//------------------------------// // Chapter XXII - Truth // Story: Collateral // by Ogopogo //------------------------------// For the third time that minute, I raised my hoof to open the door. For the third time that minute, I set it back down. I don’t know why I’m hesitating. I know what I needed to say; I know what I needed to do. The thing was, inside the room was none other than Queen Chrysalis. The guards had brought her to an empty room at Cadence’s request and were given the order that I was to speak with her. Judging by some of the looks I was getting from them, however, I’m guessing they would soon resort to just pushing me in. Ok, I’ll admit it; I was nervous. I was worried that I’d go in there to find someone so different than what I expected, that I wouldn’t know what to do. I suppose there was no sense in putting it off any longer, though. I pushed the door open and stepped inside, with an icy claw of dread clutching my heart. So long as I didn’t do anything stupid, it would be alright. Chrysalis stood at a barred window, peering out on the ground below. Apparently, this room had furnished for situations like these. Spells and enchantments upon the room prevented others from listening in, beyond the structural reinforcements it had received. As I entered, Chrysalis sighed without looking back. “What is it now? You already have my answer.” What answer was she talking about? Part of me wanted to follow that trail down, just to see what I would find. Had Celestia and Luna asked her something already? That was for another time, though. At the current moment, she needed to be convinced I wasn’t like the others. "” I chittered in changic. That definitely got her attention. Her head snapped about like lightning. Baleful hate filled her eyes as she regarded me. “" She spat. “" “” She was in for a shock. "" She laughed. "" “I think you would be surprised to know who my kin are,” I said, falling back to my native tongue. “I don’t you think you understand who I am.” “Oh please,” she said, following my lead. “I know exactly who and your kin are: ” I couldn’t understand the word she said. I suppose, loosely translated it would mean roughly something like “tyrants of the unbalanced scales”, but I was not about to bet any amount of bits on that guess. “I wasn’t raised in a hive,” I shot back. “Oh, so do you expect sympathy then?” Malice dripped from my answer. “No, I am perfectly happy having been raised by ponies. Now let me ask; is your daughter happy being raised by a bitch like you?” She wordlessly snarled. “Just, who do you think you–” “I,” I interrupted her, “am the changeling who kept your daughter and subjects from the dungeon, the one who protected them by telling lies to those I swore to tell the truth, and the one who’s trying to undo everything you did by invading.” Much of the anger vanished from her face as she contemplated my words. “Cytri seemed convinced you were not one of them. It seems I was mistaken for not believing her. Now if–” Her disregard for my fury was so casual, as if she was just brushing sand from her chitin. “I am also the one whose parents were killed because of your invasion.” She was silent for a minute, then shrugged and began to walk towards me. “Well, you have my condolences.” “That’s it!” “Pardon?” I gritted my teeth and fought back the urge to strike her. “Is that all you have to say?” “You were there when I was before the alicorns, were you not? It is as I said: I will not apologize for something I do not regret.” “Why?” I demanded. “Not in this place. Those who listen, listen well.” Was she just worried about eavesdroppers? “There is an enchantment on the room that prevents anyone outside this room from hearing what we say.” “And who told you that?” “Cadence.” She scoffed, turning her gaze about the room , horn glowing as she studied it. “And you expect that doll of a princess to be telling the truth when–” she trailed off as she realized I spoke true. I was surprised to find her words of contempt for Cadence bothered me as they did. “Do you know what she has been doing? She's been trying to restore the peace and convince ponies that we are not monsters. That’s working a hell of a lot better than anything you have ever done!” “I will not listen to you lecture me while there are things you do not understand.” I wanted to leap forward and wring her neck. “Why do you think I am here! I want you to tell me why you invaded Canterlot and anything else which might be useful!” She shook her head. “What right do you have to such knowledge?” How dense was she? “The fact that I am trying to stop a war!” That gave her pause. “What happens to the other hives is none of my concern.” “Then what about you, your daughter or any of your subjects! If a war happens, I guarantee you that you will be the first ones to suffer. And are you really so keen to let one start just because you are too stubborn to give me the information I might need to stop it?: “You just expect me to trust that you have our best interests at heart? I would be an imbecile to tell someone so... Naive, the truth.” I sensed a ‘but’ in there. “Well what would it take to prove myself to you?” A ghost of a chilling smile crossed her face. “Give me your magic.” Ocean Wind’s word echoed through my head. If she had the power, Chrysalis would be more than willing to attempt the invasion again, and I would be the one who enabled her. “Do you seriously expect me to trust you after what you have done?” Her grin sent shivers down my spine. “Trust is a two-way street, isn’t it? You give me your magic, I’ll tell you what you want to know. It really is that simple.” It only took a second to decide: there was no choice to make. Without the information, Cadence would be up the creek without a paddle in a few hours. As much as I hated it, there was nothing I could do. I could make sure to give her as little magic as possible, and warn Celestia and Luna of it, but little else. “Fine.” She crossed the distance and touched her horn to mine. Unlike the time with her daughter, where Cytri only took what I offered, Chrysalis seemed to actively pull the magic from me. I had to fight to slow the stream down to a point where I could tell how much she received. But even then, she kept taking. She took more than I had given Cytri; more than I had been willing to give. However, I knew that if I stopped now, she would deny me what I needed to know. Only when she reached the last quarter of my magic, did I finally pull back. “That’s enough.” She looked thoughtful for a moment, almost deliberately drawing me out. “I believe it is. Now what did you want me to tell you?” “The invasion. Why did you invade?” “Oh, right.” Before I could react, her horn glowed and what felt like an iron ring wrapped around my neck, choking me, and lifting me from the ground. I struggled to make any noise. Oh masters’ it hurt. Chrysalis just stood there, though, smiling. “Do you know what the best part is? No one can hear you.” She examined one of her hooves. “It’s a nifty little enchantment. I’ll have to remember it.” I struggled for air, my heart rising to pound in my ears. This was a mistake. I was going to die. I tried to use my magic, but she gave me a little shake. “No, no. Behave like a good little papua.” I fell limp, trying to form a desperate plan in my mind, but what thoughts I had were drowned out by the growing pounding dominating my senses. Seconds passed by and Chrysalis idly glanced out the window, as if she was bored, while the edges of my vision started to go black. “If you ever speak anything of our arrangement, I will kill you.” She dropped me. I fell to the ground gasping for breath. My throat was raw and sore, like someone had driven screws in tightly. “That wasn’t part of the deal,” I wheezed. “Oh, it wasn’t, was it... My apologies then; I was just clearing up any uncertainties.” That bitch! Chrysalis me cough and wheeze into the floor until I was able to stand.“What you have to understand about the council: they don’t like change. They desire to keep everything static and motionless. Many of the policies they hold have been in place for hundred of years. They will go to any length to protect these outdated ideals, including ousting and overturning the rule of a hive.” “And let me guess, you were the one they tried to oust.” She ignored me. “Perhaps one day you might be lucky enough to see a hive. They are wondrous structures which could house entire cities of ponies, while hidden in the most unlikely of places. However, their one flaw is that illnesses can spread easily when compared to an open air city like Canterlot. Nearly half of my subjects caught the sickness that ran rampant through mine.” I almost didn’t want to ask it. “How many died?” “Admittedly few: no more than fifty. In curing them, however, we expended much energy. I was almost as weak as a pupua when the last case of the plague finally lifted. Given time, our hive would have made a full recovery.” “But...” “The changeling council respects power, Amethyst, nothing more. Upon seeing our weakened nature, some... Members, thought it would be best if we were placed under the rule of another hive till we recovered. I argued vehemently against it, but they had heard reports and refused to listen to me.” Anger flashed in her eyes. “But they were not content with choosing a reasonable hive; no, they had to select Nitxi. Their king’s plan was to integrate with us presumably till the point where we have recovered our strength, intermingling his subjects with mind. But divided, we would be weak and, in time, reliant. “I spoke with the council at length, called in the few favours I had, but they only gave me an extension. If I could prove that everything was still proper in our hive in a month’s time, they would let us continue to rule ourselves unhindered.” “So why didn’t you do that then?” I asked. “I mean, you could steal some energy from ponies if you really had to, or–” “They made the task an impossible goal; the power we would need to collect would make us greater than any other hive with a seat upon the council. Do you know why the invasion was our only option left?” I shook my head. “I don’t think it was.” “Then you know little. For thousands of years, we have lived alongside ponies in secrecy. Not only for some ponies, but here is our homeland. The invasion... It was the only way to bring the end to the rule of the council. Once ponies knew we existed, and once we had the power of so many, we could overthrow the council unopposed. With thousands of years of tradition now pointless the council would begin to fall apart, and in the chaos, it would have been an easy fight.” “Then why invade Canterlot? Surely you could have just revealed yourself to ponies without attacking.” She shook her head. “Once they learned of changelings, conflict would have been inevitable. A strike at Canterlot would leave ponies reeling and unorganized, long enough for us to end the rule of the council and strike a truce. Then, we would have been able to usher in a new age for changelings!” So, my parents death, Marmalade’s inn burning, all this fear and hatred... It was because Chrysalis desired power? “What gives you the right to make that decision?” I seethed. “Are you that power hungry that you would throw this country into chaos?” She met my gaze unflinchingly. “If it had meant the future, freedom and safety of my subjects, I would have personally flayed your parents alive.” She caught my strike before I could break her nose. “Do you even understand what would have happened if we had been integrated with that hive? Their laws are draconian and tyrannical. For them, it is a crime punishable by twenty lashes to look upon a changeling such as you are I. Fifty if you speak. And you want to speak of wanting peace between ponies and changelings? They see ponies as nothing more than livestock to be fed upon. Thousands are kept entombed in pods till the end of their lives, solely to have their energy harvested, slowly withering away. Do you understand what would have happened if they had invaded Canterlot instead of us?” She left me no time to answer. “They would murder in cold blood anypony who dared to raise a hoof against them, or anyone they deemed an ‘undesirable risk’. Do you understand?” She left go of my foreleg. If she was telling the truth, what did that mean? The means might not have been noble, but were the reasons for the invasion? “So what are you planning now?” She gave a hollow laugh, walking back over to the window. “There is no plan anymore save to pray. I may have forced the hooves of the council, but you had best hope your princesses can weather what I’ve brought down upon them. Equestria might fall if they cannot. I have satisfied your curiosity enough; if you want me to answer any more of your questions, you will bring me more of your magic.” There was one more thing I had to ask, at least for Cadence’s sake. “Why Cadence?” She looked back at me over her shoulder, silent. “I think you already know the answer.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chrysalis had been correct; I did know the answer. Cadence was already well busy drafting letters, and passing them on to royal couriers. I sort of sat off to the side of her office, waiting till she finished. It a bit of a musty old place, obviously in disuse. Then again, it was hardly surprising given the wedding and her honeymoon. The room could really use another window either way. A good twenty minutes passed before she stuffed the last letter into an envelope. She dropped a dollop of hot wax onto the join, and stamped it shut with a signet ring. She placed it on a pile with a few other letters, then slumped back in her chair, sighing. “What I wouldn’t do for a scribe.” “Surely you could get one,” I said. “I wish it was that straightforward. Though I might be a princess, I still don’t have the duties or authority my aunts do. There is no reason to me to keep a scribe on a payroll; it would just be wasteful.” She rose from her chair, motioning for me to follow. “Where are we going?” “I thought it might be nicer if we could talk in the gardens. My office is far too stuffy to be pleasant. You can begin to tell me on the way,” the two guards on either side of the door snapped to attention and began to follow us as we walked out. Recounting what Chrysalis had told me took some time. Some of the things, I felt, had been a little biased due to her interpretation, and I didn’t want Cadence carrying that on to the press. The guards’ curiosity was just as overwhelming as Cadence’s was; they were clearly listening in on my explanation. It wasn’t like they didn’t deserve that right. We walked slowly, meandering through the halls to the garden. I continued speaking, pausing only when Cadence asked me a question. At the end of it all, we wound up sitting on a bench in the Royal Gardens. The place was astonishing; I didn’t realize this many types of flowers even existed. As someone who has never handled pollen to well, I expected to be tear at my throat, but the air here was pure and still. I’m starting to suspect there was some sort of enchantment on this place, because it simply radiated peace. I brought my thoughts back to what I was saying, tossing in a few finishing remarks. Cadence’s gaze slipped from me to the fountain we sat in front of. “I see.” Then it was silent. The last words Chrysalis had spoken to me rang in my head as Cadence deliberated over the queen’s tale. Truth be told, Chrysalis was right. There had been a reason Cadence had been the one, and it was nothing to do with her position. Ok, maybe that wasn’t quite accurate. Though Chrysalis had taken the role of Cadence, it had not been purely because, as a princess, she had power. Truth of the matter is, there were sure to be ponies who had the same powers as Cadence, or more, without her more public nature. No, the real reason why Chrysalis chose Cadence was– “Ponies love you,” I said. Her head snapped towards me. “Pardon?” Clearly she had been lost in thought. “Ponies love you; it’s why Chrysalis chose to take your place.” She sighed. Picking a flower from near the bench, she brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply. “I know why she chose me... It doesn’t make it hurt any less, though. She should have spoken to me; perhaps we could have figured out something. But...” She trailed off as her ears folded and she bowed her head, trying desperately to fight off memories. “Do you know when she kept me in the crystal caves she tormented me? She showed me pictures of the wedding, what I had missed. Down there, I had no way of keeping track of time, no way of knowing it hadn’t actually happened. By the time Twilight found me, I thought the wedding had been over for a week. Days just had a way of blurring together down there. Shining Armour–” Her expression fell even further. “What is it?” “You haven’t heard yet, have you?” This was getting irritating. “What!” “Last night, Ocean Wind and Starlight escaped from their cell into the city. ” I tried my best to look shocked and alarmed. “What? How?” “We don’t know,” she answered. “The bars to the cell were enchanted and there’s no evidence to suggest how they even broke down the bars to begin with.” She shuddered, as if telling me this was physically taxing. “My husband was standing watch at the time... And somepony attacked him. But there was no way for them to sneak up on him, no way for him to be surprised. It just doesn’t make sense!” “Is he alright?” She almost sobbed. “No, he’s not. The doctors worry he has a concussion. He has only woken for a few minutes since last night.” “Anything more than that?” I was trying my best to keep the guilt from my voice; narrowly failing. She didn’t notice. “They say if he doesn’t wake up by tonight that he may be in a coma.” “I’m sure he’ll be alright. He’s probably been through much worse.” I’m sure I didn’t hit him that hard... “Anything else I can do to help?” The words left a bitter taste in my mouth. She gave me a smile. “You’ve done more than enough, Amethyst. I can handle the press on my own. Heavens know I’ve had to put up with worse. Why don’t you spend the rest of the evening with Marmalade and enjoy yourself.” I returned her smile with one which was hollow to it’s core. Excusing myself, I quickly made for the door, before Cadence could see my act shatter. I shouldn’t have let it happen like it had. There was only one thing left to do this evening, and I could only pray that I would do it right.