Long Live the Queen

by QueenChrysalisForever


Chaos and Reunion

           Canterlot Castle- Queen Chrysalis



I awoke to a knock on my door. Letting out a groan, I rolled over and covered my head with my forehooves. “Another five minutes Apatelodes,” I said.


“It’s Cadence, actually,” she said from the other side of the door.


Cadence? I shook my head, opening my eyes to see a brightly lit room around me. The walls were a pastel blue with white trim, and a large window on the far end led out to a balcony. While most of the furniture in the room was a warm varnished red color, the bed was made of a creamy orange-brown, the bedspread beneath me a butterscotch yellow.  Lifting my head, I looked to the door. “Everything okay?”


“Of course,” Cadence replied. “May I come in? I have a surprise for you.”


“A surprise for us? This early in the morning?” Chrys snorted. “It better be good enough to warrant waking us.”


“Come in,” I said, stretching out on the bed and sitting up as she trotted inside.


“Did you sleep well Chrysalis?” she asked, smiling down at me.


“Well as could be expected, I suppose,” I shrugged.


“Good, then I hope you are ready for your request.”


“Request?” I rubbed a hoof over my tired eyes, letting out a yawn that showed off my fangs.


“Mmmhmm, to see your… mate wasn’t it? The changeling auntie has in the dungeons?” she beamed. I’d almost swear she was trying to charm me with such a smile. “You do want to see him still, right?”


“Of course we do! I have to see for my own eyes if he is safe,” Chrys growled.


“Yes, I do.”


“Then I’ll give you a few minutes to get ready,” Cadence said, taking a step back toward the door. “When you are ready, auntie has given me permission to take you down there. As I’m sure you’ll understand, she couldn’t cancel court two days in a row. She’ll be busy with that this morning, then this evening we will all talk again about what is to come.”


I simply nodded, letting out another yawn as she trotted out and closed the door behind her. A glance inside a bedside drawer revealed a few combs and brushes. I grabbed a comb and ran it through my mane. It was as I was working on a few snarled ends that what Cadence had said hit me, we were finally going to meet Leptostales! “So, what is he like?” I asked, wincing as I pulled out a painful snarl. “You’ve hardly told me anything about him, except for around his age and him being Citheronia’s father.”


“The kind of ling who wouldn’t do what they blame him for,” Chrys huffed. “Certainly not on purpose, this time I am certain! He is a good changeling, far better than I’ve ever been,” she sighed. “Something must have happened for him to come so close to killing a pony.”


“Well, we shall have to ask him when we see him.” I set the comb down and trotted toward the door, tail swishing behind me excitedly. This ling was the father of our daughter! I just hoped he would have a good explanation to what happened. Before opening the door, I quickly transformed back into Soaring Song, ruffling out my wings behind me.


I opened the door to see a smiling Cadence standing nearby, “ready to go?” she asked. I nodded. “Then follow me.”


“What time is it?” I asked as we left my quarters, quiet with the door to the filly’s bedroom closed, and heading back the way we had come the previous night.


“About seven in the morning. Auntie Celestia raised the sun less than an hour ago.”


“And she of course would take us for an early bird,” Chrys groaned. “With so much planning to do for the wedding, I had to be up early to get things ready. Not only for planning the wedding itself, but to make sure my changelings were in place. One thing I hadn’t realized? Cadence preferred to sleep in,” Chrys sighed. “Guess that changed in the last two years.”


“A morning pony now then?” I asked, as Flash Sentry and the grey unicorn guard both let out yawns, joining us on either side.


“Yes,” Cadence nodded. “My Shiny loves the mornings, so I learned to love them for him.”


“How sentimental,” Chrys snorted.


“Well that is… sweet,” I said, taking a glance out a window as we passed by. The quick view I saw was beautiful: the flowing waterfall below us, surrounded by green grass and pure white stone.


It wasn’t long before we turned and came to a set of dark wooden doors. Two unicorn guards, both the traditional white with blue mane, their armor gold, stood to either side of them. “Princess Cadence,” one said, bowing, his voice gruff. “Here to see the prisoner?”


“Yes please,” she nodded. “My friend here would like to see him.”


The guard who had spoken raised an eyebrow as he looked at me. “You sure about this miss? He might scare you.”


“HA! That’s a laugh,” Chrys chortled.


“I’m sure,” I nodded.


“Very well then,” the other guard said, opening the doors. “Princess Celestia did tell us you would be coming.” We nodded our thanks to the guards, and trotted down the stairs, our own guards following behind us.


I was surprised by how well lit the dungeons were as we reached the end of the stairs. A flickering, orange flamed torch was between each cell door, even the empty ones. We passed many of these, each containing a simple bed, a chair, a large bucket, and fresh straw covering the floor.  “Hmm, not bad for a dungeon,” Chrys said.


“So, where is he?”


“Chrys?” a soft voice said. I perked my ears, looking around until I spotted a small black form in a cell not far from us.


“Go ahead,” Cadence said, seeing my gaze. “We’ll stay here.” She put a hoof to my shoulder and pushed me gently forward, not that I really needed the push having already taken a few slow steps toward him.


I let my disguise fall as I hurried to the cell, the changeling inside grinning at me, his wings buzzing excitedly behind him. “It is you!” he yelled, grabbing onto the bars with his forehooves as I paused in front of the cell. “What are you doing here? Were you captured?”


“No, not captured,” I said softly, shaking my head. He did indeed look well for having been imprisoned for who knew how long. Upon his upper lip was a thick mustache – that reminded me of my grandfather’s − grey like his frilled mane. His eyes were a slightly different shade of blue than other changelings I had seen so far and his tail was more the length of your average pony, rather than that of a changeling. Upon his horn, like the changeling we had seen before, was a suppression ring, though his wings were left unbound. “W-what happened?”


He sighed, shaking his head, “I don’t really know. One moment I’m out hunting for love, the next a mare is in my hooves, nearly drained.” He winced, ears going flat against his head. “Chrys, you know I wouldn’t do something like this on purpose! I-I” he paused, eyes wide and shivering. “I don’t know what went wrong, why I can’t remember.”


I lifted a hoof through the bars, rubbing a hoof up and down his back. “Of course, we’ll figure things out.” He grinned up at me, a single fang poking out from beneath his lips. How could they keep someling so sweet locked up?


“Tell him about our daughter!” Chrys said. “He doesn’t know yet.”


“Oh! There is a surprise for you at home Leptostales,” I grinned.


“What?” he asked, ears perking up.  “It’s been so long since I was last home,” he sighed. “I’ve probably missed so much.”


“Our egg hatched.”


“Our egg? What egg?” he cocked his head, giving me a confused look.


“You mean you don’t remember?” Chrys whispered. “I know I told him about it, how could he forget?”  I could think of a few, after all, she had forgotten as well. Even if Chrys had good reason to have done so.


I nodded, “yes, don’t you recall? I laid the egg about a year ago now.”


He shook his head, holding a hoof to it. “No, I-I don’t Chrys,” he blushed green. “I’m sorry. I’ve been forgetting so much lately, it’s surprising I still remember my own name.” He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath from his nostrils. “But please, do remind me. We had a little nymph together?”


I nodded. “Less than a month old, but she looks like she will be very powerful when she gets older.”


Leptostales gasped, opening his eyes wide. “She? You mean- we have a daughter?”


“Yes,” I said, watching as his eyes practically sparkled.


“Your first daughter since I’ve been alive, and it is me who gave her to you. I- this is cause for celebration!” He pranced from hoof to hoof, laughing. A moment later he winced, holding up a hoof. “Gah! These old hooves don’t like that kind of exercise anymore.”


“He needs to be more careful!” Chrys snorted. “It’s good to be happy, but he is quite old for a changeling.”


“Please be careful, we want her to meet you after all,” I huffed lightly. “Oh, we did,” I said, smiling down at him. “And when you get out of here, we’ll throw her an even bigger one, for her first molting ceremony, perhaps?”


“We must, we must!” he nodded. “I can’t wait to meet her, and I’ll try to be more careful.”


“Good,” I said, reaching in to nuzzle his mane. It was hard not to like the stallion. “Now, you are doing well down here, right? You look well but…”


He nodded, “oh yes, I’m doing fine. Might not be any other prisoners, which makes it… lonely,” he lowered the tips of his ears, sighing. “But I am used to the quiet now.”


“Is somepony coming down to feed you often?” I asked, remembering what Shining Armor had said. How was he staying in such good shape?


“Nope, usually just me and the guards at the dungeon doors,” he said, looking to where Cadence and our guards stood a few cells away.  “They do bring me a bowl of mixed fruit once a day, I think, but without access to my magic, I have no way to even try to feed off anypony.”


“Then I guess we should just be grateful he is still alive,” Chrys huffed.


“You have no idea how glad I am to see you still alive,” I said, sitting down next to his cell. “When Morpheus found out where you were, I was… worried.”


“Thanks for worrying Chrys, you didn’t have to do so.”


“Of course I did!” I snorted. “I care about all my changelings.” Though yes, he was special to Chrys compared to the others. Even if she claimed we couldn’t love, she could certainly care at least.


A loud bang sounded as the main doors to the dungeons flew open and slammed against the wall.  A pegasus guard galloped down the stairs. I quickly resumed my disguise, hoping he hadn’t noticed, as he came to a stop beside Cadence and our guards.


“Everything okay?” Cadence asked, putting a wing to his shoulder as he took a moment to catch his breath.


“Yes Princess,” he nodded. “For the most part. Discord and two stallions were in the ballroom causing a commotion. They wanted to see your… guest here,” he pointed a hoof at me. “When we told them she was currently in the dungeons, the younger stallion dived at us, insisting she was innocent.”


“Could it be?” Chrys whispered. “Did he return?”


“Who were the stallions with Discord?” Cadence asked. “And how did you handle the situation?”


“I’m sorry princess, but I don’t know their names,” he shook his head, ears falling slightly. “But the elder was a darker purple, the younger a lighter purple. We had them held in the ballroom, but with Discord who knows if they are still there.”


“Yes, it must be him! But why? Why did he return?”


I beamed, wings fluttering behind me. Chrys was right on it being weird he had returned, but no matter. “Would you take me to them then, please?” I said, stepping forward and giving the guard a big smile.


“Oh, well sure miss,” he nodded to me and Cadence.


“Very well then, lead the way,” Cadence said.


“Chrys?”  Leptostales said softly. “Everything okay?”


“Yes everything will be fine,” I said, turning back to him. “I will be back, we will get you out of here.” I pulled him into the best hug I could through the bars, then hurried to join the others as we left the dungeons.


           Shiny’s Home- Shiny Whistle


           “Shiny! Wake up!” Velvet hissed as he shook me awake.


    I groaned, rubbing a hoof over my eyes and letting out a yawn. My eyes slowly opened, to see the pale light of dawn already seeping into Velvet’s room. Colt! We had slept in! I tossed my covers to the side and ran a hoof through my mane. Velvet had moved aside when I awoke, and was now standing next to me. His mane was sticking out, as if he had flown through a thundercloud.


    “What time is it?” I asked, standing up beside him.


    “Almost seven,” Discord chuckled, grinned down at us from his hammock. With a snap of his fingers, the hammock disappeared and he floated down gently above us. “Heard both your parents’ downstairs starting breakfast.”


    Then we didn’t have much time. Father would be up here to grab us before they were done. Velvet pulled his window open the rest of the way, a cool breeze tossing the curtains behind him. “Okay, now just to tie the sheets together and−”


    He was interrupted as Discord snapped his fingers and in a flash of light, we found ourselves in the garden behind the house.


    “Discord!” Velvet huffed. “Way to ruin the fun of sneaking out.”


    I just let out a sigh as Discord chuckled. Leading the way to the side gate, I pulled it open and trotted outside, pausing to look at our home. It felt like it had been ages since I had last seen it, and now after just one night I was leaving again. Yet Chryssy and I were in Canterlot now, so I was sure I would be back. Make sure she was safe, fix anything my running off might have caused, then I would return.


    “Come on Shiny,” Velvet whispered, putting a hoof around me and pulling me forward. “Let’s go get you your mare.”


    “Now this is going to be delightful!” Discord grinned, rubbing his paw and claw together. I swear his eyes even gleamed for a moment. “May I help with getting us noticed dear Shiny? I have the most chaotic plan!”


    I narrowed my eyes at him for a moment as we trotted along, passing the fountain from the day before. “You won’t hurt anypony, will you?”


    “Of course not!” he huffed. “Do you think I want to break poor Chryssy’s heart?” He opened a hinge in his chest and pulled out a beating red heart. With a single flick of his claw against it, it shattered into a pile of candied glass in his lion’s paw, which he popped into his mouth and gulped down.


    “Well, no,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes at his antics. “You are a good friend to her after all.”


    “Excellent!” he said, rubbing his paw and claw together. “Then let’s do this!” He snapped his fingers once more and with a pop we disappeared from the street. A moment later, we appeared in a darkened room. Thick curtains covered the windows, making it hard to see much of anything. I heard a soft groan, then somepony rolled over in front of us and a cobalt blue magic lit up around a horn. It was then as she sat up in bed I realized where we were: Princess Luna’s room!


           “Discord?” she yawned, blinking slowly and looking at each of us. “Why art thou in our bedroom?”


           “S-sorry Princess Luna!” I gulped, lifting a hoof and giving her a quick bow, Velvet doing the same.


           “Oh Shiny, nothing to be sorry over,” Discord said, winking down at us. He turned back to Luna. “Why, I came to give you some tea to help you sleep,” he crooned. With a snap of his fingers, he produced a cup of steaming tea and held it out to her.


           “Tea?” Princess Luna asked, taking the offered cup and levitating it over in her magic. She cocked her head in confusion. “Why are thou bringing us tea? For sleep, yes, but−” she let out a yawn, covering her mouth with one hoof. “We think it shall not be needed, for we are quite weary from the long night.” Luna took in a deep breath of the tea, and sighed. “Though it smells delightful. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to indulge.” Bringing the cup to her lips, she sipped and then put it on the bedside table.


           “Well?” Discord beamed, eyes wide as he stared at her. Oh colt, what did he do?


           “It was-was quite,” Luna let out a light chuckle, mouth turning up in a grin. The light chuckle quickly turned into a chortle, then full out laughter.


           I took a few steps back, cheeks blushing red as both Discord and Velvet burst into laughter as well. “What did you do Discord?” I asked, ears falling as Princess Luna flipped onto the floor, rolling on the ground in laughter. Velvet and Discord followed her soon afterward.


           “I-indeed Discord, what did thou put in our tea?” Luna gasped, scowling at the two laughing at her as she tried to stop laughing by taking a deep breath, but was soon back in hysterics.


           “Oh nothing, it was just ginseng tea,” Discord chortled. “What, is it not supposed to make you laugh?”


           I groaned, facehoofing as the explanation just made Velvet laugh even harder. “Gin-sing!” he snorted. “Discord that is genius!” He paused in his laughing, rubbing his chin. “Wait, shouldn’t it make her sing then, not laugh?”


           “Why thank you,” he said, rubbing his clawed paw against his chest.He gave Velvet a sly look. “Oh, she’ll be singing too, that just happens later.”


           “O-out, you fiend!” Luna yelled, glaring at him as she held a hoof to her barrel, still laughing. “All of you!”


           “Aw, you’re no fun to tease Lulu,” Discord frowned, but nodded and with a snap of his fingers teleported us out of there.


           We appeared in an empty bedroom, Discord and Velvet still laughing, though it was finally subsiding. “Why the hay did you do that to Princess Luna?” I yelled, stomping a hoof. “And did you know about this Velvet?”


           Velvet nodded, mussing a hoof through my mane. “Discord and I talked about ways to get noticed at the castle last night once you went to sleep.”


           I swatted his hoof away. “Did you ever think of just going to the front gates and asking to speak to Princess Celestia?”


           “Oh come on Shiny, where is the fun in that?” Discord said, waving the idea away with his paw. “You want to date a Queen? Then you need to do something to stand out among all the others wanting to win her heart.”


           I growled in frustration, rubbing a hoof against my forehead. “So getting us thrown into the dungeons for assaulting one of the princesses will do that you think? Why can’t you just behave?”


           “That is so last century,” Discord sighed. He leaned back, falling back onto the bed and bouncing against it. “Besides, Lord of Chaos, remember?”


           The door to the bedroom opened behind us, and a zebra mare dressed in a maid’s outfit trotted into the room, pausing when she spotted the three of us. “What are you three doing in here?”


           “Zenovia! Long time no see,” Discord yelled, jumping up and wrapping himself around her. “Catch any changelings lately? I’m sure you are SO excited about Kaykay’s special guest. You have met her, haven’t you?”


           The zebra rolled her eyes, shaking the feather duster she held between her teeth in Discord’s face. He sneezed, a bouquet of daisies falling from one nostril while a bouquet of foal’s breath flowers fell from the other. At least it made him let her go, and she took a few steps away from him. “Yes, I met her,” she said, shivering. “Excited though? Not so much. Now shoo, all of you! I’m trying to clean!”


           “So sorry,” I whispered as I led us toward the still open door. “It’s like he had a bowl of sugar for breakfast or something.”


           “Oh, but I did!” Discord said, snapping his fingers and producing a bowl of sugar cubes. “Want some?”


           “No thanks,” I shook my head. “Let’s just find Chryssy.”


           “It’s okay,” Zenovia said, giving me a small smile. “I’m… used to Discord’s antics by now. If you ask the guards by the ballroom, I think they’ll be able to help you find your friend. Raven was just briefing them on what everypony who is visiting has scheduled to do today.”


           “Thank you,” I said, then waved a hoof at Discord and Velvet, who were making faces at each other in a small mirror on the wall. Sweet Celestia was Discord a bad influence on him! “Come on children,” I said, grinning softly when they both glared at me. Thankfully, they did follow after me.


           It was only a few minutes later when Discord let out a loud sigh. “I’m bored,” he groaned. Before I could say anything, he had snapped his fingers again and transported us into the ballroom. We were on the stage, dressed in pale blue Upgraded Frostbite fan t-shirts. Before Velvet was his drum set. When he saw them he beamed, grabbing up a drumstick in each wing and tapping them together.


           I looked over to Discord, who had added a pair of dark-blue star shaped sunglasses to his ensemble. Before him he strummed an electric blue guitar. He snapped his fingers once more, and floating at the level of my muzzle my penny whistle appeared, restored to its former glory.


           “Wha?” I gasped, holding out a hoof as it dropped down into it. “Y-you fixed it?”


           “Fixing a melted whistle is far too easy for me Shiny,” he said in a Trotland accent. “That is what friends do, right?”


           “R-right,” I said just staring down at it. You couldn’t even tell it had once been a heap of melted tin anymore. “T-thank you, Discord.”


           “You’re welcome Shiny,” he grinned, then rapidly twirled his claws over the strings of his guitar. “Yeah!” he yelled. “How about it boys, play a song with me?”


           “What?” I gasped, lower jaw dropping as I just stared at him.


           “Let’s do it!” Velvet said, tapping out a few quick notes on his drums.


           “How is this helping Chryssy?” I groaned. Had the two of them gone crazy? Had I awoken in an alternate reality?


           “I have this under control Shiny,” Discord said, giving me a clawed thumb up. “You are just too serious sometimes,” he tsked, shaking his head. He turned to look at Velvet. “Give me a steady beat, then follow my lead?”


           Velvet nodded, saluting Discord with one of his drumsticks. He took in a deep breath, then started in at a soft, steady beat. Discord bobbed his head, closing his eyes as he listened. “Yes, that’s it… alright, here we go.”


           I just shook my head as he strummed the guitar, following Velvet’s drumbeats, then Discord leaned forward as a microphone appeared before him. “You ready to rock Canterlot?” he yelled, bobbing his head to the beat as he continued to play.



Causing chaos,
Being free,
No more playing a statue for me.
Those elements?
Can’t touch me
Harmony can’t stop me this time!
Who wants accord?    
Who wants sense?
Creatin’ Chaos just what I do.
Headin’ south
Party time
Takin’ Chrysalis with me too.”


I tapped my hoof to the beat, the song was catchy if anything. No matter how annoyed I was feeling at the two of them. “Well, might as well join them,” I said softly and brought my whistle to my lips, playing along as Discord continued to sing, strumming his guitar as he did so.


“We’re goin’ to Tartarus
Goin’ to Tartarus
Yeah to Tartarus!
Goin’ to Tartarus
We’re goin’ to Tartatus!”



           “What do you think you are doing?” A pale raspberry colored magic wrapped around the three of us, pulling Velvet away from his drums and making Discord and I drop our own instruments. A light grey unicorn mare with a dark grey-brown mane strode over to us, the doors of the ballroom were thrown wide open and two white pegasus guards stood next to them. The mare’s horn was lit as she levitated us to the ballroom floor and dropped us upon it. “Well?” she asked.


           “What does it look like?” Discord said, giving her a big grin. “We were rockin’ out!”


    “Don’t you know Princess Celestia is holding court right next door?” the mare huffed, stomping a hoof. Her tightly wound mane, placed in a bun, had a strand fall down over her black rimmed glasses. “How is she supposed to concentrate when you are making noise like that?”


    I rubbed a hoof against the floor, cheeks bright red. “Sorry, I-I was just coming here to talk to her about… somepony.”


           “Well then you should have scheduled an audience,” she said sternly, pushing the brim of her glasses up. “Instead of causing all this… chaos!” she took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. “Now, for the two of you,” she said, pointing a hoof at Velvet and me. “This is the first time we have had to speak with you, correct?” We both nodded. “Then for this time, we can let you off with just a warning. Discord,” she turned to him and sighed. “Are you ever going to stay out of trouble?”


           “Me? Never! Where would the fun be in that?” he said, leaning down and giving her puppy dog eyes. “Please Raven, let me cause a little chaos for my friends?” He grabbed up Velvet and me and clasped us to his chest around our stomachs. “We’re just trying to find dear Shiny’s friend,” he grinned. “Haven’t seen a pretty yellow pegasus mare around, have you?”


           “Yellow pegasus?” one of the guards asked, stepping forward. “Yeah, I did see her. Is in the dungeons right now actually.”


           “What?” I yelled, wiggling out of Discord’s arms and glaring at the guard. How could they do this to her? She was innocent! She was a good changeling. If they locked her up, how was she supposed to protect her subjects?


           “Don’t worry, she’s with that changeling,” the guard continued, then looked to the guard next to him. “What did Midnight do with the changeling they captured yesterday? I don’t think he even brought it into the dungeons−”


           I let out a yell and sprang, tackling the guard before I knew what I was doing. “Why? She is innocent I tell you, innocent!” I wailed, shaking his shoulders. “Take her out of there now!”


           “Colt, calm down,” the guard below me said softly trying to push me off.


           “Not until you release her!”


           “What the hay is he talking about?” the other guard asked, flying up above me and trying to pull me off.


           “I have no clue!” the first guard gasped as I grabbed on around his neck, trying to resist the guard pulling at me from above.


           “Enough!” Raven groaned, pulling the three of us apart with her magic. She lifted me over to her, scowling at me. “Are you wanting to be put in the dungeons? Assaulting a guard is serious young stallion.”


           “I’ll go get Princess Cadence,” the guard who had been trying to pull me off the first said, dashing away out the door.


           “Wow, Shiny, I didn’t think you had it in you,” Discord grinned. “You can be more chaotic than I thought. I think you and your little mare are an even better match than we thought.”


           “Yeah, even I wouldn’t have done that,” Velvet said softly, standing next to Discord.


           “Explain yourself,” Raven said, stomping a hoof. “Perhaps then I won’t send you straight to the dungeons, if Princess Celestia agrees of course.”


           I sighed, “Well, that yellow pegasus mare is a good friend of mine,” I said. “Why did you guys lock her up?”


           “As far as my records go, Princess Celestia has not had anypony new locked up in weeks. The only one locked up should be that changeling stallion.” Raven said, adjusting her glasses as she added a little notebook to her levitation as well. She flipped through it, then paused on a page, going down it. “Mmm yes, yes…” she closed the book and replaced it in a saddle bag upon her back. “Princess Celestia did meet with a yellow pegasus mare by the name of Soaring Song yesterday. They discussed some private matters, and then she was given a wing in the royal visitor’s suites, along with her companions, until the princesses see fit to remove her from them.”


           “But,” I grunted as she placed me back on the floor. “But then why is she in the dungeons?”


           “Apparently Princess Celestia and Cadence wanted her to visit with the changeling, ‘visit’,” she emphasized with a hoof to my muzzle. “Not join it, now,” she paused, looking between the three of us and the remaining guard. “Do I have to worry about anymore outbursts while you wait for them to arrive?”


           Velvet and I shook our heads, while Discord sighed and shook his as well. “We’ll be good, Raven wasn’t it?” I said.


           “Yes,” she said, nodding. “Then I shall return to Princess Celestia’s side, where I should already be. Good day sirs.” She stepped around us and back out the open ballroom doors.


           “I’ll be watching you,” the guard still with us snorted, pointing a hoof at me.


           “I’m sorry,” I said, looking over at him. “Tackling you was… uncalled for. I should have let you explain.”


           “Yes, you should have. It’s no wonder with the riffraff you hang out with you acted that way,” he glared over at Discord.


           “Excuse me?” Discord hissed. “I am the Lord of Chaos, and you dare call me riffraff?” He leaned toward the pegasus, eyes narrowed.


           “Ooookay I think we have had enough excitement for right now,” Velvet chuckled, coming to stand in-between the guard and Discord, a hoof to each of their chests. “Shiny’s mare isn’t imprisoned in the dungeons, and I doubt the rest of us want to be either right?”


           “You’re right,” the pegasus guard said, backing off and tucking his wings to his barrel. “Sorry, Discord.”


           “I accept your apology,” he said, folding his arms and looking away. “This time. Next time, you might not be so lucky.”


           Sweet Celestia, today had already been insane, and it wasn’t even noon yet. What more could happen?




Canterlot Castle-Queen Chrysalis
          



    Everypony was quiet as we trotted toward the ballroom, there were even very few staff ponies walking about. It was still early though, perhaps they were still sleeping. If not for the quiet, I probably wouldn’t have heard the door open behind us, nor spotted them trying to sneak across the hall behind us nervously. “You!” I growled, whipping around and spreading my wings wide.


           The two pegasi stallions, one red and the other green, froze in their tracks, ears lowered and mouths opened in sheepish grins. “Er, hello there,” the green one mumbled, taking a step back behind the red.


           “Did he dare just ‘hello there’ us?” Chrys growled. “After what they did? Show them who’s in charge, what happens to those who disobey their queen!”


           “You are the two who were on the train with us,” Cadence said quietly. She stepped up beside me. They nodded, wings held tightly against their sides. I felt Cadence’s gaze fall on me. “They are your missing ‘guards’ then, correct?”


           “Yes, yes they are,” I hissed.


           “Um, c-can we explain before you try to squish us?” Danaus gulped, hiding even more behind Morpheus.


           “I think it would be best to let them explain,” Cadence said, rubbing a hoof down my back. “But not here.”


           I lowered my wings back against my barrel, taking in a few deep breaths. Looking around me, I found even this brief confrontation had brought about undue attention. A somewhat chubby grape purple unicorn mare that had been dusting the hallway’s chandeliers had paused in her dusting, staring at us. She wasn’t the only one either.


           “Much as I hate to admit it, she’s right,” Chrys huffed. “We’ll wait until we get them back to our private quarters, then they shall get their punishment!”


           “Come with us,” I snapped at them, turning around. “Don’t even think of trying to run off again either,” I whispered, turning to glare at them as we started walking again. “It will just make your punishment in the end that more harsh.”


           I grinned softly as I heard their hoofsteps join the rest of us. “Ahh yes, you are learning well my dear,” Chrys chuckled. “They need to know not to mess with their queen. Sure the ponies might call our methods… crude, but it gets the job done.”


           Feeling Cadence’s gaze on me, I turned to look at her, seeing a frown on her face. I didn’t even need to feed on her feelings to feel the disapproval coming from her. Who was she to judge us though? Chrys had tried to keep these ponies safe as she could, and yet some of our changelings had disobeyed her. The ponies might go easy on those who had done wrong, but that didn’t mean we had to as well. Especially when it cost others their lives.


           I took in a deep breath and let it out my nostrils, these thoughts could wait for another time. A shiver of excitement ran through me as we drew closer to the ballroom. If it really was Shiny, he had come back for us! No man had ever done that for me when I was human. They would start to get to know the real me, and flee. Was it any wonder I had felt most connected with a villain like Chrysalis with such things?


           My hoofsteps slowed as we reached the ballroom doors,which were closed in front of us. I bit my lip, suddenly nervous. What if it was some other random pony? What if they wanted me for some other dire reason? Or did Shiny’s sister really have a secret coltfriend and he had shown up? Wait, no the guard had said he was looking for me, in my Soaring Song form, so it couldn’t be anything to do with Shiny’s sister.


           “You okay?” Cadence asked, wrapping a wing around me. “You seem nervous.”


           “Of course we are fine,” Chrys growled. “Show some backbone girl, no matter what stallion is wanting us in there, or why, we must stand strong!”


           She was right. I took a deep breath and raised my head, standing firm as I looked up at Cadence. “Yes, I’m fine.” I looked back to Morpheus and Danaus, who cringed slightly at my gaze. “You two, stay out here with our other guards,” I said, pointing a hoof at Flash and the unicorn guard. “And don’t you dare try to disappear again.”


           “Yes ma’am,” they both said, saluting as they paused next to the others.


           “Ready to go in then?” Cadence asked. I nodded. She opened the door and trotted inside, where I followed quietly behind her. Any sound that might have been in the room before we entered grew silent except for our hoofsteps. Cadence paused a few pony lengths into the room.


           Closing my eyes for a moment, I stepped around her and instantly brightened at what I saw. Shiny stood near the stage with his brother -whom I recognized from his picture- Discord, and a white pegasus guard. It really was him! My mouth dropped open in a huge grin, wings twitching excitedly.


           “I can’t believe it, he came back,” Chrys whispered. “The foal must truly like us. Nay, more than just like, that we already knew for sure, but why? After all he now knows, why did he come back?”


           “Song!” Shiny yelled, rushing by the guard and over to me, practically bowling me over as he wrapped his forehooves around me in a hug. “You’re okay! They didn’t lock you up!” he beamed, eyes sparkling.


           “Er, yeah I’m fine Shiny,” I grunted, putting my own forehooves around him and hugging him back. “G-glad to see you are well too.” We pulled away, Shiny hopping from one forehoof to the other. “Now, what is this I hear about you causing a commotion and tackling a guard?”


           Shiny stood still at my words, blushing deeply. “Oh, that, right… well I-I was nervous, a-and afraid they had locked you up. When he told us you were in the dungeons something just came over me and it… happened.”


           “He attacked a guard for us? This pony is crazier that I thought!” Chrys laughed. “Ugh, I might even be starting to like him,” she groaned.


           “Well that was silly,” I snorted. “But then I guess if we were both in the dungeons, you would get more time with me.” I winked at him, making him blush even more. “Good to have you back,” I grinned. Discord and Shiny’s brother, followed by the guard, trotted over to us. “So, this is your famous brother is it?” I asked.


           “Yes indeed,” his brother said, nodding. “I am Velvet Beat, Mrs. Song.” He winked at me. “I’m glad my brother has finally found a ‘pony’ he could care for.”


           “Shiny must have told him who we are,” Chrys sighed. “Yet, it seems he is fine with it. Is Shiny’s whole family crazy for changelings? Watch, he’ll invite us home and they’ll all just offer their love to us like it was no big deal.”


           “Yes, he is a good pony,” I nodded. “Seems you are a lot like him Velvet.”


           “I might be a little crazy, but Shiny here is the most insane of us all eh little bro?” Velvet chuckled, mussing a hoof through Shiny’s mane.


           “I’m almost sad you weren’t locked up,” Discord sighed. “I had the perfect jailbreak plans to get you out,” he snapped his fingers, and a black and white striped uniform appeared upon him, complete with an iron cage. A cup in his clawed hand, he ran it against the bars back and forth. “Now I’ll never get to use them.”


           “You still might after what you two did to Princess Luna,” Shiny said, stepping away from his brother.


           “What did they do to her?” Cadence and I asked simultaneously.


           Both Discord and Velvet burst into laughter, patting each other on the back. “W-we gave her some ginseng tea!” Discord howled.


           “Ginseng? Oh−” Chrys groaned.


           “Must everything be a joke with you Discord?” Cadence sighed. The draconequus just laughed even harder at her words.


           “Anyway,” the pegasus guard said, glaring over at Discord and Velvet. “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to vacate the ballroom. These two are making too much noise,” he huffed.


           “We can move to my quarters,” I said, stepping forward and poking Discord with a hoof. “Come on, might as well be comfortable before you are put in the dungeons?”


           He took a deep breath and rolled to his hooves, grabbing Velvet up and placing him back on his hooves as well, then floated a few inches above us. “Very well, lead the way,” he chuckled.


           Together, the five of us left the ballroom, the rest of our party joining us as we made our way through the castle. Shiny walked next to me on my right, much to Morpheus’s ire. He pressed his way to my other side, Danaus walking behind him. Princess Cadence led the way, while Discord, Velvet, Flash and the unicorn guard brought up the rear. “While we walk, why not tell us more about these commotions you were causing?” I said, smiling down at Shiny.


           He blushed, faltering in his step for a moment. “N- none of it was in my plan! It was all Discord,” he glanced back at Discord, who just winked at him. “But if you want to hear about it, then okay. Shall I start with what happened last night?”


           “Sure,” I nodded.


           “Okay then,” he said. “It all started as I left the castle at a gallop…”


Changeling Castle Grounds- Apatelodes


I watched quietly as Peazan and a dozen guards gathered outside the castle early the next morning. Many of our other changelings and some of the ponies crowded around them, watching. Videre, a guard that usually watched the gates for intruders, was dragging out two large, wooden carts with his magic. Rope and tarps were folded neatly inside of them to tie down the food for the trip home.


Videre brought them to a halt next to Peazan, an older changeling who even outside the kitchens, still wore his stained white apron tied around his neck and barrel.


“Thank you Videre,” he nodded.


“You’re welcome,” he said, taking in a few deep gulps of breath as he trotted over to my side.


I looked around at the ponies gathered near, grinning as some shrank back, and hid behind others. “You two,” I said gruffly, pointing to that one mare Shiny was friends with, along with another orange pony with a bright red mane.


“Yes, sir?” Shiny’s friend, -what was her name again- said softly.


“It is your turn to go with Peazan. Pull the carts for the trip.”


The red maned one rolled her eyes, sighed, but then nodded. Both mares trotted in front of the carts. Peazan and one of the guards with him strapped the two of them in. Peazan took a few steps closer to me. “Anything special you want us to look for?”


I shook my head. “No, just be careful.” The Umbrum were nowhere in sight at the moment, likely the only reason so many were comfortable being outside, but I wouldn’t put it past them to show up and cause some chaos later.


“Of course,” Peazan grinned, then turned back to the others. “Alright, let’s move out!” he shouted. “That food isn’t going to gather itself.”


           As they trotted off, half the guards taking flight, horns lit watching for danger, changeling and pony alike slowly returned to the castle. Videre stood next to me, waiting for the carts to fall out of sight before stretching out his wings, then folding them against him again. “Shall I do a sweep around the castle before returning Apatelodes?” he asked.


           I nodded. “Yes, do so.” My ears perked, I looked through the trees around us. “They are near, I can sense it. But Videre,” I said, putting a hoof on his armored shoulder. “Don’t engage them in battle. If you see one, return and tell me immediately.”


           Videre nodded, a hoof to his forehead in salute. “Will do sir,” he grinned. Just as he was lifting off, a powerful blast shook the air and he was tossed back to the ground, sliding along the dirt a few feet before he came to a stop.


           In the air above us a dozen of those Umbrum had appeared, now close enough I could see their mangled, toothy grins. What few changelings and ponies that were still outside with us screamed and raced inside. The Umbrum ignored them completely, their gaze focused on me.


           I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, my ears twitching slightly as I stared back up at them. “Why have you returned?” I growled, stomping a hoof. Videre stood up behind me, his spear floating into the air beside him and ears splayed back against his skull.


           “They are with me,” a voice chuckled. I looked down to see the same cloaked pony as before trotting toward us. Somehow I had missed seeing them with all those Umbrum showing up. It tossed its hood back, revealing what had once likely been a pretty, light purple unicorn mare. Now she was covered in scars, the most prominent one I could see being a huge gash along her neck. Her icy blue eyes felt like they could dig into me with their stare alone. Across her neck, lightly wrapped in bright red magic, was the amulet I had seen in the book, the alicorn amulet.


    “Radiant Hope?” I said, to which she nodded. “But how? You should be dead and gone long ago.”


    She merely chuckled. “Perhaps, but I am not here to discuss my lack of dying.”


    “Then why are you here, pony?” Videre growled, pointing his spear at her.


    She glared at him, grabbed his spear from his magical grip, and broke it in two, dropping the two pieces to the ground below. “It is not wise to threaten me, changeling,” she sneered. “Now, where were we?” she grinned, turning back to me. “Oh yes, I am here to talk to you,” she said, pointing a hoof at me.


    I blinked slowly twice, cocking my head. “Me?”


    “Yes, you,” she huffed. “After all, you are in charge while your little queen is gone, are you not?”


    “I am, yes,” I said.


    She grinned slyly, eyes narrowing slightly with a sinister smile of confidence and fearlessness coming from her. Turning her head to look towards the woods, she whistled. I took a small step back, ears perked up as I heard several big things moving through the trees.


           My eyes grew wide as five huge diamond dogs stepped out in front of Videre and me, all of them were a mottled grey, with varying shades of brown beneath. Their yellow eyes were nearly as big around as the end of my hoof. I took a deep breath, digging my hooves into the ground and trying to slow down my racing heart.


           “W-what are you trying to prove here?” I asked, voice trembling only slightly. I could feel Videre shiver beside me, but he didn’t run, glaring at the diamond dogs instead and baring his fangs at them.


           “Oh, nothing yet,” Hope grinned. “Just thought you would want to meet my newest allies, right boys?” she chuckled, winking at them. The five of them just chuckled, nodding and popping the knuckles of their front paws. “If your queen would like to join us, we have plenty of strength to go up against Canterlot and those princesses,” she spat. “With your hive on our side as well? There will be no stopping us!”


           “Well, I will let her know,” I grinned nervously. I jumped as the Umbrum above us all cackled, flying off, and began to circle the castle once again.


           Hope raised her eyebrows, smirking. “I shall await thy answer,” she said. Letting out a cackle, she lit up her horn. “Until then, we’ll be watching.” With a small pop, she and the diamond dogs disappeared.


           Videre and I both let out a deep breath, our wingtips drooping as we stared at the place they had been. “Is that what you and the others have been dealing with, these past few weeks?” he asked.


           I nodded. “Now you know why our queen has been calling everyling back.”


    “How are we supposed to face her?” he yelped, pointing a hoof at where they had been, then up at the circling Umbrum. “With all those on her side, and creatures that EAT us if they can catch one of us.”


           “I don’t know Videre,” I sighed, shaking my head. “But we will do what is needed. Chrysalis is counting on us.” I put a hoof to his shoulder. “Be brave, my friend. Things change, we change with them. We will always find a way to survive.” With that, I patted him on the back and led the way back inside. I would contact our queen and let her know. Hopefully she wasn’t busy.