three Changelings across from him. With the formalities out of the way, the drone felt it was time to get things moving.

“My Queen, it’s all well and good that we now know who this pony is, but I think it’s time we were informed as to why we have been summoned,” Steel said curtly.

Chrysalis nodded to her Commander and then turned her gaze to Silver Skies. Silver got the hint and gently cleared his throat. “Indeed, allow me to begin,” he started calmly. “How much do you all know about the reason for my being here?” Silver asked. The three Changelings eyed one another silently before turning to their Queen. Silver Skies could see their silent request, and instantly had a feeling that this meeting was about to be quite a long one…