//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: To Be or Not To Be 
// Story: In Place Of A Princess, You Shall Have A Queen! 
// by Seahorn 
//------------------------------//

Warning! This chapter contains some depictions of violence. I tried to stay away from describing it graphically, but soft souls may be uncomfortable.


18th of the tenth moon, 1550 A.E. (After Equestria) 7:30 p.m. - East cavern of the Changeling hive

"Scrunch"
The sound of earth being pulled away from the other side echoed through the headphones. Chrysalis had heard the sound multiple times throughout the last thirty years, but each time it sent a shiver down her spine. The diamond dogs had been at war with the changelings ever since they discovered that gems were abundant in the area around the hive, and they were launching a final surprise attack on the hive. 
Due to her new invention of the sound amplifier, however, she could detect their tunneling from a mile away. As a result, the changeling hive was as ready as it could be against this final assault. The queen was at the other end, leading a force of her own to protect the west flank of the hive. That left Chrysalis, her second-in-command, to defend the east. 
A strong voice interrupted her scrying. "Chrysalis, the sentinels have finished their emergency supply of love, and are in top condition. The foragers have been evacuated into the central complex. We are ready for battle." Chrysalis put down her headphones, and stood up to face Pharynx, the newly appointed captain of the sentinels. "Very well, Pharynx. Judging by the sound of excavation, the estimated time of arrival is about ten minutes from now. Let us not forget, if we fall today, the hive falls with us."
"Understood, your maj-" and he quickly stopped when she gave him an annoyed frown. From the day my brother and I rescued her, she always hated the 'princess' title, he mused. 





The sound of tunneling diamond dogs could now be heard by the naked ear. Normally, this would mean alarm bells ringing in the hive, sentinels rushing to the defense, foragers tumbling over each other to escape, total mayhem. However, those days were gone. Today, they were ready. 
A loud beep from the amplifier signaled the final approach. Pharynx began the countdown. "Ten seconds to breach! Horns and wings, at the ready!"
The room buzzed and crackled with the sound of airborne changeling wings. Another loud beep. Five seconds. "Everyling, Brace for impact!"
No sooner than the words were said, came an enormous bursting sound of rock and dirt blowing out into the cavern. "Fire!"
Their charged horns simultaneously released blinding beams of green lightning, and the initial assault of diamond dogs instantly fell to the ground. One of them shouted "It's a trap!", and the whole assault seemed to stall for a moment. However, they gained back traction when they realized no more magic was being thrown at them. 
Chrysalis gnashed her fangs. The last year's pox pandemic hadn't been kind on the concentrated population of the hive. Thorax, the head forager and love administrator, had been demoted to the lowest rank for secretly working under the queen's nose to use as much love magic as possible to heal the affected. Thanks to his efforts, the death toll was reduced (yes, reduced) down to three digits, but it almost completely drained the hive of reserves. The diamond dogs had chosen their time well.
Now the fighting had boiled down into hand-to-hand combat. It was a grotesque sight, jagged horns piercing skin and heavy claws ripping through chitin. Chrysalis jumped straight in, kicking two diamond dogs who were breaking through the line straight in the chin. As the battle raged on, the sentinels of the hive fought valiantly, attacking from the air using their advantage of wings. Yet the diamond dogs were superior to them in size and power, and soon the sentinels slowly began to lose ground and numbers. This was to be expected, however. If they could keep up this pace, and delay for a little while longer...
A triumphant horn sounded the break she had been looking for. Judging by the sounds of the amplifier, the diamond dogs were expected to attack the east and the west sections of the hive simultaneously. Prior to the battle, Pharynx had proposed that the queen with most of the hive's magic reserves, along with the most experienced sentinels be stationed in the west, while Chrysalis and himself be stationed in the east to act as a delaying force. That way, the forces in the west could pacify the area quickly before flanking the enemy in the east. 
The queen's main army flew into the cavern and struck the flanks of the surprised diamond dogs without mercy. It took only a few minutes, with the horrifying howls, shrieks and screams of death, the leader of the diamond dogs was slain. After a few more minutes, all the surviving diamond dogs were captured and flung into cocoons, another one of Chrysalis's inventions. Had it not been for them, there would have been no prisoners at all. Such were the rules of underground warfare.





After the battle, the victorious sentinels washed in the underground river, and fed from the cocoons that held the prisoners in unconscious captivity. It was getting late, and the queen disbanded all sentinels to their respective sleeping quarters. However, she summoned Chrysalis to come to the throne room for a "private conversation". Chrysalis didn't like the sound of that, as it usually entailed bad news. Once they entered the room, the queen put a soundproofing spell on the doors, and spoke up.
"Our war with the diamond dogs are finally over. Today's operation went as smoothly as possible, thanks to your prior warning. Now, I suppose tomorrow, I can confirm you as my heir..."
So this was it. Since her capture and transformation, she had worked almost thirty years for the hive, and used her inventive mind to help its inhabitants. Finally, her reward was coming, and she wouldn't let it slip so easily this time.
"-but there is a little hitch. You see, the loyalty of your pod is somewhat questionable."
Chrysalis bit her lip. She knew exactly what the queen was talking about. Her podmate and sworn brother, Thorax was kind, perhaps too kind for the harsh realities of changeling society. After he was discovered disobeying the hive's policy of containing the pox victims without curing them, Chrysalis had begged the queen on her knees and crying to stop his execution, but she also had sternly warned him to stop bending the rules of the hive. What had he been up to now?
The queen gave her a spring-bound file. "This is the file that your brother used to detail his records for the acquisition and storage of love magic for the hive. In it, he hid a plan to help gain 'unlimited amounts of love' for the hive. It is ludicrous, yet also deeply threatening and treasonous." Curious, Chrysalis opened the file with her magic and began to read. 
"Take the remaining supply of love magic and relocate the entire population to the surface world... majority of the foragers think ponies seemed to be quite hospitable towards strangers... reduced risk of disease and starvation..." She closed her eyes as she thought of the pony world she knew too well. A world that she had deserted for its cruelty. Oh, thorax, if only you knew... she thought to herself.
The queens voice put an abrupt end to her train of thought. "I know you are very fond of him. You defended him when I initially tried to execute him for not obeying orders. You said that on the grand scheme of things, he is working for the hive." She threw down the file at her desk.
"Look at this paper, and tell me with a straight face that his intentions are pure. He is working to sell the hive out to Celestia and the pony world above. You were either greatly mistaken about his intentions, or..." she paused, "You were actually wanting to join his cause."
Chrysalis was honestly conflicted, but she instantly recognized the scrying spell. If her emotions betrayed her, Thorax wouldn't be the only one hanging from the gallows. She wasn't powerful enough to stop the spell, but she could trick it. She agreed with thorax that the hive needed to go into the overworld to survive, but she focused her mind onto the specifics. "No, I do not agree that ponies are kind and accomodating, and I certainly do not agree that Celestia would just accept by asking. This plan will bring ruin to the hive," she spoke only truth on her part, and silently hoped for the best.
Fortunately, these differing sentiments seemed to be able to fool the queen's scrying radar. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said about the fate of her sworn brother. "Good, then you know what you need to do. As proof of your loyalty, I need you to silence him.... permanently. Do you understand?" 
Chrysalis's heart sank as her suspicions finally came true. However, the scrying spell was still active, and she definitely understood what the queen was saying. "Yes, your majesty. I understand your command perfectly." The queen seemed satisfied by her reply. "Very well, you are dismissed. Carry out my orders whenever you may, but don't stall for too long, as I will be watching." 
As she prepared to leave the throne room, the queen rose from her throne, and slowly came over to her. "As I've said before, I know this is hard for you. You've known and lived with him since you came into this hive. However, a queen's word is law, and there shouldn't be any exceptions to the entitled punishment. Consider this an important lesson in your long road to rulership." 





Chrysalis was in a dimly lit room facing Thorax, who was strongly bound into an iron chair with a black hood over his head. What am I doing? she asked herself. I have to free him.
Her mouth and body seemed to have a mind of its own, however, as it lifted up an iron rod from the floor and removed her brother's hood. She was shocked to see him bludgeoned, and green blood spilling out from every cut on his chitinous body. Worst of all, the same color was clearly visible on the rod, making it crystal clear what, or rather who, caused his injuries. Her body spoke in a menacing dual tone. "This time, you have gone too far, brother. You conspired against the queen, and tried to betray the hive. Therefore, I carry out the sentence of execution given by the queen. Do you have any objections?" No! she thought. I don't want this! Argh! Why can't I speak...
"I...I didn't betray the hive," he replied meekly. "I only wanted for the hive to prosper alongside ponies, with infinite love, we can finally become free from starvation! I was going to tell the queen about it, too! Can't I at least see the queen before I die?"
"You dirty traitor," her body snarled. "Even in death, you don't feel remorse. You don't feel guilt. You only care about yourself and noling else." Using her magic, it raised the rod up high, and struck down at her brother's head in full force. No! Why is this happening! Someling help!  She screamed, begged, tried to move her body, but it just kept striking her brother down. It did not stop until he was limp on the chair, lifeless.
After struggling for what seemed like an eternity, she finally regained control over her body. She rushed over to Thorax, but his pulse was nonexistent. She had killed her brother in cold blood. She simply clutched his lifeless body and wept. She didn't know what to do, neither did she care. She wanted to be queen because she wanted revenge. To get back at ponies for the suffering they caused. But tonight, noling but herself had caused the second greatest suffering of her life.
Suddenly, a fluorescent mist began to seep from the cracks in the walls. It was light at first, but gradually grew more potent, to a point where it was suffocating. It began to whisper as it twisted and contorted into Thorax's face. "Did you want power that badly?" he demanded. "Was I nothing but an obstacle to you?"
A second face popped up beside him. It was Pharynx's, and he began to choke her, as well. "You are pathetic." He clicked his tongue. "If you continue to stomp on everyling and everypony in your path, will you finally be happy? Will you be satiated only when the entire world is beneath your hooves?" She shook her head no. This was not what she wanted. She would have rather died than kill her kin, but at this point, she seemed to have done both. The smoke was suffocating her, and she was rapidly losing consciousness. The last words she heard before passing out rung in her ears. "Then wake up, you fool... wake up...."





"Wake up, Chryssie! Wake up!" She awoke to a familiar voice. As Chrysalis opened her eyes, she could see the ceiling of the sleeping chambers and Thorax's face, eyes wide and an expression of worry plastered on it. It was a sight she had seen a million times before, but in this moment, she wanted to see nothing else. She jumped up from her sleeping spot, almost impaling him with her horn, and hugged him tightly. Thorax was understandably confused, but he just returned the hug, anyway.
Now that she knew he was safe, she could hear light snickering behind her back. It was Pharynx, and he was rolling on the floor while putting a hoof in his mouth to stifle his laughter. "I'm-I'm sorry. It's just too funny. You were going all 'no, nooooo' , and begin thrashing your hooves in thin air. Thorax was really worried about you, and when he wakes you up, what do you do? You don't say anything, just hugging him. Look, he's already gone bright red." 
Chrysalis turned to look at him. Sure, even with his hard, black chitin, she could somehow see a red tinge forming. "I-I'm not!" Thorax retorted. "Listen, Chryssie, it's been thirty years since we... discovered you in the forest and you changed into one of us. We've been in the same pod for that long, and in all those years, we've advanced our careers. Well, mine ended just three weeks ago, but that's besides the point," he added with a halfhearted smirk.
"When you became the queen's apprentice, I was so happy and proud for you. But after the battle with the diamond dogs ended, you always look worried and anxious. I have a bad feeling that these nightmares are just the tip of the iceberg. Podmates don't hide things from each other, you know? Please, if there's something wrong, just tell us," said Thorax.
She was stunned. Sometimes, a podmate's gut instinct could catch things that even the scrying of the queen failed to detect. He was right. It had been a few days since the queen's execution order, and she still hadn't decided on what to do. On one end of the road lay the nightmare she just experienced. On the other, there was the nightmare from yesterday, where she, Thorax, and Pharynx all hung from the gallows for their disobedience. She had met a dead end. If she could only save her brother, her hive, and herself at the same time....
A thought suddenly struck her head. Why couldn't she? If she endorsed and followed Thorax's plan of resettling the hive, and proved that it would work, then she would prove her leadership, Pharynx would get absolved, and the hive would flourish even more than before. Of course, the ideas that ponies would simply accept the changelings was simply ludicrous, so she would have to force them to.
The more she thought about this idea, the more appealing it became. There was, of course, a final obstacle to this plan, and at this point, she was desperate enough to try anything to make it work. She took a deep breath, and finally cast her die. "Thorax, I have news. The queen has ordered me to execute you."