//------------------------------//
// Prompt #517-by Necessity 
// Story: Ponywatching 
// by ThunderTempest 
//------------------------------//

(Set Shortly after Prompt 509: Forward, Into Peace)

Hard chitin and metal shoes clicked on the stone tunnel, as Queen Cocoon of the Changeling Hive lead Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, as she found out the smaller blue princess was called, through the tunnels of the Changeling hive. As they walked through the rounded tunnels, the two equine Princesses were glad that Chrysalis had been almost as tall as Celestia was, or they would not be able to fit through the winding tunnels that threaded through the earth. As part of the newly instated peace treaty between the Changeling hive and Equestria, Queen Cocoon had agreed to show the two Princesses any ponies that the hive had captured over the years. The three royal beings emerged out of a tunnel into a chamber, immense in size, lit only by what appeared to be glowing crystals.

However, a closer inspection by Princess Luna revealed that the ‘crystals’ were actually some kind of organic matter.

“Sister, there is a pony in here!” She cried, and looked around the chamber again. Nearly a hundred of the pods were scattered around the room, in various stages of glowing, giving off an eerie green light.

“What is this place, Queen Cocoon?”

“This is our feeding chamber, Princess Celestia. Captured ponies are placed in here, unconscious, and a pod is formed around them. Then, the ponies are placed in an illusion that simulates their life, and we feed off any love they emit,” said Cocoon.

“How long are these ponies kept here?” asked Princess Luna, though her expression and emotions suggested to Cocoon that she already knew the answer, but wanted Cocoon to say it.

“Until they die,” replied Queen Cocoon.

“Release them,” said Luna, her voice firm. Celestia remained silent for now, and Queen Cocoon could feel the elder alicorn musing over the situation. Cocoon’s horn lit up, and the nearest pod opened up, and a blue unicorn tumbled out onto the hard stone of the cavern’s floor, his coat matted with slime and peices of the outer shell of the pod.

“Huh? Where am I?” he croaked, and then the pony spotted Cocoon. “Changeling! Changeling! I can’t believe they exist! I swear, I’ll be faithful to my wife!” as the stallion ranted and raved, Princess Celestia turned to Queen Cocoon.

“How long has he been in that pod?”

Queen Cocoon’s horn lit up once more, and scanned the stallion. “Seven years, Princess Celestia.”

[Time]

Princess Celestia thought, and she flitted through many emotions very quickly. She went from depressed all the way through to anger in the blink of an eye to Cocoon’s senses, before she settled back into her calm default state, having reached a decision.

“Put him back in the pod.”

“Sister?” asked Luna, staring at Princess Celestia, while Queen Cocoon flexed her mental connection to the hive, summoning two drones.

“This poor stallion’s mind is practically gone, Luna. Out of his pod, out of his illusory world, we would call him insane. As cruel as it sounds, here he has a use.”

“An unfortunate side effect of the illusion used to contain them,” explained Queen Cocoon, “It keeps them happy, and contained, but it is not kind when broken.” By now, the two drones had arrived, and placed the stallion back into his pod, and sealed it back up. Queen Cocoon applied a spell to the pod, and it began to glow once more. The two changelings who had repaired it sat by the pod, their horns glowing as they soaked up the love emitted from the pod.

“Obviously, Queen Cocoon, we must come to some arrangement if we are to truly be allies. Regardless of your intentions, any more kidnapping of my little ponies will not be looked upon favourably,” said Princess Celestia, “But yet, as our allies, we cannot ignore your food source. You are not required to release any of the ponies you have in your...care...already, but do not capture any more, until myself, Luna, and Twilight can come to an agreement about this situation.”

Queen Cocoon nodded. She had expected as much, going into this alliance, and at the Princesses’ request, began to lead them back out of the hive.