//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Interrogations // Story: Equestria’s Changeling Princesses and the Kinsbane // by vren55 //------------------------------// Chamelia frowned as she examined the regalia she had taken from the two queens. All she had wanted was to relax on her throne, away from her newest daughter Belladonna for a bit, when that massive vortex had appeared. She had gathered a company of guards, expecting some kind of invasion from a rival queen, possibly one who was not one of her allies on the council, but it had only deposited two young, unascended queens right in front of her. She’d immediately had them imprisoned in specially designed cells. Although a mental link would have to be established first, changeling queens were capable of mental communication, even if they were unascended. These two cells were lined with enchanted gems that interfered with that mental link. Any attempt to communicate would lead to a buzzing sound in one’s head. This did mean that Chamelia had to bring out each queen individually to interrogate them, but the two wouldn’t be able to communicate and exchange notes. Aside from this measure, the cells were buried far beneath the ground. Even IF the queens tried to escape, they’d have to somehow run through the maze of tunnels that made up her hive, and hundreds of guards. To prevent them from simply opening a portal, the changelings had fastened onto the queens two of their very rare magic suppression rings. The cells were also designed with a small, cleverly disguised hole in the ceiling, so that the two could be watched. You could learn a lot from watching someone when they think they aren’t being monitored.  It was through this hole that Chamelia watched the older of the queens put her head down on the table and close her eyes. She wasn’t asleep, but from what Chamelia could feel from her emotional state, she was trying to stay calm, and succeeding. Once in a while, this older queen had got up, stretched her limbs, trotted around her room, and then promptly continued to rest. A tap on her rear hoof brought Chamelia up from the hole, which she closed the shutter to. Trotting down, the changeling who alerted her showed her the regalia they had collected from the two queens. “What are your conclusions?” she asked. “We… we don’t know who made the medical and tool pouches, or the regalia. The markers don’t belong to any species we can recognize,” said the changeling, passing Chamelia one of them.  Chamelia frowned as she opened the satchel. It had some multi-colored vials in them with labels. They were medical potions, with ingredient lists. Some of the ingredients she recognized, like phoenix tears, but there were others that she failed to understand. Aside from that, there were bandages, compresses, and other objects labeled “Smoke Bomb”, “Flare” and “Emergency Barrier Gem”. It was essentially, a kind of emergency pack, similar to what her changelings would carry, but far more extensive than she had ever seen. The strangest thing was that the labels were written in some kind of Equestrian script, but with an alien flourish to the syntax and the characters.  She set it down and brought the regalia over, focusing on the peytrals. They were exquisitely crafted from silver, and set with emeralds. To her surprise, there were also runes carved into them, artfully done so too, and these runes were sparkling with power. Looking for the maker’s mark, she found… it was illegible. It looked like Equestrian lettering, but not at the same time. What was clear was that these items were highly valuable, and definitely not something any changeling she knew of was capable of making. Rather, they almost seemed Equestrian in style. “You did notice they were similar in style to the pony sisters’ regalia?” Chamelia asked. “Yes, but neither of the sisters’ regalia are made of silver, and these pieces have a more angular… almost changeling-inspired aesthetic,” said the changeling. Now that the guard mentioned it, Chamelia could see it now, but that only raised more questions. Still, it was something. Luckily, Chamelia had better fortune watching the younger queen, because she had —to put it bluntly—panicked. She’d tried the door, thought better of it, then started to pace around the room at a rapid trot, muttering to herself. The thought that she would be watched or overheard didn’t seem to even come to her mind.  Chamelia and her changelings hadn’t caught all of it, the younger changeling was almost ranting under her breath, but they had caught a few interesting phrases and words. The young kept mentioning “Kyria, what are you going to do now?” “What would Mirage do?” “timeline,” “future,” “by Luna we’re in so much trouble.” Once in a while, she’d glance at the door with a forlorn look and wonder about how her sister was. Chamelia had no idea why did she keep mentioning Luna, Celestia’s sister, but the mention of timeline and future, in the context of the queen panicking about it spoke volumes. Moreover, she had names for the two queens now. “I’ll interrogate the younger queen, this… Kyria, first.” Chamelia sat at one of the two chairs at the wooden interrogation table, hooves crossed, as the door to it opened.  Her guards escorted Kyria queen into the interrogation room. They had fastened manacles around her legs, restricting her ability to gallop, and four of them held onto chains that bound a heavy ring around her neck. They secured these chains to rings in the wall, and with a bow, left the room. The young queen was shivering, probably because of the cold of the manacles. They had a tendency to unsettle prisoners. “So, what were you doing in my hive?” asked Chamelia. She could confront Kyria about her being from the future, but that was probably best saved for later. Kyria swallowed. “Sorry, Your Majesty. We… My sister we’re… admirers of yours!” She groaned comically trying to bury her head in her hooves, only to find the manacles prevented her head moving that far, and Chamelia chuckled at the sight. She was more intrigued at how honest the statement “we’re admirers of yours” sounded and the genuine respect she felt from Kyria. The information that the two were sisters was also rather useful. She wouldn’t have though the pair was related otherwise. “We um, we’re sorry for appearing in your throne room, but um, our spell backfired and we got stuck here,” Kyria said, smiling sheepishly. Chamelia arched an eyebrow. “I understand, and your emotions and your expression suggest you are sincere on this, but I am going to need more proof of your intentions.” Kyria nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty. I’m deeply sorry, please… forgive us for our disrespect.” “Hm, if you truly respect me, you will tell me the truth, starting with what the spell was,” said Chamelia, firmly. The younger queen shook her head. “I… I can’t tell you.”  Chamelia sighed, it was time to try to unbalance her. With the young queen being so afraid, she should be able to do this easily. “Kyria, right? Mirage being your older sister?” she asked. “How did you—” “I have my ways, not particularly intrusive ways, but I know more painful ways to extract information,” said Chamelia, coolly. She leaned forward, fixing Kyria with her gaze. Kyria stared at her eyes wide. This was actually a bit odd because the young queen was horrified, but not so much at Chamelia, but with the entire situation. “You… You can’t be serious.” “I have to know who you are, why you showed up, and what your intentions are,” said Chamelia. And she was being entirely truthful this time. “It was an accident! I swear!” Kyria exclaimed. Chamelia gave one small, almost sad look at Kyria. “You’re going to have to do better than that Kyria. I don’t want to hurt you, but I need to protect my hive first.” “But… but… you’re…aren’t you known for your mercy and wisdom?” Kyria asked. “Didn't you… didn’t you spare Queen Sarar when she tried to kill you?” Interesting, I wonder where they heard that from? “I like to think I am, but you aren’t providing me any good reason.” She coughed officiously and called out, “Guards, execute her.” whilst also mentally sending the message, Come in, and start taking the chains from the walls, but don’t kill her. As expected, Kyria froze as she heard the door swing open and saw the guards unlocking the chains to the walls. “No. No this can’t be happening!” the younger queen stammered. “I’m sorry Kyria,” said Chamelia coolly, her senses on Kyria. She could sense her panic and see her eyes dart from side to side. "Maybe after she finds out your fate, your sister will be more willing to share information." “Grandmother, please don’t do this!” Chamelia felt as if she’d been run through by a shock of lightning. She raised a hoof, and the guards stopped. Her eyes narrowing to hide her confusion, the queen leant forward onto the table so that she towered over Kyria.  “What did you just call me?” Kyria gasped. “I said Your Majesty--” “Liar! You called me Grandmother. Why? Whose daughter are you really?” demanded Chamelia. The smaller queen shook her head. “I can’t tell. I’ve already said too much.” She cowered, hunkering down and trying to draw her limbs over herself in fear palpable enough to sense, “ Please… G-Ggrandmother, this is only for the good of our family!” Chamelia stood up and strode out of the interrogation room. “Take her back to her cell,” she ordered. Once outside, the queen started to pace, much to the nervous observation of her changelings. She only had ever had four queen daughters. None of them were of the age to have children as they were children themselves, and yet this queen claimed that they were her granddaughters. Of course, it was possible one of her drone sons or daughters in bygone decades had married or courted a changeling Queen then. She’d had a few over the centuries and many had set off on their own. Yet, if that was the case, then why didn’t they just tell her the whole story and whose daughter she was?  And if they did admire her, which she sensed the younger one did, then why not just tell her the full story? Chamelia frowned. Then again, if the pair had come from the future, they might be reticent simply due to the fact they were worried about disruptions to the timeline. But even if they did, she needed to confirm they were not threats to her hive. Taking a deep breath, Chamelia ordered her changelings to bring in Mirage. Mirage stayed expressionless, and a momentary glimpse at her emotions revealed that… it was very much looking at a fairly calm lake. There were ripples of worry and fear on the outskirts, but Chamelia knew that was natural. What she found that was not natural was the schooled expression Mirage was wearing, and how tight her control over her emotions was. Judging by how she acted when she was alone in her cell, and the state of her emotions now, Chamelia concluded that this queen, unlike the other, had to have received some degree of counter-interrogation training.   She was also—potentially—her granddaughter that she didn’t know existed. Chamelia frowned, there was… a familial resemblance in Mirage’s features, though, not so much with Kyria, the younger queen. “So, young queen, let me get to the heart of the matter. You and your companion appeared in the middle of my throne room in a vortex of magic.  I want to know who you are, why you came to my hive, and what was that magic trying to do.”  She nodded. “My name is Mirage, and my companion’s name is Kyria. The portal was a complete accident. We wish no quarrel with you.” Chamelia nodded. Her possible granddaughter had said that succinctly and infused the statement with a degree of sincerity, but it was very much a prepared answer. Normal techniques weren’t going to work with her.  Oh, this is going to be intriguing. Chamelia smiled while focusing on Mirage, watching for the slightest lapse of control. “Well, Mirage, you must understand that your explanation is a bit difficult to believe. If you really want me to release you and Kyria, you will have to be a little more forthcoming.” “How so?” Mirage asked. “Well, you can start by telling me who your mother is,” said Chamelia. The lake rippled, but that was to be expected.  “I don’t think I can tell you that,” Mirage said, coolly.  Chamelia grimaced. Seriously, who was their mother? She had to be a queen, but in that case, was she an enemy queen? Or more correctly, will she become an enemy queen? “I understand, but the more questions you answer, Mirage, the better chance you and Kyria have at being released.” Chamelia smirked. “You really should treat your grandmother with more respect.” Mirage flinched, eyes widening with shock. “Sorry?” “I am your grandmother, am I not?” Mirage clammed up, averting her gaze, but while she did a good job trying to look composed, her emotions were in flux. Ripples of fear, worry, confusion, and frustration, roiled the once tranquil lake. “You are being very tight-lipped, and controlling your emotions very well. Who taught you?” Mirage seemed to debate about how to answer this question, before she exhaled and said, “I… I am one of my hive’s soldiers. I was taught what to do when captured as part of my training.” A lie, partially anyway. Chamelia thought. Oh, she believed Mirage’s claim to have received counter-interrogation training, but that was normally given to hive infiltrators. The queen also noticed how Mirage’s tone shifted when she said ‘hive’s soldiers’. She was downplaying that role, or that was at least not quite her full role. She was an officer in some capacity. “What were you trying to do with the portal?” Mirage grimaced. “It… it wasn’t meant to be one.” “Oh? Then what was it supposed to be?” That question was met by silence. Chamelia focused on Mirage’s emotions and was surprised to find a current of stoic determination. “Mirage, you are really not giving me much good reason to release you and your sister,” Chamelia said, deliberately fading her smile. She stood up, hooves on the table, towering over Mirage. “I believe you know of my reputation. You know what I am capable of.” The younger queen nodded, coolly.  “Yes...” “And what could be more important than you and your sister’s safety?” Chamelia pressed, hissing out sister very deliberately. That made Mirage freeze for just a moment, and that was when Chamelia knew to ease back. It was a good thing to make the changeling interrogated feel vulnerable, but too much pressure and they would clam up and not say anything. “Queen Chamelia… are you… threatening my sister’s life? She… she’s your granddaughter,” Mirage asked, eyes wide, and Chamelia could sense her growing horror. “You are a warrior, and you know what queenship demands,” Chamelia pointed out.  “I… I will do my best,” Mirage said. She swallowed. “The portal was intended to be a kind of long-distance scrying spell, but our target wasn’t you, or at least, not specifically your hive.” Chamelia decided to press on with a smile. “Thank you, Mirage. What kind of position do you occupy in your mother’s hive?” “I am her heir,” Mirage admitted.  “Is your mother an enemy of mine?” Chamelia continued. “Oh Celestia, no!” Mirage exclaimed. At Chamelia’s raised eyebrow, the young queen groaned. “She’s… she very much an admirer of yours.” “That is comforting,” said Chamelia calmly, but she was growing more and more intrigued. If Mirage’s mother admired her, then why keep her identity a secret? Perhaps that may be revealed, with a few more probes. Then there was her swearing by Celestia. Chamelia did meet with alicorn princess on occasion (mostly to appraise each other of pony and changeling issues), and they were acquaintances of a sort. Yet, that didn’t explain why changelings were swearing by Celestia. Not unless... “I have a few more questions for you…” Chamelia mentally went over what she had learned from Mirage as Kyria was brought in again. She had a lot more information now, enough to probably find out everything she needed to know. First off, whatever point in time they came from, it was probably not the near future. Both Mirage and Kyria seemed to revere her, but Chamelia had a sense that they didn’t actually know her well. Secondly, Mirage and Kyria had sworn by one of the the alicorn sisters, the rulers of Equestria. That was odd, and it suggested that for whatever reason that the ponies of Equestria, or at the very least, Celestia, was a friend of the changelings in the future. The revelation was… surprising, but not shocking. She and Celestia had once talked about that possibility, as a joke. Yet… to think that this became a reality in the future? Chamelia just had to know more. It seemed too unbelievable. With all her gathered information, the Queen of the Everfree Hive smiled and asked, “So, you are both from the future?” Completely flabbergasted, Kyria stared at her with dilated eyes, “Wait, what? How did you—” “Oh, I talked to Mirage first. When I threatened your life, she got very talkative. But what she told me is nothing short of ludicrous. She insisted I talk to you to confirm her story.” The little composure Kyria had was gone, she was shaking her head so quickly, her short purple mane was a blur. “But… no, she… why…” Chamelia shrugged. “She had some very odd story about you both being my granddaughters, and that the portal you came through was actually some scrying spell. I think she was telling me the truth about being a commander, but the rest of her story just seems ridiculous. Point is, I think she’s lying to me, but I’m giving you the chance to prove that your sister is telling the truth.” Kyria groaned and took a deep breath. “Well…oh Luna, where to start?” Chamelia made sure she didn’t change her expression of laconic interest, but she was ecstatic under her layered mask. The idea that they were from the future was a guess based on Kyria’s words and Mirage’s reluctance. Now Kyria was going to confirm it to her. “So, we are from about a thousand years into the future. And… I know this sounds crazy, but we are Alternia’s daughters, and in the future, she’s a princess, ruling with Celestia and Luna over the ponies and changelings of Equestria,” Kyria said. Chamelia blinked. She initially was going to reply to Kyria that she was being crazy, but most creatures won’t tell a lie like that under such pressure. Most creatures weren’t changelings that had an uncanny resemblance to herself and her children. And the explanation… it made far too much sense.  It explained why they wouldn’t tell her about their mother’s identity, and that would be why they revered her, and were so horrified that she was threatening them. But still... “Are you pulling on my leg?” she demanded. “No, I’m telling the truth. I… do you have my peytral? I have evidence.” Chamelia sent her changelings the message to bring them the peytral, and they did, trotting through the door and putting the silver piece on the table. After they had left, Kyria tried to raise a manacled hoof and grunted as she found she couldn’t do so. “Oh, drat.” Chamelia levitated the heavy silver piece into Kyria’s hoof, watching warily in case of trouble, and was astonished to see some glossy pieces of paper, suddenly appear in the younger queen’s hoof. “Storage spell,” Kyria slid the photographs over to Chamelia who now saw that they contained… miniature, lifelike portraits.  She picked the one she had the most changelings on up. It was a group of changelings posed under on the steps leading up to very throne that Chamelia usually sat. At the front sitting down, were Mirage and Kyria, slightly turned toward one another, grinning widely. They seemed about a year younger than they were now. Behind them, also sitting, were four ascended queens, and a drone. The first from the left had turquoise-green hair. She was wearing a proud smile. It must be Chrysalis, or, whom she would become.  Chamelia gasped. Oh, Creator. She looks so much like Zagara. The thought nearly brought her to tears as she remembered her mother. At the opposite end of the group a relatively short, but stocky queen with purple hair, was grinning. That must be Belladonna. Chamelia thought wryly. Next to Belladonna was the red-haired queen who must be Simulacris, wearing a more wry smile.  Simulacris… She rather resembles Aunt Araneae. She had been her mother’s younger sister and a great sorceress. Finally, in the centre, was a blue-haired queen, the tallest of the group, who had to be Alternia, along with a drone with purple-eyes. He had to be her mate. It took a moment for Chamelia to realize who Alternia was, though, as she looked nothing like a typical changeling queen. She did have the typical crooked horn, but it was now slightly curved and had a triangular cross-section. Her carapace seemed to have been… hardened, with additional overlapping plated ridges on her flanks, chest, and underside. The typical delicate crown antenna of an ascended queen was also larger than most and seemed more angular and almost… reinforced. Alternia… does resemble me, but it’s as if someone layered several layers of extra chitin over her frame. “Who is the drone, and… why does Alternia look… different?” Chamelia asked, narrowing her eyes at Kyria. “The purple drone is our father. We can’t say his name I’m afraid. I don’t think we should let you know if you knew him or not,” said Kyria. She winced, “As to why does Mom looks different? Well, uh, the short of it is that she got badly wounded and needed significant… healing that ended up changing her appearance.” Chamelia frowned. Truth… but only a half-truth, yet, I… I shouldn’t press further, but… oh, Great Creator… what happened to my daughter that required her appearance to be changed to such an extent? She handed the picture and the photographs back, her eyes wide. That… but it didn’t necessarily prove that Alternia ruled with Celestia and Luna, she needed more proof. This… it could be some illusion. She grabbed another photo, one where she could see Celestia and Luna. Upon closer inspection, she realized that the alicorns were sitting on color-coordinated gold and black thrones. Huge tapestries, the color of the night sky and the color of the dawn sun, hung behind them. Between the two thrones was a third throne, silver, with green velvet cushions, and emeralds embedded into its arms and frame. A third tapestry of forest green depicting the ponies, changelings and other inhabitants of Equestria hung from behind the throne. Standing in front of both was Alternia, in her regalia, lifting a crown onto a bowing Kyria’s head. The one that she had worn when she had appeared through the portal. Kyria was also clothed in a rich purple cloak.  But the angle the photo also revealed the rest of the throne room. She could spy her other three daughters there, along with several other queens, and Mirage, proudly grinning. What was shocking was the wide assortment of ponies, unicorns, pegasi, and changelings, in the room, cheering. She could even spy yaks, griffons, zebras and hippogriffs, all rendered in stunning detail. It… it couldn’t possibly be an illusion. Something clicked in Chamelia’s mind and she froze.  “Oh Great Creator, I must be dead. I would be in… in these portraits, if I was alive,” she said, quietly. “Wait, how do you not know—” Kyria’s eyes widened “—wait, oh crapbaskets. Mirage didn’t tell you anything did she? I just… ohhhhhh—” her manacles jingled as she buried her head in her manacled hooves “—oh nonononononono.” “Kyria, it is alright. You do not have to say anymore.” She sighed, using her magic to take the magic suppression ring off and unlock the chains. “The fault is mine.”  Her youngest granddaughter was too busy muttering into hooves to notice, and she stayed that way until Mirage was brought in, unchained and looking somewhat resigned. “You pieced it together and got Kyria to confess?” Mirage asked. Chamelia nodded. “Yes. Mirage, Kyria, I’m… so sorry. But I needed to know. There are still a few queens who are hostile to me and my allies on the Queens Council, and…” She gave Kyria back the pieces of glossy paper. “I had my suspicions you were from the future fairly early on, I listened into what you were saying in your cell, Kyria, but… I had to know more to confirm my guess, and so… I kept the interrogation going on. I’m sorry for putting you through this.” Kyria wiped her eyes with a shaking hoof. “I… I’m alright and… I-I forgive you. I understand why. I…” She laughed weakly. “I did a lot of reading about the changeling queens of the past. It was pretty cutthroat.” Mirage grimaced, rubbing her hooves where the chains had sat. “I get why you did it too. Just…” She couldn’t quite force a smile, and so settled for a half-wince. “Mom tended tell stories about your kind and caring side.” Chamelia snorted, and sat back down on the chair. “I know how much of a problem time magic is and that I probably should not ask anything about the future, but why did you both try to keep so much from me?” Mirage could not suppress her sadness, but she had enough presence of mind to take a moment to gather her thoughts. “There are many critical and harrowing trials our Mother and our Aunts are going to have to face. Things that… while we wish for you to prepare them for, will not be able to happen if we tell you what happens next.” Chamelia nodded. “And I imagine that those trials have to happen, or else something even worse will occur.” Kyria and Mirage met each other’s eyes. The sisters weren’t even tempted to mention it. Both knew they were thinking about Chrysalis’s coup, how it ended in Chamelia’s accidental death, and weighing it against the possibility of having no Alternia moving the sun for a thousand years.  Chamelia heard none of these thoughts, but she could feel the sudden anguish and yet, resolve that the glance between the sisters conveyed. “So, you got trapped here by this accident. Can your parents and aunts get you back to the future?” she asked, trying to change the subject.  “Yes.” Mirage blinked, turning to her sister, who smiled. “Mom and Dad promised. It’s why they gave me the Emergency Kits. Um, the black-crossed packets you took from me. We just need to sit tight,” said Kyria. A little surprised by the young queen’s confidence, Chamelia was about to ask Kyria how she would know her parents would succeed until she recalled that Alternia… was, somehow, a princess of Equestria.  “I will hold you to that, but for the moment, and until you are rescued, you’re going to have to listen to me on how to survive in this time,” said Chamelia. “Of course, Grandma,” piped up Kyria and Mirage in unison, glanced at each other, and grinned. Chamelia blinked.  “First things first, please don’t do that. Next, just refer to me as Chamelia. Grandma raises a bit too many questions. I’ll swear my drones to silence and say that you are changeling daughters from another queen who married one of my sons long ago to explain why you called me that. Otherwise, do not call me Grandma in front of anybody else.” “Agreed, but how are you going to explain your treatment of us when you let us go?” Mirage asked. “I will explain to my drones that you have been vetted, and are being escorted to guest rooms where… I think you would very much like something to eat and drink after all of this, maybe some love.”  “That would be very much welcome,” said Mirage smiling. Kyria smiled too. “We’re good on love, though. I mean we are— well, I suppose you know. We are mom’s heirs and so we have a very public role in how Equestria’s being run. That and Mirage is an— ” Mirage cut in, “I’m a soldier- A commander of sorts. The exact nature of my job is…” “Future stuff?” asked Chamelia. “Future stuff,” chorused both changelings.