//------------------------------// // Land of Happy Changelings // Story: Happy Changeling Land // by Ebonysdagger //------------------------------// Happy Changeling Land Land of Happy Changelings Six months was the projection for the debut of the hive’s project and those months were spent mostly in further testing. The little changeling themed carnival had made its rounds throughout Equestria and even had a short stop in the griffon lands for a week that was rather lucrative on all fronts. Part of the carnival’s continued success and evasion of detection lay in the fact that Snow had cooked up her own idea to promote it. While leading the carnival caravan she had noticed a wagon on the trail that happened to house a rather talented illusionist and pyrotechnics specialist. She had decided to hire on this blue mare to help spice up the carnival and the new nightly fireworks and illusion bungling changelings helped to draw in the crowds and insure the authorities stopped listening to the occasional claim of seeing a real changeling at the carnivals. Thanks to the continued success and what amounted to advertisement the theme park was looking to see a very good return on investment. “It would seem we chose a good carnival head, Ein.” Chrysalis smiled at her scientist as they walked into the soon to be open theme park once again in the guise of Miss Gold while Ein was reprising his earlier appearance as well. “We can thank Lyra for finding her honestly. She was the one who recommended the front pony. Now then, my Queen, shall we meet with our front mare and commence the day?” Thankfully for the good doctor’s continued health they had already slipped inside past the horde of waiting customers. The queen nodded as they stepped up to a small trailer hidden behind some of the signage for the theme park and slipped inside. Inside Snow Cream was working on finishing up some paperwork for a few new illusionist hires to handle the tricks Trixie had developed for them on the road. Thankfully in all this time their front mare had yet to realize she had real changelings making up almost two thirds of her employees and still seemed to be unaware of this fact. “Ah Miss Gold and Mister Ein so good to see you two again. Have you come here to observe opening day? Our projections are that we will more than make up most of the costs of building some of the rides within the month.” Snow kindly smiled at the two once she looked up to see who had entered her office. “No need to fret now Snow. We knew this would turn out well after the first carnival and never had any doubt in your ability to keep it profitable and functioning. A better question would be are you ready? I’m afraid you’ll be trampled when they come rushing in.” Ein chuckled in greeting. “That is why I’m having security open the gates.” Snow laughed in return. “Ah, speaking of opening it should happen right about now.” She indicated the clock near the door that informed them that it was 9 A.M. on the dot. “Then let’s step outside and see the masses start to have fun.” Chrysalis stepped back to the door with an inviting wave of a hoof. “I want to see their happy faces as they enjoy themselves.” The trio stepped outside passing the signs to watch as the gates opened and several families begin to buy tickets and enter the park. The smile on both of the changelings faces begin to become more genuine and less part of the masquerade as ponies set hoof inside and begin to have fun. Snow’s own smile spread for far more benign purposes of course in the fact that she was helping to break down the stress other ponies were suffering from. “I see we should bid you adieu, Snow. With this kind of crowd and the weather overhead you are likely to have customers wanting some frozen treats soon.” Chrysalis told her pony representative. The pegasus nodded and flapped off toward her own stand. She could have passed the job off to one of the employees but she had insisted on running her own stand so as to personally interact with the customers and keep an eye on the quality of her treats. “So Ein, this looks to be a success. What reward was it you wanted for this plan?” Chrysalis asked her scientist as they set on the path out an employee exit from the park. “More funding for our science department. We are almost on the breakthrough to create a synthetic chitin for damaged soldiers. I live to serve after all.” “Very well then good doctor we will see that you have it. Lyra had only requested life time passes to the park for some strange reason.” Ein chuckled in response as they stepped out of the park. “She is a strange mare, my Queen. Always was even when I found her as a foal. She is probably just going to use it to have fun with her marefriend.” “Then let us return Ein. There is much to do and this success has given me other ideas. Do we have any particularly gifted writers loyal to us?” Queen Chrysalis asked as the two begin to walk away from the completed park toward the badlands. Once they got far enough away to not be seen the two would shift into pegasi and then fly out closer to the hive before returning to their natural appearance. In the coming months the park would go on to continue being a success for the hive and every day Chrysalis got just a bit more joy out of seeing her children fed and the hive gaining some funds. By the end of the first year the park had only had two incidents with accusations of real changelings being there that were responded to and only one turned out to be true. Even this had entertained Chrysalis as the changeling that was caught was a rogue changeling who had severed its connection to the hive years ago. The ponies were doing her job for her it would seem as she had never particularly tolerated those who left on their own initiative. In the end Chrysalis would remember this as the plan that had brought her people one step closer to acceptance by the equines and had fed them the most. In fact, once the Chrystal Empire’s Crystal Heart began to function it was just icing on her cake. She would never need fear seeing any of her children starving again or at least not for a good long while. As she lounged on her throne thinking happy thoughts about the success of the plan and the unfurling of yet more to bridge some gaps she herself had helped create with that failed invasion she remembered one thing that would make her happier. Perhaps it was time to revisit those plans for revenge on that purple unicorn though this time she might settle for merely being annoying. Sadly that would be much easier if only Twilight had some sort of official position. “My Queen, there is a green unicorn pony here to see you.” A worker drone had stepped into Chrysalis’ throne room to relay her message. “Oh? Send her up. She most likely brings us some information of use.” Chrysalis sat up in her throne with happy thoughts of vengeance while waiting to hear what her agent had to tell her. “My Queen, I have some interesting information for you.” Lyra began as she walked through the door. “Wait till you learn what happened in Ponyville last night and Canterlot today.” As Lyra begin to fill Chrysalis in on what was happening she observed the queen’s grin growing larger by the minute. “Oh... this information will be delightfully useful. Guards, ready a chariot. I have a visit to arrange with a new regent. This is going to be perfect.”