//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Stories // Story: Princess Celestia: The Changeling Queen // by vren55 //------------------------------// Chapter 6: Stories In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future. -- Alex Haley When Twilight, Luna and Alternia awoke from their respective trances, they were confronted with full-fledged chaos.  Philomena was launching a fiery assault against Shining Armour and Cadance who were cowering behind a protective shield.  In return, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were chasing the phoenix madly.  The former was attempting to calm Philomena down and the latter was trying to corner the bird.  Both were having limited success; Fluttershy was too slow and the dungeon’s confines restricted Rainbow’s legendary speed.  Rarity was in hot pursuit of a madly-galloping Blueblood.  Pinkie Pie was sitting on a chair and happily munching on popcorn, while Applejack and Spike stood protectively beside Twilight and Luna.  Nobody had noticed that the changeling, alicorn and unicorn had regained consciousness, and the three were too shocked by the absurdity of the situation to speak. “Come back you incompetent excuse for a prince!  Are you afraid to face me?” shrieked Rarity, throwing the dungeon’s only chair at Blueblood.   The piece of furniture narrowly missed Blueblood, causing him to scream like a filly, “Very afraid!” “In Celest... I mean, in my na... Oh horseapples.  Just what the hay is going on here?” demanded Alternia, punctuating her announcement with a stomp of her hooves.  As everypony stopped and stared at Alternia, Blueblood took his opportunity to prostrate himself at Alternia’s hooves.  Philomena followed shortly afterward, alighting on the Changeling’s shoulder.   “Auntie!  Are you alright?  Philomena just led me here, but then I was attacked by the Element of Generosity and then...” Alternia’s eyes widened with surprise, before she held up her hoof, “Wait, nephew.  Why did you call me ‘Auntie’?” asked the Changeling warily. “Because you are my auntie... Aren’t you?” inquired the prince. Alternia’s eyes narrowed in confusion, “How do you know I am your aunt?  How did you know I was a Changeling?” Blueblood paused and gulped, “Um Auntie Celestia... I may have known you were a Changeling for some time...” The silence was broken by a foundation-shaking chorus of “What!”  Blueblood was bowled head over heels into the wall.  Immediately, Cadance rushed to his side to help her dazed cousin up. “Blue, how and when did you find out?  Why didn’t you tell anypony?” asked Cadance. “The fire fifteen years ago,” explained Blueblood.  Alternia’s ears straightened and her eyes widened, her memories brought back to the day as Blueblood told his tale. Canterlot... Fire blazed through the sweetshop.  Crackling flames jumped across the wooden floorboards, up the countertops, surrounding the bowls of sweets.  Glass jars and cupboards were shattered, warped and whipped by the roaring flames.  Chocolates and caramels melted in their wrappers and indomitable gobstoppers cracked.  All of them became victim to the blaze. A small white colt, only a child at the time, backed away from the conflagration that had blocked him from the exit to the building.  Hastily, he ran out of the shop floor and up the stairs, slamming the door behind him to lock out the flames. But Blueblood couldn’t block out the smell, or the smoke, the nauseous, cloying sting that burned his throat and brought his memory back to that terrible day; when he lost his parents and his home. The pony trembled as he saw the tongues of flames dancing beneath the doorframe, the yellow glow of the fire peeking out.  Why did this have to happen to him?  Why did fire hate him so much?  He had gone to use the colt’s room and then this? As the flames enveloped the door, the colt scuttled away to the window, opening it, hoping that somebody could see him. “Help!  Somepony help! Please!” yelled Blueblood.  But his voice was lost in the din.  The whole block was ablaze.  Old wooden structures, not renovated for years, cackled and snapped as the fire ravaged them.  Fireponies worked desperately, carrying water, hoses, and ponies.  Nopony noticed the young colt screaming for help. Blueblood was forced to stop yelling when a sheet of flame closed his window.  His eyes wet with tears and his lungs choked with smoke.  The colt struggled away from the orange and red blur, which was all he could see.  He felt his legs collapse, the choking scent of the smoke overpowering his senses. “Nephew!” screamed a voice.  Blueblood’s eyes opened wearily and then widened as the door was smashed open. A white alicorn stood in the doorway. Her regalia charred, her fur and feathers set aflame, but she didn’t notice it as she trotted toward the colt.  Blueblood’s eyes widened and he backed away.  As the tongues of fire burned away the alicorn’s fur and feathers, he could see hardened carapace, a long jagged horn and transparent wings. “Blueblood, it’s alright.  I’m here.”  The figure smiled comfortingly.  Blueblood’s ears straightened as he heard the beloved voice of his aunt from that creature.  Was it some apparition here to take him to Tartarus in the guise of his aunt?  The colt squirmed and shut his eyes. “Auntie, save me!” screamed Blueblood. “Of course my little prince,” said Celestia’s voice.  Blueblood winced as he felt the cold carapace against his skin, but the voice was still the same.  It was comforting, soothing his wounds and calming his spirit.  He knew it was his aunt.  He was safe. Dungeon... “After Auntie Celestia rescued me, I stayed close to her for several months, not because I was scared, but because I wanted to make sure it was her.  When I became older, I conducted my own research into Changelings, with rather limited success.  The research did help me acknowledge the possibility of her being a Changeling and prove to myself that I hadn’t been hallucinating.  And a few days ago, I saw her drop her disguise when she was alone,” explained Blueblood.  The others sat in silence, processing what Blueblood, a fellow pony, was telling them. “Wait, Princess, why didn’t you notice your disguise dropping?” asked Twilight. Alternia rubbed her head with her hoof, her eyes averted in embarrassment.  “Changelings are naturally resistant to heat.  I must have been so focused on rescuing Blueblood that I didn’t notice my disguise getting disrupted.” “So how did you get down here?” asked Rainbow Dash. Blueblood gestured to Philomena, “Auntie’s phoenix, she dragged me down here.”  As if to confirm the prince’s statement, the phoenix cawed loudly and rubbed her head against the Changeling’s neck as if it were second nature.  Alternia was staring at her pet, eyelids blinking rapidly in order to subdue her tears. “Philomena, you knew all this time?” whispered the Changeling.  The Phoenix nodded and went back to nuzzling her owner who closed her eyes and quietly returned the gesture.  The others watched this scene with uncomprehending eyes, amazed and finally realizing what had been revealed to Twilight and Luna. “Wait a wha?  So what Alternia was sayin’ was true?  The Princess is a Changeling?” gasped Applejack.  Twilight and Luna nodded, not willing to disclose any more of Alternia’s mind. “We also agreed that I would explain the circumstances of how I became ruler of Equestria,” said Alternia wearily.  The Changeling then paused for a moment, and with a flash of her horn, she took on the guise of Princess Celestia once more.  “But first, let us find a more comfortable place to sit.  This will be a very long tale.” Celestia’s Chamber... As the group returned to the Royal Chambers, they ran into many eager well-wishers and servants.  Every time, Alternia took some time to reassure them of her well-being.  All the while, Blueblood kept as far as he could from Rarity and Spike, who were both glaring daggers at him.  It was a great relief when the party entered the Royal Chambers.  To provide for seating, Alternia arranged a set of pillows in a circle around herself.  After settling themselves quickly, the Changeling herself took a seat and dropped her disguise. “Now, where to start my tale?” Alternia pursed her lips, her brow furrowed in concentration. “The very beginning?” suggested Twilight.  To everybody’s amusement, the unicorn had produced a stack of paper and a quill.  “Um... Princess, may I take notes?” asked Twilight, chuckling sheepishly. Alternia giggled into her hoof.  “You may, my faithful student.  But I must remind you that this tale should not become common knowledge.  Alright... where was I?  I was born first daughter of the alicorn Faust and...”  Alternia paused as Luna’s jaw dropped.  The Changeling then blinked as if she had realized something. “Oh, forgive me, Luna, that is Celestia’s beginning,” muttered Alternia.  The night princess was not about to let this slip past. “How do you know my mother’s name?  Explain Changeling!” ordered Luna.  The Changeling returned the princess’s furious glare with a cold, regal gaze. “I will explain Princess Luna, but I will have to go back to my very beginning.”  Alternia took a breath, shut her eyes in concentration and then opened them again, new determination shining in them. “I was born in a Changeling Hive, close to the border of the Everfree Forest.  My mother was Queen Chamelia, a fully ascended Changeling Queen. That is to say, she had her own swarm of Changelings and had matured in her powers. My sire was a Changeling Chevalier, known as Facere.  Together they gave birth to four Changeling Queens.  One of them was my older sister, Queen Chrysalis.”  There was a gasp from Blueblood, and Twilight took the opportunity to ask a question that had been bugging her. “So Changeling Queens do not give birth to the drones?” asked Twilight. Alternia found herself confronted by a rather sickening image of her older sister, with a massively swollen belly. “Nononono!  I would not wish that even on my sister!  To answer your question Twilight, Changelings can form their own relationships and produce offspring. A Queen chooses her mate after very careful consideration and she is the only one who can give birth to female Queens. There are no male "queens." The queen can also give birth to the different classes of drones, but these offpsring tend to be either stronger, more intelligent, or more magically powerful than other drones. But back to my foalhood, these were my three sisters.”  Alternia paused and her horn glowed and surprised the others when she lit a green fire in the centre of their circle.  The fire did not burn the floor, though it did give heat and threw long shadows all over the chamber.  As the fire crackled and flickered, it shifted and ghostly images began to appear.  They formed the four figures of four young Changeling Queens. Alternia pointed to the tallest one.  She wore a stern expression, with the ends of her mouth slightly upturned in a smirk. “Chrysalis, or Chryssy, as she was known then, was my older sister.  I could match her in shape-shifting and was easily the better actress.  However, her battle magic was much more powerful than mine and she was far more cunning.  Yet, even then, she tended to underestimate her opponents,” explained Alternia.  The Queen’s hoof then moved to the third tallest Changeling Queen.  She wore a wry grin and looked similar to Chrysalis, though she had softer features. “Simulacris was my younger sister.  She was the best shape-shifter and actress I have ever met.  I could never be truly sure of what she was thinking; it was as if she always wore a mask. Although, I was never really as close with her as I would have liked, we did value each other.  I admired her impersonation skills and she respected my leadership ability,” continued Alternia.  The Queen then pointed to the shortest and seemingly youngest of the four.  This Queen was stocky instead of slender and had a relaxed, fighter’s stance. “My youngest sister, Belladonna.  She was a better fighter than me, though she had less control over her emotions than I did and wasn’t so good at shape-shifting.”  Alternia’s eyes softened as she gazed at the image fondly.  “She was my best friend.  I would have done anything for her and she would have done anything for me.”  With a sigh, Alternia pointed to the last of the figures and the second tallest Changeling.  This one’s form was the most slender and graceful of the four, and had a familiar, cheeky smile on her face. “That was me.  I was probably the best at leading and was fairly good at acting, shape-shifting and combat magic.  My weakness was that I was not as cunning or as decisive as my sisters.  When I was younger, I was more of a prankster than deceiver.  I liked finding loopholes in the rules, but I would never outright try to break or subvert them.  I often held back before making important decisions and while I liked to prank, tease or be a general nuisance to my sisters and mother, I would never break a promise that I had made.”  Alternia let her hoof drop to the ground as she and the ponies examined the images in the flickering flames. “At the time, my sisters and I were quite close, but we were always competing against each other for mother’s favor, especially during training...” Hive close to the Everfree Forest... A Changeling Queen crept through the Everfree forest.  Her ears were standing high and directed sideways as she combed the still air for sounds.  Quietly, she slipped behind a tree, her eyes glancing left and right, searching the endless expanse of trees. From above, a blast of green fire descended upon the Changeling Queen, enveloping her in flames and driving her out of sight.  A cackle sounded through the forest, while one of the ‘tree’s larger branches burst into green light, fading away to reveal another Queen, a triumphant, fanged smile gracing her features. “Belladonna, that was pathetic.  You thought that I wouldn’t be able to find you?” snorted Chrysalis.  The Queen landed lightly on the ground, expecting to find her defeated sibling.  Instead she was met with nothing but charred branches and incinerated grass. Chrysalis was barely able to react when she was herself slammed from behind by two simultaneous beams of green magic.  The Queen was tossed head over heels and slammed into a tree so hard she was embedded into the trunk. Groaning, the Queen opened her eyes to be faced with the inverted forms of her two younger siblings. “I told you my plan would work Belladonna,” said Alternia smugly. “You could have made that portal a little sooner, sister!” protested Belladonna, her wings and carapace slightly burnt. “At least I made one for you.  Are you alright, Chrysalis?” asked Alternia politely, although the snicker at the edge of her smile gave away her joy.  Chrysalis responded with a snarl and then a sigh. “Please tell me you got Simulacris first?” pleaded Chrysalis.  The two younger sisters shook their heads together, grins on their faces. “Sorry, we couldn’t find her.  I won’t be surprised if she transformed into a squirrel this time,” said Belladonna wryly. Just then, a squirrel launched itself at Alternia and Belladonna, from behind, its disguise ripping away to reveal another Changeling Queen, grinning with anticipation.  Chrysalis had to resist the temptation to sneer, while Simulacris lunged forward. To Chrysalis’s horror, Alternia and Belladonna side-stepped the new Queen’s charge and also gave her a small push.  Chrysalis let out a scream of fury and then was silenced by her sister Simulacris crashing into her. “Your eyes betrayed her, Chrysalis!” said Alternia in a sing-song voice.  Simulacris merely let out a moan, while Chrysalis could say nothing.   Her mouth was full of Simulacris’s mane.  Alternia and Belladonna grinned and high-hoofed each other. Right after that, Belladonna’s horn glowed, as she conjured a massive green fireball.  Alternia quickly opened a portal and vanished out of sight.  Belladonna immediately spun around and fired a scorching beam of magic, just as Alternia appeared behind her.  The older Queen just managed to conjure a ray of her own, before Belladonna’s beam smacked into her and carried Alternia into the sky.  Hastily, Belladonna raised a shield of flames, but it was too late, and she was bowled head over hooves into the swamp behind her. “Sister, are you alright?” called Belladonna, brushing mud from her mane.  She was met with silence and for a moment, Belladonna’s heart clenched, worried she had used too much force. That was when a tall, regal Changeling Queen with a large crown shaped antenna on her head, alighted in the middle of the clearing.  She was taller than any alicorn, her mane and tail were of dark turquoise-green and her armour polished and smoky black.  On her back were two majestic insect wings, and a bedraggled Alternia. “You seem to have won this exercise through your battle magic, Belladonna.  Congratulations.  You may return to the hive first,” said the Queen.  Her voice was the definition of regal, with a silky smooth undertone to it.  This was Chamelia, Changeling Queen of the Everfree Hive. “Simulacris, your disguise and acting was impeccable as always.  Your timing has improved as well and you have become more aggressive.”  The younger Changeling smiled for a moment, but Chamelia gave her a stern frown.  “However, aggressiveness does not mean recklessness.  You should have not lunged at Belladonna and Alternia.  Return to the hive.”   Simulacris bowed respectfully and took off, her wings buzzing quickly.  Chamelia now turned to her upside-down daughter embedded in the tree.  Chrysalis smiled sheepishly as Chamelia shook her head. “Chrysalis, your ambush was executed perfectly, and I cannot find any fault in your disguise or combat prowess.”  Chamelia’s horn glowed as she extricated her elder daughter from her predicament and set her down.  “But you failed to account for the possibility Belladonna might again ally herself with Alternia.  You also were not able to mask your feelings during Simulacris’s attack.  If you cannot control your arrogance Chrysalis, it will become your downfall.  You are dismissed.”  Chrysalis nodded and flew away, head drooped. Meanwhile, Chamelia dumped a drowsy-eyed Alternia onto the ground, waking her up and causing her to rise from her stupor.  Alternia wished she hadn’t, noticing the glare in her mother’s eyes. “Alternia, you are an idiot!  While your magical prowess is excellent, you need to practice your combat magic.  Belladonna would crush you if she went all out and portals cannot solve every problem.  Your disguise and impersonation skills are adequate, but Simulacris’s were better.  I admired you using Belladonna as bait, but why didn’t you just leave her for Chrysalis to disable? Your older sister would have done that without a second thought.  Stay here until sundown and think about your mistakes!” ordered Chamelia.  Alternia bit her lip and nodded, turning away, but was stopped by a hoof on her shoulder. “My daughter, please remember.   Only one queen can rule a hive,” said Chamelia.  The older queen then smiled and kissed the younger’s forehead, before she flapped her wings and soared through the trees. Present time... “Sorry for interrupting, your majesty.  But if your sisters couldn’t tell each other apart when disguised, why was your mother able to?” asked Shining Armour.  Alternia looked up from the image of her younger self in the flames and pursed her lips, before answering Shining Armour’s question. “Since mother was an ascended Changeling Queen, linked to her respective swarm by the crown shaped antenna she has on her head.  Because she is linked to her swarm, she can issue orders via a telepathic network and can also tell apart disguised Changelings within her own swarm.  That extends to myself and my sisters.  However, individual Changelings in a swarm cannot communicate with each other, only with the Queen.  If my sister disguised herself, I would not be able to identify her.” “So that’s why you couldn’t tell that Chrysalis was Cadance and why she couldn’t tell you were a Changeling!  And why the Changelings couldn’t tell us apart from them when they transformed,” Twilight gasped. Alternia nodded and then growled with repressed anger, “If I had known about Chrysalis, I would have immediately thrown her out of Canterlot.”  The ponies quivered at the vehemence in the Changeling’s voice. “Then Auntie, how did you know about the possible threat?  I don’t think you have contacts within Chrysalis’s hive,” spoke Blueblood. “That is a wise question nephew, one that will be explained in time.  As I have demonstrated, the childhood of a Queen is basically preparation for her to become the leader of her own swarm.  We were never told how, but we quickly figured it out.  A Queen would first gather the support of as many of the hive’s Changelings as they could.  Then, when the time was right, the Queen would link herself to her supporters, forming her own telepathic network and replacing the old Queen.  During the ritual, the new Queen would develop the crown shaped antenna and become an ascended Changeling Queen.  This was the method that I and my sisters were preparing for.” Entrance at the Everfree Hive... Belladonna stood at the main entrance to the hive, a long hallway to the surface above.  Beside her were about a hundred drones of various sizes.  The young Queen had a crown antenna on her head, a small one,, but a crown nonetheless.  Turning to the hulking Changeling Chevalier beside her, Belladonna nodded and the group set out towards “Belladonna!  I heard what you did!” gasped Alternia, as she burst into the hallway.  The older Changeling Queen was panting hard, her mane slicked with sweat.  Pausing for breath, Alternia glared down at her proudly grinning sister, “I don’t know whether to congratulate you, hit you or hug you!”  Belladonna laughed and embraced the taller Changeling. “Mother told me to tell you that she is proud of you and that you are not welcome for a visit.  You took away some of her most promising Chevaliers,” whispered Alternia.  Belladonna chuckled knowingly before she glanced back toward the hulking chevalier who had been beside her.  At that, Alternia giggled, “Young Carapace would be an excellent choice for a mate.”  That comment, caused the younger Changeling Queen to blush furiously and glare at her sister. “Alternia!” groaned Belladonna. “What?” tittered Alternia, winking knowingly.  The younger Queen sighed and gently eased out of her sister’s embrace. “Sister, thank you for everything.  If you need any help, send the word and I will come immediately,” said Belladonna, her tone serious.  Alternia nodded in acceptance, glad their bond as sisters was still strong. “I will send you a signal should I require your aid.”  The two Changeling Queens embraced each other once more, before the younger one trotted away, her changelings following closely after her.  Alternia waved them goodbye until they vanished from her sight. A few years later... Another Changeling Queen, with the crown antenna on her head, was making her way to the entrance of her hive.  She was accompanied by thirty drones, mostly small workers, with a few larger Chevaliers and Soldiers. “Simulacris, wait.”  The Queen stopped, flaring her wings as she saw her elder sister step in front of her from a side-passage.  Alternia was accompanied by five other Changeling Chevaliers.  The elder Changeling was still uncrowned and wore a concerned expression on her face. “What do you want, Alternia?” demanded Simulacris, hissing wearily. “I want to send my younger sister off.  Can I not do that?” replied the older Queen.  Simulacris glared at Alternia, but then lowered her head and wings. “Mother hates me,” moaned Simulacris dejectedly. “No, she doesn’t,” said Alternia. “Says mommy’s favorite little princess,” retorted Simulacris.  Alternia winced and then sighed. “At least take these five with you,” said the Queen, gesturing to the five Chevaliers beside her.  The three males, two females stepped forward and saluted.  Simulacris frowned and warily examined the Chevaliers before her eyelids snapped open. “What is the meaning of this, Alternia?  These five Chevaliers are from mother’s own Old Guard?  Why would they serve me?” inquired Simulacris. “I ordered them to,” said Alternia.  The five nodded unison, their jaws clicking in affirmation. Simulacris’s blinked and analysed the Chevaliers once more before narrowing her eyes again, this time at Alternia, “You lie.” “I do not!” shot back Alternia. “Your acting is good, but it needs some work sister.  Who ordered them, Alternia?” demanded the younger Queen.  Alternia bit her lip for a moment and then sighed. “I asked mother and she ordered these five to accompany you,” admitted Alternia.  Simulacris’s eyes widened.   “She... why... Dammit, sister!  Why did you waste mother’s favors on me?  Don’t you need these Chevaliers?  Do you not care for the starting of your own hive?” enquired Simulacris. “The loss of five Chevaliers will make no difference when I have one hundred, Simulacris,” replied Alternia.  Simulacris’s jaw dropped a few centimeters, but she quickly composed herself and shook her head. “You do know that mother wants you to take over the hive?” said the younger Queen.  Her older sister grimaced. “I know, but Queens won’t die unless they run out of love or they are killed.  I can’t stay near her any longer, the ‘instinct’ is getting harder to bear.  I should have left a long time ago, but I love her so much,” sighed Alternia.  Simulacris smiled wryly and nuzzled her sister.  Then, after giving a short order to the Changelings under her command, she and her company left. Present... Before any questions could be asked, Alternia answered them. “The ‘warning instinct’, is something all non-ascended Changeling Queens acquire once they reach a certain age and lose when they ascend.  It is an instinct that plays a large role in the succession process.  First of all, it tells the non-ascended Queen a fully ascended Queen is in the area, though it doesn’t tell them where or how close.  It then drives the non-ascended Queen to start her own hive. This is how I knew Chrysalis was close to Canterlot.  The only way to escape the instinct is either to leave the area, start one’s own hive, or seize the opposing Queen’s hive.  But back to my tale, I knew had to leave soon, and two years after Simulacris’s departure, I made my final preparations...” Past, two years after Simulacris’s departure... Alternia trotted slowly down the hallways.  The queen was not wearing her usual, mischievous smile.  The ends of her mouth drooped and her despondent eyes lidded. “What is bothering you my child?”  Alternia spun around, eyes wide and hooves clattering nervously on the floor.  Chamelia stood in front of her.  The Changeling Queen was ever regal, her dark green eyes comforting, yet demanding of respect. Alternia calmed herself and sighed, “I’m just rather sad that I will have to leave you soon.”  Chamelia chuckled and put a hoof on her daughter’s shoulder. “I will miss you Alternia, and the three hundred Changelings that will be accompanying you,” added Chamelia.  Alternia blinked and stared at her mother, who winked in response, and then leant forward to catch Alternia in an embrace. “No matter where you go my child, no matter what you will do, a part of me will always be with you.  Now go with my blessing and with my eternal love,” whispered Chamelia.  Alternia made no attempt to stop her tears, her mother holding her tightly.  Slowly though, as her daughter’s tears dried, Chamelia pushed Alternia away. “Go forth my daughter and fulfill your destiny,” ordered Chamelia.  Alternia nodded and galloped away. Present... “Shortly after I talked with mother, I met with my supporters and prepared to leave.  I was just about to seize control of the telepathic link that connected my supporters to my mother, when... ” Alternia paused and closed her eyes, and she began to take deep calming breaths. “What happened?” asked Spike. The Changeling didn’t answer for a long time.  When her eyes opened, they were wet, filled with uncontrollable grief, overflowing like a spring. “Everything was ruined...”