I had been right when I'd told Celestia she wasn't going to like my request, though the exact reasons why were a bit different than what I'd considered. Chrysalis wasn't so much a prisoner as she was a diplomat under house arrest. The caverns beneath Canterlot were (to an extent) her embassy. That meant she had full autonomy over who she let in.
The other discovery was that the changelings had resumed mining operations. I'd done my research after the near-disastrous Canterlot wedding and found they had been closed due to hazardous working conditions and unstable magical currents. There were ways to mitigate such dangers, but eventually the cost of operations had simply trumped any profit the mine could have turned. Changelings, on the other hoof, with their natural low-light vision, little need for food or rest, and all capable of rudimentary magic, were ideal workers. It was all part of Celestia's plan of integration, showing that the changelings were capable workers and could provide resources for trade.
All of this had been revealed to me on the condition that nopony else would hear of it. When I'd asked about my friends, Celestia had not-so-subtly inquired about Pinkie Pie, making the point clear. The only thing my friends would know was that I'd be going to Canterlot for a couple of days to help Celestia with something...which was technically true. Pinkie insisted on throwing a party anyway, small compared to her normal fare, but Pinkie was an expert at her craft no matter the scale.
Pushing away my notes, I made my way downstairs, smiling as I heard a knock on the door. It took me less than a second after opening the door to see the barrel of the cannon before I hit the deck.
“Pinkie! Put that away!”
“Aww, but I wanted to try this new party mix!”
“Absolutely not!”
“Oh come on, Twilight, I promise the books will be fine...this time.”
---
Rainbow Dash was frustrated. There was a problem here, and unlike most of her problems, it wasn't one well-suited to her talents. Worse yet, she was having a hard time putting her hoof on what the problem even was.
Twilight was avoiding her. It was subtle, but she could tell by the way she acted during Pinkie's farewell party. Every time Pinkie brought out a game to play, Twilight was always sitting opposite from her and avoiding eye contact. The few times she managed to corner her into a conversation, her responses had been stiff and excessively polite.
It was almost like they'd had a fight she'd forgotten about, but aside from a couple of rough tackles, she couldn't recall anything she'd done that might have upset her. Even after Twilight had taken the train to Canterlot, the doubt still gnawed at her, until finally she decided to go seek advice from her friends:
“Well, she has been dealing with that Changeling Queen, dear. It seems like after every time she visits, Twilight is on edge for a day or two afterward.”
“Can't rightly say, sugarcube. I had a few words with her over the shapeshiftin' thing, but I ain't noticed anything wrong.”
“Ooh, ooh, did you see it when she changed into me? She was really good! The bouncing looked kinda silly, though.”
“Maybe she's just worried. Owlowicious was rather sick recently. She was very concerned,” remarked Fluttershy in the midst of her morning feeding.
“Really? He seemed fine yesterday...”
“Oh, he was. Twilight was just being careful.” She paused, setting the feeding bag aside. “That reminds me, Tank is due for his checkup, isn’t he?”
“It’s been two days, Fluttershy, I don’t think I need to be that cautious,” teased Rainbow, wings poised and ready for takeoff.
“Two days? But I didn’t have any appointments scheduled that day.”
Rainbow’s wings seized up and her hooves landed on the ground, her eyes wide. “What?!”
---
There was a palpable air of tension around Canterlot when I arrived, similar to how things had been during my brother's wedding. Normally the Canterlot guards were passive in their duties, but now they were on full alert. I had no doubt it involved the ‘guests’ that were even now mining below my hooves.
Celestia had said she'd sent a missive explaining my desires ahead of me to the changeling queen, but had yet to receive a reply. Despite that, I had little doubt that things would move quickly once I showed up.
One thing that had changed since the last time I'd been involuntarily forced down there was a set of stairs in place of the tunnel that Cadance and I had crawled out of previously. Guards were everywhere, but with Celestia at my side they were quick to stand aside.
“How do you know they won't just dig out?” I asked as we passed another checkpoint.
“Once every few days we have a team sweep the caves, so we know where every tunnel leads. A few specially selected surveyors are allowed in as well.” Anticipating what I was about to ask next, Celestia continued, “Yes, I'm well aware they could be replaced. Any worker who goes down there has to spend a week in isolation. We may not have quick methods for detecting changelings, but if they go for a week without food, they'll instinctively react to a dose of love. Not the most elegant solution, but it's the best we have at the moment.”
Honestly, the whole operation still sounded dicey, but I had to concede that it was a better alternative than to simply let the hive sit and wait for judgment to be handed down from on high.
Darkness quickly closed in around us, only held at bay by the occasional magic light. The rough and craggy tunnels that I'd escaped through were now smoothed over and widened so that even Celestia had no problems walking about.
Finally the tunnel opened up and I had to fight back a double-take as the eyes of almost twenty guards were immediately upon us. Stern, no-nonsense types who took their jobs seriously, performing only small bows when Celestia entered but never taking their eyes off of her. These were not the types to talk or slack during a shift and I instinctively felt myself moving very carefully under their watch.
I felt the power of the barrier before I saw it. At least four unicorns were maintaining the pink shield that separated the royal guards from the changelings in azure armor behind it, though the strength of the shield implied there were many more ponies contributing to its strength.
“That is our agreed-upon border, so to speak,” said Celestia. “For the moment, their embassy consists of the network of caves below.”
“This seems like a temporary solution at best,” I pointed out.
Celestia nodded her agreement. “Someday I hope they'll be able to establish a proper colony, but ultimately that will only happen if we can find a way to check the threat they pose.”
“And if you can't?” I asked, somewhat worried.
My mentor looked me over for a long moment. “Then I will consider more unpleasant alternatives. Chrysalis might be willing to turn over a new leaf, but that does not wholly excuse her past actions. Please believe me when I say that I will only exercise these methods as a last resort.”
It was the answer I had anticipated, but it didn't make me feel any better having it confirmed. Still, that only made me more determined. “I won't let you down, princess.”
Celestia gave me a warm smile. “I'm sure you won't. Do be careful down there, although I doubt Chrysalis will try anything, knowing that I'd bring down this mountain on their heads if they so much as harmed a hair on your mane.”
I was fairly certain she was exaggerating, but the thought of a furious sun goddess swooping in to rescue me was a fantasy I was happy to entertain. Returning her smile with one of my own, I stepped from her side and approached the barrier, making eye contact with the guards. Giving me a nod, the unicorn opened up a hole in the shield while a scribe made a note on my passing. Two more steps and I was face to face with the changeling sentries.
“Ssparkle.” The voice caught me off guard and the formal request I had been preparing to make died on my tongue. “You are expected.” The voice came out as a harsh whisper with a small, almost unnoticeable emphasis on the sibilance.
“Bagss...” said the other changeling, gesturing towards the packs I had on. Realizing quickly what he desired I relinquished them. There was nothing in there that I couldn’t replace, just a healthy supply of paper, quills, and ink.
“Proceed,” came his voice a moment later. The other guard turned and walked into the gloom, causing me to hesitate.
“May I use light?” I asked cautiously. When I received a nod in response, I lit my horn with a brilliant violet glow. When Celestia and I had been walking down the tunnel, it had been difficult to get a sense of how deeply we had traveled. Seeing the wide-open cavern in front of me finally brought it into perspective. My light reflected off the crystals, illuminating the massive sprawl and the numerous changelings flying here and there, some working to carefully chip away at the stone surrounding the delicate minerals.
For a long moment, all I could do to marvel at my surroundings. It wasn't until I noticed the stare of the expectant changeling escort that I began to move again. “Sorry, just really impressed at the work you've done here,” I said sheepishly, falling into step behind him once more, though I took every opportunity to look around me. In a few places I saw the forestallions Celestia had alluded to, watching over the work with enchanted headlamps to illuminate the darkness. Tunnels branched off the main path into the gloom, but my escort continued to lead me along the widest one that stretched deeper into the cave.
Finally, we reached the throne room. The place was lit by enchanted crystals, all glowing with a faint green color that gave the place an ominous look. On a throne of the same glowing crystal, crudely fashioned after the one Celestia used, was Chrysalis.
Even without my Aura Sight, I could tell something was off. She looked similar to how I often did when I was panicking over a test, only worse. A distant, haunted look was in her eyes. Upon seeing the light from my horn, the guards who had been stationed beside her turned and left, leaving a faint residue of magic behind. Odd...was that how they normally communicated?
I decided to break the silence. “Queen Chrysalis, thank you for-”
“How did you do it?” she snapped, cutting me off.
“...I'm sorry?”
“There's no way. It's not possible. Not even the other changelings can do it. What did you do?” She was practically snarling now.
My patience rapidly wore thin. “I have no idea what you're talking about!” I insisted.
Chrysalis continued as though she hadn't heard me. “I already knew you could make a mockery of our race, but this...from a pony, no less. Unless...you've always been a changeling, and I've just been blind.”
It was hard not to appreciate the irony of a changeling claiming that I was wearing a disguise, not even a day after my friends had thought the exact same thing. Frustrated, I turned on my Aura Sight, then nearly stumbled backward at the almost tangible combination of fear and paranoia tainting the air with sickly colors.
“Chrysalis!” I shouted, hoping to divert her thoughts. “Tell me what's going on! Nothing has changed about me, I'm the same as I've always been!”
To my growing dread, this was met with a derisive laugh. “You claim as much even with the ability to change your form and peer into the consciousness of my hive? No, Twilight, you know something more and I will have answers!”
The queen leapt from her throne, her horn glowing a bright green. Without any sort of seal on her magic, the sheer power made my fur stand on end. I didn't recognize the spell, but my own horn flared to life with the strongest shield I could muster to meet the green streak hurtling toward me.
---
When everything was going perfectly, that was the best time to be worried. It was a lesson my mother had often stressed when teaching me about the queendom I would one day inherit.
Wait...me? I? What is this?
Cadance was sitting there, enjoying a meal like she had a dozen times before, making conversation with the staff while her guards sat a table away to keep a casual eye on things. They were not slackers by any means, but guarded Cadance under the assumption that nopony would try something in such a posh restaurant that turned most ponies away at the door if they had a single hair on their mane out of place.
I can't move...why can't I move?
The servers were moving now and I was moving as well. Cadance had been indulging in the drugged appetizers and already looked to be nodding off a bit. As one, the servers for the guards and Cadance arrived, blocking their view briefly as the emerald green color of my horn flashed brightly.
A sickly green bubble surrounded the princess, her eyes suddenly wide with surprise and her own horn glowing weakly as she tried in vain to fight the spell, her form sinking into the ground to the basement below where several more changelings were waiting. Then, with another flash, I was in her form, taking the vacated seat. It was over in mere seconds.
Cadance! No! Why can't you hear me? Cadance!
Of course, replacing her was the easy part. The hard part was going to be living up to the kind of princess she presented herself as. For the moment, though, I simply smiled and nodded at my guards before daintily eating my meal. There were plans to be hatched, countless other details to work out, and no doubt a few surprises along the way, but now was the point of no return.
Either the Red Queen would fall, or I would.
---
Gray fog entered my vision, my mind lurching as my thoughts became my own once more. What was this? What had I witnessed? I desperately tried to move, but there was nothing to move. The fog was clearing again. This time I was looking out over the caves below Canterlot, soundlessly gasping as I saw several hundred green pods, the life within gradually starting to awaken and forge their connections to both their queen and the hive.
Gradually, the glow from my jagged horn faded and I looked down at Cadance's body...no...it was Chrysalis in Cadance's form.
“Rest well, my young ones.” It felt like my mouth but it was Chrysalis' voice. “We will need every one of you before the end.” She'd been feeding them, I realized. Taking the love bestowed upon Cadance and distributing it to the new hatchlings. Hundreds of them, all packed away beneath the castle. How long had they been here before they finally attacked? How many did Chrysalis have now?
“My queen.” The voice came from behind me...her. The name ‘Dusk’ came to mind. So this was how he looked? He seemed different from the other changelings despite the similar muscle structure. “The young are learning quickly. I have reformed all of my scouting parties and we're developing a clearer picture of the Red Queen's activities. I've already composed a list of potential targets-”
“No, leave them. We have more than enough energy right now and I will not make a move until we know where the queen herself is.”
Chrysalis' head turned and if I'd been controlling her mouth, I would have had to choke back bile. Suspended in the midst of the pods was Cadance, fur matted with whatever substance they used in those cocoons, body held suspended in the air, and eyes closed in deep sleep.
Memories filtered into my consciousness. She was under deep hypnosis, living through memories of warmth and joy to coax out her love naturally to be absorbed by the pods. Supplemented by the love I...no, Chrysalis had been receiving from Cadance's subjects, an army of changelings the likes of which had never been seen before was being born.
“When we find her, we will strike everywhere at once. All of her agents, every changeling in her hive, and the queen herself. In one month's time, Cadance will announce her marriage. All eyes will be on Canterlot and away from Ponyville. Until then, take as many scouts as you need and mark every target you can find.”
Bowing and leaving Chrysalis to herself amidst the pods and the changelings who tended them, my eyes were forced to look at Cadance's suspended body once more. The wedding had come as a surprise to her since Shining Armor had done well to keep things as discreet as possible, but his arrival had brought a love even stronger than the numerous ponies Cadance was friends with. It was tempting to push and see how far things could go if Shining could truly be-
Mentally, I tried to scrub myself of Chrysalis' thoughts. I really did NOT need to see her thinking about my brother that way. The torrent of thoughts and emotions threatened to overwhelm me no matter what defense I tried, though, pushing past my mental barriers as though they weren't even there. There were small tidbits of everything, but all of it was tinged with fear. Fear for her hive, fear of the elders, and fear of the legends of entire hives disappearing when they went against the changeling laws.
“See to it that she remains in good health,” came Chrysalis' voice as she stood and walked purposefully from the cavern, the workers pausing to listen to their queen. “Watch her constantly, and if there's any sign of deterioration, wake her up and have her cared for.”
After all, the princess was a valuable hostage, and if the situation went sideways she would be a useful bargaining chip against Celestia. Checking to make sure that her disguise was perfect down to the last detail, the changeling queen walked from the room as thick fog engulfed my vision once more.
---
It was dark now, and I was flying. Had the body been under my control, panic would likely have sent me spiraling to the ground. As it was, Chrysalis navigated the pitch-black skies with ease. I could feel the tension coming from the hive, but there was no fear, only grim determination.
Tonight was the culmination of months of running, hiding, and planning. Between Shining Armor's love, Celestia's tender affection, the crowds bestowing their love onto the false princess, and the captive Princess of Love herself...the results were staggering.
Never before had I commanded so many nor seen a battle so one-sided. Every agent in Ponyville had three separate changelings to deal with, and while some from the Red Queen put up a spirited fight, success after success was being reported back. Directing so many was tiring, though, and I found myself quickly delegating portions of the hive to the generals in control. It was the first time I'd ever had to limit my connections. The young changelings had yet to really master communication and tended to broadcast freely to the hive, including the pain I felt at each passing.
No, ‘hive’ wasn't appropriate, not anymore. This was an army. One that the Red Queen was ill-prepared to fight. That arrogant changeling had even taken up residence in my mother's old cave as if to mock my defeat. Now it was going to be her grave.
Not everything was running smoothly, though. Here and there a pony caught sight of the battle, or heard the noise, and gave in to curiosity. A few came too close and had to be dealt with, though thankfully there were no fatalities, and the Bearers of Harmony remained asleep with several changelings watching each just in case.
It was going to be over soon. The Red Queen's seat of power was a deathtrap now, with the escape tunnels collapsed far in advance and the perimeter surrounded. I had never met or even seen the Red Queen, but as I touched down at the entrance to the place I once called home, I silently vowed that the first time would also be the last.
Messages entered my mind as I strode toward the cavern entrance.
“Inside...barricaded. To what end?” I mused aloud. “Do you hope for rescue, or are you delaying the inevitable?”
The numerous fights were winding down, but the Red Queen's personal guard were still holding strong, fighting with the feverish loyalty that only a changeling queen could instill. Many of my kin fell, each sending a sharp pain through my mind and hastening my steps.
Having a clear picture of the battlefield even before I entered the inner cave, my first spell incinerated one of the guards, not even leaving his armor behind. There would be no prisoners taken, and both sides understood that.
Green and red magic flashed around the cave as the two sides clashed. There hadn't been much time to teach the hatchlings more than basic magics, but even the elite couldn't stand against five-to-one odds, though several of my number were cut down in the last stand.
With a snarl, I pushed my way to the head of the defensive formation and brought the power of Cadance to bare. There was no finesse, nor strategy, merely a queen wielding unassailable power. When the green light finally faded, only ashes remained of those foolish enough to stand in her way.
And there, finally, was the Red Queen. She was bigger than myself by a fair margin, and while the queens of each hive were essentially ageless, the one before me had an air of experience about her. She was sitting on her throne looking almost bored, but I could see her flinch ever so slightly as the last of her guards were dispatched.
“Queen Chrysalis, we meet at last. I commend you on the speedy recovery of your hive,” she said in greeting, her tone almost amicable. Whatever she was feeling right now I couldn't even begin to sense. “You must realize a hive of your size goes against the elders.”
My eyes narrowed. “Citing our laws will not change my course. I've come to finish Chrysalide's work, and then I shall deal with the elders.” Although how, I did not know. Entire colonies had been rumored to disappear in a single night, leaving behind only their seal as a condemnation of their homes and lives.
“Then you've simply damned your kin to destroy mine. It will be better for them to suffer death than be under your self-destructive rule.”
My expression didn't change and my emotions didn't slip, but the Red Queen didn't seem to be looking for my reaction. She knew she was on borrowed time and determined to get her say in before the end. Fortunate for her that I saw no need to draw out her impending demise.
“Let them come,” I said arrogantly, and I knew it was arrogance even as the words left me. My jagged horn was glowing a bright green, my hooves clacking loudly against the stones as I approached her throne. “My kin will die fighting, we will not shrivel away in fear or starve quietly!”
“Staying silent is how we survive! You jeopardize everything we've worked to build!” Her face was a mask of rage and her horn glowed a sickly crimson color the shade of blood.
“That won’t be your concern for much longer!” Magic surged and twisted through the air, clashing between us and sending stray bursts throughout the cave. The changelings that had been flanking me retreated at my unspoken command, none wishing to be caught in the clash of queens.
It was not a valiant struggle or even a desperate last stand. Cadance's love was overwhelming and I poured every bit of it into the raw magical power I flung her way. The last thing I saw before her own magic fizzled was a wide-eyed look of horror.
And then she was dust.
Light faded, sound faded, and the last remnants of the Red Queen's magic vanished. The back of my mind buzzed with scattered reports of victories and disorientation from the remaining members of the enemy hive, but I remained quiet.
Part of me wanted to sigh in relief and celebrate that things were finally over, but I knew that for the lie it was. For all her posturing, the Red Queen had been right. There was no practical way to feed this hive or keep them hidden. Feeding them would require nearly seven hundred in the field.
With a casual burst of magic, I scattered the ashes of the late queen and sat on her throne, deep in thought, even as I sent out orders to begin the cleanup. Maybe I didn't need to hide anymore. Maybe I had to stop thinking with the mindset of a changeling and see my army for what it was.
Almost unconsciously, my body shifted into Cadance's form as my thoughts turned to Canterlot and the mere three hundred guards stationed there.
---
“Twilight. My name is Twilight...”
The vision was gone, replaced once again by the gray fog. That last memory had been the most vivid yet, assaulting my sense of self from every angle. I knew exactly what had happened now, even if I didn't know how it'd happened; much in the same way Chrysalis connected with her hive, I had connected with her.
For the tenth time and counting, I cursed my inexperience with mental magic. I was striking out blind into unfamiliar territory and grasping at straws. Taking my memories and my sense of self, I tried wrapping them around me like a shield, hoping to deflect the barrage of visions.
I wasn't even sure if I had a physical projection here, wherever here was, but I felt like I was reeling from the onslaught and catching bits and pieces of memory as they flew by.
“I know it's probably an extreme measure, but the shield really is for the best. This threat seems serious.”
Chrysalis tried to hold back her frustration. How had her plans gotten out? Who was watching her? Outwardly, she gave Shining a tired smile. “I'll be fine, Shiny, it's just frustrating for this to happen now of all times.”
The stallion gave her an affectionate nuzzle, not noticing the fangs growing inside his wife's mouth...
Chrysalis hadn't been the one to send the threat? Who had? The elders? I barely had time to think before I was forced to brace myself against the next flash.
The guards had been doubled and everypony was pulling double shifts. She'd barely been able to evacuate her hive from the caves before the shield had been expanded to fit all of Canterlot. Cadance had been left behind, but without workers to maintain her pod, more primitive methods had been required for her continued imprisonment.
Her facade was slipping further each time Celestia increased her security, and despite her best efforts, no amount of mental influence could get Shining Armor to drop, or even weaken the shield.
Much of the wedding preparations required her presence and guards were with her constantly, severely limiting the time she could slip away to check on Cadance, though Shining was a competent substitute for nourishment.
Then, not even an hour ago, she learned that the Elements of Harmony were arriving. Fighting the urge to growl in frustration, Chrysalis gave the white unicorn another dose of magic and venom, smiling as she saw his eyes taking on a green hue.
Even though I knew it had happened, seeing it play out was intensely discomforting. I pulled the shield of thought around me tighter. I didn't want to see this. I didn't need to see this. More flashes surrounded me but this time my shield held against all of them...save one.
The purple unicorn stood in front of her, shaking with fear and defiance alike while the Secretariat Comet blazed overhead, causing the surrounding magic to go haywire. This was the focal point. Having her would mean anything she desired from Celestia and Cadance both.
“No, I won't...say...goodbye!”
Green and violet clashed as their horns met, the sudden spike of power making the castle foundations tremble as the queen found herself pushed back.
“You can't take away my friends and you'll never have Equestria! You...can't...win!”
The emotions were unlike anything she'd ever felt. Part of her wanted to taste them, to immerse herself in the energy even as she pushed back against the torrent of power.
“You don't know what it's like to have friends. You feed on love, but you can't tell what it's like to truly love and be loved!”
Twilight was glowing now, her eyes almost a pure white color. “We have things that you can't hope to have! You envy us! I can stand up to you...and I will win!” The magic spiked, her resistance crumbled, and the cave turned white.
This was it...this was going to be her final defeat. It was that same power that had defeated her at Canterlot, and now Twilight was wielding it here against her. Even the words she spoke were similar to those of Cadance.
As her magic faded, the last thought that passed through her mind was that perhaps…
...perhaps they had been right.
---
Was this my body? No, wasn't I supposed to be bigger? My horn lit up, preparing to change myself, but the spell slipped away before I could grasp it.
“Stop, don't move.” The soft voice halted me in mid-thought. Wasn't that my voice? “Collect your thoughts, Twilight.”
Twilight...yes, that was my name...and that was Chrysalis. With that lifeline, I rapidly began to separate my thoughts from hers until finally I could get my mouth working.
“What the buck did you do?” I shouted, though when I saw the changeling queen splayed out on the ground looking just as shaken as myself, I immediately regretted my tone.
Chrysalis trembled as she spoke.. “I...I don't know. It was supposed to be nothing more than a brief examination of your thoughts, but...this...you were in the hive...that shouldn't be possible...”
“Wait, your hive?” I said in disbelief, falling back onto my rear as I tried to get up. “Is that what all those thoughts were? You...my brother...ugh!”
The changeling queen almost looked embarrassed. “I had to keep up the illusion,” she muttered. “Cadance was not one to let social pressure interfere with love.”
Maybe if I learned more in the field of mental magic I could scrub that particular memory from my mind later. “B-but that other time when-”
“He was sweet, okay?” Dear Celestia, she actually was embarrassed now. “What about you? Did you really take the form of that yellow pegasus to trick the rainbow one?”
My eyes widened as she brought up that memory. Did she see-
“And what was that spell called...'Want It Need It'?”
“I panicked!” I shouted hurriedly, blushing furiously. The air around us stilled as we both seemed too flustered to speak. Chrysalis was the one who finally broke it.
“You were right,” she murmured softly. “I...I wish I'd known Celestia as well as you did before...before I-” She was trembling again.
I knew what memory she was thinking about immediately. The pain she'd felt when Cadance and Shining rekindled their love. Still shaky on my legs, I walked over to her. To her surprise, and mine, I found myself wrapping my forelegs around her neck in a gentle embrace. “You...felt every one of their deaths, didn't you?”
Mutely, the changeling queen nodded.
“How...how did you keep your sanity?”
“Anger...hatred...simply not thinking about it,” she murmured, shifting in my grasp. “Your life...I envy it. You are given freely what my kind can only steal. We consume it...but we do not understand it.”
She shifted her position and I could feel her returning my gesture. “But you're trying to change that,” I said encouragingly.
“I never trusted her,” she admitted. “I never thought I could. After what I’d done, I didn’t think Celestia would be willing to give me a chance.”
I didn't respond. The answers were obvious to me, but from the perspective of one who spent their whole life constantly hidden, mistrustful of everyone outside her hive...no, her family, and in constant fear of the mysterious 'elders' who destroyed entire colonies...
“I never tried to see things from your perspective either,” I admitted, my muzzle rubbing against her neck. “I'm sorry.”
The queen didn't respond verbally, but the burst of emotion I felt from her let me know she’d accepted my apology. It was an efficient form of communication. No wonder most changelings didn't bother with words.
Wait...how did I feel that? As if in response to my unease, Chrysalis squeezed me a bit tighter. “Relax. It's just echoes of the connection. It'll pass.”
I'm not sure how, but I knew I could take her at her word. Sure enough, the connection was fading, though I couldn't help but explore it a bit before the sensation left completely.
“Please stop that, Twilight, your mind is a bit difficult for my kin to take,” said Chrysalis suddenly.
Blushing, I reeled in my thoughts, mulling over the sensations I had experienced while I slowly shifted from Chrysalis' embrace to lay at her side.
Wait, something was wrong. Eyes wide, I rose to my feet, startling the queen. “Twilight?”
“Chrysalis...please don't ask me how I know this. I...I don't know how I know this...”
The queen's look was skeptical but she let me continue rambling. “I felt your hive and it felt a certain way. Like...a certain color,” I began hesitantly.
“Yes, that is how we tell our kin apart despite our malleable forms.”
“No! I mean, yes, but there's more!”
“More what?” she asked patiently.
“More colors! Chrysalis, there are other changelings spying on your hive! The Silver Queen, the Red Queen, the warning sent to Celestia...it's the elders, it has to be!”
And they had plans. Plans that were already being executed, and even as I ran on wobbling legs towards the entrance to the mine, I knew it was too late to stop them.