//------------------------------// // Hopeless // Story: The Prodigy Emperor // by The Toaster //------------------------------// The moonlight dominated the skies of Griffenheim, the birthday of the heir to the royal house was already coming to an end after the blowing of candles and the cutting of the cake with the claws of the birthday boy. The guests had already left, many having already managed to reform their political alliances or start new ones, making some agreements or simply socializing with long-time relatives, the party was a discreet and legitimate way for many of the most important figures of the Empire to get together and do their machinations right under the Emperor's nose without creating suspicion. Or so they believed. Not thinking that the priests and their 'purity' would care about politics or that many of the nobles participating in these alliances and agreements were double agents. Gabriela and Eros were on constant watch, their agents keen to defend the throne against corruption and betrayal, many of those caught being blacklisted for possible future imprisonment or blackmail. But Grover didn't know that, the only thing he did know was that he'd had one of the best days of his entire little life. The day he spent with Chrysalis was a lot of fun. He'd learned so much from the changeling queen that he could barely handle so much information, spending hours and hours just talking to her. She was like Gabriela and Eros merged into one person, she was smart, calm, and very friendly. While he was talking to her, there were times when he talked above her in excitement, or talked too much and even accidentally fell into her huge (and very soft and comfortable) tail. But she didn't mind either moment. Even when some of her guards turned out to be okay… Protectors on many occasions, she came to Grover's defense quickly. She was the best, just like many of the Changelings in the palace talked about her and more. She was admired by those who obeyed her, she was affectionate with her actions and kind with her words. Worse still, even with so much time talking to her and making the most of the day's conversation, they hadn't even gotten to half of what Grover wanted to discuss with her. Now he was exhausted and wanted to go to bed, that was exactly what he had asked for, but Chrysalis surprised him when she picked him up and placed him on her back, squeezed and protected between her enormous wings. He insisted and insisted that he go alone, not wanting to bother Chrysalis anymore who had not only spent the entire party alone with him but was now kind enough to take him to his room. "Chryssy.... I appreciate it, but you don't have to-" "How many times do I have to repeat Grovy? For you. I don't mind at all." She cut the small one on her back with an affectionate tone and a smile. "I already told you to stop calling me that!" He snorted his cheeks adorably, the changeling queen only chuckling in response. "Only if you stop calling me Chryssy!" "What if I don't, hmm? What are you going to do about it??" He challenged her playfully. She just rolled her eyes. "So you'll still be my little Grovy!~" She laughed out loud as Grover crossed his arms and looked away sullenly. "I don't like it! You're so evil Chryssy!" He whined She let out an exaggerated, dramatic gasp." I can't believe it! You don't like me?? How can I live like this?" As she threw her head back with the back of her hand against her forehead. "I thought you were my friend! How can you betray me like that?? I think i might pass out!" Grover not realizing the obvious acting and fake drama dropped his petty sulk to one of complete concern. "C-Chryssy?? S-sorry!! I didn't think-! I... No-" He would be answered with Chrysalis laughing in his face again. "Oh my god! You're so easy to tease!" She was still laughing hard to the frustration of the little one on her back. "Chryssy!! You're really, really mean!" He didn't know why, but he felt an enormous familiarity with her, even though he spent very little time compared to many of her family members he felt he could trust her. The walk through the halls followed in comfortable silence after Chrysalis's laughter subsided. He smiled as he looked at the back of Chrysalis, he was sad that she wouldn't be with him, but she was a monarch also just like his father. She must have had a lot of people to take care of, and he understood why. But it was still frustrating that she had to go. His dad couldn't talk or play with him on his birthday, he was sad about it, but at least she was there to stay with him while dad was busy. He didn't blame his father for not having time to do as many things as he wanted. But it still frustrated him. It was his birthday! He should give at least an hour of his time to talk to him. he was exhausted. And he just wanted to go to sleep. Fortunately, he could already see the door halfway down the hall. That when opening it would take him to the destination he so desired. His wonderful bed. "Okay, you can drop me here. I can get in-" "No no! I insist!" She laughed over the top as she opened the door, her wings lifting and blocking Grover from leaving, who was a little stunned by her action. Some of the griffon guards following them stiffened from the action, but Grover lifted one of his claws to indicate that everything was fine. Letting her carry him into her room. As she closed the door behind her, Grover's childish smile faded. "Chryssy..." "Yes dear?" "Why lie to me?" Her eyes widened at this. Feeling her back lighten as Grover leapt to the ground. Him walking slowly to her bed and not turning to face her or waiting for an answer. "Lie to you Grovy? I would never-" "You did it again." He cut her again, this time turning his body to face her. On the outside she didn't show but her curiosity shot up to see his eyes meet hers. Cold and curious. "You say one thing and your body screams the opposite." He had turned completely to face her. "When something irritates you, I see your pupils narrow." He emphasized what he was saying as he pointed one of his claws at his own eye. The little griffon jumped onto its back and sat on the bed, crossing its paws. "When you say something that isn't what you truly mean it, your body stiffens for a second and a half. Not to mention your smile fails too." 'Incredible.' He was three years old, and he could see through her mask in less than a day. Hundreds of years and multitude of emotional manipulations and dominations, and one child managed to discover it? 'hehe, I'm getting rusty.' "Please Chryssy. If you want something, you can tell me." He let out an affectionate smile, even though he kept those cold eyes. "I don't know about you, but I like to keep my promises." She just kept silent, her surprise no longer able to be contained on her face. But surprise of her fading as quickly as it came. "I... You're right Grovy... I did want something from you...." He turned his head to the side in curiosity in an adorable way as she approached him. "Your love." "My love?" He raised an eyebrow at that. "Yes, your love. It was one of the best I've tasted in a long time. So sweet, so familiar.... So... Tasty...." She described as she took his claws in hers and squeezed. He looked at that action and then returned his eyes to hers. "Please... Give me more..." "Sure, no problem." She blinked a few times in surprise, again. "Just like that? You aren't gonna ask why i am asking for it or how-" "Chryssy-" He cut her off again. This time with an expression of annoyance. "I'm sleepy, do you want my love or not?" She looked at him in surprise as he lifted his head and closed his eyes in anticipation. He hadn't even hesitated to give her his love. 'If all ponies were like this... How many problems would have been solved already.' She thought with a sigh. Her body would be overpowered by an explosion of green fire. Gone was the beautiful and slender Griffon, now she stood in front of Grover was the queen of the changelings in her true form, the pony-like creature with a twisted unicorn horn, a pair of tattered insectoid wings, and stands as tall as the biggest diamond empire dogs. If the little emperor was small before, now he was a dwarf in comparison. In addition, she has a sharp pair of fangs and dark green eyes with elongated oval pupils with teal mane and tail, blue-green chitinous plating over her midsection. Lowering her head, she pressed her horn to Grover's chest. Upon contact, his entire body would glow in a strong pink aura, which shone like a huge lantern. 'So much love, all mine!' She thought with a maniacal smile. Then with a hickey, all that aura would be sucked into her mouth and would eat up all the love with enormous satisfaction. By sucking all the boy's aura, she would belch and put a hoof in her mouth in shame. She was absolutely bloated, even with her reserves being monumental compared to any regular drone, she was full. How can such a small child carry so much love? Grover then practically collapsed on the bed, Chrysalis having to hold the boy up so he wouldn't hit his head on the edge. Putting him on the bed slowly and pulling the covers over him. 'This boy... He gave me enough love to support me for the next 5 months... That shouldn't be possible...' She looked at the little griffon who was passed out in a deep sleep. 'And he gave without questioning, without worrying or hesitating.. He trusted me...' This was rare, racism against Changelings was prevalent even in Griffonia due to their completely alien nature and way of feeding. Taking someone's love was like ripping a limb from the person, taking something invisible but absolutely vital to every living being. Forcing them to adapt to a way of life of deception and constant betrayals, bringing even more prejudice and fear. Even so, even though he was constantly manipulated and lied to.... He still gave her love.... "Why…? What made you give something so important for so little?" "This is something an abomination like you doesn't deserve and never will." A voice interfered with her thoughts. "Friendship." She looked at the door in surprise at the new voice and came across someone she hadn't expected to cross paths with. "Emperor Grover." The Changeling Queen exclaimed in a low but still curious tone. "I didn't expect you here...." "Did you expect me to leave my son alone with a parasite like you? Fat chance." He growled at the queen who only raised an eyebrow at the insults. He slowly walked towards the bed, while she started to walk towards the door. All the way, none taking their eyes off each other. They started walking in a circle, one following the other but never getting too close. "I have no malicious intentions with your son, I assure you." She tried to use diplomacy, her face betraying her words as she showed a smirk with her fangs. "Cut your empty words, they won't work for me." He rejected her attempt with contempt, making her just roll her eyes. "I saw what you did to my son, do you think you'll get away with stealing one of the most valuable things I have?" She raised an eyebrow, her smile changing to a mocking "Stealing? Honey, that was a gift from me." Their dance had stopped, with one facing each other now with a tiny distance separating them. None accepting back down. "And he'll give me more...." "More? I've seen how much you've taken from him and I know the consequences of those your love is sucked out of." He looked at his son with concern, returning to Chrysalis in hatred. "You and your kind are not going to take the only valuable thing I have in this empire" "Please the few who suffer side effects-" "I. Don't. Care." He cut in with a tone of finality. "You will turn around now to leave this room, and you will never set foot in this palace again." Grover was giving no room for argument or explanation by the queen. He didn't care about her reasons or her species plight, he saw only a threat to his son. And threats were eliminated without mercy. The Emperor had watched them since the beginning of the party, Chrysalis never acted like that. The Queen of Changelings was imposing, she was cold and intolerant. Any mistakes, no matter how small in her presence or failure to properly address her, were punished brutally. But there she was, accepting a nickname his son had given her, something she would consider one of the greatest forms of desecration. It was there that he knew immediately that she was somehow interested in his son, whether romantic or materialistic. The father didn't know which of the two would worry him more. But now he had the answer he'd suspected. And he stood between her and his son. "I see you won't listen anyway. But I'm patient, and I'll be back in no time." She gave the emperor a toothy grin, indirectly defying him. He narrowed his eyes at her in return, grinding his beak in hatred. "Do you really think I'll allow it?" She just widened her smile in response. "Not when you're in your grave." She cackled as she saw the shock on the Emperor's face, realizing in the words finally sunk in the Emperor. "You don't have much more time little birdie." She was turning on him, and he inadvertently began to sweat with tension, feeling himself now prey to a gigantic monster that surrounded him, his expectant eyes gleaming in the darkness of the room. "I noticed it, your son too. Even now you struggle to stay still without shaking, I notice that you feel pain and discomfort constantly." Her snake tongue danced before his sneering face. "Poor little bird that can't fly, what do you have? Two? Three more years?" "More than enough." He tried to keep a tough face, but that only caused more debauched laughter. "Poor thing! No time left, while I... I have all the time in the world." He tried to ignore her taunts, but she wasn't wrong. He was dying, no good lie he or the doctors came could hide that fact. "And when you die, your poor little son will be alone..." She circled Grover who had his eyes fixed on the floor. "Everyone close to him, Eros, Gabriela and Gerlach. They'll be too busy killing each other for power. Backstabbing, bribbing and exterminating everyone for the regency and not paying attention to the most important thing." She stopped behind Grover, maintaining her snake-like smile. "How deep will he go down, I wonder?" His claws dug into the wooden floor, unable to contain his anger. "Maybe he'll run to me, his dear friend Chryssy~" Grover snapped. Consequences be damned, alliances be damned. In total fury, he threw himself at the Changeling Queen, who only had time to widen her eyes in complete surprise. Being thrown at the wall and pinned by the furious Emperor's arm letting out a yelp of pain as she hit her back against the wall. "Nhaaa.... Y-you are pretty straightfoward~" She ran her serpentine tongue across her mouth seductively at the furious griffon, who only reciprocated by pressing harder. He hated it, this feeling of weakness and hopelessness, knowing the future he awaited for his son and not being able to do anything about it. Seeing this hideous creature taking advantage of the situation to turn his son into a mere puppet. That mere action had nearly knocked him unconscious from the monumental effort from his weak and decaying body of slamming the creature into the wall, but he fought to stand his ground in the face of this predator. For showing weakness meant giving her more ammunition and determination to touch his most precious possession. But the tranquility on her face made him furious. All of this was a game to her. And even trapped in the wall, she still felt in control of the situation. She didn't feel threatened. "Hehe, you really care about the little one huh?" He did not answer. Just silently staring at her. Letting out a long breath he released her from the wall, pulling his claws out and turning and walking towards his son's bed. Ignoring the huge smile that Chrysalis was shooting him the entire time. "What's the problem big guy? Threw me against the wall and didn't even have the courage to kiss me?~" He just let out a frustrated sigh as he stroked his son's head feathers affectionately. "Get out." She left while cackling evilly, already content after playing with the Emperor's feelings who was too physically and mentally exhausted to care. 'So many problems.... My empress... My love... What do I do...?' He thought in frustration, his claws gripping his son's blanket. 'My child in danger... Being used...' Tears of hate threatened to run down his face. 'And i not being able to do ANYTHING ABOUT IT!' 'Why??? How can i be such a bad father?' He thought in absolute hatred, not for the nobles who tried to take advantage. Not from the Changeling Queen. But of himself. Of how much his son deserved better, how much he neglected the little boy just to pass one useless legislation after another. To please one ambitious and greedy noble after another. 'Why am I so useless to even get around with this pathetic body of mine??' Grover hated himself. He hated not being able to work properly, to having to walk with help, to not being able to play with his son. 'Why... I'm so... Weak...?' He buried his face between the blankets of his son, who was sleeping peacefully beside him. Anger turned to hate, and from hate to sadness all in the span of 50 seconds. His tears could no longer be contained and ran down his feathers like a waterfall and staining the entire blanket. 'What do I do?? What do I do??' The Father thought in utter despair, being lost and absolutely hopeless. Feeling he doomed his son to a lone future threatened by enemies all around him.