Within the guise of the night, Queen Chrysalis quietly walked into the Commercial District. She eyed a Homs man and female at a very ornate lamp stand. Despite the two being out for a romantic night, she felt very little love come from the woman when compared to the man. She scoffed.
“It figures that the woman using the man for his money. How sickening.” She said to herself, continuing on walking.
Walking to the Residential District, she saw a Nopon man hovering around a Homs man. The two of which looked like they were having a good time.
“A very brotherly bond, it seems. Even then, I taste a bit of spice in that relationship. I know that something will go down with the two of them soon.” Queen Chrysalis commented silently, hiding an intrigued smile.
Walking down through the Residential District, she noticed a middle-aged Homs woman with dark skin and red-brown hair. She looked a bit heavy and was dressed in very simple clothing. She sat on the base of the doorstep with a faraway gaze. Queen Chrysalis can sense bitterness emanating from the woman. She walked towards her.
“Excuse me, ma’am. I couldn’t help but notice that you are out here alone in the night. Do you mind if I provide some company?” She asked.
“Of course you can. Some company would be good.” Smiling, the woman responded.
Queen Chrysalis lied down on the cement next to the Homs.
“I’m very surprised that you aren’t intimidated by my appearance.” She curiously stated.
“I’m used to it now.” Shrugging her shoulders, the woman answered back. “A bunch of crazy stuff had happened this week. Beings calling themselves ponies happened to flock into this world all of a sudden, the Mechon attacked the colony again, and my husband still has not come home yet. You aren’t exactly the most bizarre thing I’ve seen.”
Queen Chrysalis shied her head away from the woman, taking in the comment she made about her husband.
“This week has been bizarre. My hive and I have wound up in a place you call Tephra Cave, where we faced extinction against the Arachnos. Had it not been for the help of the Homs named Shulk and an enemy of mine known as Twilight Sparkle, my changelings would have all perished.” Queen Chrysalis stated, causing the woman to look towards her.
“Did you say Shulk and Twilight Sparkle?” She asked before smiling. “Shulk is such a good boy, always working hard for the good of the Colony. And that Twilight that’s been hanging around him seems like a very nice pony. What has she done that you marked her and enemy of yours?”
“…Let’s just say I ruined her brother’s wedding and tried to take over the Equestrian capital known as Canterlot. But, we’re at a truce now that we are in this world as thanks for her heroism. My name is Queen Chrysalis.” Queen Chrysalis responded with a warm smile.
“…Françoise. You may call me Françoise.” Françoise introduced. “Pardon the pun, but something seems to be bugging you. Call it intuition, but it was probably something I said earlier.”
Queen Chrysalis looked down onto the ground with a visible frown on her face.
“To a changeling, love is the most important food while disappointment and frustration has a horribly bitter taste. When I first saw you, I sensed a large amount of bitterness inside of you. After hearing you speak, I now realize why you are bitter; when was the last time you saw your husband?”
The nature of the question caused Françoise to back up slightly. She exhaled a frustrated sigh.
“It was months back since I last saw Arnaut. It wasn’t the first time he would leave for work and never return. My daughter, Narine, also misses him a lot. But, he never stays around long enough for her either. She’s already ten years old, and she has not seen her father much in ten years. Arnaut is a good man, but that’s why it is so frustrating! Eventually, I’m going to have to divorce him.”
Hearing her story, Queen Chrysalis’s eyes widened empathetically.
“A being who has a mate and a child, but never sees the child is abominable in my book. I may be many things, but seeing deadbeat parents who neglect their spouse and child is one thing I will never stand for. It’s your lucky night, Françoise. I’m in the mood to help you with your little dilemma.” She stated strongly.
“You mean… you’ll bring Arnaut back home?!” Françoise said with hope eminent in her voice.
“More than that. I’ll make sure that he fulfills his duty as a husband to you and a father to your daughter. If you give me something that belongs to him, I’ll be able to ferret him out for you.” Queen Chrysalis responded, standing up from the ground.
“I do appreciate your help, Chrysalis. But, please, don’t have him come because you threaten him. Have him come because he wants to come.” Françoise pleaded.
“Will do.”
A middle-aged Homs man with fair skin and blonde hair walked onto the bridge just outside of the Defence Force Fortress. He looked at the water with a visibly exhausted face on him. He was still inside of a white lab coat and brown pants. He sighed.
“Another hard day at work. It pays to be the chief lab scientist, though.”
Unbeknownst to him, Queen Chrysalis emerged from the shadows of the bridge and audibly cleared her throat. The man turned around swiftly in a panic, seeing the changeling queen in front of him.
“Pardon me, sir, but are you Arnaut?” Queen Chrysalis asked.
“Umm, err, yes I am.” Arnaut responded.
Queen Chrysalis let out a silent huff and approached the man, walking circles around him like a hungry lioness. A bead of sweat dropped from Arnaut’s forehead.
“Let me ask you something, Arnaut; do you miss your wife and daughter?” Queen Chrysalis asked in an armor-piercing tone.
At this point, Arnaut’s air retreated back into him, choking him on his words.
“Y-y-yes I do. I miss them…” He quickly responded.
Queen Chrysalis then went up to his face with a stare equivalent to the force of ten thousand eruptions.
“Then why don’t you ever see them?! Do you know what happens to girls who grow up without their father?! They end up confused about their life. They end up confused about which men would be good for them and which men would be bad for them. They might end up dead in the middle of a ditch and nobody would ever know about it! Do you want that to happen to your daughter?!” She screamed.
Arnaut’s knees quivered severely under pressure. His teeth were clenched, trying to maintain a strong façade that was quickly breaking down.
“And then there is your wife, who was always worried sick about you! She comes out every night, waiting for you to come home. But, you never do. For ten years, she’s had to raise her daughter without you. Do you realize how much stress and trouble she has been under?! She was even thinking about divorcing you!” Queen Chrysalis shouted.
Her barking brought tears down Arnaut’s face. Arnaut slumped down on the lamppost behind him.
“I… didn’t think it would be that bad. It just only felt like seconds. I decided whether I should go back home or not from time to time. I say to myself that my family would be alright without me for just one night. But… one night turned into one week, which turned into months and then years.” Arnaut stated.
Queen Chrysalis turned around with a content smile on her face. She eyed behind her.
“Your wife is willing forgive you for all of the time you have missed with her and your daughter, you know. But, she will only forgive you if you come see her. Please, be decisive with your statement. She would only accept one-hundred percent or no percent cooperation from you.”
“I… I will come home. Please, tell Françoise that I’m coming home. I’m just so sorry to have brought her through too much trouble.” Arnaut stated.
“I am sure that your wife will be very happy to hear about it.” Queen Chrysalis stated, walking back across the bridge.
Françoise sat on her doorstep again, eagerly waiting. She stood up when Queen Chrysalis walked next to her.
“What did he say? What did Arnaut say?!” Françoise desperately asked.
“He said he is going to come home soon. He will come with a full-fledged apology for you when he gets back. It turns out that his work piled on top of his mind, but my speech to him caused him to realize his error.” Smiling, Queen Chrysalis stated.
“Thank you so much, Chrysalis!” Françoise exclaimed, hugging Queen Chrysalis by her neck.
Queen Chrysalis felt a warm feeling enter within her. It was the sweet sensation of love. She grinned. Breaking from the hug, Françoise looked onto Queen Chrysalis.
“If there is anything I can do for you.” She stated.
“Would you mind if you told the rest of the colony about my changelings? And, I would like for you to raise one of the younger changelings currently in my care. She was recently orphaned by the attacks from the Arachnos, and she needs someone who can love her. I’m also sure that your daughter will have a good time with a new sister as well.” Queen Chrysalis requested.
“I would be glad to do that for you, Chrysalis. But, are there any special requirements with raising changelings?” Françoise asked.
“Changelings feed off on love. They can eat solid food, but love is their sustenance. It would be an experiment to see if we changelings can co-exist with you Homs in this world. I never want my changelings to be alone when a threat we cannot defeat comes upon us again.” Queen Chrysalis stated.
“I understand. And, when Arnaut does come home, he’ll be sure to put in a good word for the Defence Force so that you and your changelings will never worry about having your livelihoods threatened again.” Françoise assured.
“Then, I hope I can see you again without having to hide in the night, Françoise.”
With these words, Queen Chrysalis departed from the area with a content smile on her face.
Queen Chrysalis walked along the dirt path outside of the colony towards the mouth of the cave.
“These Homs remind me very much of the ponies in Equestria. Normally, I would have attacked them. But, I’m in no position at all to attack.”
The path became mountainous, and various bunnits wandered between the trees.
“But… it brought some light into my eyes; if we changelings help anyone out, they will love us in return. That love will forever feed us. It seems like going the diplomatic path benefitted me more than I thought. Then, it looks like these people will need every ounce of help they’ll get.”
At the mouth of the cave, her mind glanced back towards the orphaned changeling in her care. A genuine sigh of happiness was released from her.
“I’m glad that Glass Wings will have somebody to love after everything.”