//------------------------------// // Chapter 39 - The Queen’s Response // Story: To Be a Changeling // by PlagueRat //------------------------------// “Twilight, Sandbar’s parents are here to see you,” said Spike, cracking open the door to Twilight’s office and peeking inside. Within the room the purple alicorn sat behind her desk. She appeared to be in the middle of a calming exercise, eyes closed, one front hoof against her chest and the other up above her head. When she inhaled through her nostrils, she brought her aloft hoof down in a small arch close to her chin and put it back up again as she released her breath. “Twilight,” the young dragon repeated, louder this time. After one final intake of oxygen she lowered her hooves and opened her eyes again to look over at her assistant. “Okay Spike, please send them in,” she said. The door fully opened allowing entry for an earth pony mare and stallion. “It’s nice to see you both again,” Twilight said, slipping off her chair and walking around the side of her desk to great the two in a less formal way. “I’m sorry it’s not under better circumstances, and I want you both to know we are doing everything we can to find Sandbar.” “Yo, princess Twilight,” greeted the yellow mare in a surprisingly laid back manner. “We know you are bra. That sign outside, totally gnarly.” “Ah, yes, the sign,” stammered the alicorn. “That’s just a minor part of our effort, we are doing more than relying on the sign. Princess Celestia has deployed some royal guards to help and, despite a setback, they believe to have discovered the location of the changeling hive.” “Righteous bra,” the light mint green stallion said, his pale cyan dreadlocks swaying, a lazy smile on his face and his eyes half closed. “Eheh, right, righteous,” Twilight nervously chuckled. “So you have nothing to worry about, just leave this in my hooves.” “We’re totally not worried princess,” said sandbar’s father, “our little dude helped save Equestria, remember? He’s like, not going to let some bogus changelings harsh his mellow.” “Totally,” the mare agreed and rested the side of her head against her husband. The alicorn fidgeted her wings as she looked from one parent to the next. She had forgotten how easy going Sandbar’s family was the last time she spoke with them but in this situation she thought it maybe a little too lax. “Excuse me, Twilight?” said a voice from the doorway. “I know you’re in a meeting but I have something you need to see.” Looking over the heads of the ponies in front of her, Twilight spied Starlight Glimmer along with Spike, looking slightly concerned and levitating an envelope with her magic. “I’m sorry, would you two mind excusing me for a moment?” politely asked the alicorn. “It’s cool with us princess,” Sandbar’s mother said with a smile, her head tilting a little and her messy pink mane bobbing slightly. The princess quickly trotted over to the door and joined Starlight outside in the hallway. “Please tell me that’s not more bad news Starlight,” said Twilight. “I’m not sure,” answered the unicorn as she passed over the envelope. “I tripped over it when I left the castle this morning and saw it was addressed to you so I ran it over.” Twilight looked at the front of the envelope and cringed after reading the message elegantly written on the front. ‘To Princess Twilight Sparkle, From Her Highness Queen Chrysalis and Princess Pupa regarding previous and current concerns.’ “Actually, this might not be bad,” said Starlight and continued to explain when Twilight gave her a withering look. “I mean, have you ever known Chrysalis to send a letter before? If she’s reaching out maybe she’s willing to listen to reason before things get worse.” “Chrysalis didn’t seem to be in a rational mood when she attacked the school Starlight,” said the alicorn as she opened the envelope, “I think what happened to her children really is true. It’s hurting her badly and causing her to act reckless.” A dozen pictures levitated from the envelope and Twilight mentally readied herself before looking down at the first one. “What in Equestria?!” the princess blurted out. “Something is written on the back too,” informed Spike. After flipping the picture over, Twilight figured her unicorn friend got a good look at it when she had also expressed a loud ‘what?!’ of her own. “Sandbar is welcomed into the hive,” the alicorn read aloud before flipping the picture back around to look at it again. Her missing student, with his fur dyed black and made up to appear as a changeling, sat next to a smirking Chrysalis. Standing on his back and looking over the top of his head was the smiling changeling nymph that had inadvertently been brought into the school. “Well at least he’s not trapped in a slimy cocoon,” Starlight said, taking the picture to look at it again for herself, “But why is he dressed like a changeling?” “Making new friends,” Twilight read from the next photo and turned it over to see a nervously smiling Sandbar sandwiched between two grinning changelings. “Taking time out for a little rest,” said Starlight, squinting at the back of the next photo. “What does that one show?” “Sandbar asleep on a pillow with the little changeling lying on his back…” said Twilight and passed it off to the unicorn. “This one would be kind of cute if he wasn’t a prisoner and all,” muttered Starlight. “And other than being dyed black he doesn’t look hurt.” “The nymph’s biting him in that one,” Spike pointed out to the next picture that had been placed in upside down among the rest, “but he looks more uncomfortable than in pain.” “With no nymphs her own age to play with,” read Twilight, “Sandbar has selflessly volunteered to be Pupa’s playmate.” Both Twilight and Starlight put their heads together to view the picture. As spike had described, the nymph, Pupa, was standing on Sandbar’s back and had one of his ears in her teeth. “Thorax once told me a story about when he and Pharynx where nymphs,” said Starlight, “they enjoy wrestling and it can get rough.” “Wait, there’s something here too,” said spike, leaning over to pick up a sheet of paper that had fallen free from the photos and onto the floor. “Looks like a letter.” Twilight’s magic quickly snatched up the paper from spikes claws, unfolded it and began reading along with Starlight. ‘Greetings Princess Twilight Sparkle, Her highness, Queen Chrysalis, has been made aware of the newly constructed sign behind your castle and the message written there upon. While finding such a method to attempt contact ridiculous, and the representation of her likeness to be subpar; her highness is mildly interested in what you have to say in regards to the recent unprovoked attack upon her subjects, the absconding of her daughter and the unspeakable atrocity committed against her brood. If you indeed wish to engage in dialog with her highness, she is willing to accommodate you at a time and place of her choosing. If you agree to such a diplomatic summit please adjust the message of your sign so that we might prepare for such a meeting. As a show of benevolence, her highness has included within this envelope photographic proof that our guest, Sandbar, has not been harmed in any way; but instead he has been practically adopted by the other members of the hive. Also currently in our possession are two female earth ponies, two male pegasi, one female pegasi and one male unicorn, all members of the royal guard. We regret to inform you that among the above mentioned the female pegasi was badly injured, due to her own actions, while harassing a member of our hive. To again show our amiability, despite her transgressions, the mare’s health has been diligently tended to. In regards to the other five, besides a few minor injuries, they are well and resting comfortably within our domain. The queen patiently awaits your response. Sincerely, Mosquito, attendant to her highness Queen Chrysalis. P.S. Her highness may be more amenable if the hostile forces you are currently hosting outside your castle are dismissed back to Canterlot.’ “Well, that’s a rather,” Twilight paused to search for the correct word, “formal letter.” “More like it’s dripping with mockery,” said Starlight. “I can look past that if Chrysalis is serious about having a discussion,” Twilight said, “we could end this entire conflict peacefully and without any pony else getting hurt.” “Or she could just be toying with you,” the unicorn suggested, “or it could even be a trap.” “I know,” said Twilight, “but if there’s a chance for a nonviolent solution to getting Sandbar and the guards back I have to try.” “Hey, honey, check out our son in this picture,” said Sandbar’s mother, who at some point came out into the hall and was now looking over Spike’s shoulder at the pictures in his claws. “He’s only been with them changelings for like two days and he’s totally made friends with them.” “Wicked,” said the colts father. “But I’m not sure about the goth look.” The previous evening Ocellus had been invited over to headmare Twilight’s castle to have dinner with Thorax as well as the other changelings from her hive. It was nice to have a traditional changeling meal and she even got to stay for the night in her own private guest room complete with fluffy pillows. But the next morning when the young changeling returned to the student dorms she was surprised to find the room she shared with Smolder empty. Thinking her friends might have gone out early, she began to search for them around their favorite hangouts in the school. When she was unable to locate any of them she started asking some of the other students if they had seen them, but none had.   Ocellus knew they shouldn’t have gone off the campus grounds, due to the current curfew, and so the light blue changeling became very concerned about their absence. It wasn’t until she returned to her room for the second time that she noticed the note left atop her pillow and she gingerly snatched it up. What she read on the page caused her eyes to widen, and her stomach to turn. It also caused her wings to carry her as fast as they could to headmare Twilight’s office because she knew her friends were in big trouble and needed help.