//------------------------------//
// Chapter 22 
// Story: Looking Glass 
// by Hiver 
//------------------------------//

The castle was quiet when I woke up.

Which was nice. Slowly stretching, I then yawned and then folded my wings around myself again, swaying slowly from the crystal rafter I had my tail wrapped around.

It really was more relaxing than a bed.

Blinking my eyes open, I looked around my room before sighing and closing them again as the things happening last night came back to me.

Poor Midnight.

I know how I would feel if I could never get to see Luna, Sparks or Sunny again. It… it would rip my heart out.

Everything about this situation sucks. It was good she got to go home, but everything else about it just sucked.

Talon was right.

I peeked an eye open, glancing towards the window. Early, the sun was still clearly visible above the horizon.

Well, I’m not getting any more sleep anyway so might as well get up.

Yawning once more, I then let go of the rafter and spread my wings, gliding down to the floor before stretching again.

Tea.

Food.

Heading towards the door, I pushed it open before my right ear perked up and I frowned. Something sounded… off.

It was quiet, so it wasn’t a sound that bothered me. I just couldn’t put my hoof on what it could be.

Frowning, I looked around before shrugging my wings and heading towards the kitchen before I paused, one hoof half lifted.

It was quiet. Ponies should still be up and about. Couldn’t hear any guard hoof steps, no murmur of voices.

This place echoed like crazy at times if you were in the right place, I should be catching something.

Silencing my hooves, I wrapped myself in an illusion spell and then took to the rafters to jump along them instead.

Paranoid, maybe. But something felt wrong.

I kept moving slowly before I froze as I heard a soft sound ahead and below around the corner. Another one.

A quiet hissing sound followed by very quiet hoofsteps.

I kept very still as a changeling drone slowly moved around the corner, scanning the corridor before she continued on, moving quietly.

I breathed quietly, keeping fully still and thinking empty thoughts. Do not think, do not get surprised or alarmed or anything like that or she might taste me.

I’m not here. I’m just an empty hole in space.

The drone continued down the hallway, walking past straight beneath me without even pausing to look up.

She poked her head into my bedroom and looked around before continuing on around the next corner.

Changelings. Here?

I looked after her for several long moments. This was not the hive I was used to dealing with. Well it was, she had the right colors, this was an actively hostile Chrysalis.

Needed to know more.

I quietly continued on, keeping to the rafters as much as I could. Ponies don’t as a rule, look up. That even applied to changelings because their prey rarely went above eye level, even when it came to pegasi.

If Chrysalis was here, where wo-

Throne Room. Her ego wouldn’t allow her to be anywhere else.

I carefully made my way there before pausing. Only way inside was a bit over pony sized doors. Would make it tricky to go unnoticed, they’d all be guarded if the Queen was in there. I’d need an alternate entrance. I then shifted course and headed out an open window. Flying up along the outside, I shot a look towards Ponyville.

Ponies were still out and about. So they were just in the castle so far. Not surprising, Chrysalis hive is big, but it’s not really that big.

The invasion had been a desperate move. Buck, so was this likely. This was way more open than changelings liked.

Hooking my hooved over the open window, I pulled myself up to peer down into the throneroom. They were there, all of them.

Midnight and Cadance were contained in a pair of green cocoons hanging from the ceiling, everypony else was stuck to the walls with changeling resin. Some looked to be sleeping, but some others like Shining Armor were struggling against his binds whenever nopony looked in his direction, his horn covered with resin.

And there she was, Chrysalis lounged across Midnights throne, talking to one of the drones I didn’t recognize.

What do I do?

Celestia… Luna?

Luna. She should still be asleep, I can alert her and she could alert Celestia and the rest of the guard.

But why would Chrysalis do this, what did she think she was accomplishing? Sure, she’d be able to drain their love and maybe replace them if she was lucky, but… buck, this was even more risky than when she did the entire wedding invasion and that had been a move of desperation.

Slowly letting go, I pushed off the wall and took wing, heading up to wrap my tail around the spire so I could go to sleep.

I need a plan, but in case it fails, ponies needed to know what was going on.

Might still be a way to fix this.

Hmm.

Fix this…