“Take away from… me?”
Lock On thought his voice was beginning to sound funny. No, no, no. He had to stay calm, not blunder in front of the Changeling Queen whom he loved dearly. But how, he could not answer. Of all the possibilities, he had never thought of the Changeling Queen denying his request.
How, just how? His mind kept telling him that it was not possible at all. Changelings needed love. He was going to give it to them. Why would she ever want to refuse a treat? Why?
“Yes,” Chrysalis replied curtly, no longer hesitant to show her annoyance. “I am sure it has never occurred in your simple, fixated mind… but you don’t expect food offering itself to you? Do you?”
No. His voice echoed inside Lock On’s head, the returning imaginary sound hitting him harshly.
But this is different, Lock On wanted to protest. His love had to be different. It was love in its purest form, directed only towards Chrysalis. For the Changeling Queen he could give up anything, including himself. In fact, mesmerized by her brilliance, it was what he desired. Her radiance surpassed that of all three Equestrian Princesses combined, and it greatly attracted him, like a bright burning light to a wandering moth.
His love was far from the base carnal desires he used to have in the past for short durations. No. This time his love was entirely that of worship; what kind of love could possibly be more divine? If love was a food, his was an exquisite feast.
“A simple food it is, love.” As if knowing what he was thinking, Chrysalis snorted, interrupting his thoughts. “At least for us Changelings, that is. We do not treat love as your kind does.”
Lock On sat down, not saying a word. The wet surface made an unpleasant contact with his body, but it no longer mattered to him. It was such a delight to witness the piercing stare of the Changeling Queen, which he'd been gleefully savoring ever since he came to the hive and met her. Nevertheless, he could no longer ignore the fact that the odds of him achieving his goal were now heavily against him with Chrysalis maintaining that look. Something was definitely wrong; she should not have treated him like this.
Any other way would have been fine. Changelings had to have love. Love was a universal feeling, a very specific emotion that made one devote himself entirely to his beloved. One could sacrifice everything to acquire his love. One wished, desired, and craved for it. In a way it was a terrible disease really, forcing one to change his behavior and attitude solely for the feeling of love. Once contracted, the only cure was the illness itself; only by indulging it more could one be truly free of it.
Love conquered all. Well, maybe not in some cases, but it had surely succeeded in conquering Lock On himself. He needed to have more, to shamelessly indulge it, and taste the sweet nectar it offered. It was what made him to come this far in the first place. She too, the Changeling Queen, required it. What could go wrong?
“Right.” Lock On took a deep breath. “Yes, you may treat love differently. But I can adjust. It is just a mere setback. Love as a food. Got it. Now I know, and it will cease to be a problem at all. I can change. I can adapt. See, I offer my love to you. Think of me as a cook—your own personal cook, serving no one but you, catering to your hunger, responding to your need in every imaginable way.”
Chrysalis’ look remained unchanged. “You wish me to treat you as my own brood? Tsk. A valiant effort, but foolish nonetheless. Are you sure you are not really a Changeling?”
I wish. The idea now seemed very appealing. So much for Changelings being evil creatures; if he could worship and serve Chrysalis the title lost its meaning. Lock On looked around. Or maybe I am. Loyalty. It could change. True, as a pony he was to serve under Equestrian Princesses; but that principle did not take into account such a dangerously charming, lovable creature which made resistance absolutely futile.
The moss beneath his belly felt strangely comfortable now. The cool humid air tasted deliciously sweet. The dark cave was meant to be his home, right? Maybe he was a Changeling who'd forgotten who he really was. If not, how could he possibly love the Changeling Queen?
“In case you didn’t get it, my last statement was only sarcasm. You are just a pony, trust me,” Chrysalis said, casting a cold glance at him. “Which is strange, I should say. That reminds me, you still haven’t told me the reason you love me. Of all the creatures I have met, none have ‘loved’ me as a Changeling, except for my own minions serving me. It doesn’t seem right, don’t you think so?”
Keeping his breath to a steady pace was becoming harder for Lock On. He thought the air was getting thinner; of course, it was only his imagination, but he felt his respiratory process was steadily failing, not performing its role of inhaling the air he needed to breathe.
She's spoken to me. She is giving me a chance, right?
Lock On coughed again, making sure to clear all the imaginary clots that had clung to his throat. His hooves tingled, but it was not mere excitement that sent an electrical jolt to his body; he felt nervous. His heart—which had been gradually slowing down as time passed—became alert once again, responding to his roused senses, beating furiously.
If I say it well, maybe she will accept my love. She WILL.
“Well? I sincerely think it would be unwise to keep the Changeling Queen waiting,” Chrysalis chuckled.
She is willing to listen. She must be interested in me. She MUST…
“Because…” His voice became almost a whisper. Because what? Why do I love her? How to express it?
“Speak louder.”
His love for her was a formless emotion, yet it felt very real for him. It guided his action and became his new master, giving him orders to follow.
What made Chrysalis unbearably lovable, enough to completely override his allegiance to the Equestrian princesses and abandon his honorable position as a Royal Guard? He knew the answer; he just had to find an appropriate way to explain to the Changeling Queen.
“Well?”
That sultry voice. It was enough to make Lock On’s head spin. Of course! There was a reason, and it was right in front of him. It could not have been more obvious.
“I love you because of you.” Lock On summoned all of his strength to control his tone. It was hard but he could manage it, for if he could impress her, he could achieve his aim of making the Changeling Queen accept his love. “Your very self has bound me to loving you.”
“Oh?”
“Some were born to lead, some were born to follow,” Lock On put on his most innocent smile as possible, looking at Queen Chrysalis. “I always knew I had belonged to the latter group. Even now, I obey the orders given to me, which are like the principle that governs the world I live in, the natural law that allows us ponies to live. It says to love you but nothing else, and to devote myself entirely to you.”
“You used to serve your precious princesses. Were they not enough for you? How greedy… I guess loving them was not enough for you.” Chrysalis laughed, her tone consistent with her fairly condescending look.
“I used to,” Lock On said, noticing her irritated expression, but still continuing to smile nonetheless. All he had to do was to explain. Every look of hers he could eagerly take, but it was her happy, smiling face that brought him the most joy. “But seeing you, I had to serve you.”
“A traitor; how amusing. I thought you had fought rather well, trying to save your Princess. Fallen you are.”
“Fallen, yes, in order to follow the most natural principle that ponies and everything else follow. I gladly accept the fact.”
“Natural in what sense?” Chrysalis raised her voice a little, making Lock On flinch. “A pony loving the Changeling Queen is the most unnatural phenomenon I’ve ever heard of.”
“It is a natural tendency to follow one’s own desires.” Lock On gulped.
He wanted Chrysalis. And that was love, right? It made sense. He served under the title Royal Guard because he had loved Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, and therefore he was loyal to Equestria.
But when his love found another target, despite the prospect being nearly impossible, his loyalty had to be adjusted accordingly. He was not betraying his own yearning. Rather, he was always faithful to it. He had to quench his thirst. Everyone had to, from ponies to Changelings.
Completely justifiable, Lock On mused. He could not help it. He was powerless to resist once he saw Chrysalis.
Or rather, he made himself powerless, because he wanted her. He chose to follow, he enchanted himself. He was never crazy, nor was he tainted by her evilness.
Lock On thought he could finally understand why Shadowbolts chose to serve Nightmare Moon; those ancient apparitions were never corrupted to begin with. They merely followed whoever their desires chose, and it was Nightmare Moon. To Lock On, Chrysalis was his own mare of the Eternal Night to follow.
“You want love. I want you. We all desire. It is not a bad thing, my lady.” Lock On made a weak smile. This cannot go wrong. In the end, love conquers, and then prevails.
“Wanton lust.”
“No,” Lock On said firmly. For this very special occasion, he had to commit the terrible crime of denying Chrysalis’ words. He had to show how pure his emotion was. “It is a purest love. It is an undivided attention given only to you. It is my will free at your disposal, completely at your mercy. It is my—”
“Enough.”
Whether it was her forceful voice or his body no longer able to contain his elated self, Lock On immediately stopped, looking fearfully at her. Had it worked? Would Chrysalis finally receive him, and let him satisfy his ravenous hunger which brought benefits to both him and her?
Chrysalis sighed. “Your ‘love,’ it has a name.”
Lock On could barely contain the squeal that escaped from his mouth. Yes. YES. She knew it. She understood. She is willing to take it.
“And it is called obsession. The fact that you want every part of me is very evident, even without the aid of a mind reading spell. You are a pony with a Changeling heart and mind, it seems. You desire me as much as we Changelings crave love. You want to take me, just like we Changelings dearly wish to take love away from others. So your ‘love’ is a Changeling one; it brings me none of the benefits to accept your kind of love, a hollow one that never satisfies anyone. Leave this place. While I am in a relatively bad mood, I'm still merciful enough to grant a delusional being another day to live. You found your way here; you will know the way to return to your land.”
Ignoring Lock On’s confused, flustered face, Chrysalis turned away. “Take him away, my minions. Make sure he survives till he reaches Equestria. I do not want those pesky ponies coming here looking for this delusional freak.”
Why? It was the last word Lock On’s mind registered before it became blank, the automated process of his basic instinct taking place, guiding his movement.