“My Queen, the other drones have engaged the Element bearers,” a changeling reported to his leader.
Chrysalis grew a wide and sadistic smile from the news as she paced back and forth in the main ballroom. So long has she waited for this day, a chance to conquer Equestria and feed off the endless amounts of love that came from it. With Princess Celestia unconscious and cocooned above her, Princess Cadence and Spike bound together against a column and their eyes and mouths covered, and Shining Armor in a trance due to Chrysalis’ magic, there was only victory that lay ahead for the Changeling Queen.
“Excellent, keep them at bay for as long as possible, subdue them even! I want no distractions from those meddlesome ponies, if it’s the last thing I do!” Chrysalis stomped her hoof. “Now leave! I wish to revel in my victory alone.” The drones bowed and saluted to their queen and exited the room with haste. Chrysalis cackled maliciously as she glanced up to the cocooned solar Alicorn and returned her gaze to Shining Armor. “How unfortunate for you, darling, so long as your love for your supposed bride remains as strong as it is, I shall remain unbeatable!” Her monologue was cut short when she heard the sound of the doors opening again from behind her, making her scowl and whip her head around in annoyance. “I thought I told you dolts, I wished to be alone!”
“Oh, my apologies, I hadn’t realized there was anyone in here.”
Chrysalis had to do a double take at the door as a strange looking bipedal creature slowly walked in with a cane in hand as the door shut behind it. “I wish there was someone to help guide me around this large building, I could use a nice chair to rest my old bones.” As the creature said, it very well did look to be elderly due to his physique and skin complexion, but none of that mattered to the now irritated changeling queen.
“Who in creation are you?!” Chrysalis demanded. “How did you get past my drones?!”
“Oh, there wasn’t anyone outside and I heard some commotion coming from in here,” the old being said. “I once again apologize for interrupting whatever private affair you were in the midst of. I tend to wander in places I’m not exactly aloud to. A curse that I suffer often, for a man my age.”
“Whatever, I shall simply summon my drones to be rid of you!” Chrysalis shook her head. “I have more important duties to attend to.”
“Hmm, you seem a tad agitated, miss, may I ask why?” The old man tilted his head.
“Why do you care? You just walked in here without a second thought! Does your weary mind also deprive you of common sense?!”
“I am somewhat healthy enough to admit that my senses have dwindled over the years,” the old man shrugged. “But I still manage to get around just fine.”
“Clearly you are in need of some work,” Chrysalis rolled her eyes.
“Though I still yet to have my question answered, if you don’t mind?” The old man inquired.
“I still fail to see the point as to why I should have to divulge anything to you.”
“If you answer, I might leave,” the old man offered.
“Very well, if you must know, I am not agitated,” Chrysalis corrected. “I am ecstatic! I have finally achieved what I have been planning for a number of months and it has all come to fruition! Once my drones take care of the last of those who would pose a threat, I shall reign supreme! And all the love I could ever want for my hive and I shall be mine for the taking!”
“Love? You…take love?” The old man questioned, curiously.
“I am a Changeling, a Queen Changeling, we live off of the energy known as love, it is how we feed and survive!”
“Hmm,” the old man hummed as he looked around the room to come to terms with the situation. “Surely there must be other methods to acquire what you seek.”
“This is the only way to get what I want, love is what all changelings crave and the ponies shall provide us with just that.”
“Have you maybe considered the option of not taking love, but asking for it?”
“Asking?! What nonsense are you babbling about?! What is the point in asking for love when I can just take it?!”
“Perhaps therein lies the problem you are not aware of,” the old man stated with a tap of his cane on the floor. “You have never shared love with another.”
The Queen was taken back by this accusation, which caused her to narrow her eyes at the old man. “That is an even more ridiculous statement, sharing love is just as meaningless as asking for it.”
“Is it? My wife would beg to differ,” the old man said, reaching up with his right hand and taking off his hat and placing it over his chest.
“Oh? You are married?” The queen quirked a brow.
“Was, sadly, my wife had passed long ago,” the old man smiled solemnly as he looked down at the golden band that went around his left ring finger. Once again, Chrysalis was taken back as a guilty twinge poked her cold heart. She wasn’t one to care about unnecessary emotions such as pity or ever feel saddened, but the way the old man’s voice sounded seemed to have an unexplainable effect on her.
“I suppose…I must offer my condolences,” Chrysalis sighed.
“I thank you, miss, she was a kind soul up until the end. However, I cannot say the same for myself during my younger years.”
“How so?” Chrysalis wondered.
“I was once a soldier, drafted to fight in a war that affected the whole world,” the old man spoke softly. “When it ended, I expected things to be simpler and more mellow. How wrong I was when even I, a man who fought for his country, struggled to make a decent living. During those times, making a decent wage was difficult enough as it was. It left me bitter and spiteful that I did not receive the solder’s welcome and praise I had hoped to get upon my return.”
“Why not just take what you were owed then?” Chrysalis huffed. “It was obvious that you deserved it.”
“And take, I did,” the old man said. “Back then, there were these gangs of individuals who operated against the law in order to earn more than just an honest living. If I were to put in my personal opinion, the gangs that ran amok made life nearly as violent as the war itself. However, I was one of the unlucky ones to find myself involved with some of those individuals. I shall not bore you with the details, but I had involuntarily aided a mafioso, as they were called, with a certain task. My actions then later allowed me to become acquainted with the very gang of hoodlums the rest of the people had come to both fear and respect.”
“They probably saw potential in you,” Chrysalis commented.
“Perhaps, all I knew is that I was stepping into a world I would still come to regret living to this day.” The old man’s face became neutral as he continued. “They had taught me things of how their operations worked, how they made their profits without the lingering eye of the law. I was hesitant at first, but seeing how much of an income they made on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis, I would be a fool not to accept an opportunity. I became arrogant, brutish even, and became the very thing that my dear mother had hoped I wouldn’t become. But I was young then, my head in the clouds, believing I could do what I wished and take anything I desired, not giving a tinker’s curse who I may have hurt along the way. I once fought with honor, only to turn dishonorable in such little time.”
“You seem discouraged by your choice, but I see no flaw in your decision,” Chrysalis arched a brow. “It is as I am doing now, I take what I want and not care much for who gets in my way.”
“You remind me of my younger self,” the old man shook his head, discouragingly. “I was a cold and cruel young man, but that all changed the day I met the woman of my dreams.” The old man smiled as he rubbed his wedding band with his finger. “She worked as a waitress at a diner I frequented. She was always the one to serve me my morning coffee before the day started. I never really paid her any mind, and she would always wish to spark a conversation with me. Her sweet voice ebbed away at my cold personality and I found myself enjoying her company. Eventually, I found myself to care for her more than I expected to; I dare say I had fallen in love.”
“Hmph, this is starting to get boring,” Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Why waste your time over something so frivolous as affection for another? You obviously had no need of it, yet you succumbed to it nonetheless.”
“Love is a wonderful feeling to bear, miss, I had the pleasure of experiencing it with that waitress who soon later became my beloved wife. And for the first time since my involvement with the mafiosos, I did not have to take her love for my own. Instead, she gave me her love as I gave her mine. It was also because of her, after I married her, I made a choice to leave my life as a gangster behind and start a new life for myself.”
“You abandoned your life as a lawless crusader? Why, of all the nonsense?!”
“It was for love,” the old man said, keeping his smile and making the queen pause. “I had admittedly always wanted a better life than the one I found myself in after the war, especially after the few times I had gotten caught by the authorities and did time for any crimes I was brought in for. My wife was always supportive of me, even before we married each other, but I knew it had to be done. I had to think about what was best for her and myself.”
“If you cared about your mate so much, why did you not continue your roguish life so that you could provide for her without worry?”
“Similar to how you desire to take the love from everyone around you in order to provide for your kingdom?” The old man retorted. “No, I worried for her too much to think what would happen if I stayed. I wanted to provide for her a more healthy and safe lifestyle as a common man than the one of a mafioso.”
“You gave up everything for your mate?”
“I did, and I would have done it again, if given the chance. You see, miss, you say you need this love energy to live since it is your source of sustenance, but this would only lead to more problems and heartache for your kind. You say you would take love by force, but I suggest that it is unnecessary. There are many forms of love, you see, even loving yourself is a form of love.”
“How can I love myself?” Chrysalis asked sarcastically. “That just doesn’t make any sense!”
“Of course it does, if you loved yourself, you might not need to take the love that you so desire from others by force. Not only that, but your people would be able to thrive as well.”
“But I-!”
“Tell me something, miss, do you care for your people?” The old man asked.
“They’re my drones, I watched them all hatch myself.”
“But do you love them?”
“They’re my loyal subjects, they have their uses.”
“You seem to be dodging the question, miss.”
“Well what do you want me to say?! Yes?! Yes, I do love them! Not as just a Queen, but as their own mother too!” Chrysalis gasped at the words she just spoke as her eyes darted around for any stray changeling that may have overheard her.
“And therein lies the answer,” the old man nodded. “Loving others doesn’t necessarily mean that you must fall in love to do so, love can also be obtained by family or even friends. You love your people as if you were their mother, but you cannot seem to love yourself.” Chrysalis was quiet the whole time, standing there like a statue by her sudden and unexpected outburst.
“If…if what you say is true, then what hope is there for me anyway?” Chrysalis asked. “I have caused great damage this day, and even went as far as to attack the ruler of this kingdom. I cannot just abandon my mission, my hive is in desperate need of love.”
“Then show them that there is another way,” the old man instructed. “You are more than a capable leader in your own right, and there is much merit that goes with it. In order to take the first step to a brighter future, you must first forgive yourself for all the transgressions you have committed.”
“Have you forgiven yourself?” Chrysalis wondered.
“I have, and I have my wife to thank for it.” The old man boldly stepped forward towards the changeling queen and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder. “We may have only known each other for a short time, but I believe in my heart that you are not what you proclaim yourself to be, Chrysalis. Share the love you desire, not take it. For sometimes, the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.” The old man patted her shoulder and turned to walk away and out the door.
“Old one,” Chrysalis called out, making the old man glance over his shoulder. “What if…what if I fail? What if I return to my wicked ways if I cannot forgive myself?”
“Then you simply try again,” the old man replied. He opened the door and made his exit.
The changeling queen was left to her thoughts after her conversation with the strange old man. He had everything he could ever want during his time as a supposed criminal, yet he gave it up for the love of his life. He was able to forgive himself for all he had done and somehow came out a better for it. Was it truly that simple? To be able to ask for love and share it rather than take it by force? More so, to be able to forgive herself for all she had done? It all sounded so convoluted, yet the old man explained that it wasn’t.
“My queen!”
Her thoughts were interrupted when a couple of her drones flew in and bowed to her. “Forgive us, my queen, but we cannot hold the. Element bearers back for long! They shall be here momentarily!”
“That…” She wanted to give the order to prepare for their arrival. She looked back at the dazed Shining Armor and the still cocooned Princess Celestia. The old man’s words echoed in her mind, his experiences, and how she should handle the situation more appropriately.
You must forgive yourself.
“I shall send a new order to the hive,” Chrysalis said as she closed her eyes and used her magic. The order she sent out to the hive seemed to leave most of the drones baffled but dared not go against their queen.
“I…I don’t understand it.” Celestia stood before Chrysalis with Twilight and her friends, after being freed from the cocoon, and Shining Armor, who had his mind control spell broken, and Princess Cadence. All the ponies were completely gobsmacked at the Changeling Queen as her drones stood behind her. Meanwhile, Chrysalis had a surprisingly neutral expression on her face.
“There’s not much not to understand, Princess Celestia,” Chrysalis said as she closed her eyes. “I yield, and I shall take my leave and return to my hive.”
“B-But how?!” Cadence demanded. “You threatened Canterlot, took my place, almost hijacked my wedding, corrupted my fiancé, and now you’re just gonna leave?!”
“Indeed.”
“This has to be some sort of trick,” Shining Armor stamped his hoof. “No pony just ups and changes their mind so quickly! Especially since you went out of your way to commit all these atrocities!”
“I cannot blame you for having such disdain for me, for your hatred and spite are justified,” Chrysalis said as she opened her eyes. “All I can offer you is my word that I shall no longer scheme to take control of Equestria for its love. I shall simply find other means to provide for my hive.”
“And what, pray tell, did you have in mind?” Celestia wondered, still weary of Chrysalis’ words.
“I still have yet to find that out for myself, to be honest, but I know now that this is not the way.”
“And just what made you come to this sudden realization?” Twilight asked.
“I suppose you can say…I had a new change of heart?” Chrysalis shrugged, leaving some of the ponies slack-jawed. “I once again apologize for my transgressions against you ponies. I will take my leave now, so I bid you adieu.” Chrysalis fanned open her wings and took flight into the air before soaring away with her still visibly confused hive following suit. The conversation with the old man, still fresh in her mind for the days to come, clung to her heart and soul. It would be a long road ahead for redemption, but if someone like the strange old man could redeem himself, then maybe even a Changeling Queen like Chrysalis would be able to perform the same feat.
“My queen, are you certain of this?” A drone asked as he flew up beside her. “We almost had them on the ropes!”
“Maybe, but then again, maybe not?” Chrysalis shook her head. “We have been too closed minded as a race, and we need to make some changes. I want what is best for the hive, and I feel as though taking love is not the solution we seek.”
“Then what else can we do in order to find the sustenance we require?”
The queen glanced at her drone as a small smile graced her lips. “Maybe…what we need is not just the energy that love provides, but perhaps the concept of love itself.”