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// The Rule of Violet 
// Story: Queens to Check, Dragon to Mate 
// by dracone 
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Violet Emerald was very much aware of everything going on around her, she was far smarter than most would anticipate. She wasn’t staying quiet because her mother had asked her to, which she would if it had actually been asked of her, but rather due to the fact she just liked to absorb as much about everything as she could. Her mother and father had heard her speak once, it was back when she was around two months old, but for the most part, she didn’t really speak regardless of her personal comfort level or circumstances in the environment around her. She had been praised by her parents for her special ability, she could find anything she wanted if she focused on it hard enough. The first thing she ever dug up, the green stone that glitters and can fit in her mouth or pocket, and her parents had even told her what it was after she got a chance to see mommy after she got back. She was told it was called “emerald,” but it just didn’t sit well with her, she was called “Emerald” and told so by everyone she had met up ‘til the day the mean feeling mares came.

Violet was curious, thankfully daddy was there to keep her safe if anything went bad, daddy was a big and powerful dragon, that’s what he kept telling her. And mommy was powerful in her own right, but that had more to do with an unseen strength than one that could be known at a glance like daddy. These new visitors had a feeling that was like mommy but not, she didn’t know why that was. The ones that came along with the visitors felt hollow and almost lifeless, unlike her sisters who felt vibrant and full of life.

Violet wanted to know why her sisters weren’t here now, she always felt safer when family was near. “Aunty Twilight” and all of her friends did help make her feel safe, especially the white mare with a purple mane. Violet was terrible with names, she only knew “Aunty Twilight” because her sisters shared all that stuff over the link. She only knew her name because mommy and daddy kept using those words when they referred to her or talked to her. Words weren’t important to her right now, or at least permanent attachments to words did not have any real meaning to her. There was the white mare with many colors her mane, she radiated a feeling that was like mommy’s, same was true with the blue mare with stars in her mane, she really liked being with the starry maned mare, the feeling was shared with the starry maned mare.

The visitors on the other hand each had a feeling to them that indicated some kind of desire to steer clear of them, if Emerald could sum up the feeling in one of the words she seemed to instinctively know it would be ‘danger’, and the fact that these visitors each emanated a different feeling of danger didn’t sit well with Emerald. The idea of entities that each broadcast they were dangerous being anywhere near her or mommy scared her. Mommy had even told her that danger should be avoided whenever possible, that must be it then. These were dangers mommy felt couldn’t be avoided anymore, for Emerald that was very scary. Something mommy wanted to stay away from because it was too scary for her was now here in full view of Violet herself, she could see why mommy thought all these mean mares were scary.

One of the mares acted like she was the prettiest thing in the world, daddy acted like that same mare was a waste of time, Emerald agreed with daddy. Another one of the mares was just really aggressive, chances were she wouldn’t be here for long. One of the mares acted vicious, almost like nothing would be of consequence, she’d get a bit of a surprise there. The green was the worst, mommy acted like the green was the one to look out for, the green one was practically devoid of any caring in addition to being beyond mean, Emerald could see why mommy didn’t like the green one.

The mare with spider legs showed up later than the rest, she had a very attractive look and her spider legs were actually really pretty, she seemed to at least treat mommy with some kind of respect. She was scary, just not in the way the other visiting mares were. She seemed to have some aspect to revealing her real form that had every non-changeling staring in awe for a bit, Violet couldn’t see what it was that drew so much attention. Although, the extra loving hug daddy gave her that got a little tighter was still nice. Violet didn’t know exactly what was going on, she just knew mommy needed her to be there. As far as Violet was concerned, mommy just needed her there because of her relaxing effect on others.
To Violet this whole event didn’t mean anything, all that mattered was that mommy and daddy wanted her with them for this. Violet was always a quiet observer, she didn’t need to use words for what she wanted to say. She had the link to communicate with mommy and her sisters. Daddy and the ponies might not have the link but Auntie Twilight wanted to start a project that could fix that problem, of course, mommy mentioned some problems that would be involved with it all. Of course, daddy, mommy, Auntie Twilight and their friends, along with the white pony with wings and a horn and the dark blue pony with wings and a horn with a starry mane all were worried about Violet getting hurt. The visiting mares did feel like they might hurt her or mommy, something daddy would do his best to stop.
After all the visitors had been introduced mommy took Violet and everyone else out for a short walk and asked her to show what she could do. Emerald was happy, she found another sparkly stone that was indigo this time. Mommy was very proud of her, so was daddy. She put it in one of the pockets her clothes had, the white mare with a purple mane had made the outfit specially for Violet. Violet liked only one thing about clothes, the ability to carry more things than if you went without them. She did not enjoy being treated as an impromptu model, but the joy she felt radiating from the mare responsible was enough to keep her from tearing it off as quickly as possible and instead wait for it to be removed by the one responsible for placing it on her, to begin with. The only ones who know about this are Mommy, her sisters, and Daddy. Of course, they aren’t telling anyone.

Lunch was delicious, pasta with gem dust. Just like daddy, Emerald loved eating gems, the only exceptions being the ones she personally digs up, they’re so special that eating them just seems and feels wrong, which is why she also attacks anyone that tries to damage or eat her precious gemstones.
Everything seemed to be going well, until mommy was attacked by the mean yellow mare and the mean green mare. Mommy was okay, the ones that attacked her were taken away by the guards in funny outfits. While waiting for the funny dressed guards the yellow one attacked mommy again, mommy showed her why you don’t mess with mommy. The visiting mares showed surprise a moment that was so short mommy and everyone else missed it. Violet had a tendency to be more perceptive than she let on, this paired with her general silence and other abilities and mannerisms was something of interest to Auntie Twilight. Regardless of it all, Emerald had little to no real opinions on the matter. She would like for ponies to be able to communicate with her the way mommy and her sisters did with each other, plus the system would allow daddy to communicate that way too.
Emerald had heard Auntie Twilight wanted to emulate the special link all changelings have with their hive and queen, if she were more willing to communicate the way Auntie Twilight did then she would gladly volunteer. Amusingly enough, Auntie Twilight had been starting to study the link with mommy, always a good starting point. Emerald wanted to be able to talk with daddy the way she talked with mommy, mommy told her daddy had indeed talked with her that way for a short time before any of her elder sisters were hatched. There was one thing Emerald wanted more than anything else, to have her family genuinely happy without having issues that needed to be dealt with in events like this meeting. Emerald was thankful the visitors couldn’t “hear” anything over the link, she did hate that they could detect its presence in the same general area as them but was thankful she and mommy could do the same.

Emerald wanted to be able to talk with mommy without having her conversations being treated like something that could lead to problems. Auntie Twilight wanted to give Equestria’s citizens access to something like the link, which would be nice on account that Emerald could talk with them the way she wanted to. Her quietness was something not really seen among her siblings, or any foals within her age range. She had been told things that are quiet can sometimes be cute, some sounds could be considered cute and that she herself was cute. Emerald liked that there was a term that could be applied to her and other things, it meant she was special without being overly unique. Being the first changeling of her special designation made her feel like she really wouldn’t be seen for herself, just what she was. Mommy had told her about how she had similar experiences, it made Violet feel happy to know mommy had the same kind of experiences as her. Mommy was wise, brilliant, really smart, compassionate, thoughtful, caring, and a bunch of other things she had heard mommies should be. Violet knew that just because she was 7 months old she was going to not be taken seriously, something that her family and their friends almost never made mistake about because they knew some of the things she could do.

Violet wanted to go to the mysterious place called “School”, not because her eldest sisters were going there most days, but because of how Auntie Twilight talked about it. Auntie Twilight talked about this mysterious place like it was the best place in the world, more so than any of the other places she would talk about. Of course, she would excitedly talk about “books”, just like Light Novel. Mommy said she never really went to school, the closest she got was the mean spirited learning mommy’s mommy gave her. Mommy said she no longer was willing to think of that mare as her mommy, this meant it was possible to refuse someone as a mommy if they were mean enough. Mommy also told her that she was very different from her mommy, Emerald liked how mommy was nice and gentle.

The visiting mares were mean, the emotions they gave off felt almost dangerous. It was like being near them was like being close to poison, Emerald didn’t like it when they were so close to her. Daddy was very protective of Emerald and her sisters, she and her sisters also were like a comfortable blanket he liked to hold near when he felt he needed one. Emerald didn’t want to be here, but mommy said she was needed here. At the very least Violet would have something to tell her sisters, if mommy didn’t tell them first. Mommy gave them all one rule, no using the link to talk to her or Violet before this meeting was truly over.

Emerald didn’t quite understand what mommy meant by what she said, but her eldest sisters did and they explained to all the other changeling foals. Mommy explained it to Emerald that this meeting might take a few days, maybe even weeks. Violet didn’t like that she wouldn’t be able to “hear” the “voices” of her sisters for so long, she had never been placed in something like this before. Mommy told her it was better than what mommy had to go through before she ended up with daddy, Auntie Twilight and Auntie Twilight’s friends all said something similar.

Violet just wanted to go back to how things were before these mean mares showed up, the one with spider legs was the least mean of all them but still pretty scary.  Violet blinked a few times and did her usual look around, not understanding why she got such extreme reactions from the visitors. Even the empty feeling changelings had that reaction. She didn't quite understand why they reacted that way.

For Violet, this whole thing was boring, which is why she was either sticking to the side of mommy or daddy. Auntie Twilight was nice to be around sometimes but with an event like this, it didn’t feel right to be at her side for some reason, the same was true with all of Auntie Twilight’s friends. The first day was coming to an end already and Violet was feeling uneasy, most of the whole thing was the mean mares putting on a show for no reason other than trying to seem more important than they were. Violet was not looking forward to the coming night. While it did mean spending the night at Auntie Twilight’s, which was nice, it also meant spending the night in the same place as the mean mares, which was far from nice. Emerald was afraid something bad would happen to her, daddy or mommy during the night.