One would think that even with our supposed improved relations, the sisters would leave me be when I go to do something, like parley with the queen of the changeling hive that attacked Equestria.
It never turns out that way. Of course not. That would be too easy, and we can't be having that.
Just as I reached the border of Equestria and the Badlands, I felt the twin signatures coming up behind me and sighed.
Ladies, please. There's only so much of you I can take!
I turned around to see Celestia and Luna landing on the grasslands behind me. They folded their wings up and leveled their gazes at where my head would be.
"Dullahan, why do you seek to go into the Badlands?"
I 'stared' at her for a moment. You mean...Cadenza didn't tell you?
The two of them blinked. "Our niece did inform us of a strange series of events involving you in the Empire, but it was too fantastical to be believed. Are thou telling us it is true?"
That brought a genuine laugh from me. A good, hearty chuckle. One that seemed to unnerve the two before me the longer it went on.
Oh I needed that! Anyways, yes, whatever she told you is likely true. I wouldn't know, I'd have to read whatever she wrote, but I have a job to do in the Badlands. One involving a certain mutual foe of ours.
As I turned to march into the desert, Celestia spoke up again. "Dullahan, if this plan of yours works, I have three questions. The first, do you know where this Golden Sun of yours will shine?"
I paused for a moment before nodding. I do.
"Do you intend to be bathed in its light?"
Indeed.
"Why should I let you?"
I turned to 'look' at her again. Because if me or mine are not the ones bathed in its light, then the effect of the Sun will be wasted. With every Light lit, the Wise One will attempt to hasten his entry. With such power as the Golden Sun will grant, I will be able to stand up to him, even if you should fail in sealing us off.
She shook her head. "And what is to stop you from abusing that strength?"
I let silence fill the air for a moment. My own morals, which you seem to doubt I have every time we enter situations like this. Keep it up, and I'll have to show the world how your own morals can be called into question. And if you think I can't, then all I have to do is let a certain pegasus residing in Newvale go public with the information he extracted from your nephew.
Leaving the stunned sisters behind, I made my way into the desert.
-----
It took me three days of aimless wandering before I came across my first changeling out there.
Of course, it only took them an hour before there were about a hundred more. I 'stared' at them all and sighed. Really? You're going to try and drag me in by force?
A chorus of battle cries were my response, ranging from 'get it' to 'tear it apart.' I drew my sword and pointed it at them, causing them to shut up for a moment.
We all remember how this song and dance goes, don't we? I'd rather it not end like that, I have business with your queen, and dealing with you in any fashion would undermine it. If I ask you nicely, will you show me the way?
A solitary voice spoke up from the mass in front of me. "You...want to go with us?"
I 'nodded' at them once. It'd be a lot faster than looking for your queen myself.
There was silence for a moment, before a very familiar voice spoke up. "And why would you be looking for me, O Headless defender of the sun?"
The mass parted to reveal Queen Chrysalis stalking towards me. I 'faced' her and sheathed my blade. Ah, my second-favorite royal. How wonderful to see you.
The Queen paused for a moment. "Second to the Sun Princess?"
I snorted then. Second to her niece, the one you impersonated. She at least has the good sense to learn from her aunt's mistakes. You rank higher than the Sun and Moon Princess by sheer dint of not having chained me up in your basement for fifteen hundred years.
At that, she blinked a few times, then laughed at the information I had given her. "So which of the two do you hate more?"
I shook my body in the negative. Hate's too strong a word. I reserve my hate and my wrath. I'm angry with them, yes. I cannot truly hate any innocents. I can be angry at them, no problem. And that's a toss up, but I'm more angry at Celestia, and irritated at Luna.
Chrysalis tilted her head at me. "So the one you defended is the one you like least? How does that work out?"
I shrugged. Hey, at the time, you WERE kinda invading and playing the part of a supervillian. There wasn't a choice. Even if you had promised me I'd never have to deal with either of them again, I'da stopped you. The only monster allowed to walk those lands is ME.
She slowly nodded at that. "A twisted sense of logic and honor, but one that leaves me no loopholes. You're nearly as devious as I can be."
Not sure if compliment or not...
At this, she laughed again. "Quite. So why did you want to see me?"
I reached into my shield and pulled out the Mercury Star. I think we can help each other here.
-----
It had taken her time, but eventually Chrysalis led me to the bottom of her Hive, where she said there was once a great spring of water.
Though, a few rulers ago, there had been some sort of disturbance, and the spring was plugged now.
Drawing close to it was all I needed to do to confirm that this was where we needed to be.
The little voice going She is not ready... was a dead giveaway.
I sat near the old well and held the Mercury Star in one hand, playing with it while I looked at the queen. So, let's go over some things. You invaded Canterlot to obtain an emotional feast for your subjects, because it is your duty to take care of them.
She nodded once, briskly. "Yes, we were starving. Our methods, while effective, were too slow for the amount we needed."
I understand. You were only looking out for them, doing what was in their best interest.
She started to nod, but I interrupted. The same way Celestia was doing what was best for her subjects by chasing me down and imprisoning me. The same way she did what was best for her subjects when she and her sister dealt with Discord and sealed him in stone. The same way they dealt with Sombra, by turning him to smoke and sealing him in a glacier. The same she dealt with her sister turning into Nightmare Moon, by sending her to the moon. She merely put problems OFF, she never SOLVED any!
At this, Chryssy glared at me. "And what are you implying, headless?"
Tell me, what was your grand plan for when all the ponies were captured? What then? You're out of food. You'd have put the problem off until it was greater. You'd have solved NOTHING. Are you sure you're a changeling? I can almost see a hint of an ethereal mane if I look hard enough.
She had the grace to look shocked at the comparison I was drawing, then looked down as she realized my logic. "We...I...how did I not see..."
Then she looked back up and fixed me with a gaze. "And do you have a solution?"
I might. But tell me this, if the solution involved you giving up your way of life, in order to feed them, would you?
She paused for a moment, and nodded. "For them, I would do whatever it took."
I raised a hand and called up my memories, pouring them into my technique. Excellent. Now let me try something. Ply!
A stream of blue sparks shot from my hand, and directed by me, they merely hovered over my palm, cascading up and down in an endless loop. The queen seemed fascinated by the lightshow, probably because she could sense something off about it.
Go on, try to feed from it.
She looked at me curiously, before opening her mouth slightly and inhaling. The sparks shot into her mouth, and she nearly gasped. Barely, she managed to get all of them in and down before looking at me in wonder. "What...was that?"
A technique from Mercury meant to heal, but I poured my memories into it. You CAN infuse emotion into Psynergy, but it makes it so much more unstable. I just gave you a bit of my emotions, dear Queen. Willingly.
She seemed taken aback by my charity and sat on her rump for a bit. "Why would you..."
To get you to LISTEN to me. From what I understand, changelings can't feed on the emotional energy of another. It's a defense mechanism, one I can understand. But there's a way beyond invasion, starvation, and your current methods. Co-existence. You cannot live without the ponies. So try to make peace with them. Who knows? Public reaction may not be as terrible as you think, and there's always my place, a village of ponies who can ALL use these strange powers. Who could ALL put emotion behind it, and let you feed off of IT, rather than US, so that you don't harm us. Worst comes to worst, I'd be willing to shelter you if need be.
She blinked a few times, taking in the tirade I had given her. "Make peace with them?"
It's really your best choice. Otherwise, they'll probably go on some sort of crazy changeling-hunt to oust you, which would only accelerate the starving.
She nodded slowly at that. "And you'd be willing to shelter us?"
Only once you've at least tried, m'dear.
She nodded again. "Then...I think we can try. We must change and adapt to our surroundings, lest we perish. This is just one more change. A unique one, amongst them all, but one that I look forward to."
She put her hoof in my right hand as if to shake it.
The hand that still had the Mercury Star.
The Star which, even now, shattered.
I looked to where it had been, then to her. Aw, not agai-
Chrysalis gained a massive blue aura, and streams of it shot into the depths of the well. I could feel something shift, something break, deep down. There was a flash, and a massive blue orb rose from the depths and passed through the ceiling, continuing on to the surface.
Then I heard the roar of rushing water coming up, and I grabbed Chryssy. We gotta get outta here, lest we drown!
She wormed her way free and flew up to a tunnel exit, barking orders to her drones. Meanwhile, I was bemoaning my lack of Retreat, and kept running through the tunnels, always heading up.
Eventually, I reached the surface, to find Chrysalis and her subjects staring at the Light of Mercury, watching in awe as water gushed from the ground, turning the dry desert into a slightly muddier one. Plants sprung up towards the edges, and as the greenery filled in, I could only gawk.
An oasis in the desert. I thought it might happen like this, but I'm still surprised at how quickly the plants are coming in.
One changeling reached down to sip at the water, then reared back, his eyes wide open in surprise. "My throat! It was sore, but now it's not!"
I groaned as something else seemed to have happened, and the queen turned to me. "Care to elaborate?"
I sighed and nodded. As long as the Light of Mercury is housed here, the oasis shall overflow with the water of Hermes, the water which cures all physical ills.
I then turned to look at the Light, then back to the Queen. Well, I have to head back to Equestria anyways, to pick up someone for the next Light. Want to tag along? I can drop you off in Canterlot.
She laughed a little while before she caught her breath and nodded. "Why not?"