//------------------------------// // Damage Control // Story: Queen Chrysalis, Relationship Doctor // by Prismfire Productions //------------------------------// All it takes is one act, to see a changeling... differently, Especially a queen that, before had acted so... Selfishly In one quick flash three evil queens came and made everypony want to run and hide, But the good queen stood her ground and smiled as she said that she had switched her side... The announcement was shocking, Emotions started rocking Nopony could believe what they were seeing As the good queen started seething (Oh yeah! Yeah! Yeah!) And the mare in the back said "everypony attack!" and it became a Balt'mare Blitz And the filly at the door exclaimed "come fight some more!" as chaos reigned the Balt'mare Blitz. Balt'mare Blitz Balt'mare Blitz (Ohhhh yeah!) Balt'mare Blitz Balt'mare Blitz Things are now different, being evil is all that she knew Then as if by fate, she found something good that she could do Well a drone from the attack started talking smack As he took off and started to fly But Celestia looked over her shoulder, her mane starting to smolder As she called fire from the sky Quick as lightning The situation became frightening Everypony continued the beating Until the head queen called a meeting (Oh yeah! Yeah! Yeah!) And the mare in the back said "everypony attack!" and it became a Balt'mare Blitz And the filly at the door exclaimed "come fight some more!" as chaos reigned the Balt'mare Blitz. Balt'mare Blitz Balt'mare Blitz (Ohhhh yeah!) Balt'mare Blitz Balt'mare Blitz It's its the Balt'mare Blitz It's its the Balt'mare Blitz It's its the Balt'mare Blitz It's its the Balt’mare Baltz Balt'mare Blitz Balt'mare Blitz! Chrysalis was in a good mood, for more than one reason. Not only did she finally have an upper hoof on her sisters, but her act of siding with the ponies had also given her a lot of praise. Vinyl Scratch, aka the famous DJPON3, had personally requested a private recording session; the results being the current number one trending song not only in Equestria, but also the Crystal Empire, and the Dragon Lands. However, it seemed like she was the only one in Karma’s good graces. Chrysalis, her sisters, Twilight, Discord, Luna, and Celestia were in Canterlot Castle, which seemed like the safest place to be considering the chaos that had erupted in Baltimare after the dust settled from Hivemother preventing a full-on massacre. Ponies took to the streets, carrying with them anything that depicted Celestia, and burning them in a massive bonfire while making calls for her imprisonment. The chaos was like an exotic wine to the Chaos Alicorn, tingling her taste buds and making her want more, but Discord had been able to calm the crowd before pitchforks were needed. Chrysalis' sisters were no better off than they were before the attack, deciding to stick close to Discord under an amnesty pact for the sake of their hives. None of them were happy, but considering the alternative and who they were about to face, it was the best option to choose. Deciduous had been the most upset, with her sour apple flavored mane being the flavor she hated the most. Glacial and Firestorm, who respectively had cinnamon and winter mint flavored manes, were fine with their flavors, and got a kick out of seeing their older sibling acting like a foal who had just had her ice cream privileges revoked. Overall, everyone's nerves were fried, with the littlest things threatening to cause a full-blown brawl. However, the only thing keeping the group from getting into a shouting match was the fifth queen that was with them. Twilight was angry, angrier than even Luna was, and the tense waves flowing from the new queen made it feel like gravity itself had intensified in the confines of the hallway. Yet, despite the overall tension, Chrysalis wasn't going to let that deter her as she finished her tune. "Must you really sing that accursed song?” Deciduous asked, looking at Chrysalis with an annoyed look. “It just came out, but I really don't want any more reminders of how badly we blotched that attack.” “You need to lighten up,” Chrysalis said, skipping as she and the other attendees to the meeting made their way towards the Canterlot Castle meeting room. “You were the dumbflank for attacking the show, and it cost Glacial one of her drones!” “In fairness,” Deciduous said, her tone dangerously level as she bit back a strong retort, deciding that it was best to to the high road. “None of us were expecting Celestia to actually be the Princess of Chaos. When our drones relayed the message, we thought that it was nothing more than an elaborate prank that was published, simple satire meant to start off any wannabe attackers. Speaking of, she must feel pretty low right now, considering that two she once held close to her heart currently hate her guts.” Chrysalis knew she couldn't refute the statement, for it was the Friendship Queen's anger that was making her chitin crawl. The lavender-colored power plant trotting behind her creeping towards meltdown quickly made Chrysalis get her priorities in order, with emotion control the top priority for when the agreed upon lessons began. Glancing to Celestia, the Chaos Alicorn did nothing to hide her guilt, avoiding the looks her sister, husband, and former student were giving her as they continued along step by agonizing step. She could tell that Celestia felt horrible about the act that she had committed, bags visible under her sunken eyes, and her frazzled mane and tail clinging to her body like wet rags. In hindsight, Chrysalis figured that it was karma for the way that Celestia had cast her out all those years ago, forcing her to take up the painful path that led to the eventual wedding plot. Allowing herself to drift towards the back of the group, she matched Luna’s pace as they continued onward. “Luna,” Chrysalis said, placing a wing over the Princess of the Night's back. “No matter what happens as a result of this meeting, I am here for you, no matter what.” “We shall see where your loyalties lie,” Luna’s remark was like a dagger to Chrysalis’ heart, but the changeling couldn't blame her for it one bit. "I am still doubting your own redemption, but I will admit that your actions in Baltimare saved thousands of my subjects' lives, and for that I do owe you a chance to fully prove me wrong." "Thanks Luna," Chrysalis said, keeping herself from showing too much joy at the compliment. "It was hard at first, considering how twisted my thoughts were for so long, but Cadance and Shining have helped to show me the error of my ways. It feels good to help others with their loves, knowing that I help guide my clients to continue a path of love and happiness, but I still have a long way to go before I can feel like I have repaid my debt. I'm sure you can relate on that note." "I can, but I think the focus should be on my sister's actions right now," Luna said, her tone taking on a load of agtivation. “I can't believe Tia resorted to such brutish tactics, ones that threaten the very nature of Equestria. In addition, I haven’t had a peaceful slumber since the incident, for there are numerous foals and adults that have manifested Daybreaker into their dreams, each having her attacking and/or eating them.” “I'm surprised that is all you had to deal with,” Chrysalis said, gently brushing along Luna's back. Feeling the powerful muscles of her dear alicorn relax to her touch, Chrysalis continued the motion. “Have you had the chance to think over the other part of the meeting? This is going to be a very tense situation, I am just concerned about how you are going to handle it.” “I have been in far worse situations before Chrysalis,” Luna's tone was sharp as steel, but carried no weight behind it. Her inner voice kept protesting having Chrysalis so close, let alone touching her, but with as hard as her job had been since the attack she welcomed the impromptu massage. “I am trying to keep an open mind about everything, I really am, but until I see the proof for myself there will still be doubt.” “That's more than understandable Luna,” Chrysalis hated to admit it, but deep down there was still a pit of regret for not reuniting her family sooner. “I would be skeptical too if I was in your horseshoes. I mean, if a member of my enemy's species claimed that I was married to one of them? I would doubt it as well.” “Glad that you can see it from my point then,” Luna said, taking a deep breath before dropping her voice level. “Now then, Chrysalis, can you tell me about our daughter?” “I haven't seen her in centuries,” Chrysalis said, flinching from a sharp wave of anger that burned through her like wax paper in a flame. “Before you get too angry, please understand that the last time I saw her was when she left the hive to go off on her own. Unlike ponies, who tend to keep in touch, changelings don't. Under most circumstances, when a princess or young queen leaves their home, that is the last time they have any contact with their parents.” “Yet, the Hivemother said that all hiveminds were connected,” Luna said, looking at Chrysalis like a cat that had cornered a canary. “Care to explain that? If all of them are connected, then how come you didn't remain in contact with her?” “The answer is simpler than you are trying to make it sound,” Glacial said, using Luna's question as an excuse to rest her glare. “Individually, our hiveminds are separate. I can't hear Chrysalis’, she can't hear mine, none of us can hear Twilight's, and so on and so forth. Since the Hivemother is the genesis of our species, every queen's hivemind is connected to her, an anchor point as it were.” “So the Hivemother is like a semi-solid boundary?” Twilight asked, the scientist side of her showing as she mentally took notes on everything. “All of us are connected to her, she is connected to us, but we aren't connected to each other?” “Spot on,” Firestorm said, softly chuckling at the shine that came to Twilight's eyes. “Thing is, all of us thought of her as nothing more than a historical figure at the most, or mythical at the least. There have been no recorded encounters with her as far back as records have been kept, which is why all of us were shocked that she even appeared. Mother claimed to have had spoken with her, but she never did report it to the Queen Council. In fact, the only mentioning she has is-” “In this old book perhaps?” Twilight said, suspending the old book in her magic. How she had managed to teleport it all the way from the Crystal Empire, Chrysalis couldn't figure out. “It was in my library's archives, so I gave it to Chrysalis as payment for a therapy session.” A look of longing, fondness, and remembrance crossed Deci's, Firestorm's, and Glacial's faces at seeing the book. Firestorm was the first to grab it, going over it like an artist inspecting a suspected imitation piece. Each sister couldn't believe what they were actually holding in their hooves, a relic from a time that had escaped to the far edges of their memories. “So this is how-” Deci couldn't finish her statement, Twilight's nod being the only answer she needed as she levitated the book back to the Queen of Friendship, who teleported it away shortly after. “I thought all traces of mom had been lost forever…” “So did I,” Chrysalis said, a small smile forming at her sisters’ reactions to the book. “I was shocked myself when Twilight gave it to me, but if you three behave during the meeting, I will let each of you take turns borrowing it for a few days at a time. Unless, of course, Twilight makes copies for each of us and she keeps the original. That way, no fighting will occur over who has what copy.” “That sounds good to me,” Firestorm said, and for the first time since she had been seen, smiled at Chrysalis. “It will be a nice change of pace compared to the last few days. However, just absorbing the ambient love in the air around you has been a welcome change compared to scrap fighting with the other queens.” “Other?” Celestia could tell that her voice was not welcome, especially from the way Glacial glanced at her, but the thought of more queens possibly invading Equestria made up her mind for her. “Just how many more are there?” “Not including us five?” Glacial said, counting Twilight into her figure. “There are four more, each scattered in a different part of Equestria.” “So, four others, which means nine total,” Celestia said, an uneasy feeling threatening to overwhelm her at the mere thought that such a situation had formed without her knowledge. “Are any of the other queens’ drones here in Canterlot?” “There are a good number of them, not just in town, but amongst your staff and ranks.” Glacial loved seeing Celestia squirm at her answer, considering it a small consolation prize for losing a hard-working drone. “Does that thought trouble you? The very species you wish to end, is actually right under your nose? The best part is, as a queen I can tell who is and who isn't a drone, but I am not going to tell you which is which. Good luck finding out.” “Why you little-” Celestia was fast, but years of fighting villain after villain had sharpened Twilight's reflexes. Before Celestia could land a blow, she was held tight in a lavender glow, the Queen of Friendship glaring at her former mentor with nothing but spite, a feeling that rattled Celestia to her core. “If I promise to behave, will you let me go Twilight?” “That really depends on you, Celestia,” Twilight said, showing no remorse for her actions as she carried Celestia along in her magic like a wolf carrying a pup that was in trouble. “How do I know you won’t act out anyway? Up until now, I have viewed you with the utmost respect, a ruler that was both tough and fair while seeing about her subjects. What I saw the other day, however, completely shattered that vision. The mare I saw was not Celestia the Wise, nor Celestia the Peacekeeper; no, the mare I saw was Celestia the Dictator. Is your hatred justified? Is it really worth it? The answer to both is ‘no’, and I am disappointed in you for what you did." Celestia said nothing, but Twilight could tell that her former mentor was slowly losing balance control. To her, it seemed like Celestia didn't care that she had cut a life short, but was hoping against hope that the mare she looked up to as a filly would come around to see the logic behind her being in the wrong. "I couldn't help but notice that when I revealed what I now am, you felt disappointment towards me," Twilight said, sighing at not being told to stop. "At first, I was puzzled as to why you felt that way, but the last few days have given me time to think, and I reached the conclusion that you are disappointed that I am no longer a pony. Is my hypothesis correct?” “Yes, Twilight, it was,” Celestia said, hardening her gaze against the changeling that she once felt like a daughter to her. “Can't you see? I saw your potential. I had my fair pick of many talented individuals in your class, including Lyra Heartstrings and Moondancer, but I chose you. I knew that with my guidance, you would accomplish so much. Test after test, trial after trial, you rose to the occasion and exceeded all expectations that I had set. However, since you became an alicorn, that dynamic has shifted. We used to be so close, telling each other how our day was, and it filled my heart with joy knowing that you would listen to every detail, no matter how boring it was. Once you ascended, that closeness started to crumble. You stopped sending in Friendship Reports, something I enjoyed to read over a cup of fine tea after a long day on the throne. You becoming a changeling was your own choice, but to me it feels like the final nail in the coffin has been put in place." "I see," Twilight's two words had the weight of a million mountains. Chrysalis and Deciduous exchanged a silent look of fear at how rapidly Twilight's emotions had cooled, her mood and expression becoming neutral and unreadable. "Seems to me, you have trouble with change. You like things a certain way, and when they don't agree with your ideas, it causes you to grow an edge. I can see how it didn't show while Luna was banished, because you had full control of any changes that needed to be done, but there is something you need to realize; the world is not perfect for any individual, including me, and including you.” “Ok then Ms. Know It All,” Celestia’s frustration tried to show itself once more, but she quickly collected herself once she saw Twilight's horn starting to glow again. “Why are you acting like I am the bad mare here? You haven't experienced the things I have, made choices that rip your conscience apart because they go against your own morals. I was just trying to protect you and everypony else, Twilight, that's why I acted the way I did towards that drone.” “Protect me?” Twilight scoffed, shaking her head at Celestia's answer. "The same way you tried to 'protect' Luna? By taking control of the situation and buck the consequences thereafter? You claim to have visioned me and my friends taking up the Elements of Harmony to rescue your sister from darkness, but since then we have been the ones keeping the citizens safe, making you nothing more than a figurehead of the Diarchy. Nightmare? Sombra? Discord? Starlight? That was us using the power of friendship to win the day. Ponies, griffins, changelings, and dragons all respect us, and that will always continue because that is what our destinies have led us to. You, however, now have ponies all over Equestria wanting you in shackles. I am in no position to judge you, but your grudge has no footing and you will have to own up to your crime, whether you like it or not. You are no longer the Chessmaster, for you are in checkmate." "You are forgetting two things Twilight," Celestia's harsh tone, a tone the queen had never heard before, made her chitin shake. "One, I am still in control of the sun. Without my magic, Nightmare's vision will become a reality and an eternal night will rule this whole planet for all of eternity. Two, as the Chaos Goddess, I am the medium for chaos magic, meaning that the plundervine incident will pale in comparison to what would happen should chaos run uncontrolled." "That is true," Twilight said, clearing her throat and straightening her posture. "But we will see shortly how you will be punished, for we have arrived." Two guards, one a changeling and one a Solar Zealot, respectfully bowed as they opened the doors for the approaching ensemble. Twilight entered first, taking note that Cadance, Shining Armor, Starlight, and her other friends were already seated around the table, the most surprising being Rainbow and Pinkie. "I am surprised to see you two here," Twilight said, looking towards the couple who were seated at the end of the table. "I thought you had departed for Saddle Arabia by now Rainbow." "I was supposed to," Rainbow said, draping a wing around Pinkie's back. "But Pinks went to Spitfire privately to talk. I do not know what was said, and Pinks is refusing to tell me due to it being a confidential Pinkie Promise, but all I know is that I don't have to join the tour until they make it back into Equestria next week." "I have to look out for my fiancé," Pinkie said, giving Rainbow a light kiss on the cheek. "Me and Spitty sat down, I told her how I felt, and since the tour could not be put off, I gave her an alternative that she gladly took after thinking about the long term results. End of discussion." "That was wonderful that you did that," Everyone spun to face the entrance that came from the guest suite, only to be greeted by Hivemother standing in the doorway as she looked at Pinkie with a smile. "It shows your commitment and loyalty, two attributes that are key ground points for any relationship to work. However, before we begin, I do believe that there is someone who needs to be introduced." "This is it…" Luna thought, surprised at herself that she actually was feeling nervous. "Time to see how I will proceed going forward…" When the mare entered the room, Luna's jaw was not the only one to drop in shock. There stood an elegant changeling queen. With her dark navy chitin and two-toned blue and emerald mane and tail, there was no doubt in anypony's mind who the changeling was related to. She moved with the grace and poise of a true royal, keeping her head held high and her ears pointed straight. The light moving over her still-folded wings made them look a silver-grey, her deep aquamarine eyes giving light to a sea of emotion. Excitement and nervousness dominated the slitted pools, with a touch of anger giving them an edge and definition. "Hello, Princess Luna," The queen said, her eyes starting to shimmer from tears that were starting to develop as she offered a hoof. "I am Queen Nebula, your daughter, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you after all these years." "I-it is a pleasure for me as well," Luna's world seemed to spin, like the force of gravity had suddenly shifted. Despite Nebula's regal posture and actions, the Princess of the Night knew better, and could tell that the changeling before her was fighting back the urge to wrap her in a hug. Bumping the extended hoof with her own, Luna threw Nebula by surprise by being the one to engage the hug. "I honestly can't put any words to how I feel right now… But there is no question that you are my offspring." "No words are needed for now, but we have a lot to talk about don't we?" Nebula's tone was soft and lighthearted, like a filly telling their parent a joke. Cutting her eyes over to Chrysalis, her smile only grew. "Hello to you too mom, it's been awhile." "Been far too long dear," Chrysalis said, joining the hug that Luna and Nebula were sharing. To her utter shock, Luna and Nebula both draped a wing around her back, leading her to only tighten the embrace with her hooves. The world seemed to fall away around her, all her troubled thoughts becoming naught, as for the first time in her life she had her whole family together at once. "So how have you been doing my dear little Nebby?" "Mom whyyyyyyy,“ Nebula said, a blush starting to color her cheeks. “Why you embarrassing me like that?” “Because you’re my daughter,” Chrysalis said, chuckling as the trio broke their embrace. “That, and it has been so long since I’ve seen you, I gotta make up for the lost time somehow dear." "I think the nickname is cute," Luna said, causing Nebula's brush to intensify. However, Luna could tell the changeling's eyes were locked on Celestia, glaring at her like a black hole targeting its next victim. Deep down, Luna had felt the sharp shift in her own mind, and knew that a shadow from the past was taking great joy in the show. Clearing her throat to prevent a fight, it had the desired effect, for Nebula's vision was directed to her once more. "Now then, I am sure there will be plenty of time for a… 'family reunion after the meeting, but for now, lets take our seats so we can proceed." Celestia said nothing, a shiver running down her spine at Luna's tone when talking about having a family reunion, but she couldn't help but see the seven sets of eyes turned to her. "Now that introductions are out the way, I shall begin," Hivemother said, the room falling into a tensioned silence. "First of all, Princess Luna, Lord Discord, I give my most sincere apologies for the behavior of the queens that decided to attack your peaceful nation. I do not approve of their actions, and I will deal with them individually in time, but I hope we can move past this incident and a treaty can be reached." "I, Discord the Wise, do accept your apology," Discord said, putting a claw over his chest as he gave a polite curtsy. "Just as I have forgiven you, I hope you can forgive my wife for her actions. All I ask is for your punishment to be fair and just to the magnitude of the crime." "The deal has been stuck, the accord has been reached," Hivemother said, glancing across the table to her left. "Princess Luna, as the Princess of the Night and seated upon the Olivine Throne, do you have anything to add so we can begin?" "I suppose I could start the proceedings," Luna said, making a mental note to exclude Chrysalis from the plan she had thought of after the Baltimare attack. "I am dealing with a bit of an issue with some of my assets. Amarezonian ponies have been at war with some of my subjects at the southern end of Equestria over my Lunar Fruitlands. Apparently, their chief claims their ancestors staked the area around 350 years ago; which, if you look at my pre-banishment records, show that is false. Even before I was banished, those lands have always been the primary source for my guards' supply of mangos, but it seems that somepony forgot to keep an eye on those lands…" Celestia didn't say a word, going as far as averting her gaze as Luna gave her a look that could have melted obsidian. "Seems reasonable," Hivemother said, raising an objective eyebrow at the navy blue alicorn. "Don't get me wrong, I can tell that you are trying to use this as a way of personal gain, but a key part of every treaty is compromise. I will allow your request to be made official, but it will require you to give something in return that carries equal weight." "Equal weight?" Luna said, slightly tilting her head. "What is it that you would deem acceptable? Say… taking some of their drones and incorporate them into my guard ranks, would that work?" "A pie is only as good as the sum of its parts Luna," Hivemother said, her eyes closed in thought as she thought over the proposal. "In this case, your part balances out. You are to take in 20 warrior drones apiece from Deciduous', Firestorm's, and Glacial's hives and to have them train as full-time members of your guard. In exchange, the three queens themselves will oversee the reclamation of your lands, in exchange for ten percent of the produce. Do you agree to those terms?" "Yes, Hivemother, I do agree," Luna said, allowing a smile to crest her lips as she leaned back in her seat. "Cost me a bit more than I wanted to give, but the payoff will be worth it… Those Amarezons won't know what hit them!" "Now that is out of the way," Hivemother said, her tone sharpening as she looked at Discord. "We can discuss the punishment of your wife… As you can imagine with how the general opinion is right now, this is a very fragile situation. I have heard many protests, with punishments ranging from banishment to execution, but I think that those are far too harsh. I am sure that you can sympathize there, marital bias aside of course." "I can," Discord said, nodding at Hivemother's reasoning. "I have done many rash and horrible things over the course of my life, things that not even my wife knows and I will carry to my grave; yet, even at my worst, I never intentionally killed somepony. I always saw chaos as a game, a game of seeing how many pieces I can play without resulting in destruction, not as a means to try and eliminate because of a petty grudge. Whatever you decide her punishment should be, I will go along with." "Glad that we won't have to argue then, " Hivemother said, cutting her eyes to Celestia once more. "Celestia, you knowingly and deliberately executed a drone that was defenseless. You used your magic to do an act that is punishable with death under both pony and changeling laws. Since you are the only one who can control the sun, and are the medium to keep chaos in check, I can't kill you. However, since you seem to have trouble with your sister and Chrysalis being a couple, my sentence is for you to spend a year and a day as a drone while working for Chrysalis' office. All wages that you would have received are to be garnished and sent to Glacial as compensation. You will still have your ability to control the sun and chaos, those things are not going to be stripped, but during the time that will be your only magic available. Another thing, you are not to use your chaos powers to get revenge, nor manipulate anypony into doing your ill will for you. If you do, your punishment will be extended for a length of time to be determined by how severe of a violation you commit." Celestia waited. One heartbeat, then two, then three, but it became painfully obvious to her that nopony was doing to plead in her defense. Her husband had already agreed, Cadance and Twilight had nodded at the judgment, and Chrysalis' sisters each were clearly trying to hold in giggles. Those reactions had hurt, the other Bearers also showing agreement also was another nail against her; however, seeing her own sister, the sister that she had tried to save all those moons ago, also agree was her breakpoint. And the sun flared inside her. "Do none of you have anything to say for yourselves!?" Celestia said, her mane and tail becoming increasingly erratic as the temperature of the room seemed to skyrocket. "That punishment does not seem fit for the deed done, which was justifiable. That flying mosquitiic parasite threatened to drain me and my husband dry, I simply took action in self-defense to keep me and my husband safe." *CRUNCH* All eyes turned to Chrysalis, who's hoof had just cracked the stone table like a mallet to a grape. Everyone could tell she was white-hot with anger, her eyes nothing but pits of emerald fire as she struggled to keep her rage in check. "He. Didn't. Attack." Chrysalis said, each word being forced through her gritted teeth. "He just said what he was going to do, but he took no action. Tossing him with your magic? Understandable. Hitting him with a blast to knock him unconscious? Understandable. However, crumbling him into ashes? On the list of things that are not ok, that is definitely not ok! You can't even play the self-defense card, because you attacked first. I'm not stupid, you don't have a problem with anyling but me, all because you can't accept the fact me and Luna are married and have a daughter." "You corrupted her," Celestia's words were colder than a Windego's heart, but sharper than a Neighponese blade. "Unlike our parents, I noticed she was acting strange after returning from that trip with that group of hers, but I passed it off as residual adrenalin from her expedition. Then the days stretched into weeks and months, the whole time still acting strange and sensitive, but when she brought you to dinner that fateful night everything connected into place. Looking back, I do regret not spending more time with Lulu, but I think you can take pride in knowing that you caused her to succumb to the darkness." "Me?" Chrysalis' tone bore genuine confusion, but her body language was like trapping a bull in a cage at a rodeo and wanting for the starting clock to begin. "How did I cause the Nightmare? If anything, I helped to keep it at bay for as long as it did because I had to keep calming Lulu down whenever she was about to beat your flank into the throne room floor. I couldn't help that I was at a checkup when the fight broke out, but you sure did seem dry up your magigator tears quite quickly once you saw me looking heartbroken. Instead of spending your time trying to figure out ways to banish me, that was the time that you could have used to make Lulu feel wanted." "I can see why Celestia can accuse you of that though," Shining said, only to flinch from the look the enraged queen was giving him. "I mean, you did the same thing to me, so her logic is sound. You say it was pure love, but to her it was nothing but a trick." "Thank you for being the voice of reason," Celestia said, a surge of hope filling her. "I love my sister, and I don't want to see her hurt." "Oh?" Chrysalis said, surprised that Celestia was actually trying to prolong the meeting. "You say that you didn't want to hurt her, but in the long run you did just that. You have no clue how many times she visited me at the hive bawling her eyes out at how you were ignoring her pleas for help. Since you wouldn't let me stay in the castle, she knew I couldn't do anything, but I still comforted her to the best of my ability." "As revealing as this has been for the uninformed," Starlight said, not allowing Celestia to retort while trying to diffuse the impending emotional explosion as her friends looked at the bickering duo with a look of pure shock. Celestia was now nose to nose with Chrysalis, neither giving an inch. "You both need to calm down. Anger isn't an answer here, and as a former villain myself, I can tell this is going to end badly for all parties involved if things continue." "I agree with that assessment," Hivemother said, snaring Celestia in her magic as a cacoon of pure light started to encase the alicorn. "Celestia, let's hope for everypony's sake that by the end of your punishment, you have learned a valuable lesson in humility." Celestia wanted to fight, her rage pushing her to her limit as she started to gather her magic, the long-time foe against her sister being the intended target. Just as she was about to unleash it, the cocoon completed, instantly cutting off the spell as she started to feel a strange sensation wash over her like slow-moving molasses. Her muscles went taught and her body quivered, as if every muscle was having a case of the Charlies all at the same time. She had been in many painful situations over the course of her life, including having to spend a week in the core of her own sun as punishment for breaking her father's cherished sundial as a filly, but even that ordeal paled in comparison to the pressure she was feeling being exerted on every inch of her body. She fought hard, desperate to break free, but the moment she heard her wings snap she knew she was in trouble. Ivory feathers drifted from her spasming wings, floating down and dissolving into the walls that contained her. The wings themselves, now featherless, started to shrink, the membrane thinning and becoming translucent and rounded as the bones in them vanished. A powerful itching started to spread from her hooves upwards, but with no room to scratch, she was left watching in horror as her fur thinned, the pink skin underneath becoming harder and darkening until it was as black as the void of space. The force of gravity seemed to intensify, pushing her into a tighter and tighter form as her insides started to change. Some organs, like her stomach, shrank while her love sac formed and connected itself to all her vital organs and her bloodstream. The new organ flared to life, pulsing a complex blend of pheromones and chemicals that caused her blood to thicken into ichor and allowed her white and red blood cells to absorb emotions better while also embedding the different emotion signals into her brain. Celestia, for the first time, could feel the emotions swirling in the room; the waves of disappointment crashing into her like the eyewall of a cyclone on a battered ship. The feeling seemed to accelerate her changes, her horn becoming chipped and jagged as her ethereal mane and tail fell away as a head and tail fin formed in their place. Things seemed to settle, making Celestia assume that the changes were over, but that proved to be a false sense of security as a splitting headache reverberated in her skull. Hundreds of voices swarmed her mind, drowning out her own sense of thought. Her head swam amongst the voices, just one of many on an endless connection, until one voice came through that pushed all the others back. >"Good to see that your hivemind properly developed,"< Chrysalis said, making Celestia shake her head in an attempt to get the queen's voice out of her mind. The distraction was good enough to make the former alicorn not realize that holes had started to form on her legs and wings, and that two fangs had started to grow. >"Let me be the first to tell you to welcome to the swarm."< >"I swear that I will not be so easily quieted!"< Celestia said, her anger cascading over the hivemind. However, much to her horror, she felt her limbs go numb as a force washed away the anger and made it feel like the hivemind had tightened around her brain. >"W-what are you doing? Why can't I move?!"< >"You have a lot to learn about being a changeling, but you better be lucky I'm patient,"< Chrysalis brisked, like a mother scolding a foal. >"What I am doing is no different than what I do with any other drone who misbehaves. As queen of the hive, I have a strong influence over our hivemind, and can exert a force that locks a drone or drones in place until they comply. Think of it as being in a timeout, now, are you going to comply?"< >"Fine… I will, my Queen,"< Celestia said, hoping the added title would help put her over and make Chrysalis back of. It took a moment, but the feeling retreated as her prison started to crack, allowing the others to see how she looked for the first time. "So, basically, I am screwed then since you can do that trick." "That wasn't a trick," Hivemother said, giving Celestia a knowing smirk. "All queens, including Twilight, have that ability; it serves as a way not only to punish, but also as a way to remind everyling in the hive just who is in charge. As I said, as long as you behave, your punishment will end a year and a day from now, but since I am in a decent mood I am going to overlook the fact you tried to break that transformative cocoon. If there is no further business, I suggest we end talks here, because I need to talk with Discord in private about a few things." "Hivemother, if I may," Glacial said, pausing until the ancient queen gestured for her to continue. "What about the subject of the love stores Chrysalis gets from her business? Her hive being saturated is the only reason why we attacked in the first place. It isn't fair that she is feasting while the rest of us are starving." "Thank you for bringing that up, because that had slipped my mind," Hivemother said, turning to face Chrysalis. "Chrysalis, how much love store can you give each queen, not including myself and Twilight, and still not suffer?" "Roughly seven percent," Chrysalis said, doing the calculations in her head more than once just to be sure. "Any more than that and I might have issues, but still, seven percent is better than nothing. It would equate to what I gorged myself with at Shining's wedding multiplied by a factor of 2.1." "I don't like the sound of that at all," Celestia said, ignoring Chrysalis' pointed glare. "Just what you got from Shining was enough to beat me at max power, you double that, and Equestria would have a hostile takeover situation on their hooves." "Which is why, in exchange for love supplies, each queen would swear Equestria and the Crystal Empire as an ally," Hivemother said, now looking straight up aggravated. "You have been on the throne for over 1100 years, and still can't manage a peaceful truce?" Celestia kept her muzzle shut. "I do have a question," Nebula said, clearing her throat to get attention. "Since we're laying everything out on the table, would it be feasible for Luna to come back to the Crystal Empire? I would love the chance to get to know her better, and I am sure mom would love that opportunity as well." "I would enjoy some time to regroup," Luna said, causing both Chrysalis and Nebula to beam a smile. "Although, what do you suggest as a means of keeping things in line while I am gone? There is still a lot of paperwork to file, introducing the drones to the guard, and I must keep up my duties of the moon and dreamwalking." "As far as dreamwalking, I could handle it," Discord said, much to Chrysalis' relief. "Since I am no longer tied to chaos, I have been having more frequent dreams, so if you would just tell me how to project into the dream realm I could do it." "The paperwork and guard stuff I could easily do," Hivemother said, giving Luna a warm smile at feeling the Princess of the Night's hesitation. "All that would need to be done is giving a public address saying that you need a chance to adjust and clear your head. Considering I stopped the fight from becoming a bigger bloodbath, I shouldn't have too much trouble out of anypony. Plus it would give me a chance to mingle with today's generation. All you would have to do is raise and lower the moon each night." "That is a very tempting offer," Luna said, her lips curled into a smile. "It will also give me the opportunity to spend time with my niece, one who I still owe a spa day to." "YES!" Chrysalis, Cadance, and Nebula exclaimed, jumping out of their seats and giving the air a hoofpump. For a moment, the three said nothing, but soon erupted into a giggle fit that left each of them unable to talk. "With that," Hivemother said, chuckling at the display. "This meeting is now adjourned." One by one the group filed out, with a very bitter Celestia being led along by Chrysalis, with Luna and Nebula on her flanks as Discord poofed back to his office. Then Cadance and Shining departed, then Twilight's friends, and lastly Chrysalis' sisters. That left Hivemother all alone with nothing but her thoughts until a scroll bound with Twilight's cutie mark appeared on the table in front of her. Breaking the seal, and after scanning over the letter, Hivemother smiled. Darkness had fallen upon the Castle of Friendship. With Luna's moon and stars blanketing the sky like fireflies drawn to a lantern, Hivemother was able to trot along the halls with the swiftness of an owl on a midnight hunt. Through the halls and up flight after flight of stairs, she moved like a graceful shadow, not wanting to disturb Spike, Starlight, and Trixie, until she eventually tapped on the oaken door that rested at the highest point of the castle. "You may enter," Twilight said, using her magic to keep the hinges from creaking. She had made herself comfortable in her favorite chair, the fire burning in the fireplace bathing the room in a soft, warm glow. "Welcome to my private study Hivemother, and I am glad that you accepted my invitation." "Pleasure is mine, Queen Sparkle," Hivemother said, giving the lavender queen a nod of respect. "It isn't often a queen invites another to her private chambers, but I do believe it is time history is once again written, publicized for all to learn and to help ease the tensions of Equestria." "Why were the old records of you destroyed to begin with?" Twilight said, summoning a second seat and positioning it on the other side of the coffee table. "Only thing I have uncovered was the brief paragraph in Chrysalis' old book." "Power and corruption," Hivemother said, taking her seat as Twilight started to scribble on a scroll. "Keep in mind, I am the first changeling, but I do have my weaknesses. If a source of dark magic is strong enough, it could easily take control of me, but it would have to be way stronger than the spells Sombra used. I'm talking on a level with the Smooze itself. Think about how bad of a situation that would be, with how strong my magic is, being controlled by somepony with dark and selfish intentions." "The Smooze?" Twilight said, tilting her head as she retrieved a book without losing control of the quill and scroll. "According to the archived accounts of it, it was a tarry pit of bubbling, liquefied evil." "That would be correct," Hivemother said, her face becoming downtrodden. "I should know, because I was created from it." "You were-" Twilight's brain short-circuited, did a hard reboot, and even then needed a jolt from her nervous system to properly function. "Just… what?!" "Please, allow me to explain," Hivemother's tone softened, her eyes gazing to the fire. In the flames, she saw nothing but pure darkness as an omnipresent feeling reached out into her mind with a lovely voice and tried to lure her in, but it was to no avail. "Everypony knows the tale of Equestria, how the four tribes lived in peace until that fateful day the unicorns attacked the Earth Ponies, but the story of our species, the changeling, dates back even further. I know not of how my Mistress found such evil, nor how she had come to hate ponies as she had, but what I do know is the results of her hate and experimenting resulted in the Smooze. From that pit two creatures, the likes of which the world had never seen, were molded into the image of my Mistress' liking. I was made first, my sister shortly after, and due to us being the DNA combination of every lifeform she dubbed us changelings." The flames leaped out at the two seated queens, causing Twilight to jump until Hivemother put a hoof on her shoulder. Before Twilight's eyes, an image appeared in the flames, which at first looked like a normal queen until she took a closer look. The form was bulkier, as if it had took up Bulk Biceps' training routine and pushed it to the max. The wings looked like they were silver, but with an edge that Twilight could tell served as a makeshift blade if the need had arisen. "This was my initial form," Hivemother said, ending the image and allowing the flames to die down once more. "A creature of pure evil, and no free will, doing only what my Mistress commanded. For many centuries, the two of us did what Mistress ordered, going from town to town and foalnapping many citizens for Mistress to make more of us. Despite her hatred, even Mistress saw how having too many powerful beings under her control was a bad idea, so the converted were made in a way that me and my sister could control them. Then one day, everything changed. Mistress had heard about a powerful unicorn, a gifted one who was developing new spells with already-available magic. The potential was immense, but also a double-edged sword; unlike the others, she didn't want to convert him so she could fully have his talents at her disposal, but it also risked making her known to an enemy if he didn't agree to be her apprentice." "You know," Twilight said, softly chuckling as she teleported in some tea for the two of them. "If I didn't know any better, based on that description, I would have assumed that you were talking about Starswirl. Yet, the way you make it sound like, all this happened before he was born." "I am talking about Starswirl," Hivemother took no small amount of pride in seeing the smartest being she had known since those days so speechless and flabbergasted. The shock and awe in those magenta slits sparkled in the light, and Hivemother could tell she was fully engrossed. "He was a young stallion back then, roughly the age that you are now, and had devoted his life to his studies. Nothing could tear him away from his work, but it was slowly overwhelming him. Mistress thought it would be a good idea to go to him disguised and earn his trust, so that is what I did. Taking the form of a 'well endowed' unicorn mare, I went to him as a fan who was a major fan of his publications. At first, he was hesitant, but after I showed him that I could easily perform some of his more complex spells, he took me under his tutoring on the spot. Over the following months, the two of us worked nonstop, but his warm soul started to chip away at the darkness in my heart." "You fell in love," Twilight said, a smile gracing her lips as she sipped her tea. "How did your sister react to you starting to warm up?" "At first she wanted to use it as a tool, a means to make it easier for him to come over to Mistress' side, but after several tea visits she saw the same thing I did," Hivemother said, sipping her tea as she hummed at the taste. "Ponies were not the enemy like Mistress had made them out to be, but were a kind, caring species that had their own goals and dreams. They had no intention of world domination or the like, they just wanted to live life to the fullest. Unfortunately, Mistress was impatient, and after several times blowing her off, she decided to make an unannounced personal visit. The feeling of betrayal coming from Starswirl ripped me apart, making me shed my disguise as Mistress towered over me, ready to deal a blow that would kill me. Just as the blow was about to hit, I found myself slammed against the wall… my sister taking the blast for me." "She sacrificed herself," Twilight said, a few tears sliding down her cheeks. "She cared for you, paying for it with her life. What was her name?" "Her name?" Hivemother said, squeezing her eyes shut as that painful memory resurfaced. "Her name was a phrase everypony uses in today's society to describe an action when their mind becomes clear to a sudden revelation. Epiphany. I didn't have time to mourn, for Mistress was still out for my head, but something ignited inside of me. I swore on my sister's dead body that I would not let her death be in vain, and between me and Starswirl, we managed to kill my creator. Afterwards, me and him buried my sister and had a long chat. It was agreed that we wouldn't pursue a relationship but remain close friends and allies. All those that me and my sister converted? They remained loyal to me, but Starswirl used a cleansing spell to rid us of Mistress' influence." "Wow," Twilight said, taking a moment pause to refill her teacup. "I had no idea about all of this. Although, if your sister was named Epiphany, what is your and your Mistress' names?" "I had a name, but I rebuked it the day my sister died Twilight," Hivemother said, draining her third cup of tea. "For many years, I was known as 'The Nameless' or 'The Wanderer', but after realizing the nature of the hivemind being akin to that of a bumblebee hive, I took the name Hivemother and have called myself that since. As for my creator, her name was Entropy." "And all things fall into disorder," Twilight said, reciting the definition. "Considering she made you and Epiphany to cause havoc on ponykind, the name fitted her well. So what happened after that?" "After everything settled?" Hivemother asked, only for her to be answered by Twilight teleporting in more ink and quills. "Well, with both my creator and sister dead, all I had were the converts that were connected to me and nowhere to go. Luckily, Starswirl came up with a brilliant solution. At the time, a unicorn expedition team had uncovered a massive crystal cave, and the opportunity presented itself. I used a bit of specialized magic to combine the souls of those converts to the crystal, and thus the first generation of Crystal Ponies was born. Over time, the changeling gene became less and less, so in essence, they are a true race of pony. Alas, even that was not enough, for the untold horrors of the Frozen North soon made it known the new residents were not welcome." "Windego…" Just saying the word sent a shiver down Twilight's spine, the sudden reflex causing her to start on a new quill due to the old one breaking at the motion. "Do you know how they were made? Or, at least, where they came from?" "I don't, but they really didn't like us being there," Hivemother said, catching herself from flinching. "Those spirits broke through line after line of defenses, an unstoppable force that nearly made me pack up everypony and flee to Equestria under asylum. The only reason I didn't was that Starswirl came to me with a new spell, one that he was sure would keep those evil spirits at bay once and for all. After carving out a piece of crystal to use as a conductor and medium, he had me funnel all the love I had for my sister into it to use as a weapon because the Windegos left houses with couples alone." "The Crystal Heart," Twilight said, taking a pause to rub the building pull of Luna's dreamrealm from her eyes. "So it is literally a weapon of love then, and it makes sense why no evil can get near it because it is powered by pure emotions." "Correct," Hivemother said, putting down her teacup and looking at Twilight in a relaxed pose. "I do think we should stop for tonight though, you look to be fighting off sleep." "I'm fine," Twilight said, only to let out a long, drawn-out yawn. "Ok, maybe I am a little tired, that is something coffee can fix. I have pulled all-nighters before, so this is still early for me." "Maybe as a pony you could handle it, but a queen's mind works differently," Hivemother said, her tone taking that of a teacher. Twilight recognized the shift, setting down her quill as she leaned in to listen. "A queen needs rest to help keep her hivemind healthy, for lack of sleep will slowly make her too fatigued to keep it maintained. Although, before you run off to bed, I do want to discuss your feelings for Celestia earlier. Troubled me, they did." All traces of sleep vanished from Twilight's eyes, her pupils dilating as her chitin went rigid. Hivemother's multicolored irises were soft and inviting, but Twilight knew that she was about to jump down a rabbit hole that she had hoped to put off for at least a week. "What about my feelings?" Twilight said, trying to act as calm as possible. "Do I not have the right to be bitter and angry at her? My entire foalhood was revolved around my studies, but it was also her who sent me to Ponyville to make friends and to learn the value of the power of friendship. I feel like all those lessons, all those teachings, were nothing more than to cover up her true colors. Looking back, now it makes sense why she didn't believe me at Candace's wedding, because she didn't want to believe Chrysalis had resurfaced." "I do suppose that is part of it," Hivemother said, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "But I specifically want to discuss your anger. When you decided to shed your feathers and take up the Gossamer Oath, it bound you for life. Since you were not born a changeling, you have no sense of how to maintain a balance with your emotions, something I hope Chrysalis does a terrific job of teaching you. Anger is white hot, and in the absence of love can be a good short-term power boost, but you must not let it control you. Take a step back and look at where we are. You invited me into your study, have a warm fire going, and served us both some delicious jasmine honey tea while I gave you a history lesson. Now, does this ring a bell?" "Reminds me of when I was a filly," Twilight said, her tone soft as tears started to build in her eyes. "Just I was in the role of Celestia, and you in the role of me." "See? You don't actually hate her," Hivemother said, using her magic to pull Twilight into her lap. The simple gesture was enough, and soon she felt Twilight's tears running down her chitin as she wrapped her wings around the Queen of Friendship. "Forgiveness is a part of friendship, is it not? You have to give it time, but I know that the two of you will bury the hatchet at some point. Noling is perfect, but as we go through life, we have to do our part to make this world a better place. When you became a changeling, your very means of survival shifted. Yes, you can still consume the foods and beverages that you've always enjoyed, but they no longer have any nutritional value to you. You need love to live, and a happier and more loving world guarantees that you and your drones will have a long, productive life." "That's the part I'm still trying to wrap my head around," Twilight said, her eyes cutting downward. "Motherhood has never been on my mind, like at all, now I have to face the fact that I will be a mother. So, just out of curiosity, how do changelings reproduce?" "There are actually several ways," Hivemother said, her wings unfolding ever-so-slightly. "The first, of course, is traditional intercourse with a stallion. Another, and a rather unique one is getting a unicorn to…" Leaning in close and whispering Twilight's ear, Hivemother gave Twilight a wingboner from how detailed and graphic the image played out in her head. "Seems that one is a winner, and I am sure Starlight would like to assist," Hivemother said, smiling at how adorable Twilight looked with her blush. "That being said, there is another way for a queen to have drones, and it is one that might be the most common for you. As the old adage goes, too much love is a bad thing, because your body will be so saturated you will have no way to continue feeding. When that happens, your body will produce a signal that allows your eggs to absorb the excess, thus producing more drones." "Wait, so I can perform parthenogenesis?" Twilight asked, now in full scholar mode. "There are so many interesting things I want to test now! Who knows, maybe I'll discover secrets about a changeling's magic and body that have never been discovered before." "As the Bearer of Magic itself, I'm sure you will," Hivemother said, her own curiosity getting the better of her as she imagined the possibilities that Twilight would discover. "Your hivemind is already growing and maturing, that I can feel, so don't be surprised if you start laying in the next couple of weeks. If you want, you can send me reports on everything you discover, all I ask is to try to not overdo it while you are carrying." "Sounds like a plan then," Twilight said, the exhaustion from earlier returning with full force as she leaned against Hivemother's barrel. "How long does a changeling pregnancy last?" "That really depends," Hivemother said, getting out of her chair as she started walking Twilight towards her bedroom. "If you get pregnant with anything other than drones, the length of pregnancy will be equal to the species you conceived; drones, meanwhile, are only a month." "There is much I still have to prepare for then," Twilight said, leaning on to Hivemother's side as they continued their walk, but guiding the way through the halls. "Gut out the basement for hive structure, making a hive structure about how would I designate who to what role…" "All things to worry for another day," Hivemother said, using her magic to open the door for Twilight after reaching her bedroom. "After all, you still have to lay your first clutch. For now, all you should worry about is getting a peaceful slumber; the future is fluid, always in motion, but your actions now will have a vast influence on what happens down the line. Work hard to get your emotions in check, and the rest should fall into place smoothly." "Thank you," Twilight said, crawling under her covers and snuggling her pillow. "But before you go, think you could tell me a bedtime story?" "Hmm… I think I know a good one; it is a story of triumph, love gained and lost, and paying the ultimate sacrifice to protect her subjects." Hivemother said, smirking as Twilight's tired eyes shone in recognition. "This is the story of Queen Amore, the Changeling Queen of the North Crystal Throne."