Twilight Sparkle Becomes a Changeling Queen, Book 2: Twilight Sparkle Defends Her Hive

by bahatumay


Chapter 5

Sira stood guard out in the desert. A rocky cliff served as a perfect watching spot; from here, she could see for miles. She settled onto her stomach and smiled. This was one of her favorite stations. It was nice out here. Peaceful, really. Just the wind, the sand, and a strange wooden wagon coming through the-

She shot to her hooves and squinted. Sure enough, it looked like a wooden wagon moving through the desert by itself. Baffled, Sira closed her eyes and burst into flame, taking on the form of a griffon female; griffons had much better vision than ponies or changelings. She held up her new claws to shield her new eyes and squinted. Now she could see the light blue unicorn pulling it. If Sira didn’t know any better, she’d say this pony was delirious, or perhaps insane. There was no other way to explain the cape and pointed wizard hat she wore, especially out here in the desert.

Or maybe it was a very sophisticated sneak attack.

Quickly taking a safer pegasus form, Sira took off and headed towards the unicorn. It was a long walk but a short flight, and she soon arrived, and found the unicorn struggling to pull the wagon over a rock that just so happened to be in the way of her right rear wheel. Again and again she pulled, and again and again it bounced off, holding her back and impeding her progress. It was a small rock, and she could have easily avoided it by taking a step back and going around it; but apparently she was too delirious or dehydrated to think of that.

“Hi,” Sira said.

The light blue unicorn looked back. “Ah! Greetings!” she said, politely lifting her pointed wizard hat even as she panted for breath. “Have you come for a… a performance from… the Great and… Great and Powerful Trixie, the greatest… magician Equestria has ever seen?”

“I came to see if you needed assistance,” Sira said honestly.

Trixie nodded. “Trixie thanks you for your offer, but Trixie has managed well enough on her own,” she said.

“Well, at least let Sir- uh, me adjust this wheel back here-”

“No!” the unicorn snapped at her. “Trixie does not trust wheels!”

Sira blinked. Referring to herself in the third person combined with her unintelligible ramblings clearly meant delirium. This pony definitely needed help. “Are you sure I can’t help-?”

This sent Trixie almost into a frenzy. She charged forward, tugging angrily on her wagon with every syllable. “Trixie! Will! Over! Come! This! Obs! Sta! Cle! If! It! Is! The! Last! Thing! Trixie! Does!”

And it almost was; Trixie's hoof slipped and she fell forward, banging her head against the ground and knocking herself out.

Sira shrugged. That worked. She reverted to her changeling form, stepped back, and shot a green signal flare into the sky. Others would soon come, and they’d help her bring the unicorn and her cart inside. Princess Twilight would want to know about this.

* * *

Trixie’s eyes flickered open, but it was still dark. In fact, if she didn’t know any better, she’d say she was in a cave. “Huh?” she whispered, rubbing at her eyes. “Where is Trixie?”

She sat up and looked around, but it was still dark. She was in a cave. Perhaps her superior instincts had led her to this place! Or it was that pegasus. One of the two. Probably the first.

She slowly sat up and looked around. Her eyes adjusted, and she realized that she saw no entrance to this cave. She glanced down and saw a bowl of water.

Trixie huffed and sat back on her haunches. “Is Trixie a dog, that she should drink out of a bowl?” she demanded of nopony in particular.

Still, the water smelled really good, and after taking a quick, furtive glance around to ensure she was really alone, she lifted it with her magic as if it were a fine dinner glass. “No reason Trixie can’t show a little class,” she said, lifting it gently to her lips.

That class she spoke of quickly flew out the window as she gulped down the precious liquid, sending water trickling down her chest in her haste. She hadn't realized just how thirsty she had been. She exhaled when she had drained it completely and brusquely wiped her lips with the back of a hoof. Good. Trixie was feeling restored already.

But now what?

If Trixie were a lesser pony, she might admit to feeling the tiniest bit afraid. Luckily for her, Trixie was stronger than that. She lifted herself up and dusted herself off. With bravery and confidence, she tightened her saddlebags and crept forward, only hesitating a little bit at the strange buzzing noises she heard and definitely not squealing at all when a rock fell behind her. The Great and Powerful Trixie made a mockery of fear and laughed in the face of danger.

Her exploration continued until she found an exit. She strode purposefully out… and her jaw dropped.

Changelings. Changelings, everywhere. It was like an anthill, but with changelings. They were on the ground, on the walls, some were even flying through the air.

With a furtive squeal, she scampered backwards and ran into the cave wall, knocking off her saddlebags and leaving a nice bump on her rump. She rubbed her hindquarters irritably.

And then she realized, with no small amount of horror, that she had not actually made it back to cover. She was still fully exposed.

And some of the changelings were looking at her with unsettling curiosity. She gulped and tried to press herself closer to the wall. Was this her fate, to be eaten by changelings? Oh, the travesty!

One of the smaller changelings, too young to understand why he should probably stay away, came in close. He poked his nose into her saddlebags, and, when Trixie jumped in surprise and squawked in protest, he merely pressed on, and retrieved a deck of cards.

Trixie's love for her livelihood was almost greater than that for her life. She roughly snatched it back and pushed him away. “Insolent little…!”

A low growling made her freeze. She looked up to see another changeling, this one larger and likely his mother, glaring angrily at Trixie, fangs bared and postured to charge.

Trixie took a slight step back as she realized that changelings have very, very sharp fangs in their natural state. She attempted to justify herself. “C- clearly, you don't understand the nature of…”

The mother's deepening growls and her one hoof pawing at the ground indicated she didn't really care about the nature of Trixie's equipment.

The unicorn chuckled nervously. “Perhaps, a- a demonstration, then?” She fanned out the deck for the little changeling and held it out with a shaky rendition of her winning smile. “Pick a card, any card.”

* * *

Hrit knocked on the door to Twilight’s chambers and slipped inside. "We have a visitor, Princess."

Twilight spun around. “How did they find us?” she demanded.

"I don't think it was an intentional visit, Princess,” Hrit said quickly. “She's a unicorn, and appears to be a traveling magician or performer. I think she was out looking for a village and got lost in the desert. Sira brought her in, and she stumbled into the main hall. She's putting on a show right now.”

Twilight nodded. “She seems friendly, then?”

Hrit hesitated. “She does not seem to be a threat,” he finally said. “She does talk a lot, though. Mostly about herself.”

Twilight raised a hoof and gently massaged her temple. That sounded far too familiar. "Don't tell me. It's a light blue unicorn wearing a purple cape and hat?"

Hrit was taken aback. Oh, the wisdom of his queen! "Y- yes, your highness. How did you know?"

Twilight smiled wryly. "I've met her before. Does she still call herself..."

* * *

"...the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Fireworks burst into the air, accentuating the trick she had just performed.

Nymphs, adolescents, and even full-grown adults cheered at the performance. This was something new and exciting! Nothing like this had ever happened at the hive before.

Trixie waited patiently until the applause had quieted down before continuing. "For her next trick, Trixie will require a brave volunteer!" She lowered her head and scanned the nymphs. Just like their pony counterparts, they jostled for position and nudged and urged their neighbor to go up; curious, but not curious enough to volunteer themselves.

“I volunteer!”

Trixie’s head shot up at hearing her own language, and she saw a purple alicorn come forward through the crowd. “You!” Trixie hissed. She took a step forward and lit her horn.

Twilight didn’t even have time to speak before every single changeling in the room shot to their hooves, faced Trixie, and lit their own horn. The entire cavern took on an unearthly green glow as the whole room full of snarling changelings readied for an attack, and Trixie quickly realized that she was vastly, vastly outnumbered.

Her horn quietly fizzled. “Um... Parley?” she asked with an uneasy laugh.

* * *

Trixie held her mug of hot chocolate in her hooves, but her mind was far from the comforting liquid. “Queen?” she asked.

“Apparently.” Twilight nursed her own mug. “It was sort of an accident, really. Purely self-defense… with consequences.”

Trixie chuckled as she took a sip. “Last time Trixie tried that defense in court, she still had to pay for those petunias.”

Twilight frowned, but decided not to ask about that. “You weren’t actually going to attack me, were you?”

“Oh, heavens, no!” Trixie said, laying a hoof on her chest as though she were deeply offended. “Such an action would have been very unwise, and most unlike the new Trixie. Trixie merely intended to show you her increased magical abilities, for she has improved her skills drastically since our last encounter; and, as you can see, the new and improved Great and Powerful Trixie has gone all-natural, no amulets required.” She gestured proudly at her bare neck.

Twilight nodded.

Trixie set her mug down. “You see, Sparkle, Trixie realized that she was going about her life all wrong! She didn’t need to become a stronger magician than you, or anypony else!”

“I’m hoping at this point that you are going to say, ‘I learned about the magic of friendship’,” Twilight interjected hopefully.

“Oh, don’t be silly,” Trixie said with a wave of her hoof. “That stuff never works.”

Twilight frowned; her turn to be mildly offended.

Trixie set her cup down and slid off the seat. “Trixie realized that she didn’t have to do more things; she just needed to be better at one thing!”

Twilight sighed. Looks like ‘Great and Apologetic’ had been just a phase, after all.

“Therefore, Trixie has devoted her life to study, and has learned under great masters, and in turn, she has mastered the art of illusion magic!” she said, rearing up and waving her forehooves mysteriously before she dropped and continued, “Trixie would be pleased to provide a demonstration?”

Her voice had raised in inflection at the end, clearly trying to sound like an invitation; but Twilight could tell that Trixie would probably demonstrate no matter how she answered, so she went with a more diplomatic, “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Nothing is too much trouble for the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Trixie retorted. She narrowed her eyes and lit her horn, and with a flash of blue light, there were suddenly two Trixies in Twilight’s room.

Twilight’s jaw dropped. She quickly recovered, however, when she realized she could feel no emotions from this new Trixie.

“As you can see, this is quite useful for making a perfect double for an illusion, for previewing a new look... Or just admiring some great and powerful tushie.” And sure enough, she turned her clone around so she could look at its backside, even going so far as to raise its tail for a better view.

Twilight frowned and felt a surge of pity for the showmare. This was mildly disturbing. Life without friends had apparently turned Trixie into a bit of a narcissist as well as a braggart; and she wasn't sure if she should feel sorry for Trixie or not. After all, she did seem to be enjoying the show, and it's not like she was hurting anypony.

“What was that, Twilight? You want a look, too?” And Trixie spun around so she was facing away from her copy and lifted her own tail. “There! Admire!”

And now Twilight just felt the urge to take a cold shower again. “Trixie, tell you what,” she said, averting her eyes. “I can't just send you home, especially this late when you're this far away from civilization. How about I find a place for you to stay tonight?”

“Very well,” Trixie said, vanishing her copy. “Does Trixie get a tour guide, or will you cast poor Trixie out to fend for herself in this new place?”

Twilight smiled as a new idea occurred to her. A brilliant idea. A brilliant, twisted, terrible idea. “Oh, yes. I can find you a guide. In fact, I know just the changeling…”

* * *

Trixie followed her changeling guide down a long series of tunnels, somewhat separated from the rest of the hive. The changeling kept glancing back at her almost longingly as they walked, and Trixie wasn't sure if it was because the changeling was surprised that she had the honor of basking in Trixie's glory, or if perhaps she wanted to eat Trixie alive and was debating doing it now or later. Trixie didn't care much for this uncomfortable silence, and she cared less for the idea of being eaten, and so she soon spoke. “So… Twilight said your name is Ponneka?” she asked.

The changeling nodded.

“Can you speak Trixie's language?”

Ponneka paused long enough to flare green fire and transformed into a copy of Trixie; completely naked, but otherwise identical to her guest. “Not in changeling form,” she said. “Our vocal chords aren't the right shape for pony speak, so we have to take a pony shape to speak Equestrian.”

“Fascinating...” Trixie murmured, her former line of questioning vanishing at this new development. She looked up and down at her clone in awe. “You look just like Trixie.”

Ponneka grinned. “I'm a changeling. If I didn't, I would be severely disappointed.” She turned to walk again, and Trixie watched her tail swish happily behind her for a moment before hurrying to catch up.

They soon arrived at the room that Twilight had indicated, and Ponneka opened it and led Trixie inside. Trixie cast a judgemental gaze over the room, taking in the small bed, little living space, and complete lack of a closet. “It's tiny, but might be sufficient for now.”

“Oh, good,” Ponneka smiled, tasting Trixie's pleasure at having a personal room once again. “It's good that you're happy.”

“Happy and satisfied are two different things,” Trixie said dismissively.

Ponneka simply nodded. “If you need anything, I live fairly close.” She turned to leave, but felt a hoof come and rest on her shoulder. She turned and saw Trixie standing very, very close. She could even feel her warm breath as she examined her body again.

"Before you go... Does Trixie really look that good?" Trixie asked, bringing a hoof reverently up and touching her clone's cheek.

Trixie didn't know this, but this scenario was the beginning of Ponneka's favorite personal fantasy, and so she smiled and answered just as she had practiced so many times before. "No."

The real Trixie looked hurt and was about to pull her hoof away when Ponneka continued, "She looks better. I am but a copy, a cheap mimic; and cannot even begin to reflect the beauty and majesty that is Trixie. If I had but half her grace, her charm, her-"

Unlike her fantasy, though, here her speech was interrupted. But since it came in the form of a forceful, lustful kiss that thrust her back against the wall, Ponneka was perfectly fine with this and decided that sometimes, reality is better than fantasy. Especially when the real Trixie tried to put her tongue in her mouth. Sure, she was inexperienced and clumsy, and her kisses more sloppy (and slobbery) than elegant, but she more than made up for that with innocent eagerness and enthusiasm.

Trixie eventually pulled back, gasping for breath. “Pl- please stay the night with Trixie?” she pleaded.

Ponneka licked her lips in anticipation of a long, fulfilling night. “It would be my honor,” she whispered.

* * *

Still wearing her Trixie disguise, Ponneka awoke early in the morning feeling slightly tired, but very full and completely content. She hadn't done anything sexual with Trixie (to her mild disappointment), but Trixie had responded to 'herself' with words of affection, actions of love, and many strokings of her mane, tail, and flank. She looked up at Trixie, and smiled as she saw her blissful expression. How wonderful it was to just touch a pony! Ponneka rested her head against Trixie's chest and relaxed.

That is, until it occurred to her just where she had spent the night, and how late in the day it already was. Her eyes flew open. She had other responsibilities she needed to take care of!

Ponneka subtly shifted her weight, trying hard to not wake up her bedmate. Unfortunately, Trixie seemed to subconsciously notice this; she reached out like a light blue octopus and kept clinging to Ponneka’s arms. Eventually, with a little patient squirming, she managed to escape off the bed and take two steps, but she froze as she heard Trixie sit up and growl.

“How dare you? The Great and Powerful Trixie will not put up with being loved and then left!” she said angrily.

Ponneka was vaguely tempted to point out that they had done nothing sexual last night, but decided against it. “I’m sorry. I have to go before the princess notices I’m gone.”

“Hmf! Leave, then.” Trixie crossed her forehooves defiantly. “The Great and Powerful Trixie didn’t enjoy your company that much, anyway.”

Ponneka didn’t need to taste her hurt feelings to know that that was the biggest lie Trixie had ever told in her entire life. “That’s too bad,” Ponneka said, speaking as lowly and seductively as she could, bringing a blue hoof up and brushing it lovingly against Trixie's cutie mark. “I would have loved to return tonight, and continue where we left off.”

Trixie sighed dramatically, even as she tried to hide a shiver of pleasure. “Very well. Trixie may or may not leave the door unlocked tonight if you wish to return.”

She blushed as Ponneka came up and gave her a kiss on the forehead, right at the base of her horn. “I hope you do allow me the pleasure of your company, then, Trixie,” Ponneka said, making Trixie titter like a young school filly with a crush.

After a final kiss, Ponneka returned to her normal form and left quietly... and ran right into the very pony she didn’t want to see.

Twilight Sparkle, Queen of the changelings.

“Good morning, Ponneka!” Twilight announced cheerfully.

Ponneka jumped and cowered. “I- it's- I... I can explain!”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Can you?”

“Yes! No! Maybe?” Ponneka was trying hard to think fast, but found it somewhat difficult. Instead, she went with what seemed to be a logical solution: she fell to the ground, flat on her face, and wordlessly pleaded for mercy.

Twilight let her stew there for a moment before clearing her throat. “Ponneka, answer me truthfully. How do you feel?” Twilight asked.

Though it wasn’t a royal decree, Ponneka felt she had to obey. “Full. Very full. And completely content.”

Twilight smiled. “Very well. Rise. I order you to remain by Trixie's side as her guide for as long as she remains here in my hive.” Her eyes narrowed. “Just so you know, Trixie is my friend; so take good care of her or else you might find yourself cleaning pits again.”

Ponneka snapped to attention and saluted. “Yes, Princess!”

As soon as Twilight was out of sight, Ponneka scampered back inside.

Trixie jumped as she burst through the door. “You’re back,” she observed, brushing off her forelegs as if she’d been interrupted doing something important.

“I just couldn't stay away from you,” Ponneka said, darting over to nuzzle her cheek. Trixie swelled with pride, and Ponneka knew she had made the right choice.

“Very well,” Trixie eventually sighed. “Trixie supposes she can tolerate your presence for a little while longer.”

Ponneka couldn't help but smile.