Chrysalis Wins
Ch.14 “Establishment”
“Relocate them, all of them.”
The ring of Chrysalis’s displeased voice echoed in the room. She was not amused by this, but it was not entirely unexpected. It was difficult for ponies to remain submissive if they felt a family member was threatened, this was part of what made their love so strong. The voracious amounts of passion it could stir were exquisite, but like with all good things came with a price.
The queen was so very tempted to simply bag them all. It would be easy, and the raw emotions that boiled within the room would be delicious, but her next choice would have crucial consequences on the ponies’ perceptions of her. Appearances had been a primary tool of the changelings for countless centuries after all and one single misstep would shatter the image she’s so carefully crafted up to this point..
With a faint glow of her horn, the queen sent a message to Colony. The head of the drones made her way into the castle throne room. Chrysalis stood there, reflection etched deep into her eyes as they gazed off into nothing. The small drone approached her superior, with obvious apprehension etched across her face
“What is it you need my queen?”
“Get the drones, and dig into the mountain. We are going to construct a new holding for the prisoners. I can’t afford to have ponies know their exact location anymore, and this throne room can go back to its original purpose.”
“Dig into the mountain… do you have any particular accommodations you desire?”
“Make it deep, make the pathways misleading, and make sure you know how to navigate it. Also each prisoner is going to have their own chamber. No point in making it easy to get all of them at once.”
“Shall I get the drones started this night?”
“Yes, now be off.”
Colony’s eyes glowed bright blue as she called the drones to her location. Soon the raw mountainside would be covered with changeling builders.
The queen shifted her attention to some of the ponies that weakly struggled against their slime trapped hooves. One middle aged unicorn mare caught her attention; this particular pony bore a resemblance to another, particularly nosy pony.
Chrysalis’s slow hoof falls advanced to the stuck equine, who soon noticed the approach. The light grey mare widened her eyes and gulped. She had seen the queen on two occasions before, once when she saw the impersonator erupt from Cadance’s form, and the other was that public meeting she had called, telling them 'not to fear'. Pity then that fear was exactly what the middle age unicorn was feeling.
Harlequin eyes looked directly above the pony trapped to the floor, and spotted a cocoon that housed Twilight Sparkle. When the queen’s eyes roamed back down to the fearful mare before her, she smiled.
“Tell me your name pony.”
The queen’s slightly resonant voice sent a shiver down the unicorn’s spine. She noticed the glance the giant changeling made to her daughter, and she couldn’t think of a reason to lie at the moment.
“Twilight Velvet.”
“Twilight… that’s a name for clever ponies, yet you’re both stuck here.”
The buzz of Chrysalis’s wings echoed around the throne room as the queen ascended up to one of the cocoons. When she reached the green viscous container that held Twilight Sparkle, she seized it in her front hooves. The queen looked over her own legs for a moment, and appreciated the fact they no longer had holes in them. They had disappeared after her binge meal on the princesses and elements.
One quick zap of magic later, and the Cocoon that held Twilight Sparkle to the ceiling was free. It didn’t crash to the ground since the queen held it firmly. Both Chrysalis and her captive slowly descended through the air, until they landed in front of Velvet. The queen kept her smile as she turned back to the middle aged mare.
“Would you like to talk to her again?”
It didn’t take a moment for Velvet to say,
“Yes!”
“Would you like things to go back to the way they were?”
“Of course!”
“What would you be willing to give for her freedom?”
“I’ll take her place, just please, she’s a good mare, and she doesn’t deserve this, please...”
The queen laughed at the petty tone in the unicorn’s voice. She tapped the cocoon that held Twilight Sparkle with a hoof.
“An exchange is an amusing proposal. What makes you think you would be worth exchanging an Element of Harmony for? Granted the elements are useless unless all together, thus hold just one of them would be sufficient. However,your daughter is quite the dangerous pony. Along with being one of the strongest magic users in Equestria, she’s also helped organize the downfall of two god like beings. Truly I’d be a fool to simply let her go, especially in exchange for one whose magical capabilities are, hardly impressive.”?”
Velvet’s gaze went down cast, as tears started to trickle from the corners of her eyes. She had no hope of swaying the queen, as the ruler made gleefully clear, she had nothing of value to barter.. Her whole family could look forward to life imprisonment,. Both of her children, and her husband, who was likely stuck somewhere back in the hall, were now at the mercy of this emotional vampire. Before the middle age unicorn could break into full blown sobs a hoof lifted up her chin, and she was forced to look up into those double iris eyes.
“As much fun as it is to get back at you pampered little brats, I can’t feed on this. Neither can my subjects.”
Chrysalis broke the eye contact between them and glanced over the cocoons that hung in the room. Her smile lowered to a contemplative line.
“Cocoons need to be changed out every other month or so to keep the prisoners healthy. You will able to talk to your daughter then.”
“W-w-what?”
Velvet’s eyes blinked rapidly to clear out excess liquid, and her muzzle sniffled. She couldn’t quite believe what she heard.
“I said, you will be able to visit occasionally. The cocoons provide nutrients for only so long before they need to be changed out. Though, obviously there will have to be conditions,. However, I am still weary so I will figure the details later.”
The queen got up and motioned her to leave. Prisoner cocoons were in the process of being detached by the vanguard throughout the room. Several drones also buzzed in to offer aid. Before Chrysalis took more than a few steps, Velvet called out to her.
“W-wait, what are you going to do with us? Those of us that came tonight?”
Chrysalis tilted her head to the sideways, her body still faced away from the trapped unicorn.
“What do you think I should do with you?”
The queen cocked an eyebrow. Twilight Velvet lowered her gaze to the floor, she supposed she shouldn’t have asked the question. The giant changeling closed her eyes and sighed.
“I will not bag all of you tonight… I need to make an example of this.”
The trapped unicorn cringed, she didn’t like the possible implications. Thankfully, the queen saw fit to add a few more words.
“I would image some of you are more reasonable than others. You will help the other ponies see there is a new establishment. I will be respected, and I will have order, but because I am a benevolent ruler, I may see fit to grace you with certain mercies, despite your foolhardy actions. However, do not expect to roam completely free.”
The queen flicked her tail and turned to exit the throne room, which was almost cleared out by now. Various changelings had dragged the pods out, and they were pulled towards the mountain which Canterlot rested on.
The caught members of the family mob were still there, glued down in their initial place of capture. Shade approached the queen as she neared the exit.
“What do you want to do with the new prisoners?”
“If they sustained injuries put them in a cocoon. I believe I saw a large red pony that looked particularly uncomfortable, some time in a cocoon would do him good. Otherwise find out which ones are more cooperative, have them guarded until tomorrow morning. Provide for their needs, and make sure they remain disabled.”
“Is there anything else?”
“No, but tell them to have sweet dreams hehehe...”
“Very well my queen.”
The head vanguard called to a number of his fellows and went about the task.
Chrysalis wandered the castle halls, and eventually found her way to Celestia’s bedroom. Two sentinels already stood guard; their horns glowed with detection magic so there wouldn’t be another night-time surprise. At least Vivisect had been thoughtful. The bed had been nicely made too, thanks to Plain Thatch.
This would be much better than hard tiles, and towels.