Rescue from the Changeling Hive

by EKessler

Chapter 9: Confrontation

"What do you mean, 'She's still in the hive'?" cried Discord as he interrogated a helpless unicorn guard. He went straight for him when he realized that Celestia was nowhere to be found, and he did not like the answer he gave.
"S-sir, I…" The guard couldn't help but stammer, looking at Discord's angry eyes. "Her Highness demanded th-that we evacuate everypony from the hive while she held off Chrysalis. She would have followed her out and come after them if she hadn't stayed." He was trying his best to keep up his stoic guard demeanor. Luckily for him, Discord calmed himself.
"So she's fighting Chrysalis right now? In there?" The guard nodded solemnly. He probably wasn't all too happy about it either.
Just then, Discord remembered he was still holding Screwball, who was looking up at him the entire time, curiosity and worry in her swirled purple eyes. So he set her down, taking a moment to find the right words to say.
Screwball found them first. "You're going back in there, aren't you?"
Discord was taken aback, surprised she figured it out already. "How did…"
"I can tell by the look on your face," she said as her face lowered. "You want to fight the queen again."
Now Discord had no idea what to say. He had already gone on and on about how he was going to just get Screwball out of here the first chance he got, and now he wanted himself back in there? All he could bring himself to say was, "I'm sorry."
"But Dad!" shouted Screwball, shooting her eyes back up to his. Her eyes were tearing up again. "I thought we could go home now."
Discord didn't break eye contact. "I know. I thought so, too. But this is just something I have to do."
"But," said Screwball, trying to find some way to challenge him, "can't the Princess defeat Chrysalis herself?"
Discord took a deep breath. "You didn't see how powerful she is." He remembered their brief encounter, and the feats she was capable of. "Celestia's strong, but there's no way she can defeat her on her own. She needs my help."
Screwball was calm now, but didn't appear defeated yet. "But she beat you, too, didn't she?"
"She had you when she beat me, yes. But she doesn't have you now. Now, there's nothing stopping me. Nothing holding me back."
He could see in his daughter's eyes that she was still trying to find something she could use against him, something that would keep him by her side. But he wasn't done yet.
"Screwball," he said as he put his paw on her shoulder, "remember when your Aunt Fluttershy found you for me, and she said she did it because we were friends?"
He could see her expression lighten up as he mentioned her. This was just what he wanted. "The only reason I was able to find you in the hive was because Celestia freed me from my cell. She helped me when I needed her, and she did it as a friend."
He could tell by the look on her face that she was done fighting. Understanding was evident in her eyes. "What are you going to do about the queen?"
Discord smirked. "Get Celestia away from her, that's what I'm gonna do."
Screwball shared his smile briefly, but she still seemed to have something on her mind. "It's just…Dad, I was held prisoner, too, and a changeling was the one who set me free." His eyebrows raised, so she continued. "He let me go, and he made me promise that I'd ask you not to fight the queen."
"Well," said Discord, "if it wasn't for Celestia, I wouldn't be going in there to begin with." Screwball said nothing further, but she didn't seem satisfied with his answer. He sighed. "I'll see what I can do, I promise. But I have to get Celestia out of there."
Screwball's face didn't lighten up at all, but she did manage to mumble a response. "Okay, Dad."
Discord then looked back to the unicorn guard from before, who hadn't gone too far away. "You, over here." The guard trotted over by their sides. "Watch Screwball for me until I get back." The unicorn nodded, but Discord grabbed his collar and moved in close, just enough to make his point. "Do not let her out of your sight!" The guard didn't appear frightened, but nodded much more eagerly, satisfying Discord into letting him go.
He then turned back to his filly daughter, who still hadn't lightened up. "I'll go in, retrieve Celestia, and get out. Then we can go home. I promise."
She saw his pleading eyes, and she managed to give him one last hug before he left. "Be careful."
Without saying a word, he let her go. Then, fast as lightning, he lurched himself into the air and fired himself toward the hive. Screwball didn't take her eyes off of him.

The hive floor collapsed under the force of Celestia's impact, quickly bringing her down with it into the cavern underneath. However, as she fell through, she managed to catch herself with her wings and land much more gracefully than before onto the ground below, various rubble and debris falling around her. She looked up, and she could see the figure of Chrysalis herself jumping into the hole, slowly descending to Celestia's level. She was followed by many of her changeling children, all of which flew far off to the sides without interfering, appearing to be set on being spectators.
Chrysalis landed with a loud thud, cracking the ground underneath her. Celestia eyed her wearily, having already gotten a taste of her power.
Chrysalis watched her also. "Do you remember Canterlot, Celestia?" The Princess didn't respond to what she said. She just glared, so Chrysalis went on. "I do. I remember how we were locked in combat, how you said you were going to defend your subjects…" She then sneered mockingly. "…and how easily I defeated you…"
"I have strength enough to hold you at bay, Chrysalis!" Celestia abruptly interjected. "My subjects are safe from you, and that's all that matters in the end."
Chrysalis's horn and eyes then glowed green. "Then I suppose everypony wins."
Sensing danger, Celestia immediately ducked, then looked up to find a massive boulder being hurled over her head from behind. It continued over Chrysalis, as she let it fly away from her. Celestia looked back up to the queen, seeing her cock an eyebrow, challenging her.
The alicorn obliged. Summoning magic of her own, she launched a wave from her horn into the ground between them, having the resulting shockwave rocket its way up to Chrysalis. Acting fast, she summoned an aura shield that effectively protected her from the blast, though it did knock her back a step. Using the same shield, she parted the resulting dust cloud in front of her, only to be caught completely off-guard as Celestia rocketed herself at her.
They immediately collided, rolling onto the ground and into the changeling crowd, who quickly backed away and made room. They ended with Celestia on top of Chrysalis, glaring down menacingly. She charged her horn, aiming it straight at Chrysalis's head. She then launched concentrated energy right into…
…bare ground. Where Chrysalis's head had been, the attack had left a deep, but very narrow crater in the ground, but Chrysalis was gone. Then, in a flash of green light, the queen reappeared next to Celestia, and bucked her in the face with all the force of her hind legs. She was thrown far back into the wall, but got right back on her feet and shook it off. She reached up with her hoof to feel her face where she was struck, and pulled it back to find blood on her horseshoe. She just wiped her face again and left it at that.
Her face shot up when she heard the charge of another attack, and found Chrysalis just a moment away from firing. Celestia's own horn flared, and just as the queen attacked, she had vanished. She was now above Chrysalis. Before the changeling could detect her, Celestia bore down upon her head with the strength of both forelegs. This time, the attack landed, and Chrysalis was pummeled into the ground.
Celestia, now in control, but electing not to kick a mare while she's down, instead used her magic to grasp hold of Chrysalis's wings, pulling them and forcing her clear over herself and throwing her across the corridor to the other side. She watched her fly across and not have time to land on her feet. Chrysalis hit the ground with a thud and a roll and skidded to a stop before she could recover. As she got up, she flexed her wings, but they quickly twitched back to her sides. The Princess spared a glance to the changelings that surrounded her before advancing again. They all watched her apprehensively.
Chrysalis had gotten to her feet and, glaring at the Princess, launched yet another strike from her horn, which Celestia quickly deflected with a magic shield. She repeated the tactic two more times and was still ineffective. The next time, she held her head up and relaxed herself before beginning. Her gnarled horn then began glowing and gathering energy, much more so than before.
Seeing what she was doing, Celestia did the same, gathering magic in her own horn. Her eyes were locked on Chrysalis, whose horn was now pulsing with magic, its glow reaching outward, just trying to escape her hold.
Do you remember Canterlot, Celestia?
She did, and she felt she was about to get a big reminder. This was going to be like how they dueled last time, she could tell. Their respective magical prowess, each locked against the other for dominance until only one prevailed, leaving the other at the victor's mercy. It was not something Celestia wished to reenact, but she knew she may not have a choice. Such was the price of her subjects' safety, to see them out of the snare of the changelings.
So very worth it.
She heard distinct grunts from Chrysalis, whom she could see was now having difficulty holding her focus on the spell. Green fluid-like sparks flew from her horn as her magic was reaching its peak, herself growing less and less able to hold it steady. She was going to fire any second. Realizing this, Celestia put all the effort she could into her own spell, pouring as much magic as she could into her horn in a last effort to win this fight.
In a small way, she knew this would be what it all came down to: the two of them, one on one, in a contest of magical superiority, just like last time.
The moment came. In a brief cry of exertion, Chrysalis unleashed her spell, bringing forth from her horn a wide, concentrated blast of magical energy, flowing with her signature aura. Celestia reciprocated, launching her golden yellow magic in the exact same fashion.
It took half a second for the attacks to meet. Time seemed to slow down for Celestia (and possibly everypony else) when that moment happened, the two respective auras coming into contact, only to ultimately reject each other and fight for control, resulting in a powerful shockwave that seemed to rock the entire hive to its core. Several changelings lost their footing, and the walls and floor around the attack immediately cracked and crumbled.
Celestia could feel the energy of the collision coming back at her, blowing against her fur and her mane as so much energy was used up and expelled by the spells, as it was doing to Chrysalis.
For the longest time, the positioning of the spells were held constant in the middle. But, to her credit, Celestia was putting everything she had into it, and she had already lasted longer than last time. Chrysalis, however, looked completely livid. She was clearly putting just as much effort into her spell, and the duel was still at a standstill.
Slowly, however, the magical auras began glowing brighter, and the impact of each was growing bigger. The shockwave of it was reaching out as well. Around the two combatants, the structure of the hive was giving way, rubble and debris simply flaking off and flying away from the sheer force of the constant impact.
The spell was taking its toll on the Princess, but she wasn't giving up. But it was when her eyes darted back to the collision that she started to worry, as she could see it moving straight toward her!
No…
She reached inside, finding any last reserve of magic or force of will she could communicate into her spell, but she was already giving it everything she truly had left, and it was clearly not enough.
Her aura was now fading, and the green opposition was almost upon her. She closed her eyes, accepting her fate.

Chrysalis's spell fell upon the Princess. It struck her horn, and all of the power the queen put into the spell quickly coursed through Celestia's body, likely causing immense pain before it finally culminated in a powerful blast where her horn was. She was rocketed backwards into the changeling crowd, who now gathered around her, no longer afraid of the fallen alicorn. Her horn was charred and smoking, and she was motionless. Her chest still rose and fell, but nothing else.
Once Chrysalis was able to catch her breath again, her horn aching, she looked upon the Princess, wide-eyed.
…Yes. "Yes. Yes!"
The changelings that surrounded them now backed away from the Princess, all watching Chrysalis, who was beaming like a child.
"I knew it! That pitiful filly has given me power beyond that of any other. Nopony can stop me! Not Princess Celestia, not Princess Luna, not even Discord!" Still smiling, she looked around as her changeling subjects gathered round her in adoration.
After a moment, though, their sights seemed to simultaneously return to the fallen alicorn. They could still see her breathing, but she wasn't going to become conscious anytime soon. Her horn had stopped smoking.
Chrysalis strutted over to her. "Now, what shall I do with you?" Her horn glowed, and green aura surrounded Celestia. She was pulled up to the queen, still very lifeless. "You're no threat, I can see that much. What did you really hope to accomplish, Celestia? Your friends have escaped, but for how long?" She lifted up Celestia's face with her hoof, as if trying to look into her eyes, only to let go and let her head fall. "What to do, what to do…"
"I say we let her go!"
Chrysalis shot around, glaring at the crowd of changelings behind her. "How dare you! Who said that?!" She scanned them, but all of them seemed quite frightened by her outburst, all shrinking away in fear and confusion.
"You heard me! Let her go!"
That male voice came from her right. So familiar, she thought. There was nothing there, though, nothing but her own shadow.
And it waved at her.
Her eyes now grew to the size of dinner plates and, by reflex, she shot magic from her horn straight into the wall, blowing it to pieces. She was breathing quickly, and her heart was racing. She watched the wall as it fell to pieces. Still, nothing was there.
She then heard a sharp whistle from her side, where she still held Celestia. Her face shot to the side, only to find somepony else in the Princess's place.
"Heehee, you missed!" cried the spitting image of Princess Cadence.
Chrysalis screamed, dropping the Cadence lookalike to the ground and firing at it with her horn. Once more, it vanished. A moment later, however, another familiar form took its place on the ground: Shining Armor.
"Hey! What's the deal, Chrysalis? I thought we had something special!" he complained with a childish grin.
"Go away!" Chrysalis fired again, but he teleported once more, this time to the side.
"C'mon, Chrysie! We were going to get married for Celestia's sake! Don't tell me that didn't mean anything!"
She didn't bother shooting at him this time. "What are you?!" she cried at the top of her lungs, making the changelings around her back away.
"Three guesses," she heard from behind her. She whirled around, as did the other changelings, to find Discord far back. He was standing, gently holding an unconscious Celestia in his talon arm. "Get them wrong, and everypony plays 'the floor is made of lava!'"
Chrysalis was not amused. "Kill him!" At her word, every changeling in the corridor galloped after him, determination on their faces.
He slowly levitated and floated away from them, still calm and collected. "That's it, follow the leader…" He then snapped his fingers.
Chrysalis, still watching Discord, felt a loud and powerful rumbling. Suddenly, between her and the changeling horde, an enormous stone slap emerged from the wall to her right. It moved across the corridor without restraint, shattering the walls around it and completely sealing away her minions. The passageway was now silent and still.
But it only lasted a moment. She immediately felt yet another rumbling through her hive, and another stone wall emerged from behind her, again out of nowhere. It destroyed the walls it glided through as it moved into position, blocking off the only other way out. Chrysalis was sealed in.
"Discord!" she cried out to everything and nothing, venting her rage. The cry echoed through the high walls of what was now a sealed room. "Show yourself!"
She didn't have to wait. Just on the other side of the room, about twenty feet away, a flash of light came and went, leaving behind Discord, still holding Celestia. He gently laid her on the ground as he watched Chrysalis.
"Discord," said Chrysalis through her teeth, taking a few steps toward him. "Give. Me. That. Pony."
He, too, floated a few feet closer, grinning like a madman. "Nope."
She fired magic at him, causing him to spiral out of the way and vanish. He reappeared right next to her, wrapping his arm around her playfully. She flinched away in disgust. "Oh, Chrysalis. See how much more fun it is when we do things my way?" He vanished again, reappearing over Celestia once more.
"You will die, Discord. You and Celestia both, right now." Her horn started glowing again.
His expression turned deadpan, as if he was speaking to a child. "I said, 'No.'" He then gently placed his paw on Celestia's neck. In an instant, she vanished. Chrysalis stared, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Actually, she couldn't believe it. The Princess was right where she wanted her. But just like that, she was gone. Why did Discord come back? Why did he take away her opportunity?
"Oh, I don't know," said Discord. To Chrysalis, it sounded like he was responding to her thoughts, which set her on edge. "All this time, I thought I wanted revenge, but let's both be honest." He then dived into her shadow, controlling it once more as it morphed into his own shape. She tried stepping away from it. "What would that accomplish? I can't kill all of you. Besides, even if I tried, Celestia would be all over my case. You know, genocide or some such nonsense." His shadowy figure grew, covering more of the wall he was against. "But I can't just let you go, either. If I did that, you'd just try this again. You'd come after my Screwball and whatever other pony you'd get your gangly little hooves on."
Chrysalis couldn't help but look at her hooves before replying. "What do you expect me to do, then? Deny my children food? Allow us all to starve?"
"I expect," he began, "that you never try this again. I expect you to leave my daughter, and everypony else, alone." He dived out of the shadow, his true form now perched upon the ground as he looked up at her.
"That cannot be done," she calmly replied, still glaring. "I am responsible for the lives of my children. I will not deny them."
"And I am responsible for my child," he said, "and I will not deny her." He now levitated, slowly circling her. "It seems we've reached an impasse, then."
"Impasse?" asked Chrysalis. "Discord, what makes you think you can stop me?" Her horn lit up again to emphasize her point. "I thought we settled this earlier."
He flicked her horn, startling her and making her glare in anger. "Please, must we go over this? You had Screwball, now you don't. The end."
She audibly sighed in frustration. "What…do you honestly hope to accomplish here? Are you going to 'kill' me?" She mimed quotes with her hooves. "Or am I just getting a stern talking to?"
"A little of both," replied the draconequus. "Coming back for Celestia simply afforded me this opportunity. What I want is to show you…that if you were foolish enough to try this again, you couldn't possibly succeed."
Chrysalis, cocking an eyebrow, unfurled her wings, stretching them out. "And how, pray tell, do you plan to do that?"
Discord snapped his fingers. In an instant, a target appeared on his chest, and several flashing arrows appeared around him, pointing straight at him. Chrysalis just stared in bafflement. "You're so sure you can win against me? Go ahead, come at me. I'm right here." He reached into a now-existent pocket in his side and pulled out an oversized battleaxe, threw it aside, then raised his hands in the air. "Unarmed."
As usual, Chrysalis didn't even smirk. "You really believe you could goad me into fighting you?" As if on cue, lightning flashed above her head, and she felt the drizzle of liquid over her body. She looked up, finding a cotton candy cloud raining chocolate milk upon her.
Her face completely expressionless, she looked back to Discord. Without warning, a beam of magic suddenly launched from her horn at him. He promptly vanished, allowing the charge to strike the wall behind him. Before she could even tell him to show himself, the ground exploded underneath her, sending her flying into the wall behind her. He reappeared in front of her as she hit the ground.
She first glared at him once more, then turned to the cloud that was still above her. She quickly zapped it, making it explode chocolate milk everywhere. Discord drew out an umbrella.
"Queenie, you can't win. There's no escape. Your children aren't coming for you. And I'm fairly certain the Canterlot higher-ups don't mind me giving you the flank-kicking you deserve." His face went from playful to serious. "Give up."
She struck again. This time, a string of magical aura launched at Discord, quickly wrapping itself around his neck before he could react. It pulled itself tighter, and he was suffering the effects. He tried pulling it off, but it only got tighter around his neck, cutting off his airways. He fell to his knees as he fought.
Chrysalis smiled. "Don't expect me to make the same offer, chimera. I've had it with you. I will kill you."
Out of nowhere, Discord's eyes shot open and he grinned, making Chrysalis step back. He let go of the aura and allowed it to close around his neck. When it looked like it was going to rip his head off his shoulders, it…did. Discord's head flew off of his body, which caught him in its arms. His head turned to the queen, who was baffled as ever.
"Hey, queenie!" He grinned like a foal. "Let's not…"
"Don't you dare!"
"…lose our HEADS now!" The horse head burst into laughter, his body holding him in place, while Chrysalis charged her horn once more, enraged.
She fired at him, actually making contact this time. The blast struck his body hard, and forced him all the way back into the wall behind him. His body still clutched his head. The body quickly recovered, however, and lifted the head up, arching it over its…shoulders.
"My turn!" yelled Discord. His body threw the head straight at Chrysalis, who braced herself by charging another attack. Before she could finish, though, the head was upon her. In a bright flash of light, his snake-like body regenerated beneath his neck and quickly wrapped itself around Chrysalis, particularly around her neck and abdomen. It tightened quickly around her.
Her body slowly began losing precious oxygen, as she was unable to breathe. Her muscles ached, and she couldn't stand any longer. She fell to her knees, not having the strength to support herself and the draconequus. She fought still, trying to power her horn again, but she couldn't summon the magic she needed.
Discord arched his head around to face Chrysalis, his face beaming with arrogance. "Give up, yet?" he asked with a mocking smirk.
That pushed her over the edge. In her anger, she found the will to power her attack, during which she looked at Discord with hateful eyes. "NO!" Her magic blasted him right in the face, forcing him to arch upward in pain as he covered his eyes. This forced Chrysalis up as well, but his hold on her was now loose enough for her to escape. She wriggled free, but she didn't have the time to catch herself with her wings. Her back hit the ground as she saw Discord floating above her, writhing about.
"AAAGGHHH!! I CAN'T SEE!!"
She quickly got to her hooves and backed against a wall. She wanted to capitalize, but she needed to breathe first. She had put all she could into that magical blast, and she was still in pain all over from that constriction.
Discord was twisting about in the air, his hands still covering his face. After a moment, he appeared to lose control of his flight, and accidentally propelled himself into the wall. He fell to the ground, just across from the queen. He was groaning. "…the nerve. I can't believe…" she managed to hear him say. She then saw his fist close around his face, and throw something away from him. Two round objects rolled away from him, then turned on their own. They were his eyes; mismatched, yellow, badly constricted, and looking at her.
Too exhausted to be frightened, Chrysalis looked back to Discord, who was holding what looked like a container for contact lenses. Out of it, he pulled out two new eyes, which he easily rolled into his head. After a few blinks, he looked good as new.
"You're…kidding me," the queen mumbled to herself, still breathing heavily.
"Afraid not, Chrysalis," he replied. "I told you, you cannot defeat me." She quickly fired at him again, but it was so weak, he easily swatted it away. "Give up, and I'll leave and never come back."
"Never!" cried Chrysalis as she spread her insect wings. She lunged at him as fast as her wings could propel her. Acting fast, however, he twisted around her, grabbing her wings and slamming her body into the wall behind him. She wailed in pain as she felt the powerful impact. It felt to her like something was broken, and she couldn't even feel her wings anymore. She tried to move, but Discord still held her firm against the wall, one hand on her neck and the other on her wings. Besides, it hurt to move her legs now. That slam must have done more damage than she thought.
She could feel Discord getting close to her ear. "Spare yourself this pain, Chrysalis. You know what you have to do to end it."
"No!" she managed to shout.
Discord sighed, and he loosened his grip on her neck. "Chrysalis, the job is done. Look at yourself. Do you honestly see yourself winning?"
As it turned out, Chrysalis was almost in too much pain to think. But she did realize how bad it looked for her. She was hurt…badly, and she had barely put a scratch on Discord. He was in complete control. She knew it, yet she was desperately trying to find some way to deny it, to believe that there was a way she could come out on top again. Maybe if she feigned surrender and bided her time…
But they would be expecting her next time. They weren't nearly as careless as they had been. They had multiple means to stop her, as well as this alliance with Discord. She knew they were right. There was no way she could try anything like this again, at least not in the near future.
But, my children…
Dark thoughts then crossed her mind. Even if she did find a way to try again, to pull off this kind of deception, what would become of her children if Discord did return to wreak the havoc he had promised? She didn't know how far he would be willing to go, but she knew enough about him to know that he wasn't nearly as forgiving as the Princesses. Even this offer he kept trying to force on her was a stretch, likely brought on by Celestia. But she knew better. He wouldn't give her this chance again.
She then realized what she had to do. This was a choice between mild famine or certain destruction. And changelings were adaptable, so they could deal with the former, at least for a time. What she now knew they couldn't deal with…was Discord.
As her thoughts returned to reality, she still felt Discord's grip as he held her against the wall, refusing to let go.
She had no choice. With the greatest reluctance, she went limp, and stopped fighting.
"…You win."
"Pardon?" replied Discord.
"You win, Discord. I give up." Her head was low, and her breathing was heavy. "I will let you, and your friends, and your daughter go. I will not follow you. And I will not threaten you again."
She risked looking back up at him through the corner of her green eyes. She saw him peering intently at her, as if looking into her, trying to find the truth in her words. After a few seconds, though, he let her go. He set her gently onto the ground, where she stumbled at first, still aching all over.
Discord was still in her face, though. "You will leave me alone. You will leave my daughter alone. And you will leave alone all ponies and sentient creatures in Equestria."
Her head was still down, and her voice was a murmur. "Yes."
She then felt him put his hand under her chin, from which she quickly flinched away. But he grabbed her, forcing her to look at him.
"Chrysalis, do you truly care about your children?"
How dare he? Of course she cared about her children. She started glaring again, just wishing he would leave as he promised.
"Of course I do," she spat.
"Then find another way," he said with force. "This conflict has only brought pain to both of us. Care for them, protect them, provide for them." His red eyes were piercing as they stared into hers. "But not like this."
She didn't respond, and she was still disgusted by his touch, but he let go, allowing her to back away from him. As she caught her breath, she stared him down, as did he. They just stood there, in silent contemplation of what had transpired. Anger, however, no longer registered on their faces, and neither did any other antagonistic look. Chrysalis herself, actually, felt relieved, even if in the smallest way. She had lost, but it was over, and she, her home, and her children were…relatively safe. Discord appeared to feel the same way.
There was only one way Chrysalis could think to express such relief.
"…Get out."
Discord smiled. Not mockingly smirk or grin, but genuinely smiled.
The changeling queen watched him lift his lion's paw and snap his fingers, only to be caught off-guard as blinding light filled her vision.

"AAAHH!" Chrysalis hit the ground hard, still blinded from before. She felt she was on level ground, so she tried setting herself up as her eyes adjusted, but she could only see white.
"Mother!" she could hear from not too far away. She knew the voice though. As she tried looking around, her vision slowly started to come back to her. Small dark figures surrounded her, and a blurry black and green began to fill the void behind them.
One of the figures was close to her, close enough to touch. "Mother, are you okay?"
It's outline filled out much more, and his features became distinct. He was one of her children.
"Yes," she replied, nearly breathless, "I'm well." It then suddenly hit her: she was well. She felt through her senses, flexing her muscles and twitching her wings, only to find that none of them ached. She was no longer in pain, anywhere.
She then noticed the changeling in front of her was trying to get her attention. "Mother, the ponies haven't gone too far from the hive. If we hurry, we may…"
She quickly cut him off, pulling him in close and embracing him. She then put her mouth to his ear. "Alert the others. I want a roll call. Make sure everyone is safe and accounted for. When you've finished, we meet in the throne chamber. I have things that need discussed."
She pulled him back from her, and she could tell he was confused. She didn't care at the moment though. Tenderly, she kissed his forehead, then nudged him away.
"Go, dear."
He snapped out of it. He nodded eagerly, then galloped off, followed by some of his brothers and sisters. The others stayed around Chrysalis, alert and at her service, as they always were.
She didn't say anything, though. She needed her rest. She may have been physically rejuvenated, but she was still mentally drained. Her mind was aflutter with mixed emotions, like the shame of defeat oddly coupled with the relief of the end of conflict.
At the moment, she tried focusing on the latter. Yes, her plan had been a colossal failure and almost came at a high cost, but at least she could finally put it behind her. After all, now was not the time to plan revenge or be angry. Her loss was inevitable, she now realized. The best she could do now was do as Discord said, sick as it made her to admit it to herself. Her children needed her, and she was going to be there for them, victorious or not.