Twilight and Celestia were walking down the road towards the newly raised tournament grounds outside of Ponyville, Twilight pushing Dash’s wheelchair, when Twilight felt something. It was a spike of joy, but it wasn’t her own. The other two noticed it, since she was in the middle of a word when she suddenly stopped talking. Before Celestia could ask what was wrong, the girl’s vision snapped in a direction. They followed it and saw the black specs in the distance quickly turning into a small group of five changelings.
“Well that was far quicker than I thought…” Celestia said, more to herself.
“Wait, is that the Queen? You told her to come here?” Dash asked. Celestia nodded.
“I asked her yes, though I expected it to be much later in the night.” The Princess replied. Twilight was silent for a while as the group came closer and eventually landed next to them.
“Greetings Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Princess Celestia. I came as soon as I was able, Princess.” Chrysalis said, putting a hand over her chest and lightly bowing.
“I appreciate your expediency, Chrysalis, but I am afraid we’re on our way to see the Wonderbolts tournament and we’ve promised Rainbow Dash here that we can’t miss it.” Celestia said apologetically. Chrysalis just replied with a nod.
“I understand. If you don’t mind we would like to join you, we only know what our harvesters have been able to tell us about the Wonderbolts. I’ve brought with me my best huntress, they are the best fliers of the brood and could learn a great deal.” The Queen suggested, Nictus waving. Celestia shrugged.
“Can’t hurt, though it is not a free event. I can have you sit with us in the VIP box of course, but your kinsmen will have to acquire normal means of entry.” Celestia said, looking at the other changelings. They smiled.
“We knew of this ,we’ve brought the appropriate fees.” Chrysalis said with a smile. Celestia nodded and they made to start walking again, but Twilight broke her silence. Well, not quite the silence as she didn’t speak. Instead she walked up to Chrysalis and pulled the Queen into an embrace. This surprised her, but she couldn’t help but give a beaming smile and return the embrace. The other changelings quickly mirrored the happy expression.
“I missed you… I couldn’t feel the hive when I was unconscious, it’s still a little dulled…” Twilight said softly. Chrysalis just patted her gently on the head and put her at arm's length.
“From what Ceren told me, magical exhaustion can do that. You’ll be right as rain with some recovery time.” The queen smiled. Twilight nodded and quickly moved back to Dash’s wheelchair, a hint of embarrassment on her face. They were somewhat interrupted by a nearby voice, though it wasn’t directed at them.
“Vinyl, Why’re you so happy all of a sudden? Weren’t you just pouting that they didn’t let you run audio for the event?” The voice said. They turned to look to see a particular blue haired DJ grinning like the changelings were. The woman talking to her had black hair and was wearing a nice outfit that looked almost like a maestro’s suit.
“Yo Vinyl! Octavia! I didn’t know you guys were into the Wonderbolts?” Dash called, raising her hand and waving it to get their attention. The two looked over and waved in greeting as well, but were more than a little surprised to see their friend accompanied by the queen of the changelings and their own princess. Needless to say, the day just got weird for Vinyl and Octavia.
“Uh… Rainbow Dash?” Vinyl started, walking over. “Ok first, why the hell are you in a wheelchair? Second and third, why is the queen of the changelings and Princess Celestia here?” The DJ continued, though her expression still had a bit of that happiness that was still emulated on the changelings’ faces amidst the confusion.
“Uh, I helped in that hunt with that Ursa. I drop kicked it in the face at full speed. FULL full speed.” Dash replied.
“Oh hell yeah, noice!” Vinyl laughed, high fiving the girl.
“Princess Celestia is here because she helped us not die, and I don’t really know why Chrysalis is here.” The Valkyrie continued, looking over at the changelings again. Chrysalis was giving this girl a strange look.
“Well this is certainly interesting.” Chrysalis said with a bit of an amazed chuckle.
“Oh good lord is she a Harvester?” Celestia asked, curious. Chrysalis nodded. The two new girls looked confused.
“A… what now?” They said ,almost in unison.
“A Harvester is a changeling separated from the hive just after their birth to live and grow as another race, in this case humans, to gather love. They don’t know what they are, and the hive connection is virtually nonexistent.” Twilight explained, almost as if reciting it from a book. The two just gave them looks. Then looked at each other, then back at them.
“What?” The two once again said almost in unison. There was a bit of an awkward silence. It was broken by the shifting of metal as Dash rocked back and forth in her chair a bit.
“I mean, I know that this is a sudden reveal and all but I’m getting antsy let’s gooooo!” The girl said. Twilight laughed and everyone seemed to snap out of it.
“Uh… mind if we join you on the way? I uh… guess we have something to talk about…” Vinyl said, rubbing the back of her head. Chrysalis nodded with a smile and they all just sort of turned as one and walked on.
The idle chatter was companionable, everyone just kind of randomly starting up conversations with each other. Vinyl and Octavia talked to the changelings and Twilight about what exactly a Harvester is and just about the hive in general, curiosity outweighing concern and confusion. When they finally arrived at the large stadium, they found it to be mostly empty. There were a few people in the stands lounging around, apparently with the same idea as they had, and just watching the stunt fliers as they practiced.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come… All of the hopefuls know me and they’ll never let me live this down…” Dash said, looking at her lap in the chair.
“What are you talking about, Dash? Live what down? You aren’t sitting out because of a little training accident or a sore wing arm or something like that, you’re sitting out because you’re a badass and you badassed a little too hard.” Vinyl said, ruffling the Valkyrie’s hair playfully. Dash replied with a laugh as she swatted the other girl’s hands away.
“Well when you put it that way it makes me feel a lot better about myself.” Dash said, fixing her hair. “I just hope it goes well. Maybe since we’re in the VIP box I’ll get to talk to one of the bolts, that’d be awesome.” She continued. Celestia gained a look in her eye, Twilight noticed. It was a very specific, mischievous look. Twilight knew this look well, Celestia was going to try her best to make Dash’s day now, it was a challenge.
“Well, we shall purchase our seats. We will join you in the box until everyone is called back.” Nictus said, retrieving a small back from her bag. Chrysalis nodded.
“In the meantime, I must go and greet the Wonderbolts. I must admit I do quite love their shows and they deserve a personal hello at least.” Celestia said, her mischievous grin in full force. Twilight couldn’t help but giggle at it, but quickly stifled it.
“We will head to the box then, thank you again Princess Celestia.” Chrysalis said, putting a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. The Princess gave a casual wave back, a nonverbal ‘no problem’ as she disappeared through one of the doorways leading to where it was assumed the Wonderbolts were congregating before their show.
The trip to the box was far less hassle than it could have been, on the account that a wheelchair is easily lifted by Telekinesis. Dash found a good spot next to some good seats to plant her chair and watch as people practiced their routines.
“You know what, maybe it’s a good thing I can’t compete. I have no idea what I was even going to do… Was just going to improvise a routine…” Dash said softly, staring through the glass as Valkyries went through dangerous and impressive maneuvers and tricks.
“You work well under pressure. Even with that ursa. No weapons, no real combat training or anything. A sonic-rainboom-dropkick was a pretty good idea for an ‘oh shit gotta save Twi’s life’ moment.” Twilight said, reclining into her seat with a sigh. These cushions were new. “With some practice and proper technique you could even do it without crippling yourself.” She continued, finger going to her chin as she immediately went into analytical mode.
“Hah, you’re still the same Twilight I remember.” Dash said after a moment of silence, laughing. Twilight replied with a grin as she sat back up.
“Twilight, if you don’t mind, while we wait do you suppose we could have a bit of a private word?” Chrysalis asked. Twilight looked at Dash, who shrugged, and Celestia wasn’t back yet.
“Sure, where’d you have in mind?” The girl replied, about to stand up.
“Exactly.” Chrysalis replied with a chuckle. Twilight was confused for a moment but then with an ‘Ohhhhh!’ remembered the mental link.
“We’re gonna like pass out for a while, Rainbow Dash, don’t freak out. It’s normal.” Twilight said to Dash. The girl gave them a questioning look, but gave her a salute anyways.
“Should something important happen, or when the tournament is getting ready to start, do wake us please.” Chrysalis asked Nictus, who replied by putting her hand over her chest and bowing quickly. Chrysalis nodded back with a smile and both she and Twilight closed their eyes and took a deep breath. They succumbed into the Hive mind, and then rather than creating the isolated bubble they focused on the link of their minds. Not completely isolated from the hive, but rather a personalized ‘room’ that was not immediately broadcasted throughout the hive mind.
Twilight had missed this connection, being unconscious and mentally exhausted.