Chrysalis has spoken to her changelings like this many times before. However, a speech about invading a city and a speech about assimilating together with another country to avoid arrest is another thing. She did not prepare for this speech, and is left only with wondering how she is going to move forward.
Twilight looked up at her confused as Chrysalis just stared out into the crowd, silent. “Did you not plan for this?” she whispered to Chrysalis.
“I may have put it off.” said Chrysalis with a nervous smile. The Changeling Queen sighed. Finally, with a deep breath, she spoke.
“As it has been known over the course of the past five years, our race has been battling in secret with the Equestrians. After our failed attempt to capture the capital in an idiotic effort to gather love, we have laid in hiding, trying to swallow our defeat. However, through...unfortunate events, our two nations were able to sit down and discuss our situation.
“In an attempt to help us gather the love required to live, the Changelings and Equestria will unite under one nation, each changeling getting citizenship to the country, under the belief that we will respect their laws and customs as well as gether love in a more appropriate manner. Capturing a pony and putting them in sustained sleep while we live their lives is not acceptable anymore. Any captured ponies need to be released once the drones in the field are informed and brought back.
“It will take several months before our two races are allowed to merge. For now, we must make do. A few hundred will be allowed entrance into the country undisguised until we give a date to allow all changelings to be citizens. This is only to keep backlash down.” Like Twilight, even Chrysalis can’t tell how the crowd before her was reacting at first glance. But a single dip into the hive mind revealed a vast amount of emotion. From joy for the war to be over, to outrage for them surrendering so easily.
For the next hour, Chrysalis tried to explain the situation and how it will affect them in the next year. Unfortunately, there was still a fair number she could not convince. Finally, after ending the meeting and allowing the changelings to continue their work, Chrysalis slumped into her throne with a sustained sigh. Twilight walked up next to her with a raised eyebrow.
“I guess that went well?” The alicorn looked around the hive, watching the drones buzz around them. “It is hard to tell what they are thinking. And here I thought trying to speak to nobels was difficult.”
“Nobels are stuck up, selfish assholes. These are drones that have their own lives and work, have hobbies and interests. They are like an everyday pony, which means they have a lot more riding on this than either of us.” Chrysalis groaned. “A lot of them think I am leading them to ruin and I think they are right.”
“There was no easy answer and you knew that.” said Twilight. The alicorn sat next to the Queen on the floor. “Before it was starve, try to negotiate with a country that might see you as a threat, or try to take the love by force in an effort that was futile to begin with. Now, it was ruin or a slight hope for a future. It won’t be easy but Equestria wasn’t exactly a united country with flourishing lands.”
“More like civil war and harsh conditions.” scoffed Chrysalis. “I heard of those times. Changelings did as bad then as we are now. No love can be found in a war zone.” She sighed, standing up off your throne. “I guess you are right. Ruin or not, we have to try and push forward. Maybe, just maybe, things will look better.”
Looking for a change of topic, Chrysalis started off towards the back of the dome. “Well, I planned on showing you the hive, so might as well start with the kitchen since I skipped breakfast to come here.” Curious, Twilight followed behind.
Twilight didn’t know what she expected. Possibly a large amount of bugs and insects ready to be eaten, no real furniture. But surprisingly, the large kitchen tasked with feeding the hive, a population almost half of Canterlot, was fully stocked with modern utensils in a tiled room. Unlike the rock walls of the rest of the hive, this was the only room that used tiled floors and walls, a shocking transition from the rest of the hive.
“We usually have drones do a weekly stockpile of food so we can have the essential meals that any race needs.” said Chrysalis, leading her through the busy kitchen. “Every changeling knows how to cook for themselves, but we try to feed everyone in the hive all at the same time to save space. We are underground, but there are many other cave systems around here and it would be easy to screw up and collapse a few of them or ours.”
“That has to be a ridiculous amount of food, how do you even stay stocked?” asked Twilight. In response, all the workers shook their heads while Chrysalis coughed awkwardly.
“Prison meals, basically.” said the Queen. “Small meals that are enough to do the job even if they aren’t very appetizing half the time. The downside of feeding a large cities worth of changelings.”
The two of them sat down for a quick meal. As expected, it wasn’t much and it did look like something she’d expect in prison. She poked at her meal while the Queen quickly ate her fill. Twilight just let her have her’s as well, not really hungry anymore.
Next, Chrysalis led them off towards where they kept both their captured ponies and storages of love. Upon entering, Twilight was greeted with the familiar site of the pods that Celestia and others were trapped in during the invasion. There was roughly fifty of them hanging from the low ceiling, none of the ponies trapped inside she recognized.
“The pods are completely harmless.” said Chrysalis, walking along the rows of pods. “They keep the pony safe from outside harm, occasionally stimulate muscles to prevent muscle deterioration if placed in there for long periods, and keeps them fully hydrated and fed. And, right before release, we normally fill them in on what has happened while they were gone by implanting memories, then they wake up in their bed back home.”
“So, they never know they were captured or anything?” asked Twilight, poking one of the pods with a hoof. She jumped back with a yelp as the pony inside twitched. Chrysalis chuckled.
“Nope. To them, they lived their life like normal. Maybe they feel a little odd, but that is about it.”
“Why didn’t you put Cadence in a pod during the invasion? When I met her in the caves, she was wandering around in there on her own.” Chrysalis huffed, casting a glance at the changeling guarding the room, who sheepishly looked away.
“I didn’t capture Cadence. I hoped my spies in the castle were able to take care of her. Of course, I didn’t find out till later that they neglected to subdue her correctly and just dumped her in the caves. So, in return, they are stuck doing pod duty until I see fit.” The Queen sighed. “It was a stupid mistake, one that is basic in our line of work.”
Twilight looked at the pods, letting out a sigh. “Maybe this should be something the rest of the public shouldn’t know about. Even if it is completely harmless, the press will find a way to make it out to be something that drains years away from your health, or something obscene.”
“I don’t understand why your press feels the to bend everything that is said.” scoffed Chrysalis, walking towards the exit. “Something positive is suddenly negative, something horrible is now good, a harmless substance should be illegal because it is bad. It is preying on the fear of the public, something not even I would do. And I feed on love.”
“It is how things are.” sighed Twilight, following behind the Queen. “Celestia has tried numerous times to make things better, but of course, the press does their thing and she has to stop before it makes things worse. It all comes down to money, as it is what drives them. The more controversial the topic, the more people buy their paper. Sometimes, things that are going on aren’t enough. Sometimes, they need to make their own story, and then we have the problem at hand.”
The two of them stayed quiet as they looked over the balcony of the hive. Chrysalis sighed. “Lots of changes are about to happen. Soon, all of this will be nothing but a big hole in the ground.”
“But it’s for the betterment of your hive, right?” asked Twilight. “Its why you said you were doing this. Everything might seem too much and too fast, but it's just how things are.”
“Coming from the mare who suddenly sprouted wings.” said Chrysalis said with a chuckle. “I guess you’re right, again. I guess this is all new to me since it's been more or less of the same for...centuries, really.” With a sigh, the changeling pushed herself off of the railing. “Enough of this petty talk. We need to get back and start planning about my next speech.”