//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: I guess it could be worse... // by Mekapix //------------------------------// Chrysalis sat in her quarters with Zabrus as there was a knock on the door. “You may enter.” She stated. A small changeling entered the room and gave her a small scroll. As the changeling left, Chrysalis scanned through the document, her eyes seeming to widen with every word until she finished. She gulped audibly and placed the scroll onto a small stone table while shaking slightly. “What's wrong mother?” Zabrus asked. The changeling Queen remained silent but stood up from her chair, turning and walking over towards a small window that showed her her kingdom. “We have trouble Zabrus.” She said. “That scroll was a notice, your father is returning to the hive and he will be here by tomorrow.” She clenched her fists tightly and frowned. “We're not ready, this can only end badly unless we think of something..” “What should we do?” Chrysalis crossed her arms and began to think. “I'm not too sure. For now, I want you to go gather Noctua, Deraeocoris and the two boys. I was fine with believing that we could wait to get them to agree to using their powers for us but we've run out of time.” “Ok then mother.” Zabrus said with a nod before leaving the room. “May Abraxas have mercy on us.” Chrysalis muttered. XXX Deraeocoris had a sultry grin on her face as she shifted towards Sam, his response was to slowly move away from the changeling mare as she began to crawl along the sofa towards him. Every movement she took towards him, Sam would move back until he eventually found the edge of the couch. “Listen Deraeocoris, I think I can tell what you're thinking and it really isn't a good idea.” Sam panicked. “Call me Dera and I know what I'm thinking is a wonderful idea.” She replied with a smirk. “N-No it isn't Dera, there are things you don't understand!” “Then tell me those things now so we can quit the chit-chat.” Sam gulped and could only think of one thing. “L-Listen Dera, me and Josh aren't who you think we are.” Sam began as he slowly ran a hand behind his back. “What do you mean?” She asked as she continued her advance. “Well... Josh and myself aren't jedi... I-I mean, we aren't very powerful jedi. We're probably not as strong as any of you anyway.” Sam said with a gulp. Deraeocoris halted and tilted her head as she looked at the human in confusion. “What you saw were jedi masters. We don't have that much power... in fact, we might not even be able to replenish the power we lost.” He explained with a nervous grin, his hand grasping hold of a loose rock. Deraeocoris leaned back a little and furrowed her brow. “So you two aren't amazing jedi masters?” Sam shook his head. “Yet you said you were.” He nodded “You do realise that lying about it was the stupidest thing you could have done right?” He nodded. Dera put her hand to her chin in thought. Sam thought he had gotten his chance until a pair of hands pinned his shoulders and he felt Dera's lips push themselves on his. “Woah! What the hell are you doing?! Didn't you just hear me?” Sam said as he broke away from the kiss. He received a hand over his mouth to silence him. “Listen here Sammy boy, while it is true that lying was a no-no, do you know what a changeling mare wants in a stallion?” “Errm... Power?” “Balls.” Sam could only blink at the answer. “Big brass balls, a changeling mare loves it when her stallion shows guts, you two openly objected to a plan laid out by our royals. I thought that was brave enough to warrant my interest but now you're telling me that you two objected to a royal plan while you had no way of defending yourselves even if you had your powers? That takes huge balls!” “W-Well it could also be idiocy. The way you put it makes it sounds like the dumbest thing to do.” “Sometimes the dumbest and the bravest things to do are one and the same.” She said with a chuckle. She slowly moved her face closer to his and Sam reached his arm round her, not letting Dera notice the rock in his hand. As she came towards him, Sam gripped the stone tighter and moved the it above her head. Before any kind of contact was made, the doors to the room burst open to reveal a frantic looking Zabrus. Sam blinked and quickly dropped the stone, smiling nervously. “Hey bro, what's up?” Deraeocoris asked as she looked up at him, still straddling the human. “Listen Dera, I can see you'd much rather stay here with our guest but we need to go see mother in the throne room right now!” “Can't you give us... ten minutes?” She asked as she looked down at Sam and then smirked. “Make that twenty.” Sam gulped and felt a chill run down his spine. “Ok Dera, first, know your audience, that's not something I wish to know. Secondly, I said right now and I meant right now!” “What could be that important?” She asked with a shrug. “Father's coming back early...” Deraeocoris jumped off of Sam and ran over to her brother. “No! He can't be coming back early, we're not ready!” “That doesn't matter, we're moving our plans up. Where's Noctua?” He asked quickly. “I got the answer to that...” The three of them looked to the door to see a blushing Josh, he was holding a blanket around himself, a pillow over his crotch and there was a small trickling of blood coming from a graze on his forehead. “What happened to you?” Sam asked. XXX “Now then, tonight I make you mine before anyone else can get you.” Noctua placed her hands on each side of Josh's faced and kissed him forcefully. Josh struggled against the ropes and made sure to keep his mouth firmly shut as the fleshy crowbar also known as Noctua's tongue tried to pry his mouth open. She grunted and pulled away from his face with a small grin. “Feisty I see, I like that....” 'Think Josh, think! There has to be a way out of this.' “It's so nice to see a stallion who keeps control instead of grovelling.” 'That's it!' “Is it that so?” Josh asked. “In that case, get me out of these ropes.” 'Got to play this right... Oh god I hope I'm right.' “Are you giving me an order?” Noctua dead panned. “Did I stutter?” Josh dead panned back. The two just stared at each other in silence, it was only for a few moments but to Josh, it felt like an eternity. 'Please work, please please please work!' Finally, Noctua smirked and her horn glowed green, the same glow appearing around the ropes tied around Josh's arms and legs. “What do you wish me now... Master~?” Noctua cooed. Josh didn't let her see him gulp before he turned his attention back to her. “You expect me to be controlling yet you think you can tie me up? You need to be punished for your insubordination.” “Of course I should be punished, I've been a veeeery naughty changeling.” Josh clenched and unclenched his fists. 'Stay down libido, stay down. Now is not the time for my second brain to get all the blood, the one in my skull needs it more.' Josh quickly grabbed Noctua by her wrists and threw her onto the bed behind him, quickly tying them up much like she had done before. She giggled as he made sure the ropes were tight then rose up, finding his body straddling hers. 'Now for the grand finalè.' Noctua smiled and licked her lips as she was tied up. “Well then, are you ready for your punishment?” Josh asked as he grasped the changeling's horn, causing her to shudder. “I'm ready master.” She replied. Josh put on a seductive grin as he brought his face closer to hers, her face matching his own. She closed her mouth and waited for the deep kiss she was expecting but the contact she got instead sent her into the void of unconsciousness. XXX “You knocked her out with a fucking headbutt?!” Sam questioned very loudly. The group had made their way back to Josh's room, Zabrus was untying his unconscious sister while Dera clasped her hands over her mouth, stifling a laugh. “Actually their skulls are pretty thick which is why I'm bleeding, she wasn't fully out after the first so I knocked her out with three headbutts.” Josh stated matter of factly as he got dressed. “I panicked after that and came to get your help to find out what I should have done next.” “What you should have done is sucked it up and given it to her! She has magic and is royalty, surely you must have realised that assaulting her would come back to bite you in the arse?!” “I had no time for rational thought!” “You never have any rational thoughts!” By this point, Sam had grabbed Josh by his collar and was smacking him in the forehead with an open palm. “Dude, I'm bleeding there!” “I know! I'm slapping the information any normal human should have into the opening so it sticks in your brain, I assume this will work seeing as just telling you would probably achieve nothing!” While the two boys continued their bickering, Zabrus finished untying Noctua and Dera was trying to wake up her sister. “Got to admit, he did a pretty good job of knocking her out.” Dera said. “It was her own fault, she cornered a powerful being and expected no consequence.” Zabrus stated. “And she's supposed to be the brainy one... Zabrus, there's something you should know about our 'powerful' help.” “I know already, me and mother managed to sense their level of magic earlier during dinner.” Dera let out a sigh and looked over to her brother. “What are we going to do? Father is going to be pissed when he comes back and you know what that means...” They both gulped at the thought and rubbed their necks. They both looked to their sister as Noctua began to stir, her eyes slowly fluttered open until they closed once more while she let out a groan and put her hand to her head. “Ow... What happened to me?” She asked as she sat up. “Welcome back sis, looks like our guest got skittish when you came onto him. He knocked you out with a headbutt.” Dera explained. “Three headbutts!” Josh shouted across the room. “Three headbutts then.” Dera huffed. Noctua got to her hooves and looked over to the humans, seeing Sam still smacking Josh in the forehead. “What are they doing?” Noctua asked. “Ignore them for now, we have bigger issues.” Zabrus replied. “We need a family and human meeting straight away, our lives depend on it.” Noctua just blinked at her brother before sighing and getting up. “And put on some clothes for Abraxas' sake, I've seen more of of my sisters' wild sides today to last me several life times.” Noctua and Dera blushed a little before the eldest sister put her clothes back on and they made their way out the door. Josh smiled nervously as Noctua walked beside him. “H-Hey, you're not mad about the whole 'assaulting you until you were unconscious' thing right?” He asked with hope. “Of course not, it was completely understandable, I may have come on too strongly and for that I apologise.” Noctua replied. Josh let out a small sigh of relief. “Besides.” she whispered. “I told you how I feel about dominant males.” Noctua wore a sly smile and flicked her tail to lightly whip Josh's backside, getting a small squeak in response. Sam and Dera walked behind the two and Sam shook his head with a sigh. “Always getting into trouble...” He muttered. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head though when he felt a hand grasp his backside. He turned to see Dera very close to him with a grin, she then moved closer so her mouth was right next to his ear. “Don't think I've forgotten about you, we will get that time alone later~.” She whispered, ending the statement with a small lick on Sam's cheek that sent shivers up his spine. “This can't get any worse.” Sam muttered to Josh, getting a nod out of his friend. XXX “We know you lied to us boys.” Chrysalis stated firmly, she had her arms crossed and was wearing a scowl on her face. She was seated at the head of a long table, her children around her while the two boys sat at the other end of the table. Josh couldn't help but sigh before looking at Sam. “It can't get any worse can it? Well done Sam, why didn't you just say 'I think we lost them' or 'this can't possibly go wrong'?” Sam just shrugged. “I can't help it, sure I tempted fate but she's the one who decided to get on her menstrual cycle and run our arses over.” Josh just face palmed before hissing at the pain he just caused to his still sore forehead, earning a giggle out of Sam. “This is serious!” Chrysalis yelled, shutting the two up. “You lied about using your powers to help us.” “We haven't lied.” Sam said. “We will help, it will just take time to get back to full strength!” “Lies! We know the truth.” Dera gulped and turned to Chrysalis. “Mother, I know it's problematic but we could still pull off the next invasion, we just need a little time.” Chrysalis tilted her head at her daughter. “What are you talking about child? Why would we need time?” “Sam told me before. He told me that they both don't have much power and that they aren't able to use any of their powers, even when they gain back their energy.” Dera explained. Zabrus raised an eyebrow while Chrysalis turned to the boys with a snarl. “More lies?! Come clean right now!” She demanded. Josh and Sam began to sweat a little and gulped simultaneously. “L-Look, we had no choice! You kidnapped us and we had no way of getting back free, agreeing was the only thing we could do!” Josh exclaimed. “That's right, it's not like we wanted to lie, we had no choice given the circumstances!” Sam agreed. “Then now you have no choice! You will help us or you will be killed!” Chrysalis threatened. “That's a little extreme isn't it mother?” Noctua whispered. “I'm not going to kill them, I'm simply going to threaten them until they feel thy have no other choice.” She whispered back. “We can't help you though!” Josh yelled, his voice caught a little at the threat. “How can we help you when you've already seen we have no powers at all?!” Chrysalis raised a brow and frowned. “Enough of your lies, we already told you we know the truth.” She replied. “But it is the truth!” Sam retorted. “What you saw in our home wasn't a documentary, it was a fictional film.” “A film?” Zabrus asked. “Yes, a film. It's like a book but you watch it as if it was actually happening. It was a fictional film called Star Wars, you just assumed it was real and took us in!” Josh fought back. “Mother...” Zabrus said. “I think they are telling the truth, they're not showing any signs of lying.” Chrysalis nodded but still frowned. “This makes no sense...” The Queen muttered to herself. “If what you say is true then why is it that me and my son can sense great magical energy inside you both?” Now it was the humans' turn to look confused. “What are you talking about? We can't use magic, we just told you.” Sam stated. Chrysalis could tell they weren't lying but she knew what she had sensed. She eventually rubbed her temples with her figures while growling, eventually stopping and getting up to pace around the room. “This is such a pain! You state you can't use magic yet I can sense it and I received word earlier that my husband will be returning to start the invasion tomorrow morning. I could have stalled the invasion were it true that you were recovering your powers but now he will kill us all.” She said while shaking slightly. “Wait... 'Kill us all'? What do you mean?” Josh asked. “My husband is not a patient or lenient changeling. He always believed that those who he considers weak or useless are only a hindrance to our resources, as a result, if he finds out that you have no powers then he will kill you. He will then kill us for not killing you all sooner and for failing the Canterlot invasion.” “But doesn't he already know that you failed the invasion?” Sam asked. Chrysalis and her kids took guilty looks on their faces. “W-Well...” Zabrus started. “We thought it would be easier if father was unaware of the first invasions failure and that he wouldn't need to know about it if the second one worked.” Josh sighed and let his head fall onto the table. “So we're all fucked then?” He asked. Chrysalis shook her head and put her hand to her chin in thought. “Maybe not if we can, very very quickly, come up with a way to buy more time, then we'd be able to sort the situation out. We just need nothing else to go wrong.” At that moment, fate decided to drive by on her menstrual cycle again in the form of six familiar ponies falling through the ceiling and crashing into the table. The six in the room just stared at the pile of ponies that now laid in the middle of the room. Twilight groaned a little before rising up from the pony pile and shakily pointing at the changelings. “Your evil plan stops here Chrysalis! We're here to take back the humans.” She stated. Sam shook his head with a sigh at the situation. “This is just getting ridiculous now...” The girls looked round to find Josh and Sam staring at them unimpressed. “Boys!” Twilight cried out. She tried to get over to them but ended up tripping over the ponies below her as they tried to stand up. All six of them landed right in front of the two boys, their faces in a slight daze. “You're kinda sucking at this aren't you?” Sam asked. “Well I learnt a spell that helps us dig but I thought we would be better at this rescuing thing since the situation with Rarity and the diamond dogs.” Twilight replied. “An' the only reason we got her back was because they couldn't take any more of Rarity's whinin'.” Applejack added. “Excuse me Applejack, I was not whining, I was complaining. They are very different things.” Rarity interjected. Josh just pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “How were you lot able to stop three catastrophes?” He asked. “I would like to say that we defeated them, it was Twilight Sparkle's brother and the love he shared for Princess Mi Amore Cadenza that stopped us.” Chrysalis explained. “Yeah... I wouldn't go boasting about that.” Josh said. The girls managed to sort them selves out and all stood up, facing Chrysalis once again. “We've come here to rescue the humans you have kidnapped! We don't know what you nefarious scheme is Chrysalis but we will stop it before it begins.” Twilight stated. “And don't even think of calling your changeling flunkies or I'll fly over there and kick your flanks so hard your heads will spin!” Rainbow added. “Ignoring the fact that your statement makes no sense except for the mere fact of threatening violence, we cannot let the humans leave, we are in dire need of their help.” The changeling queen replied. “Yeah, right! I bet you guys just wanna make another sneaky meany plan to try and take over Canterlot again!” Pinkie yelled out. “That was our plan at first yes but we have a bigger issue than that right now, if we do not sort out the situation then myself, my children and your human friends will all be killed.” Fluttershy gasped and flew to the two boys, holding them close to her chest. “How could you?! You can't hurt these two, they've done nothing to you!” Josh and Sam blushed slightly as their heads were pushed up against Fluttershy's bosom. “We should leave with them right now!” “We're in no hurry...” Sam said, getting a nod from Josh. Rarity turned round to look at the two boys confused. “Why whatever do you mean?” She asked. The two came back to reality and removed themselves from the comfy embrace. “W-What we mean is that we are in a bad situation, a really bad one. Sure, if we left right now then us two would be ok but to just leave these guys to their doom isn't something that we can easily do.” Josh explained. “He has a point Twi'.” Applejack said. “I'm all up for kickin' flank if the situation calls for it but I can't just leave anypony to die, it just wouldn't sit right.” Twilight frowned a little but sighed in defeat. Fluttershy flew over to her friends side before patting her on the shoulder. “Ok, fine.” Twilight said as she turned to the changelings. “We will help you but in return, you do not attack us again and you release those two.” She demanded as she pointed to the boys. The changeling queen nodded and Josh clapped his hands together. “Well then, now we are all friends, I'll explain the situation and I think I have come up with a cunning plan.” He stated. Sam gulped at the expression and prayed 'Please don't pull a Baldrick.' XXX The changeling lord flew through the air, returning to his kingdom. The wind flowed through his flowing, medium length grey mane. His tail flapped around behind him, lightly slapping against the torn red cape he wore. He wore black armour with a green rim that stuck close to his slender but muscular frame. His eyes seemed devoid of emotion and the only thoughts on his mind were those of his family. 'What have those ingrates been doing for the last year and a half? They sent word that they were planning to take that pony city a year ago then they suddenly say there were problems? They better have come up with something when I return tomorrow or I'll cut them all down, there is no room in my family for disappointments. The changeling empire will rise and I will not tolerate any weak links.' He approached the border of the Everfree forest and looked up at the setting sun. 'Just as I suspected, I'll have to wait here for the night and arrive in the morning. You better not have done anything to disappoint me Chrysalis or, by Abraxas, I swear I'll make you pay for wasting so much time. The same goes for those kids too.'