Arachnis sat in his room, staring down the tens of papers that contained things such as court cases, law suggestions, and even small insubordinations occurring in the hive. Now being fifteen, Chrysalis had trusted him with the task of handling royal affairs while she was away. He remembered the conversation like it was yesterday.
“So, I have to be able to fix all of that!? Half of this wouldn’t even affect the hive that mu-“
“Now Arachnis, I understand your distress, but mommy has to be away for a few days. Besides, we wouldn’t want the army we’ve breaded to be defiant if we’re going to enslave the ponies.”
“I guess you’re right…and I don’t really have a choice in the matter. I mean, you do like it’s nothing, how hard could it be?
Looking back, Arachnis almost wanted to punch himself for saying something as cocky as that, as he now sat having to settle each affair one by one. Seeing it as the easiest, he decided to start with the lack of prisoner inspection. He levitated the paperwork into his desk and teleported to the door that led to the prison. Due to his genetic alterations, he was beginning to learn advanced spells at a hastened rate. Changelings around him made a clearing for their prince. “Who here is in charge of prison keeping!” He yelled to the crowd. It took a few minutes, but eventually, four delta changelings stepped forward. The delta variants of changeling were big, tanky, and could even walk on their hind legs, though they didn’t have any wings for flight and their teeth were much more dull compared to other variants.
Arachnis motioned for them to follow him into the prison, where an array of cells could be seen, with nearly each one occupied by either a pony, or a defiant changeling. “Be lucky I’m not executing you four for your incompetence, now watch the prisoners.” He said to the deltas. They all bowed as a showing of gratitude, and went to their posts. Arachnis stepped down to inspect the prisoners himself, as he at least wanted to know which were alive or not. He paced multiple rows before encountering a lime pegasus. As he walked by, the line prisoner made a noise and Arachnis felt a sudden chill by his hoof.
He looked down, only to see that he was spit on.
His horn flared up with energy, and he slowly turned to the pegasus. His face gave hints of fear, but he remained firm. “You don’t scare me, bug! If anything, I pity you!” He said. Not even a second after he spouted those words, and both his hind hooves were glowed in a red aura and they were tied into a knot like shoelaces. In the process, multiple sounds of breaking bones and the squishing of flesh could be heard. The pegasus was now screaming in agony as he watched his superior glare at him. “I never asked for your respect. It was demanded of you the moment you were locked in here.” He said to him. The pegasus didn’t even speak again, and instead worked on untying his hind hooves.
Arachnis observed the surrounding area, and called to the deltas. “This sector doesn’t have anyone here. What gives?” He asked. One of the deltas approached him. “Your highness, we sent one of the guards on a retrieval mission, and a foal and his mother escaped. We were given permission by the queen.” He explained. Arachnis nodded in response and teleported back to his room, happy that one affair was done. He checked his papers, and saw two that interested him: Breeding Control and Crime Punishments. He activated his magic again, and teleported to the breeding cellar, where most changelings were hatched. He saw multiple changelings making sure the place was under control, and one of them trotted up to him. "Your Highness, welcome to the breeding cellar. I was not expecting your arrival to be so early. We were just finishing up cleaning the place." He said. Arachnis looked the cellar up and down, making sure there wasn't an inconsistency to what he had heard. The owner motioned for Arachnis to follow him, and so he did. They explored each breeding sector, where each sector respectively held a specific variant of changeling. All seemed fine to the prince except for the last, that being the gamma variants. "I knew the gammas were rare to see, but this looks like they're starting to dwindle..." He said. The rest of his sentence continued in his head, as that's how he liked to think. The owner, on the other hand, was feeling a surge in anxiety. He knew this wouldn't look good to the prince, let alone trying to convince the queen that this wasn't an incompetence on his part. His train of thought was broken by Arachnis catching his attention. "I think I know what the problem is. Each room is lit the same way, and gammas need a lot more light to grow better. I want this room illuminated, now!" He demanded. The owner quickly hissed to his employees to get to work on lighting.
Arachnis teleported out the room and into the throne room, where an ocean of changelings flowed before him. He patiently waited for the changeling that was listed in his paper to step forward, and soon enough, he did. Arachnis looked him dead in the eyes and said, "State the purpose for why you stand before me.". The changeling took a few deep breaths before saying "I am here because I prematurely sentenced another changeling to death. It was seemingly an attempt of murder, but I had only realized after he was beheaded. My humb-" was all he could say before he was levitated by Arachnis. "You were chosen for the role of executor because my mother thought you had good judgement. If you don't want to show that quality, then I have something for you." He said before setting the changeling down. Arachnis called for two more changelings and they stood on each side of the executor. Arachnis smiled before saying "This one is to be killed before the day is over. You're dismissed.". The changeling screamed, hissed and begged with the little time he had left, before he was taken away. Arachnis turned to leave before the deltas rushed to him. "Your highness, we caught them. The ones we told you about in the prison." One of them said. Arachnis leaped down from his throne and headed toward the prison, with the deltas following. They made their way there, and Arachnis saw a foal, who was only a few years younger than arachnis, and his mother in separate cages. The foal was crying out of the sheer amount of fear he was experiencing, and his mother carried a frightful expression. Both of their coats were beige, with tan splotches scattered around it. "So, what do we do with em our highness?" One of the deltas asked. "Nothing for right now. As for you four, sweep the village you took them from again. And this time, make sure nobody else may have survived." Arachnis commanded. The deltas all left the prison, leaving Arachnis with the foal and his mother. He turned to leave, before the foal began to beg. "P-please let us go. We'll do anything for you!" He said. Arachnis chuckled a bit, and activated his magic. In an instant, he, the foal, and his mother were outside the hive.
Arachnis turned to them with a blank expression. "Since you're willing to do anything for me, would you mind telling me where the others are?" He asked. Before the foal could answer, his mother intervened. "Crumble! Don't say anything to him. And you! Don't hurt him, please. Take me instead." She said. Arachnis grew a smile on his face, as this was delicious entertainment for him. He levitated the mother's cage, and to foal began to cry again. "N-no! Don't do anything to my mommy! Please, please, I love my mommy!" He screamed. Arachnis stopped in his track completely, as Crumble's words seemed to affect him.
"How would you like it if someone did this to your mommy!?"
"...Shut up.." Arachnis' horn started to flare up.
"I bet she's the worst pony to ever exist!"
"I said to shut up...." His body began to flash.
"You probably never even loved-"
"I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!"
Arachnis yelled to the top of his voice, and a red wave bursted from his body, and it surrounded the three of them. Suddenly, the scenery began to change. The dead forest that surrounded them became Arachnis' red room. He turned around and saw Chrysalis, brushing his mane. "Now, my little one, theres something I want you to remember. It's that no matter what may happen to either of us, I'll always be with you. You'll always be my little junebug!"She said. The wave subsided, and the three were back in the dead forest. Arachnis set down the mother's cage, and he broke down into tears. "W-what was that?" She asked. Arachnis didn't answer, but instead broke both the cages oven, freeing Crumble and his mother. Crumble walked up to the now, crying Arachnis, and embraced him in a warm hug. "I-i'm sorry....I didn't know she was your mommy." He said somberly. Arachnis got up and turned to the mother. "Take him and get out of here. You aren't safe here Ms...". "Sand. Erode Sand. And he's Crumble Sand." She said. Crumble looked up to Arachnis and asked, "T-thank you mister. A-and, will I ever see you again?". "M-my name is Arachnis. And I dunno if we'll cross paths again." Arachnis answered. Crumble went and hugged him again. "Well I sure hope we do! It looks like you could use a friend. Well, I have to go, goodbye." He said before leaving with his mother.
Arachnis warped the broken cages to parts unknown and teleported to his room. His breathing was heavy and light sobs could be heard. He levitated a picture of him with Chrysalis, and tears flowed down his cheeks again. He couldn't tell why, but Crumble' words punctured him, and that somehow triggered the illusion that he had brought about himself. That night he laid in his bed, and wondered how he's be able to trigger it again. "I'll just ask her when she gets back..."