Celestia's image nodded. “To work then.”
Queen Magnolia let the spell fade from the glowing orange sphere set into her intricately carved mahogany writing desk, severing her line of communication with Celestia. The relatively cool night air flowed through her open balcony doors and through her white colored mane and tail.
Grabbing a sheet of parchment, she began to scribble out a message to some of her former spies.
Greetings Roseluck,
It's been a little while since I've been able to write, and I do wish that it was under better circumstances. Princess Celestia and I find ourselves asking you to come out of retirement for one last mission. We require skilled operatives to relocate to Brayton and keep their eyes open for the possible return of Grogar. You and Cherry Berry have been two of the most skilled operatives to come out of the hive, so that is why I'm coming to you.
I can make no demands of you on this. You served above and beyond the call of duty and your shipments of love from Ponyville have always been appreciated. This would be a personal favor to us.
If you are willing, respond on this same letter.
-Queen Magnolia
Folding the letter up, she lightly tapped it with her horn as she channelled a spell, one that she had learned from Princess Celestia to be able to communicate quickly with creatures. The letter twisted into a little puff of flame and shoot through the open balcony doors.
Buzzing her wings to stretch them out she strode back across the room, and out onto the balcony, looking out over her hive. Though, if she was honest with herself, the overall look was much similar to the cities of other creatures than the hives of other changelings.
Wide avenues instead of twisted tunnels. Buildings, workshops and homes instead of sleeping chambers. Flowers and plant life growing from the carefully sculpted living wood instead of thorns from grown chitin. All that had lead to accusations from some creatures that her changelings were playing at civilization.
Magnolia took a deep inhale of breath through her nose, letting the potpourri smell of flowers and fruit fill her nasal passages before exhaling; the perfect mix of sweet, fragrant, and sometimes even earthy smells.
Magnolia loved flowers. Their varying smells and appearances, while all being the same general category of plant. There was a certain metaphor in that, that she extended to her own changeling brood. She let a wide smile cross her face. To Tartarus with the naysayers, her charges were healthy and happy and that was what mattered.
All of her hard work and dangerous chances were paying off. A long and hard journey of hundreds of years had all been worth it.
- - - -
Two Hundred Years Ago...
Princess Monarch looked up at her mother, Queen Cocoon. Her face was an impassive mask as she looked down at her and her sister, Chrysalis. It was time for the daily lessons on how to rule. Which probably meant more yelling and harshness. She glanced towards her sister, who was sitting completely upright, her fanged grin wide, her eyes alert.
Monarch mentally sighed as she looked back towards her mother, who got to her hooves and walked down the stairs of the short dais.
“So, my daughters. It is important that you understand your roles. You are the first birth of twin royals in a thousand years. Do you know what that means?”
Chrysalis' hoof shot up immediately.
“That means the brood is evolving! One of us will learn and develop new techniques as we grow up and when we add that knowledge to the hive's brooding chambers, a whole new iteration of changelings will be born!” Her eyes were wide and full of energy. “Better, faster, stronger changelings!”
Cocoon chuckled. “Yes, but that's only half right. Both of you will add your experience and knowledge to the birthing pools. And then there will be two new iterations of changelings, working together towards the common good of advancing the swarm.”
Monarch raised a hoof. “And what about the other creatures of the world mother?”
Cocoon snorted. “They are not our concern. If they are strong enough to challenge us, they will. If they aren't, they will fall before us. That is how it is.”
Monarch let her hoof drop. “Oh.”
She waited for a moment then raised her hoof again. “Why?”
“Because conflict is the crucible in which evolution is forged. And the fate of the swarm is all that is our concern.”
“...Why?”
Cocoon glared at her.
“That is our nature. Since the earliest days of equis, we hunt and test our mettle against the lesser races of the world.”
Monarch sighed and let her hoof fall to her side, letting her mother continue her lesson.
“Now, tomorrow you and Chrysalis will head out into the world, alone. You must survive on your own for a year's time, no assisting each other. Upon the end of that year you will return to the hive and impart your gained knowledge. Do you understand?”
“Yes mother.” Monarch and Chrysalis responded.
- - - -
Magnolia was pulled out of her flashback when a flash of light signalled the return of her letter. Grabbing it with her magic and unfolding it again, she blinked.
“That was fast.”
The response was short and direct.
Cherry Berry and I are in. Just like old times.
Magnolia's heart swelled with pride as she fired back another response, with instructions on what to do next. They'd head out to Fillydelphia, and from there pick up a supply cache with cover identities before heading into Brayton. She sent it off with another spell, watching the bolt of fiery light shoot over the horizon.
With a soft smile and a buzz of her wings, Magnolia launched herself off the balcony winging her way across the city. There was always plenty to do, but for now she wanted to take a fly.
Swooping lower, Queen Magnolia flew over the Tourist Quarter. Easily the prettiest district of the city, mixing architectural styles from across the world, but all grown from the living plants that her brood used.
She could feel the love radiating from the buildings around her as she flew over the streets, many of them full of young couples on their honeymoons who wanted to visit some place exotic. Other shops and buildings were staffed by changelings who took on set forms to interact with the visitors.
This was the part of her city that Magnolia was probably the most proud of. Changelings interacting with other creatures in peace. Her brood and her children showing the world the potential of her species.
Her trip took her to the center piece of the district, the sprawling central park that was lined by most of the cities great restaurants. While plants and flowers abounded in the city, the park had the highest concentration. Great weeping willow trees towered over well groomed rows of flowering shrubs.
Walking to the middle of the park, Magnolia came to the one completely artificial structure in the park; an elegant statue of white marble. It depicted herself, and the tapir emperor standing on either side of a carving of the island that Venexia had been built on. They were touching hooves in agreement, while Celestia sat on the third side of the island halfway between the two; a serene smile was on her face, approval at what had been accomplished.
Magnolia smiled herself. “Thank you, Celestia.”
- - - -
Monarch and Chrysalis headed due east away from their hive on foot, aiming to conserve their energy. Chrysalis was in high spirits, a very distinct spring in her steps as they moved through the dense underbrush.
Monarch was quieter, more lost in thought as she mulled over her plan of action. Chrysalis would most likely focus her efforts more on stalking and hunting. She always played the predator in their games of predator and prey. Maybe she would focus on infiltration? She certainly wasn't a fighter like her sister was.
“So,” Chrysalis interrupted. “I think it's time we parted ways, dear sister. The trails require us to work alone.”
“Yes, I suppose so.” Monarch sighed. “See you in a year, sister.”
- - - -
Monarch had set off towards the north-east, in the opposite direction from her sister. She was nervous. The deep jungles had plenty of monsters that could pose a threat towards a changeling. Her mother had told her the stories of hydra the size of castles, snakes that could swallow an elephant whole, and vicious cousins of Parasprites that could strip a creature to the bone.
She took a deep breath as she continued onwards, trotting through the undergrowth to conserve her energy; flying could drain a changeling's reserves quickly if one wasn't careful. She had been away from her hive for almost a week now and the pangs of hunger were setting in.
It was one of the great irony's of the changeling existence, that they needed the intangible substance known as love energy to survive, but they were so hated that they could only live in the deep jungles away from most other creatures. But, much to her luck, she had picked up a faint trail of love energy last night.
Following it all through the night, she was closing in now. Crouching low to the ground she crept through the underbrush to get a closer look at what she had been hunting. A pair of tents had been pitched on the other side of a small stream, a fire pit set up between the two.
A pegasus mare with a dark brown coat, short and strait goldenrod mane and tail, and telescope cutie-mark was sitting next to the fire, stirring a pot of something, softly singing to herself.
Monarch's mouth was watering. Through her horn, she could sense the different flavors of love energy radiating from her. The charged and spicy tones of love for another creature, the light and airy flavors of love for her profession and the complex and slightly sweet flavors that came from the love of life in general.
She had to be from Equestria. The land ruled by the sun alicorn was a legend among the changeling hives, a reservoir of love energy that would empower them forever if they could only find a way to tap into it.
Monarch's muscles tensed as she prepared to strike, ready to wrap the pegasus in a cocoon and drain the energy. The pegasus pulled a ladle from the pot, sampling whatever she was cooking. She nodded to herself, looking quite content and so...very happy. Monarch hesitated. It felt wrong to ruin such a scene. No! She was a changeling. She had to do this.
She prepared to strike again, when the tent flap on the other tent opened and another pegasus stepped out. His coat was a sky blue, his long mane pulled back in a simple braid, both it and the tail an off white color; his cutie-mark a small brush.
He walked over to the mare, giving her a kiss before sitting on the other side of the fire and beginning to chat. Monarch frowned. She didn't think that she could take two full grown pegasai. Maybe this called for a more indirect approach. She looked around, searching for some kind of cutie-mark inspiration. Her eyes landed on a brilliant white flower on a nearby bush.
Perfect!
Trotting a little bit back the way she came, she activated her shape changing, her whole body becoming wrapped in green flame. A moment later a pink furred, white maned unicorn stood in her place and she trotted back towards the camp. Half way there she paused, rolling on the ground and against some plants to help give the appearance of being lost in the jungle. Satisfied with her disguise she stepped out of the bushes, towards the camp.
“Umm...hello?”
The two pegasai turned to regard her for a moment before breaking into warm smiles, the mare waving a hoof at her.
“Greetings fellow traveler!” She beamed. “Who are you and what brings you out into the deep jungle? You look lost.”
Monarch smiled warmly back. “My name is Magnolia. I study plants. Unfortunately, I've never been surrounded by so many before and kind of got lost...”
The mare motioned to the food on the fire. “Have a seat my dear and partake. We'd never leave a fellow explorer abandoned. I'm Far View and this is my husband, Dusty.”
Monarch nodded to each of them as she took a seat. “The pleasure is all mine. What brings a married couple of explorers into the jungle?”
Dusty grinned. “We're searching for lost civilizations! Have you heard about the lost lizard tribes of the deep jungles...”
Monarch made small talk with the pair for over an hour, trying to draw out the conversation as much as possible as she slowly fed on the surplus love they generated. Filtering the ambient energy through her horn, she listened very closely to their plan of action.
According to the pair, they were planning on following the river for the next few days to a small series of hills in the jungle that they suspected were actually constructions of some kind. Monarch considered for a moment. The goal of the journey was to infiltrate, survive and learn. Perhaps there was some potential here.
“Interesting in having another helping set of hooves?”
- - - -
Monarch had been eating well the last three days. By changeling standards she had practically been gorging herself. In fact she seemed to have needed to eat even less love than normal. It was over breakfast on the third day that she made the connection in her head. The normal food she was eating seemed to be supplementing her diet. New knowledge to bring back to the hive.
She was glad to have learned something to bring back to the hive, as what she was doing now could very easily be viewed as shirking her duties. But she couldn't help it. She was having fun hanging around this lovestruck pair of explorer ponies.
She, Far View and Dusty approached the hills. They were thick with overgrowth and looked mostly the same from every other bit of the jungle from Monarch's point of view.
“And you're sure that these are supposed to be structures of some kind?”
“Well, we don't know for sure.” Dusty said. “But that's half of the fun!”
“Indeed!” Far View grinned as she pointed at the mounds. “Now, let us venture forth and uncover the unknown!”
Monarch chuckled as she shook her head. These Equestrian ponies' enthusiasm was infectious. “Lead on my friends. Lead on.”
- - - -
“Are you all right?” Far View gasped, as she bandaged Dusty's wing.
“Nothing I can't handle dear! We've both taken worse hits than this in the past.”
They had found that one of the mounds was indeed a half buried structure of some sort and it hadn't taken too long after that to find a way inside. However, the builders of the ziggarut had been smart enough to leave some defences in place.
Monarch looked at the arrow that had flown from the wall, and buried itself at the joint where where the wing met the body. The tip seemed to be carved from jagged obsidian and left quite a nasty wound.
Once Dusty was patched up, the trio continued deeper into the structure. The next room seemed to be not much more than a bottomless pit, flanked by walkways that looked like they were once connected to something else.
“Looks like there was a floor here at one point.” Far View commented.
“Think that walkway will support our weight?” Monarch asked.
“One way to find out.” She responded as she carefully walked out onto the walkway, carefully working her way around to the far side. Monarch and Dusty watched with baited breath, waiting to see if the stone would fall away. Thankfully, Far View reached the other side without anything collapsing.
Dusty grinned. “Me next.”
He began to work his way around next. About half way across however, Monarch watched one of the supports under the walkway crumble away, followed by the part of it he was standing on.
Far View shrieked, spreading her wings to go diving after her falling husband, but Monarch was faster. She had thrown herself over the edge, her disguise falling away with a burst of emerald green flame. Her wings beating as fast as she could push them, she swooped down and grabbed Dusty.
A foot away from the floor she pulled up, shooting high and landing neatly on the other side, putting Dusty down next to his wife. She glanced down in the pit again. The jagged remains of what had been the original floor before it's collapse would have surely broken every bone in Dusty's body. Smiling at what she accomplished, she looked back at Dusty and Far View.
Her smile faltered as she saw the wide eyed stares they were giving her. Here is where it would all fall apart. They would treat her like a monster just like every creature did when seeing a changeling.
“That was amazing!” Far View grinned. “Why didn't you tell us you were a changeling!”
Monarch blinked. “E-excuse me?”
“Well, we've heard about changelings, but we've never had the chance to actually meet one!” Dusty said with an equal grin. “We have a whole mess of questions for you, if you're willing to answer.”
Monarch just blinked as Far View clapped an arm around her neck. “Come on Magnolia! We still have to see what's in this next room.”
“But...aren't you afraid of what I'll do to you?”
Dusty shook his head. “Magnolia...if you wanted to hurt us, you've had three days to do it. And you just threw yourself into a pit to save me when my wife can fly. Benefit of the doubt and all that. So! Are we going to see what's in the next room or not?”
Monarch couldn't help but laugh. “You two are delightfully insane. Fine, let's see what this place is hiding.”
Heading into the next room, the two ponies and one changeling's eyes went wide as they saw the skeletal figure sitting atop a stone throne. The creature was the size of a pony, with a lizard like head that sported razor sharp teeth. Three fingered hands and feet were tipped with sharp claws, the exterior claw on each foot a three inch curved dagger.
It was dressed in an elaborate feathered headdress, golden bracelets and other jewels, indicating that it was an important creature of some kind. Clutched in one of it's bony claws was a claw like on it's feet, but that seemed to be covered in carvings.
Far View walked over to it and grinned. “I do believe we've found something amazing.”
Glancing back at Monarch, she carefully removed the carved claw from the creatures hand and tossed it to her. Monarch caught it with her magic, blinking in confusion.
“Your first discovery. Cherish it. And take it from someone who knows. Never be afraid to go out and question for yourself.”
- - - -
One Year Later...
The streets of Sa Palo were packed with tapir and other visiting creatures as the party known as Carnaval was roaring full swing. The sound of music and creatures dancing and drinking floated up from the streets. Monarch was not joining them as she packed up her small office-apartment, currently in her Magnolia persona.
She picked up the last item with her magic, a photograph on the edge of her desk. It was one that she, Far View and Dusty had taken together, all three of them standing around the skeletal reptilian creature they had found in the jungle; Monarch in her pony persona.
She had been working in Sa Palo as a botanist, basically keeping the persona she had created for Far View and Dusty. It had been far from a quiet year with those two, however, having been dragged into several adventures along with them. But now she had to return to the hive with what she had learned.
...Well, what I learned and one trinket, at least.
She carefully slid the carved claw on a chain over her neck as there was a knock on her door. She trotted over to it, pulling it open to see Far View and Dusty. They both gave her sad smiles as they stepped inside.
“Thanks for coming to see me off.” Monarch said as she floated the box over to them. “And thank you for taking my personal effects.”
“It's our pleasure dear.” Dusty said, as he slid the box into his saddlebags.
“We're going to miss you, you know.” Far View added.
“I know...I'd stay, but I still have a duty to my people.” Monarch commented as she walked into the other room, the pegasai following her.
The other room was a little warmer than the main, due to the impromptu greenhouse that Monarch had created. Plant boxes full of soil and half aborted attempts were scattered all about, but sitting in the middle of a shelf against the back wall, was the fruits of all her work and failed attempts.
A hoof-ball sized plant pod, that was currently full of love energy. Monarch smiled as she carefully picked it up and slid it into her own enchanted carrier. A whole year of experimentation and enchantment to find the perfect combination of natural plant growth and magical tending that would allow a growing pod to store love energy. It was her crowning creation.
“With this, I think that my people's fate will finally change.” She said. “With this we'll be able to store away love, and get through lean times instead of always needing to be on the hunt. And then...then we might be able to actually be part of the world.”
Far View and Dusty followed her as she walked up to the roof. The Carnaval celebration was approaching it's height, which meant that the fireworks would be beginning soon. The perfect cover for her to shift back and fly off.
Far View smiled and gave her changeling friend a hug.
“Good luck Magnolia.”
Monarch chuckled and shook her head. “My name is Monarch, you know. I've told you that a few dozen times.”
“And you'll always be Magnolia to us.” Dusty responded. “So, good luck.”
The fireworks began to explode overhead, signalling to Monarch that it was time to move. With a green flash of magic, she turned back to her normal form and began to fly for the deep jungle again.
- - - -
One Month Later...
The spawning chamber was full of recently hatched changelings, the remains of their cocoons scatted all over the floor. They were mulling about, stretching their wings; changelings drones were fully grown and capable at “birth”. Two future queens stood on a small balcony overlooking the chamber, one looking distinctly aggravated.
“These broodlings are...strange.” Chrysalis growled as she and Monarch looked over the new generation of hatchlings, motioning her hoof to a group separated from the others.
Monarch couldn't deny that fact. Most of the hatchlings of this generation were slight evolutions from the previous generation. Solid colored eyes, slightly sharper fangs and horns, wing muscles slightly stronger. But still very recognizable as changelings.
Separated from them, however, were a different looking group. The holes in their limbs and wings were slightly smaller, and their manes and tails were colors other than gray. Even more strange was the fact they seemed to have distinct sexes. Mares and stallions, like the ponies they kind of resembled. But their most striking difference were the eyes. Full pupiled, like a queen or princess. And it was that last fact that seemed to be upsetting Chrysalis the most.
“This is...unnatural.” Chrysalis growled. “They look like possible queens. There can only be only one queen per hive! Even we will have to separate soon.”
“Well, I kind of like them.” Monarch said. “I see potential. Such a large evolutionary leap from the last generation.”
Chrysalis glared at her, before rolling her eyes. “This is your influence, sister. You spent far to much time cavorting with other species instead of learning how to hunt, how to strike. We are not just predators. We are the predators. The predators that even other predators fear.”
Monarch shrugged. “I am a future queen, as are you. I have a right to manage my brood the way I see fit.”
“You would betray the legacy of your people?”
Monarch raised an eyebrow. “The legacy of our people is to evolve and adapt. My influence has just created a different strain.”
She turned, heading for the exit of the spawning chamber. “I will take these changelings with me to form my hive and remove my influence from this birthing pool. You can have this hive when mother passes, and I will supply my love cocoons to you. Is this acceptable?”
Chrysalis growled, but nodded.
“This is...acceptable.”
- - - -
Fifty Years Later...
Monarch pushed and shoved at the edges of the cocoon, pushing and breaking away the vessel of her next metamorphosis. The remains of it fell away as Monarch stood to her hooves, stretching both her body and her wings.
Her royal guard were waiting patiently, having closely guarded her during the transformation and as she rose to her full royal height they let loose a wild cheer.
“Long live Queen Monarch!”
Monarch buzzed her wings as she thought that statement over. The name Monarch had been a reference to one of the species of butterfly that were so common in the jungle, however, it was another name for ruler and seemed redundant to her. Besides, she was a queen now, with her own hive and her own destiny to forge.
“No...that name doesn't fit me anymore. Let it be known that from here on, I shall be known as Queen Magnolia.”
Her royal guard exchanged quizzical glances at that piece of news, muttering to each other softly, before one of them stepped forward.
“Excuse me, Queen Magnolia, but are you allowed to just...change your name like that?”
Magnolia shrugged. “I don't see why not.”
The drone frowned, her wings buzzing as she thought for a moment before speaking up again.
“Queen, the drones of the hive are quite aware of how different we are to your sister's hive. We look different. We think differently. We act more like...queens?” She finished, hoping that she had picked the correct word.
Magnolia smiled at her. “I believe that the term you want is individual.”
The drone nodded rapidly. “Yes! Individuals! And individuals...well...they have names, like you, yes?”
At a nod from Magnolia, the drone smiled and quickly spit out a question.
“Can we have names too?”
Magnolia thought for a moment before answering.
“I don't see why not.”
- - - -
10 Years Later...
“It's time for your hive to earn it's keep.” Chrysalis growled. “The tapir are expanding again. An example must be made.”
“And I am to stop my harvesting operations to help your war broods?” Magnolia responded, her wings twitching in annoyance. “My changelings are infiltrators and workers. Not soldiers.”
“If they are so good at infiltration, then surly you have one or two that could remove some key commanders in the tapir military for me. Then my attack wings will erase this new town they are building and it's military guard from the map!”
“You forget, sister. I lived among their kind for a year. They are not so easily intimidated by shows of force, and they know the jungles as well as we do. And they are allies with Equestria. Your actions would bring doom upon us.” She flicked her wings. “Besides, I thought you'd be happier with shorter hunting trips for love.”
“Letting creatures invade our territory does not make our species strong, dear sister.” Chrysalis snarled back. “Competing species displace and choke each other out.”
“Symbiosis exists in nature all the time Chrysalis.”
The look on Chrysalis' face- a mixture of rage and disgust at the very idea- told Magnolia that she had gone a step too far. She opened her mouth to qualify her statement only for Chrysalis to cut her off.
“Just. Be. SILENT!” She growled. “I can not believe that my own sister is suggesting that we make ourselves subservient to the other races of the world!”
“Working with other species is not the same thing as being subservient!”
“Just...keep your deviant ideas and deviant brood out of my hive! I will not have your ideas tainting the last pure strain of our people!”
Magnolia winced as she took wing and flew away from her sister's hive. Maybe some time would let her calm down.
- - - -
89 Years Later...
“...And the tapir government has been stepping up their magical scans as of late your highness. We lost two collectors in their most recent sweep.”
Magnolia frowned as she sat on her bed, her new spymaster going over the reports from the most recent love energy harvest. Chrysalis' aggressive actions were continuing to spill over and cause problems for her own hive. Chrysalis could not walk away from this idea that she needed to take a hard and an aggressive stance on...pretty much everything really.
Her changelings continued to attack and harass tapir patrols. They continued to aggressively steal love via mind control and cocooning. And true to her own prediction, the tapir were swinging back, hard.
Finally growing sick of Chrysalis, they had been focusing their magical R&D into anti-changeling efforts. Chrysalis had long insisted, as had their mother, that conflict was the crucible in which change and evolution were truly coaxed forward. If such a statement was true, it seemed that the tapir were on the winning side of this arms race.
Magnolia glanced over at the corner of the room. A young hatchling- she had dubbed her Rosewater- was playing with a ball made from a hollowed out seed pod. She was destined to be a princess and someday form her own hive...if she lived that long.
“Thank you Roseluck.” She sighed. “That will be all. I need time to think.”
The changeling bowed. “Of course your highness.”
Magnolia got to her hooves and walked over to the enchanted communication spheres she and Chrysalis used to speak with each other; her sister hadn't set foot in Magnolia's hive for over eighty years.
If her own hive was going to survive, she would need to break away from her sister's insane plans. She thought back to Far View and Dusty and the friendship she had built with them over that year when everything was so much simpler.
She decided to risk it.
Reaching out with her magic, she coiled it around the communication sphere, and then cast her senses far to the north; across the sea that separated her continent from Equestria's. Onwards to Canterlot and then up to the highest tower where the sun monarch was supposed to reside.
Her progress was suddenly halted as she hit up against a spell ward of some kind. Frowning, she lightly poked and prodded at it, testing the strength of the energy field. It was strong, like poking a particularly strong piece of metal. Smiling to herself, she channeled a little more power into her spell and knocked on the ward like a creature would knock on a door.
Another source of magic responded, reaching out with curiosity. And as that tendril of magic touched Magnolia's, the connection was made, and the communication bridge was open. To an outside observer, it would appear that Princess Celestia had just appeared in Magnolia's room. But in reality the sun monarch was just a projection. Celestia regarded Magnolia carefully, her expression curious but measured.
“To what pleasure do I owe a knock on my door from a Changeling Queen. Your kind is not well known for your openness.”
“Circumstances change. My name is Queen Magnolia and I am sure that you're aware of the ongoing battles between us and the tapir.”
“I am aware.” Celestia responded, raising an eyebrow. “But if you wish to cease hostilities, I believe you would be better served speaking to Emperor Placido.”
“I have no control over this conflict.” Magnolia sighed. “I...contacted you because I wish to seek asylum for my hive.”
Magnolia guessed that Celestia wasn't used to being shocked like this. “You...what?”
“My sister is insane! She won't stop hurting creatures, thanks to her obsession with being 'strong'. It is not a direction I wish my hive to follow, and I will not follow her into oblivion. So...please, I request asylum.”
Celestia opened her mouth to respond but another surge of magic from the communication orb interrupted her, as the form of Queen Chrysalis appeared in the room as well. Her eyes locked on the projection of Celestia, rage flashing through them.
“TRAITOR!” She bellowed, spinning on her sister. “You sell us out to Equestria?”
“S-sister! I...”
“I have tolerated your weak sentimentality long enough!” Chrysalis shrieked, her expression becoming deranged. “My legions come for you! Their bodies will block out the sun as I wipe your deviant brood off the face of equis! I WILL IMPALE THEIR HUSKS ON THE SPIRES OF MY HIVE!”
Rosewater shrieked, diving under the bed as Magnolia took a wavering step back from the image of her sister. Chrysalis looked towards Celestia, the rage still clear on her facial features. “If you are smart, you will stay out of this Celestia. Interfere at your own risk.”
Chrysalis vanished, leaving Magnolia and Celestia alone in the room. Celestia didn't miss a beat, turning to face Magnolia.
“Mangolia. Listen to me!”
Magnolia snapped out of her haze, looking towards the alicorn.
“What is the closest tapir border town?”
Magnolia thought for a moment before responding. “Green Branch. Three days by hoof.”
“And how far is your sister's hive from you now?”
“Three days by hoof, a day and a half by wing.”
“Then you need to leave now. Make for Green Branch.”
Magnolia blinked. “We're still in conflict with the tapir! You ask us to walk into our deaths!”
“No...I ask you to trust me. You reached out for help and now I offer it. But you have to trust me.”
Magnolia took a deep breath. “Very well.”
- - - -
“Hurry my little changelings!” Magnolia called as the unwieldy convoy moved through the jungle as quickly as possible. “Chrysalis and her brood won't give up until we reach safe haven.”
Her changelings were arranged in a rough circular pattern as they moved through the jungle. The few that considered themselves to be solider material formed an outer ring, with the vast bulk of the hive forming the next ring. The center of the circle was made up of all the still incubating cocoons and love energy pods they could carry, born along in hastily constructed sleds.
At Celestia's urging, they had set out that night, grabbing what they could and making a beeline for Green Branch. For almost three days, they had torn through the bushes and trees, not even daring to sleep lest Chrysalis catch up with them. But even now Magnolia could see occasional scouts from Chrysalis' brood fly past overhead. She was convinced her sister was just toying with her. Waiting for the right time to strike, inflicting as much fear as possible before the final blow.
“We're all going to die.”
Magnolia looked to her right, where the form of Roseluck walked on with hung head.
“Roseluck...”
“Queen...if it's not Chrysalis, it'll be the tapir who shoot us down. I...I don't see a way this ends in our favor.”
“Please Roseluck. We have to be strong for the others.”
Her spymaster lapsed into silence as they continued to walk, though Magnolia was hardly alone in those doubts. But Celestia had asked her to trust. She just hoped that it wasn't in vain.
They pushed on for a few more hours, mostly in silence, save for the sound of the sleds dragging across the ground. The buzz of scout wings had vanished now, which meant that Chrysalis had what she wanted.
“There it is!” Roseluck's shout cut through the silence.
The roofs of the small tapirian village were clearly visible at this point, and the grateful changelings ran ahead, streaming into the place they believed they were safe in. Roseluck and Magnolia looked around as they trotted into the village limits.
“It's far to quiet here...” Magnolia muttered. “It's like it's been abandoned.”
“They must have seen us coming and fled.” Roseluck muttered. “We're doomed.”
A mocking laugh echoed through the jungle behind them. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, Magnolia turned and faced her sister. Chrysalis was standing at the edge of the clearing, hundreds of changelings teeming in the undergrowth and tree branches. Magnolia heard her own brood shriek in fear as they backed further into the village.
“Well, well...it seems like the vaunted sun monarch of Equestria hasn't shown her face.” Chrysalis grinned. “And now, there is no where left for you to run and your creations are about to be snuffed out. Though, I might be forgiving if you're willing to walk away from them now and beg to be brought back into the fold.”
Magnolia growled.”I won't let my brood die. It's my duty to look after them...”
“Your duty?!” Chrysalis laughed. “The hive serves the queen, not the other way around! You really have been tainted by the values of Equestria, haven't you? But I ask you...dear sister, where is the sun monarch to help you now?”
An explosion of light, as bright as the noonday sun exploded in Chrysalis' face. She reared in pain, as Celestia landed with a heavy thud between the two forces. The alicorn monarch was dressed in glittering golden armor, an ornate golden halberd wrapped in her magic aura.
A battalion of armored pegasai were flanking her and perched on top many of the buildings. A hundred ponies placing themselves between Magnolia and Chrysalis, all armed with wicked looking barbed spears.
“That was a very dramatic entrance.” Chrysalis snarled. “But I warned you not to interfere! I still outnumber you, and the changelings you came this far to save are far to exhausted from traveling without sleep for three days to fight.”
“Which is why I sent a message ahead.” Celestia smiled.
The jungle brush around the town came alive as armed and camouflaged tapir stood up from their hiding places, their rifles all aimed at Chrysalis. Celestia smiled a little bit wider.
“The Emperor was kind enough to lend me some support. Now...what were you saying about being outgunned?”
Chrysalis snarled. “KILL THEM!”
The tapir responded to that deceleration by firing, the roar of rifle fire punctuating the descent of the scene into absolute pandemonium. Multiple drones collapsed from the fusillade, the rest throwing themselves forward. Pegasai, drones and tapir began to grapple in a general disorganized melee; the latter forced to drop their rifles and switch to combat knives.
Celestia went straight for Chrysalis, her eyes blazing with determination as she brought her halberd around in a glittering golden arc. Chrysalis was forced to scramble backwards, the blade of the weapon missing her by inches as it carved out a chunk of the tree she was standing next to.
Recovering and yelling in defiance, Chrysalis summoned her own spear- a corkscrew looking affair, grown from chitin- with a flash of emerald fire. She threw herself back at Celestia, her wings buzzing hard as she threw a rapid series of strikes towards her.
Celestia moved her own weapon with almost supernatural speed, blocking each strike with the haft. With a quick flick, she spun it around and slammed the butt hard into Chrysalis' chest.
Chrysalis was sent flying backwards, crashing into another tree. Light sprang from the tip of Celestia's horn as she unleashed a beam of pure sunlight towards the changeling queen. Chrysalis rolled to the side, the magical beam barely missing her and boring a charred hole straight through the tree trunk.
Chrysalis attacked again, flying straight up and weaving through the jungle foliage to use as cover. Celestia scanned the foliage for a moment before looking back to see how her ponies and their tapir allies were faring.
“WEAK!” Chrysalis snarled as she leapt from the branches above, her spear aimed for Celestia's throat.
Magnolia gasped as the tip of the spear drew ever closer to Celestia's neck, but with a flick of her wings a glimmering sphere of sunlight enveloped her. Chrysalis' spear impacted against it, and shattered into dozens of pieces. Celestia responded with another attack, driving her halberd deep into Chrysalis' chest.
The changeling queen looked down at blade that was partially sticking out of her, eyes wide in shock. As she slid off the halberd, the surviving drones of her brood immediately stopped fighting who they were engaged with and swarmed all over her, carrying her body away with a buzz of wings and angry hisses.
The horde of changelings melted back into the jungle, leaving Magnolia and her brood standing in stunned silence as Celestia landed next to Magnolia, her serene smile once again in place.
“I'm glad to see that you and your family made it Magnolia. It must have taken some courage to reach out to me the way you did. It would have been unfortunate if such a risk had ended the way Chrysalis wanted it to.”
It took Magnolia a moment to regain her composure, before she bowed to Celestia.
“Celestia...thank you. Considering my people's reputation, what some of us have done...”
Celestia smiled back. “Calm yourself Magnolia. I believe that you were true with your intentions. The reaction of your sister was certainly...explosive enough that I do not believe you are being deceptive.”
Magnolia nodded slowly. “So...what happens now?”
“Well, I have an idea about that.”
- - - -
“As you can see it's nothing impressive now.” Emperor Placdio explained as he motioned to the swamp choked island. “But considering your skill with controlling and growing plants, I'm sure that you'll be able to make something grand there.”
“And you're just giving this to us?” Magnolia blinked.
“Well, consider it more of a sale with very favorable terms.” Placido chuckled. “Celestia and I discussed it, and in exchange for some trading agreements, I am happy to give your brood a chance at starting over here.”
Celestia smiled as she looked to Magnolia.
“A chance to be viewed as just another nation, instead of monsters.”
“That's all I ever wanted.” Magnolia smiled. “Princess Celestia, Emperor Placido...thank you.”
- - - -
Queen Magnolia smiled as she once again took wing, heading back for her royal chambers. There was plenty more to do. Chrysalis had survived that battle, and she was still a threat on top of these new developments. She could only afford breaks like this every so often. But as she returned to work, one thought went through her head.
It had all been worth it.