//------------------------------// // 3 The Misunderstood Queen // Story: Alternate Beginnings: Year Five // by Doug Graves //------------------------------// January 12th, 997 Doug waves at another pony as he makes his way to Rarity's Boutique; after playing Bridge with Spoiled Rich and Cheerilee and watching the fillies play soccer a few more ponies have opened up to his presence, a couple of other pairs asking if he would teach them as well. Unfortunately, with the work on the farm gearing up, two year old foals, another very soon to come, and mounting pressure from Cloudsdale to pick up a few more towns he doesn't have a lot of extra time. Rarity's will hopefully be a comforting distraction, a break from the tumultuous atmosphere the Apple household quickly devolves to. Maybe Fluttershy could come over and hang out, see if they could sing together again. A unicorn Doug doesn't recognize starts walking next to him, initially peering up at him as they continue along the road. Doug glances back with a smile, several long seconds before the unicorn says, "Doug?" "Yes; can I help you?" he replies as The Carousel Boutique comes into view. The unicorn seems to be growing a little anxious, nervously glancing from side to side. Doug tenses up; normally Sweetie Belle is playing outside, waiting for his arrival, but the filly is nowhere to be seen. The unicorn stammers, "Well, I was hoping that we, well, that I could get your assistance with an issue that my qu- I mean, that I am having." Doug stops outside the front of the Boutique, the sign on the front flipped to closed earlier than it should have. "You need my help? I suppose, sure, but what would you need me for?" He turns, heading to the side door that leads to the kitchen. "Oh, well, um, we've been having a little issue. Nothing too serious, but we can definitely use your help." Doug opens the door, looking at the unicorn, "Okay, I'd be glad to, if you need it, miss?" The unicorn laughs nervously, "Oh, you can call me Delilah." Doug smiles, "That's an unusual name for a... pony..." he stammers as he walks into the kitchen. Rarity and Sweetie Belle are on the table, laying next to each other with eyes closed, horns and hooves encased in a green goo. Two small black, chitinous ponies are standing next to them, long white fangs protruding from their mouths. They snarl at him, their dark wings beating ominously as the door behind him clicks shut, the unicorn smiling while her horn glows a brilliant green, transforming into a similar black form. Doug stands, trying to take in the scene as one of the black ponies moves closer to Rarity, baring its fangs and staring at him with cyan eyes. Doug holds up his hands, a quiet, "Hey, please, don't hurt her," as the pony above Rarity smiles, slowly creeping closer, the light glinting off the sharp protrusions. The pony behind Doug pushes him, forcing him to a kneeling position, Doug briefly glaring as he moves his arms behind his back. A short laugh comes from the pony in front of him, slowly moving back into its original position. Doug looks to the side when he hears a sound no pony has made before and a voice that sounds eerily similar. The sound of hand on hand, a hooded figure walking into the room and clapping. The voice says, "Well, well, well, if it isn't the same human that we saw in the Badlands." Doug says, "Look, none of this is necessary, just-" The figure moves forward, slapping one hand against Doug's face. It startles him more than injures him; one arm moves to his cheek before the pony behind him pulls on his arm again. He relaxes, allowing his arm to be pulled behind his back and looking up as the figure pulls the hood off, saying, "You will address me with the proper respect, human. My name is Queen Chrysalis!" Doug stares blankly as his own visage glares back at him. Doug says, "Um," before the human in front of him points a fist at him. "Silence." Doug immediately quiets down, resting back as Queen Chrysalis stalks in front of him, turning on the pony behind him. "You. That was pathetic, your task to get him to come here fulfilled only because it was what he was already doing." The chitinous pony bows her head, "I will strive to improve, Queen." "Soldiers." Queen Chrysalis shakes her head, "You must adapt to any circumstance." She turns back to Doug, "Now, human, you will help me fix what you have done!" Doug stammers, "I'm not sure exactly what I did to you, um, Queen? You want me to call... me... Queen?" The figure nods, glaring down, "You know, I thought you were more intelligent than that. Yes, you, whatever you are, did this to me!" Doug slowly shakes his head, "Right. I don't know what happened to you. I would be happy to help, but I can't really help like this, okay?" Doug motions towards Rarity with his shoulder, not attempting to move his hand in front of his body. Queen Chrysalis looks closely at Doug before nodding to the pony behind him. The pressure lets up on Doug, and he moves his arms in front of him, rubbing his hands on his elbows. He glances over at Rarity and Sweetie Belle, the two ponies still unconscious on the table. Doug says, "Are they okay?" Queen Chrysalis nods, looking back and saying, "Do it." A burst of green magic comes from the two ponies on the table. They transform into chitinous ponies, the goop disappearing from their hooves, as the original two guards move to the closet, opening it up to reveal an unconscious Rarity and Sweetie Belle, hooves and horns encased in the goop. They pick up the two ponies as Chrysalis explains, "They are merely sleeping, and will be unharmed as long as you cooperate. Now; why am I unable to use my magic?" Doug watches as the two white ponies are carried out of the room, up the stairs towards Rarity's bedroom. Doug waits until the four leave the room before shrugging, "I don't know. Not that I know anything about it, but what kind of magic are you talking about?" Chrysalis sighs, moving an arm up and down, flexing the hand that hit him, "I don't believe you, human." Doug shrugs, Chrysalis continuing, "Fine, if you wish to play this game. If you answer my questions satisfactorily, I will let you and your mate live. First, tell me about yourself. What is a human?" Doug motions at Chrysalis as the two guards return, "What, you can't tell for yourself? I don't know what you are looking for. Warm blooded? Use tools with hands? Sexual reproduction? There are a lot of things I can think of to describe a human, but I don't know what you mean." Chrysalis glares, "That is your first wrong answer, human; you do not want to get to three. You know what I am talking about! How do you access your magic?" "What?" Doug asks, his mouth open as he looks blankly at Chrysalis, a beads of sweat starting to form on his brow. Chrysalis huffs, "That is two. Every other creature I've transformed into, I have an innate understanding of their magic - ponies, griffons, dragons. But your magic eludes me, human, leaving me unable to transform back into my native form. I cannot provide for my hive like this, and they are beginning to suffer. Now, tell me, or I will bring your mate back down here so you can watch what I do to her!" Doug starts laughing, starting as a low chuckle that leads to loud guffaws, holding one arm on his stomach and the other covering his eyes. He slowly regains his composure as Chrysalis glares at him, her motioning to her guards interrupted by him saying, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to make light of your suffering. I hope we figure this out, because I don't have a magic core!" It is Chrysalis' turn to stare blankly at Doug, "What?" Doug calmly restates, "I don't have a magic core. I have no magic." He puts a hand to his chin, "Well, I might have one. I just never use it, so I don't know where it is." "NO!" Chrysalis bellows as she charges Doug, tackling him to the floor. Chrysalis punches him several times in the torso, weak hits that barely move his body. Doug raises his arms to shield his face, twisting his legs to protect his groin, as Chrysalis continues to release her rage on him. He looks up at three of the other ponies as Chrysalis hits his blocking arms; they seem to be milling about, unsure of whether to help or stay back. Doug grabs both of Chrysalis' arms, quickly overpowering his double and spinning her around. Doug twists one arm, then the other behind Chrysalis' back, holding them in place with one hand before rolling Chrysalis to the floor. He holds her in place, remarking, "What, did your transforming ability not copy muscles? Or are you just that reliant on your magic? Rainbow was the same way, you know." Chrysalis squirms in Doug's arms, "Release me this instant!" Doug grimaces as he looks up, the three ponies moving towards him, their horns and bodies beginning to glow green as they get ready to charge, the other two moving towards the staircase where they had taken Rarity and Sweetie Belle. Doug chuckles, "Do you agree to play nicely?" as he slides his double away with one leg, slowly getting to his feet. Chrysalis glares at Doug as he releases her, rubbing her wrists where Doug had been gripping. "And here I thought humans were just weak." Chrysalis gets up, anger on her face as Doug flexes a bicep at her, a bit of frustration starting to show on his face. "You know, this would go a lot better if you could keep your emotions in check." Doug pauses before he snaps his fingers, "Hey; I might have something." Chrysalis looks hopeful for once, "Really? Maybe I can hit you some more, see if that helps." Doug chuckles nervously, "Well, how well can you detect magic?" Chrysalis pouts at being denied more chances to release her anger, "As a human? Not at all." Chrysalis looks to the three black ponies around her, "My changelings might have a little difficulty, but they should be able to." Doug nods, "I'll be right back." He glances up the stairs, the two changelings moving to the top of the stairs, their implied threat obvious should he not return. Doug shudders as he starts to walk out of the room, stopping as two of the guards move in front of him. Doug glances over at Chrysalis, who motions to let him continue. The guards follow Doug as he moves to one of the storerooms, glancing past the crystal javelins and tower shield before finding the quad essence crystal. He grabs the pair of sunglasses on a nearby table, putting them on and removing the crystal. He asks one of the changelings, "Can you see anything in this?" The changeling nods, Doug putting the crystal back into the box, carrying it back to Chrysalis. Doug says, "So, about a year ago, this crystal... infected me. The unicorn who fixed it thought it was because of my innate lack of magic that it was able to get to me; what might have been my magical core absorbed it, the remnants it released. Then, she was able to physically... actually, magically remove the psychic remnants of the crystal that had made its way into me. I have no idea if it would work, but if you let the essence crystal do its thing to you, then you might be able to sense your core. Or your... changelings could. I hope you have some latent magical ability, because if you are relying on mine then you might be stuck as me forever." Queen Chrysalis looks to the three changelings, "Why didn't any of you think of this? We have these crystals scattered all over the hive!" The three look back at Chrysalis before looking back and forth at each other. Chrysalis looks back at Doug, "So, you just stare at it for a while?" Doug nods. Chrysalis begins to stare at the crystal as Doug looks to the three guards, "I don't suppose you mind if I go check on Rarity?" The guards look to each other, Chrysalis not reacting, and one starts walking towards the stairs. Doug mutters, "Thanks," as he follows the guard to the bedroom. Rarity and Sweetie Belle are still sleeping on the bed, cuddled next to each other. Doug moves up, placing a hand on Rarity's back and rubbing into her fur. He sighs, "I hope you don't have a headache from all this, that you are okay." Doug rubs down her leg, getting to the green goop holding her hooves together. He looks up at the changeling, "I don't suppose you can remove this?" The changeling glances back, then nods, her horn lighting up a brilliant green. The goo seems to dissolve into nothing, Doug picking up each of her hooves in turn and rubbing the matted hair down. He repositions her legs to a more comfortable position before giving her a hug around the barrel. Rarity doesn't react, a soft sob coming from Doug as he repeats the action with Sweetie Belle. He gets up; the changeling guard is standing very close, what Doug can best describe as a pleased look on her face. He heads back down the stairs; Chrysalis is still staring at the crystal while two changelings look on, eyes glowing a bright blue. Several minutes pass before Queen Chrysalis lets out a loud, "Yesss!" and transforms in a burst of green magic. The large form of Queen Chrysalis looms above him, a long, jagged black horn sprouting from her long blue hair. Her thin body and long black legs stand before him as she spins, looking at her body from every angle. She transforms into a pony, a buffalo, then back into her changeling form. "Mmm," she purrs, admiring her hooves before glancing back at Doug, the human staring at the changeling Queen. She smirks, looking at him seductively and turning her body, "Like what you see?" Doug looks over her body; he shrugs, "Eh, not really." Queen Chrysalis glares at Doug, rage on her face, "WHAT! THEn, human," her face wavers, no longer confident, "What don't you like?" Doug raises an eyebrow, "Really?" "Yes!" Chrysalis barks, glaring at Doug. "TELL ME!" "Um, your body is too small for how tall you are. I don't care for your hair style or color, a nice brunette in a ponytail, same length, would look way better." "Pff." Chrysalis blows a strand of hair from her face, "Haters gonna hate. You are lucky I am feeling generous, OR YOU WOULD FEEL MY WRATH!" Chrysalis' horn glows green, shining brightly before she gives a nervous glance to the windows. "Come, guards, let us leave this place! Quickly!" The guards exchange nervous looks, making their way to the kitchen door and transforming into ponies. Queen Chrysalis spots the crystal, "Oh, and I'll be taking this!" grabbing it in her magic and transforming into a tall unicorn. The five guard ponies move to the door, slipping out one at a time. The remaining unicorn wavers before going to Doug. She says, "Hey, uh, thanks for helping." Doug looks at her in shock as a burst of magic comes from the unicorn's horn. Doug crumples to the ground, his head slamming onto the wooden floor. She then hurries out the door, closing it behind her as Doug lays on the floor, unconscious. Some time later Rarity walks down the stairs, yawning and holding her head. She spots Doug, asleep on the floor, and laughs quietly. She moves over, nuzzling him and saying, "Good evening, sleepyhead. I didn't know they were working you that hard over at Sweet Apple Acres!" Doug groans, "What just happened?" as he stirs, wincing as he rubs his head. He looks up at Rarity, then around at the otherwise untouched room. "Was I asleep?" Rarity yawns, "Yes, and I am still feeling a little tired from today. Wouldn't you prefer to sleep upstairs with me?" She tries to wink seductively, but the effect is ruined by another yawn. "I must warn you, Sweetie Belle is also fast asleep on the bed, so if you insist on doing anything it will be down here, but I myself am exhausted." Doug smacks his lips together a few times before laying back down on his side, "No, Mama, I'm not tired." He closes his eyes as Rarity rolls hers, pushing the side of her head against his back. He reaches an arm behind himself, softly stroking her face before rolling underneath her, the unicorn giving a reluctant sigh before going for a kiss.