//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Interview with the Changeling // by Fimbulvinter //------------------------------// Interview with the Changeling By: Fimbulvinter Chapter 2 “Changeling, CHANGELING”. Cadance yelled out backing away from the black insectoid in front of her. Within 20 seconds, every royal guard in the wing of the palace had entered the banquet hall and surrounded Drone, spears and swords ready. For his part, Drone simply shrank down to the floor, trying to look as non-threatening as possible. “Guards, arrest the changeling, they have captured my Shining, and we have to mount a rescue at once”. Cadance was getting more and more upset with every passing moment. The guards moved in slowly and hauled Drone to his hooves. He did not resist. “Cadance, calm down, I can explain everything” Celestia said, putting on her most reassuring tone of voice. “Shining Armour is fine, nothing has been done to him. This changeling is here at my permission. Neither Cadance nor the guards seemed to hear Celestia, the former not stopping in her panic attack, the latter continuing to drag Drone off to the palace dungeons. “This calls for drastic measures, a pity, I rather liked those glass panels” thought Celestia, readying her voice for something she had not undertaken for many, many years. “GUARDS, YOU WILL RELEASE THE PRISONER AT ONCE”. Celestia boomed out in the all consuming Royal Canterlot Voice. Several of the stained glass panels mounted to the windows shattered. All the royal guards except Lethe stopped what they were doing and bowed down to Celestia. Lethe simply fell to the floor, hooves clutching her highly sensitive ears, writhing around in auditory agony, wings flapping spasmodically. Noticing this, Celestia dialled back the volume significantly but retained the potence behind her words. “I SAID, RELEASE THE PRISONER”. Two of the guards stood and brought Drone over to where Celestia and Cadance were standing. Use of the Royal Canterlot Voice had also managed to grab Cadance’s attention, and she now looked at Celestia expectant of an explanation. “Cadance, Shining Armour is fine, knowing him, he will appear here any second to find out what was the cause of my outburst. This changeling – Drone, is here at my request and is providing information on why they attempted to invade in exchange for ponytarian aid. The hive is on the brink of total collapse, and needs our help or all the changelings in it will perish, even those that did not take part in the invasion”. Celestia stopped her explanation as a purple burst of magic appeared in one corner of the banquet room. Shining Armour phased into existence, resplendent in his officers armour and helmet. “What is going on here?” he called out, noticing first his wife and Celestia, second the fallen figure of Lethe on the floor, now slowly returning to her hooves, a thin trickle of blood falling from one nostril, and finally the form of Drone, standing in the middle of all this. “You two” Shining said, pointing to two guards at random “Get her to the infirmary and inform Princess Luna”. The two guards picked up Lethe and carried her off towards the place infirmary. “And now changeling, what are you doing with my wife?” Shining charged up the shield spell that had been keeping Canterlot safe throughout the royal wedding. Against one single changeling drone it would be devastating. His charging of the spell was interrupted by Cadance running over and hugging him. “Oh Shining, I through that you had been replaced by that drone, I was so worried about you”. Shining looked into the eyes of his wife. She was clearly scared. “Honey, I’m fine, I would never let anything happen to you, and that includes me being kidnapped by some slimy bugs”. Turning to the elder sun goddess he spoke up again “so what is going on here, what is that thing doing here”. Having comforted his wife, Shining had reverted to captain of the guard mode, and that mode included a hatred for anything changeling. Celestia looked at him and turned to Drone and the two journalists who had been standing off to one side throughout the entire event. Hard hitter would likely be very fair in his coverage of this event, but Daily scoop, Celestia could almost hear the wheels turning in his head, re-writing the encounter as something far more shocking. “Celestia harbours changeling terrorist, over-powers her own guards to set it free” or something like that Celestia thought. She would have to get the chancellor to arrange that royal clearance be given for his articles on this. “I think that refreshments can wait for a little while, don’t you? Let us return to the meeting room. Cadance, Shining Armour, Join us”. Drone, Cadance, Shining Armour and the two journalists followed Celestia back into the meeting room, Phalanx and a new guard covering the rear, resuming their places at the entrance. “Everyone sit” Celestia indicated the cushions arrayed around the room and Drone took his one in the middle again. Celestia noticed that Cadance took the cushion farthest away from Drone, she clearly did not want to be there, but also did not want to upset or offend her aunt. Celestia provided a brief recap of the events thus far transpired for the newcomers “This is Drone, a changeling from Chrysalis’s hive. He has come here with a request and an offer for us. He has been explaining the reasoning behind why his hive tried to invade Canterlot last year, and thus far I believe what he has said. I want both of you to listen to what he has to say with an open mind. This is our first chance to learn about the changelings, and your experiences may help to provide some clues or clarification. Drone, you may continue with your tale”. Drone nodded. “I think I have covered the reasoning for the invasion fairly extensively now, so I would like to answer any new questions you have, and also get a response on my queens request before getting on to the topic of changeling physiology. As I recall, both of these journalists had questions I said would be answered later”. Hard hitter and Daily scoop both nodded. Hard hitter went first. “My question was about why invade if all you need is to be around happy ponies”. “That was it” Drone said “I think I have covered the invade part of that question already, as for the happy ponies part, how is it that think that a changeling normally feeds on emotion?” Hard hitter stopped for a moment. “I guess that you would take those fangs of yours and bite down on your victim, draining out joy and love like a vampony does in the stories”. Drone laughed “Nothing could be farther from the truth. As I mentioned before, the pony that we would feed from is not harmed in any way. Think of us more as an emotional sponge, we absorb any positive emotions that are strong enough for us. The fangs you see are simply an evolutionary remanent, serving no major purpose but also not hindering us in any way. If we need them gone, we can shape-shift them away. This is also relevant to your question, wasn’t it Daily Scoop?” Daily scoop nodded “yes, you said that nothing in my question was correct and that you would explain why”. “Indeed I did. As I have been explaining, Changelings are empathic, we can feel emotions from others. When we need to feed, we simply have to be around ponies who feel love or joy and bask in that feeling. Love that is aimed directly at us is the most potent, which is why we disguise ourselves so that we can elicit that response. Like the sponge analogy earlier, we will start to absorb love from the target until either we are full, or we reach a point at which we have more love in us than they do. If that happens, we instinctively return some of the love to them until balance is reached. If that happens, the target usually feels like they have had a bad day, but nothing worse happens to them, nothing a good night of sleep or a tasty meal would not fix”. “Then what about Chrysalis, she drained me almost to the point of death” Shining Armour called out, clearly still visibly angry at a changeling was there at all. “Queen Chrysalis is not a mere drone. She is a leader comparable with your Princesses in terms of stature and power. Her will is able to dominate that of lesser ponies” Shining Armour bristled at that description of him but said nothing. “And as I said to your Princess earlier, your love for Cadance was some of the strongest we had ever encountered. My queen could not control herself and kept draining you of your sweet tasty love, I can smell it now, radiating off of you, returned two-fold back to you by your wife”. Drone started to salivate as he described the feast of love floating around the room with him. Unknown to everyone else in the room, he opened himself up and started to drink deeply from the wellspring of love that the husband and wife represented to him. If Celestia refused to help, it was his duty to bring back as much love to share with the hive as he possibly could. That he was still starving from earlier didn’t hurt either. “I have been thinking about your earlier request Drone, about how you would like some volunteers to help feed the colony. As a sign of good will, and as an apology for the incident out in the banquet room, I am willing to grant your request on the condition that Chrysalis herself guarantees the safety of my delegation”. “Very well, I will commune with my queen and show you something of the changeling shape-shifting magic’s in the process”. Drone stood and very slowly charged his horn, chittering away seemingly to himself all the while. A wave of fire washed over him, enveloping his body. When it faded, there stood Queen Chrysalis, ruler of the changelings. Or at least what she would look like if she was the size of a normal drone. “Celestia” Chrysalis spoke, contempt dripping from her voice. Even at only half size, everypony could see that she was looking thin and gaunt. Hungry summed up her appearance perfectly. “Chrysalis, how are you here. Where is Drone?” Celestia had risen to her hooves and moved to cover the other ponies present. “I am not really there. The drone I sent to you is still there, he is simply assuming a scaled down version of my form and allowing me to speak through him to facilitate this deal. He has told me that you want assurances that any ponies you send will not be harmed by me or my drones”. Chrysalis looked almost bored by this, but Shining Armour thought he could see a glittering of malice behind the expression. “Yes I promise that no one will be harmed, yes I promise that they will be returned safely, yes they will be treated with respect as living creatures, not as mere food. Is that what you want to hear?” Chrysalis lazily waved a leg around as she said this. “Very well Chrysalis, I will ask for a small group of volunteers willing to provide sustenance to some of your drones, I understand that they can then share it with others as needed”. “I see my drone has been explaining this to you in detail. As he would have said by now, he is here at my command and I am willing to allow him to describe and demonstrate our natural shape-shifting powers in exchange for food. However, I want them to go as well”. Chrysalis pointed a hole-filled hoof directly at Cadance and Shining Armour. “Why them?” Celestia asked “they have already suffered greatly at your hooves. What can they give you that another pony cannot?” “Surely my drone has already explained this to you. Theirs is the most powerful love we have ever encountered. Feeding on it would be like a dragon finding a chest filled with perfectly aged fire rubies, or you Celestia having a room filled with nothing but the finest of cakes” Celestia blushed slightly at the mention of her greatest weakness – cake. Sponge, cream-filled, topped with the finest of chocolates or strawberry jams, it did not matter. Cake was everything that Celestia secretly desired but knew that she could never have enough of. Not like that vile drink: Tea. Endless varieties served at every meal and royal function, there was even a pot sitting in the corner right now, mocking her with its aroma, there was no escape from the drink anywhere. Celestia forced her mind off of cakes and tea and back to the meeting. “You know that I cannot force them to go, this would have to be their choice”. Celestia looked over to the pair who after a brief whispered conversation nodded their heads. “We will go with the group” Cadance stated. “Both as gesture of goodwill towards those innocent in all of this, but also to protect our little ponies should you betray us. Shining’s protection spell is even stronger than before now”. Chrysalis cringed at the mention of the spell. “You will not have to worry. My hive is not strong enough to undertake such an action again. That is the reason I have contacted you in the first place”. Turning back to Celestia, Chrysalis looked directly into her eyes “it is imperative that the group be sent, along with my drone as soon as possible. Many of my remaining drones have only days left at the most. The drone I have sent to you knows where to find us”. “They will depart at first light tomorrow”. Chrysalis nodded to Celestia rather than surround herself with fire, Chrysalis’s body seemed to shrink and morph before everyponies assembled eyes. Moments later Drone stood woozily in the middle of the room, sitting down hard on the cushions. “Did all go well with my Queen?” “Yes, do you not remember any of it?” Celestia asked Drone. “No, I told you that queen Chrysalis can dominate the will of others, I do not remember any of what I said while in her form”. “Well we have reached an agreement, and a delegation will set off with a group of royal guards first thing tomorrow morning. She mentioned that you were to go with them as you know the way”. “Indeed she would. Yes I do know where my hive is currently waiting desperately for food. It is about two days trek to the east of Canterlot. But I suppose that this means you now only have the remainder of today and this night to question me”. Celestia nodded “You are right Drone, but before that we need to assemble a party to move out at dawn”. “We volunteer” Both Hard Hitter and Daily Scoop called out at once. “A Chance to see a hive up close, no pony has ever had the opportunity before” Hard Hitter stated “It would be the scoop of a lifetime, no pony would hire me again if I turned this down” Daily Scoop looked very eager No doubt contemplating just how many bits he is going to charge for an exclusive on this story Celestia thought. “Very well, that makes 4 ponies plus guards so far. Phalanx…”. Over at the door Phalanx stood even further at attention. “Yes your Highness?” “I want you to convene the nobles, tell them that I am organising a diplomatic mission to the changeling hives to leave upon the morning and am looking for volunteers. Tell them that any who volunteer will have the honour of a private dinner with me and Luna”. Phalanx saluted and move off, replaced almost at once by another guard. ”An entire night listening to those suck-ups talking about how huge an honour it is that I have graced them with this meeting. Chrysalis, if you survive you owe me for this…” End Chapter 2 A/N I lied. I know I said only one more chapter after this, but the story has expanded in my head to the point where it is going to need at least 2 more chapters to finish being told, one for the remainder of this day and night, in which Celestia will finish her interview with Drone and Phalanx will deal with the nobles, and a fourth chapter which deals with the actual trip itself. As before constructive comments appreciated. Call out grammatical mistakes to your hearts content. Hope you enjoyed parts of this story so far. As before constructive comments appreciated. Call out grammatical mistakes to your hearts content. Hope you enjoyed parts of this story so far.