Changeling Love

by MissPegasis


What to Do

All around them, were the agonizing sounds of the dead finding their way into the earth. The soldiers lay in their craters which became their graves. Some were still hanging on the little life they had left. The healthy changelings who stayed behind snapped their necks and saluted them. Gushing, green innards lay about disgustingly due to splattering on hard rocks. In this filthy mess, every living changeling gathered around a single crater. It was the largest one. Queen Chrysalis was dead.

They stared at her corpse for hours until nightfall. That was when a suggestion was made Chrysalis’s royal advisor to bury her and mark her grave. Then, until day break, they argued on how to bury her. Should she lie in her crater or should a new one be dug out? If so, how deep? Also, how will it be dug? With bare hooves, transformed hooves, maybe some makeshift item? What would that makeshift item be? Changeling chitin, rocks, branches? What kind of rocks or branches? How about all three? Or just two methods of excavation? Only one? Or maybe there were more methods waiting to find them. Who would discover these methods? A group or individual? Would these methods work in the provided time frame? What was their provided time frame? Did they have a particular due time at which to bury her? What would happen if they did not reach that time? The changelings telepathically argued and thought of what to do with their former queen.

It took three days to figure out where to bury her (her crater was too undignified so they decided on a twenty foot deep hole), how to dig (It was ‘more heartfelt’ to use their own, transformed hooves), when to dig (they decided to respond to the death as soon as possible),where to dig (The garden where she grew her rare plants), how to transport her (on their backs as dignified as possible while singing the few, traditional changeling hymns), how to lay her down (they weren’t just going to throw her in the hole), what to say after (this one took the longest since every live changeling said a few words; most just saying ‘what the guy before me said’), how to bury her (some changelings still couldn’t believe the suggestion of burying her under her other dead subjects bodies!), how to mark her grave (Someone found a beautiful marble stone and carved ‘Queen Chrysalis’ in it), and how long to grieve (the process itself took three days so everyone was over it pretty soon after). The royal advisor looked around at the other bodies. It was agreed not to bury them, but to say final good byes to those they knew. It took a total of eighty-four hours to finish all this.

The changelings sat about two miles outside the vicinity they called their home. Each telepathically thought to each other not knowing what to do. They were hungry and their rations were emptied; hence the Canterlot Invasion. It was another two hours until the royal advisor thought of something and another three agreeing on whether to do it or not.

Ponies screamed and panicked. They ran out of the streets and locked their homes. Down Mane Street was the entire, living force of changelings. They marched through the street with eager, but patient looks on their faces and anxiety all around. Some civilian unicorns blasted some with magic. When one changeling would fall, another would pick it up and continue on their instinctual march. They walked around poles, carts, and passed out ponies. All had their eyes on the castle.

“Halt! In the name of Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor!” A group of Crystal guards commanded. None were paid attention to. A braver pegasus grabbed one from the pack. Every changeling stopped and turned at the offending pony. They ducked their heads aggressively and vibrated their wings making an unbearable, ground shaking buzz. All glared on the same target. Along with the buzzing, they started hissing which further irritated every pony’s ears. All this sound was directed into one place; the pegasus guard. He neighed in primal agony and dropped the stolen changeling. Every changeling resumed marching like nothing happened.

“Ready? And shield!” A large group of unicorns created a wall of magic. The combined force field was a toxic looking magenta. The changelings didn't seem to care. Two pairs of changelings stood on one another’s backs. Their horns glowed green and plunged into the barrier. They side stepped creating an opening.

“Ready the second shield!” The captain yelled. The guards stood shoulder to shoulder. The changelings didn’t hurt them, but they pushed the living blockade with all their might. “We can’t let’em get to the Crystal Heart!” The captain yelled. “They’ll suck out every drop of love we have!”

The Crystal Heart was the energy source that powered the spring barrier. Thousands of years ago, the harmony between a group of ponies caused a power surge in a magic crystal. This crystal, later called the Crystal Heart, reflected the harmony between the ponies and reflected the warmth in their hearts. The magic created a dome with a permanent spring-like environment. Here, the ponies flourished and the Crystal Kingdom was found. Without it, the harsh arctic cold would reclaim its land.

The changelings pushed on the guards, but with no success. Realizing this, the other changelings jumped on the others’ backs and walked over them.

“No!” The captain yelled as another black hoof stepped on his back. The swarm approached the crystal display and went through it.

“What?” All startled, the other guards were pushed aside. The magic force field lost strength and faded allowing the four changelings to return to their march. They broke through the castle doors easily. Servants and castle guards alike just watched. The pony-like creatures didn’t break a single vase or bump into a single wall. Again, they walked over and around fainted ponies and any other obstacle. As though they knew where to go, the herd trotted upstairs.

“Prince Armor! Princess Cadence! There’s an odd invasion of the castle as we speak!” A pegasus said as he slammed open the chamber door. It was still morning so they’d just gotten dressed for the day.

“What’s the situation? How did they get this far with no pony stopping them?!” Shining yelled. The pegasus guard gulped.

“We tried to stop them. A barrier of magic and soldiers could not stop them. Many attacked them, but they simply picked up the injured and walked along unfazed. I grabbed one and they used their wings and vocals to create this horrible sound wave! I thought my ears were going to blow up!”

“How soon will they be here?” Shining demanded. His question was answered when the doors were thrown open by a massive swarm of changelings. “Damn it!” His wife screamed. Ever since the Canterlot invasion, the princess was absolutely frightened of changelings! She was still getting inconsolable nightmares from the event! “I can handle this!” Shining Armor used the protection spell used to prevent changelings from entering Canterlot. The bubble was smaller making it more powerful. The changelings touched the force field hissing a bit at old memories. The changelings began ramming into the shield with green, physical tackles. They attacked in unison to strengthen their force. “Cadence!” Shining yelled with new sweat dropping and strain in his voice with every hit. “You…have to…help…-” The barrier shattered. Prince Armor was out cold. The swarm surrounded the vulnerable princess. She screamed with tears in her eyes.

She’d only been a princess for a couple days and so many things were going well! Sombra was defeated, the Crystal Empire was hosting the Equestrian Games, and she was married to the love of her life. Her kingdom was stable for the first time in years, Celestia and Luna respected her like a real ruler, and the little arctic country just officially reclaimed their land from the Caribou of Antlerta, Cannonda who took it during their thousand year curse!
The creatures surrounded her as she shut her eyes hoping it’d just end soon! Then silence.

Lots of silence

She opened her eyes. Every changeling…was bowing down to her.