//------------------------------// // Mother Knows Best // Story: King Of The Changelings // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// A week had passed since Sleight had given his speech about how rejects could accomplish great things, and everything was going smoothly again: no more eggs would be drowned and Sleight had regain the love and respect of his subjects. Furthermore, the breeding season had passed, leaving a rather tired but more relaxed Chrysalis willing and able to spend more time with her new husband. As of now, the two decided to sleep in their bedchamber one morning, enjoying each others' company. "Boy, I gotta say." Sleight smiled while snuggling with Chrysalis. "When I was a kid, I never thought my life would go off in this direction. Married to the Changeling Queen? Ruling over a whole hive as King? Never saw it comin'." "What did you see coming, anyway?" Chrysalis asked. "What hopes were in your future?" "Oh, all sorts." Sleight shrugged. "Besides being a great magician, I had hoped to make it big. I had many ideas: marrying a supermodel, becoming a millionaire, owning my own private island, and even take on a couple apprentices so my legacy carried on..." "Such modest goals..." Chrysalis teased. "But none of them compare to what I actually ended up with." Sleight declared. "You're way better than any supermodel, Chryssy." "Why, thank you." Chrysalis nuzzled him. "You're not so bad yourself." "Guess making it big doesn't always involve your dreams coming true." Sleight embraced. "I suppose not." Chrysalis admitted. "Those were some lofty dreams, though..." "Well, what about you?" Sleight asked. "What did the Queen of the Changelings dream of becoming when she was just a little larva?" "Well, I..." Chrysalis stuttered. "Now that I think about it, I don't really know anything about your past." Sleight mused. "Care to enlighten me?" "Well, my tale is a long, and sordid one." Chrysalis declared. "You may not like what you hear." "I'll risk it." Sleight shrugged. "Besides, we're husband and wife. We should share every aspect of our lives. And besides, you already know about my past, so it's only fair you tell me about yours." "...Perhaps I shouldn't have been so hasty with the marriage proposal." Chrysalis sighed. "Very well then, husband. If you want to know about my past, you shall. But prepare yourself. It does not make for pleasant listening." "I'll be the judge of that." Sleight smiled. "In your own time, Chryssy." "Very well." Chrysalis took a deep breath. "My story began a little over three hundred years ago..." "Three hundred?" Sleight cringed. "Geez, talk about an age gap... Didn't think I was marrying that older a mare." "As I was saying..." Chrysalis huffed. "A little over three hundred years ago... back when there was a Mare In The Moon, and the north was just a frozen wasteland, and Ponyville had no grand Friendship Castle in its centre, I was but an egg, laid by the previous queen of the hive, Queen Cocoon. I was chosen out of my many brothers and sisters to be the new Queen, and was treated with a substance known as royal jelly. It allowed me to grow bigger and stronger than my clutchmates and eventually develop powers much akin to an Alicorn..." "Huh, if you have that lying around, why don't they use it on all your children?" Sleight asked. "Well, for starters, the royal jelly is produced by the current Queen, but only after she gorges herself on a vast amount of love. She then concentrates all that love into glands in her hypopharynx, turning it into royal jelly. It's quite an excruciating process. You would be lucky to make enough to sustain one Changeling. Furthermore, could you imagine the havoc a bunch of high powered Changelings could have on a monarchy-based society?" Chrysalis deadpanned. "Ooh, fair point." Sleight shuddered. "So, as I grew into a young larva, Cocoon eventually took me aside and and under her wing, teaching me in the ways of ruling our hive and the meaning of being a changeling..." "Sounds like she was a pretty good mother." Sleight smiled. "Yes... and no." Chrysalis frowned. "She was a caring and attentive mother. However, her teachings were something else entirely..." Flashback... In the former hive of the Changelings, which was practically nothing more but a dusty cave, Queen Cocoon stood before her daughter. Cocoon resembled an adult Chrysalis, but was a dark green color, and the tip of her horn curved over her head. Chrysalis had just come into her shell, barely coming up to even half the height of one of Cocoon's legs, and was eager to learn. "My daughter..." Cocoon declared, in a rasping, yet dignified voice. "One day, you will take my place as Queen as this hive. In you lies the hopes and future of every Changeling here, and those yet to come." "Really?" Chrysalis gasped. "Do you think I can do it?" "Of course, my dear." Cocoon smiled. "It is your birthright, your destiny." "Wow..." Chrysalis gasped. "And I will teach you everything you need to know to be a great Queen." Cocoon announced. "Make no mistake, you will be ready when the time comes. Now, we begin the first lesson." "What is it?" Chrysalis asked. "Only the most important lesson of all." Cocoon told her. "That we Changelings are the superior beings in this world." "We are?" Chrysalis smiled. "What about all the other species I've heard the others talk about?" "They are little more than walking meal packages." Cocoon said contemptuously. "Whether they be pony or Griffon, or even dragon, their sole purpose is to be manipulated by our kind into feeling love... then having that love drained out by us!" "If you say so, mother." Chrysalis nodded obediently. "And I do." Cocoon grinned. "All those other species are ruled by their emotions. And love is the most ridiculous of them all. It turns them into blind, vapid fools. I should know, I've seen it happen enough times." "Sounds vile." Chrysalis shuddered. "It is." Cocoon snorted. "But surprisingly enough, that ridiculous feeling is quite nourishing for our kind. The more love our target feels, the greater the meal. Once you've learnt the ways of seduction, you will be able to entrance and drain any fool who crosses your path!" "Ooh, I can't wait to start learning!" Chrysalis cheered. "That's my girl." Cocoon smirked. The Present... "Whoa..." Sleight frowned, aghast at the story. "I told you you wouldn't like what you heard." Chrysalis reminded him. "It's pretty shocking stuff." Sleight admitted. "I heard stories about what you guys were like back in the day, but I never imagined you were so... hardcore." "It was all down to Cocoon's leadership." Chrysalis declared. "Of all the known hives, ours was the most actively aggressive. Instead of slowly draining singular ponies of their love by infiltration, we would actively overtake whole towns. Scouts were sent out to infiltrate military and governing positions and sabotage them. After that, a full scale attack was launched on the settlement, until every last citizen was captured. Our victims were placed in cocoons, and only released for being fed on. Those ponies who had been drained of their love were disposed of, their bodies dumped as far from the hive as possible." "Yikes." Sleight cringed. "This'd make a pretty decent horror story." "But it was reality." Chrysalis declared. "That was back when ponies didn't even know we Changelings existed, let alone were a threat to national security. I don't think even Celestia knew about us to much extent." "And your whole view on 'love'?" Sleight asked. "We thought as mother did." Chrysalis admitted. "We saw love as mere sustenance, nothing more. We had no idea of its true strength." "Not anymore, though, huh?" Sleight kissed her. "Indeed." Chrysalis chuckled. "Back then, of course, things were different. But not all Changelings agreed with Cocoon's ways. One in particular, was quite vocal about his contrasting views." Flashback... One morning, as the young Chrysalis traveled to Cocoon's chamber, she heard voices arguing. She peeked around the corner, seeing Thorax talking with a slender, yet solid-looking Changeling. "Must you keep bothering me with these ridiculous opinions of yours?" Cocoon snarled. "Until you actually start to listen?" The Changeling growled. "Yes, I will! I tell you, the way things are now, it is only a matter of time before our hive is led to its own destruction!" "What nonsense." Cocoon sneered. "We are the superior beings in this world." "So you keep saying." The Changeling retorted. "But the 'lesser species', as you call them? Many possess powers and abilities we do not. Need I remind you of Princess Celestia, and her Alicorn might? If she ever had a mind for it, she could exterminate us with ease." "I don't think so." Cocoon snorted. "The mighty Celestia is far too soft for such an endeavor. And besides, she wouldn't even know where to look." "You are playing with fire, Cocoon." The Changeling snarled. "And you are leading the rest of us to it, like moths to a flame." "If you have a problem with my rule, then you can just leave." Cocoon declared. "Otherwise, butt out!" "You can be so irritatingly stubborn, little sister." The Changeling groaned in annoyance. "So can you, brother dear." Cocoon spat. "And I am not so little. You only hatched in the batch before mine." "Yet my common sense greatly outweighs yours!" The Changeling grunted. "If we keep on attacking towns like this, they will find out about us, and they will adapt. Ponies and Changelings aren't that different, you know..." "You insult us all." Cocoon spat. "We are far greater than those weaklings!" "Yet we both walk on four hooves, do we not?" The Changeling pointed out. "We all live in the same world." "A world that rightfully belongs to the Changelings!" Cocoon snarled. "Except the ponies outnumber and outpower us." The Changeling declared. "If they ever decided to do so, they could slaughter us with ease." "I grow tired of your nonsense!" Cocoon snorted. As she looked away, she saw Chrysalis' head poking out. "Ah, there you are, my daughter." "Is something wrong?" Chrysalis asked. "Why are you fighting?" "Oh, it's nothing you should concern yourself with." Cocoon declared. "If you'll excuse us, brother, it's time for Chrysalis' next lesson." "Very well." The Changeling sighed, as he departed the chamber. "But make no mistake, this discussion is far from over..." "Bye, uncle Wizel!" Chrysalis waved. The present... "Whoa, whoa, whoa." Sleight stopped Chrysalis. "Wizel is your uncle?" "Yes, he is." Chrysalis nodded. "He was hatched in the same clutch as Thorax, as laid by the Queen before her, Chitin." "And you never mentioned this before... why?" Sleight asked. "Considering all Changelings in a hive are related, it isn't necessary to use such familial titles." Chrysalis explained. "While I did call Wizel 'uncle' in my youth, I eventually grew out of it." "Okay, makes sense..." Sleight admitted. "So dear ol' uncle Wizel didn't like the way things were going back then?" "Not at all." Chrysalis declared. "He felt the hive would be better off reaching out to other species, rather than feeding on them." "I bet the others loved that." Sleight snorted. "Hardly." Chrysalis declared. "He was denounced as an insane heretic and a 'problem child'. If not for his relationship with Cocoon and his otherwise immense wisdom, he would have been banished long ago. I didn't agree with his beliefs either at first, but he had always been kind to me, so I didn't hold them against him. I just wished he would one day throw off his wild idealism, and embrace the true Changeling way, as I had." "But I'm guessing he didn't?" Sleight said sagely. "Not a bit." Chrysalis nodded. "Cocoon always said that he had a rebellious streak a mile wide." "Wizel the rebel." Sleight sniggered. "That, I would have loved to see." "Somepony mentioned my name?" Wizel entered the room. "Good to see your hearing hasn't diminished with age." Chrysalis remarked. "Yes, we were talking about you." "Favorably, I trust?" Wizel asked hopefully. "Chrysalis was just telling me about how her mother said you had a rebellious streak a mile wide." Sleight smirked. "Ah, so you decided to tell Sleight about dear little Cocoon did you now, my Queen?" Wizel deadpanned. "Well, Sleight wanted to know, and I felt I shouldn't leave out any details." Chrysalis explained. "Well, I tell you, as much as I loved that sister of mine, she was an Faust-damn pain in my abdomen." Wizel frowned. "Wizel. That happens to be my mother you are speaking of." Chrysalis glared. "I'm sorry, but your mother had a wicked streak a mile wide." Wizel shook his head. "She was ruthless, she was diabolical, and, quite frankly, she was really bad in bed." "...Um, what?" Sleight raised a brow. "Please, Wizel, I believe you are exaggerating." Chrysalis sighed. "My mother might have been a bit mean-spirited at times, but she always had the hive's best intentions at heart." "Oh, really? Did you tell Sleight about the time Queen Cocoon was having you repeat that mantra about Changeling supremacy?" Wizel asked. "Oh, boy..." Chrysalis groaned. Flashback... Thorax and Chrysalis were standing in one of the caverns, far from the rest of the hive, as Cocoon continued to teach Chrysalis. "Your time as queen draws closer, my daughter." Cocoon declared. "Tell me, how will you rule over your subjects?" "Um... my subjects will be treated with respect, mercy, and loyalty." Chrysalis answered, with a bit of uncertainty. "And what of... other nations?" Cocoon requested. "Ooh!" Chrysalis uncharacteristically leapt up, "I'll infiltrate their government, lull them into a false sense of security..." She then adopted a sinister smile. "...and drain the love from their hearts 'til they are nothing but lifeless husks!" Chrysalis declared, stomping her hoof into the dirt. "That's my daughter!" Cocoon smirked. "Now join me in evil laughter!" The two cackled wickedly together. Meanwhile, watching from afar, was none other than Wizel, who was dumbfounded by the scene. "Well, we're in trouble." Wizel deadpanned. The present... "Now there's a touching family moment..." Sleight snarked. "I swear to Faust, it was both the most disturbing, yet adorable moment I had ever witnessed." Wizel shook his head. "Hmph, say what you will, but I enjoyed those times with my mother." Chrysalis huffed, as she then glared at Wizel. "And don't you have something to do with Sazh or something?" "As a matter of fate, yes." Wizel nodded. "He needs me to clean some resin out of a... sensitive spot." "Yeesh." Sleight shuddered. "Good luck." "I shan't need it." Wizel declared. "I've performed such an act several times over the years..." "Too much info!" Sleight cringed. "I know." Wizel chuckled as he left the room. "So..." Chrysalis continued. "I continued my tuition under Cocoon. It wasn't long before I was ready for a field test..." Flashback... Chrysalis (now a "teenager" in Changeling terms) and Cocoon were standing in a field, not far from the hive. The field saw its fair share of pony travelers, making it an excellent place for Chrysalis to perform her first feeding. "Now, my dear, it's time to put what you've learned to the test." Cocoon declared. "Time for your first feeding." "Are you sure I'm ready, mother?" Chrysalis asked. "Of course." Cocoon nodded. "Trust me, ponies are fools. Take on a form beautiful enough, and they'll fawn all over you like a Timberwolf over fresh meat." "How pathetic." Chrysalis sneered. "Look, my daughter." Cocoon pointed to an Earth Pony traveler in the distance. "Your first meal awaits." The traveler was a broad, strong, gray-coated stallion with a black mane, brown eyes, and a Cutie Mark of a mountain. "Mmm, I bet I'll get a lot of him..." Chrysalis licked her lips. "Now, like we practiced." Cocoon urged. Chrysalis screwed up her face in concentration, and transformed. She took on the form of a gorgeous, shapely, gold-coated, silver-maned mare with sapphire blue eyes and a star for a Cutie Mark. "Excellent." Cocoon smiled. "That fool won't be able to resist you." "I know..." Chrysalis smirked, a silky-smooth new voice issuing from her mouth. Chrysalis made her way over to the stallion, making sure not to let him know she was following him. When she got close enough, she faked a meeting, "accidentally" bumping into him. "Oh, I'm sorry." She gasped. "I should have been watching where I was going." "Yeah, you..." The stallion stopped as he got a good look at Chrysalis' disguise. "Actually, it was all my fault." He grinned stupidly, utterly besotted. 'Pathetic.' Chrysalis thought. 'One look at a pretty face, and his dignity goes out the window... If it weren't so delicious, I'd think love was a waste of time.' "I'm, uh... High Road." The stallion declared. "And what might your name be, lovely mare?" "Oh, you..." Chrysalis laughed coquettishly. "I'm Glittering Gold." "That's my girl." Cocoon whispered, as she watched from nearby. A big part of Chrysalis' lessons involved teaching her to make as comprehensive a disguise as possible, including false names. "A beautiful name for a beautiful mare." High Road grinned. "And a rugged name for a rugged stallion." Chrysalis stroked his face. "Boy, am I glad I ran into you, handsome..." "Me too..." High Road sighed. "Hey, I live just a little ways over the hill. Maybe you could stay a while?" "My, aren't you forward?" Chrysalis smirked. "...I like that." "I'm not usually." High Road admitted. "But I've never seen a mare as... enchanting as you before." "Why thank you." Chrysalis purred. "Now, let's head to that inn." "Right this way, beautiful." High Road grinned. "That's it, Chrysalis." Cocoon smirked. "Move in for the kill..." High Road and Chrysalis made their way to High Road's home. They spent the next week getting closer. Chrysalis used every technique her mother had taught her to ensure her grip on High Road's heart. She laughed at his jokes, complimented his skills, and even went to bed with him. It all disgusted her greatly (especially the bed part, as non-Changeling reproductive systems were generally considered repulsive by her kind). But it was all worth it, as his love for her grew, and she lapped it up like ambrosia. "Wow." High Road smiled, as he and Chrysalis snuggled into the bed on the third morning. "To think, I was just out for a walk, and I ran into the mare of my dreams. What a stroke of luck." "Oh, yes." Chrysalis nodded. 'But not the good kind...' "Now, what do you say we... get to know each other a little more?" High Road grinned saucily. "Ooh, you're fresh." Chrysalis chuckled. "Sorry." High Road blushed. "I've just... never met a mare like you before. I want to know everything about you. I want to see the real you." "Wish granted." Chrysalis grinned. She dropped her disguise, revealing her true self. "What the-?" High Road yelped. "What's the matter, baby?" Chrysalis sneered. "You don't think I look pretty any more?" "What... what are you?" High Road gasped. "I am the devourer of your love, little pony." Chrysalis smirked. "And I'm going to finish what I started." "I... I'm outta here!" High Road screamed. As High Road raced for the door, Chrysalis spat out some resin, sticking his hooves to the floor. "Ah, ah, ah." Chrysalis tutted. "It doesn't do for the meal to be removed before I'm done eating." "No, please..." High Road to break free. "Just relax." Chrysalis declared. "It'll all be over soon." Chrysalis' horn lit up, releasing a stream of energy that enveloped High Road. After feeding on his love for the past week, she had her hooks in deep enough to drain it all out at once. "At last, it's time for the main course!" Chrysalis cheered. "Nooooo!" High Road groaned, as his body began to shrivel up. He collapsed to the floor, totally spent. "Delicious." Chrysalis licked her lips. "Thanks ever so much." Chrysalis left the room, leaving High Road's near-lifeless husk behind. Outside the house was Cocoon, who had been waiting patiently for her daughter to finish the job. "Well done, my girl." Cocoon smiled. "Do you enjoy your meal?" "More than I imagined." Chrysalis declared. "Relish it, my daughter." Cocoon smirked. "For it is only the first of many..." The present... "For so long, I thought of that as my first great triumph." Chrysalis declared. "I felt as if I was finally living up to my mother's legacy." "Well, they say every lady looks back on her first time fondly..." Sleight shrugged. "Indeed." Chrysalis nodded. "Over time, I passed each test with flying colors, to Cocoon's delight..." Flashback... "And when you have a stallion close to you, it is best to..." Cocoon prompted her daughter. "Employ as much contact as possible." Chrysalis answered. "Those fleshy fools love it when we stroke their soft parts." "Exactly." Cocoon nodded. "You will make a skilled and capable Queen, my daughter." "I hope so, mother." Chrysalis mused. "I don't want to let the hive down. Or you..." "I have faith in you, my daughter." Cocoon declared. "I know you will lead this hive with all the strength and guidance I do." "Thank you, mother." Chrysalis nodded. "I won't let you down. I won't let the hive down. We will continue to grow and prosper, as we have always done!" "Just what I would expect from a future Queen." Cocoon stroked Chrysalis' mane. The hive will be in good hooves when I leave this world." "Don't say that, mother." Chrysalis urged. "You still have years left." "Not many, I'm afraid..." Cocoon sighed. "But let's not dwell on that. What would be the best way to seduce a bookish stallion?" "Why, compliment his knowledge, of course." Chrysalis declared. "As meagre as it is..." Cocoon added. The two chuckled derisively. The present... "Eventually, Cocoon grew too old to lead, and passed on the Queenhood to me..." Chrysalis declared. "Too old?" Sleight frowned, "I thought Changeling Queens could go on for ages." "Well..." Chrysalis sighed. "There comes a time in every Changeling's life when their magic begin to dry out. It's simply the equivalent to that of a pony heart attack: you never know when it will happen. But when it does, the Changeling will become nothing more than a husk like it's meal..." "Whoa..." Sleight frowned. "And that happened to your mother?" "Sadly, yes." Chrysalis nodded. Flashback... Cocoon, now old and decrepit, laid in a bed constructed of resin and hay, Wizel and the adult Chrysalis standing before her. "My daughter..." Cocoon wheezed. "My time in this world is almost over." "Mother..." Chrysalis wept. "But I am content." Cocoon smiled. "Because I know I will be leaving this hive in good hooves. Chrysalis, my daughter, it now falls to you to lead the hive. To keep our kind well and prosperous. You must do whatever it takes to keep this hive alive." "I will, mother." Chrysalis nodded. "I promise." "And Wizel, my brother..." Cocoon declared. "Stand by your niece, give her aid in times of crisis..." "I shall, sister." Wizel nodded. "I swear to you, mother." Chrysalis declared. "I will lead this hive into a new era of prosperity. I'll make you proud!" "That's my girl..." Cocoon's eyes slowly closed, and she let one last, rattling breath. "Oh, mother!" Chrysalis wept over her mother's corpse. "There, there." Wizel comforted her. "I know it hurts, but we have to keep going. It is the Changeling way, after all..." The present... "And so, I became Queen of the hive." Chrysalis continued. "I was determined to uphold my pledge. I always held my mother's dying words to heart, always seeking to find ways of bringing greater prosperity upon the hive. I had us seeking out bigger, more plentiful sources of word, continuing my children's growth. Soon, our hive became the largest of all known hives." "Quite an accomplishment." Sleight admitted. "But it wasn't enough for me." Chrysalis declared. "I wanted more. I sent out scouts all over Equestria, seeking to learn all I could about the ponies who resided there... but unfortunately, with my greed for power and more land came an awful situation..." "What kind?" Sleight asked. "As our actions grew larger and more public, more and more ponies grew aware of us, and implemented measures to defend themselves..." Chrysalis declared. Flashback... A Changeling scout, disguised as a tradespony, walked into the town of Trottingham, eager to ensnare some unlucky pony. As he entered the town, he reached a stone arch. As he tried pass through, he suddenly encountered a screen of magic, which forced him back to his true form. "...What?" He frowned, looking at himself. "Changeling!" One of the townsponies yelled. "Guards!" Another yelled. Two armored Unicorn Guards charged over. "Oh buck!" The Changeling yelped, as he took off into the sky. "Not so fast!" One of the Guards yelled, blasting the Changeling with his magic. "Ahh!" The Changeling dropped to the ground. "You made a big mistake coming here, bug." The other Guard spat. "One that will cost you dearly." "No, please..." The Changeling begged. "I was just hungry." "We can solve that problem for you." The first Guard smirked. "Permanently." The Guards dragged the Changeling away for execution, to the cheers of the townfolk. That revealing spell wasn't the only means of detecting Changelings. Some Guards had been given special amulets that detected Changeling magic. Even if a Changeling managed to get into a town, the Guards could find and capture them. A tower outpost was even constructed in the badlands, for the express purpose of discovering Changelings early. Most captured Changelings were executed for their attempts at harvesting love, with little in the way of due process. Chrysalis was becoming increasingly aware of the situation. Each Changeling that didn't make it back weighed heavily upon her. "I'm afraid we have lost another scout, my Queen." Wizel declared. "It was Skarab. He was discovered during his mission to Baltimare, and... put to death." "I see." Chrysalis sighed. "Leave me." "Yes, my Queen." Wizel left the room. Once she was alone, Chrysalis broke down crying. "My children..." She sniffed. "How can this be happening? We are superior, are we not? So how are these ponies killing so many of us?" Her face hardened. "No. Have to be strong. Like mother... I haven't forgotten, mother. Whatever it takes, this hive will be great once more..." The present... "Around that time, the hive began to starve." Chrysalis sighed. "With love in shorter supply, Changelings after Changelings were going hungry left and right. Some even began to die because of it, their bodies shriveling up from lack of love. I could not bear to see my children in such an awful state." "So, what did you do?" Sleight asked. "Well, I thought a miracle had came, as It was around that time that I learned of the upcoming marriage of Shining Armor and Princess Cadance from my deep cover scouts." Chrysalis declared. "I saw an opportunity like no other..." Flashback... Chrysalis was sitting in her throne room, having just heard the news from the scout. Wizel was standing beside her. "This is perfect!" Chrysalis smirked. "Absolutely perfect!" "I fail to see what you mean, my Queen." Wizel frowned. "Don't you see?" Chrysalis declared. "Cadance is the so-called 'Princess of Love'! Any stallion she would choose to marry would be brimming with love for her! If I took her place, it would mean sustenance beyond anything any Changeling has tasted before!" "But they reside in Canterlot, my Queen." Wizel reminded her. "The capital of Equestria." "Exactly." Chrysalis smiled. "And Shining Armor is Captain of that ridiculous Royal Guard. With him in my thrall, the city's defences would be lowered. If we play this right, we will have the entire city to feast upon." "But... we have never attacked such a large target before." Wizel declared. "Which is why we must be careful." Chrysalis declared. "This requires something more than simple trickery...." The present... "I came up with what I believed to be the most brilliant plan." Chrysalis declared. "First, I let word spread that an unknown force was making a threat against Canterlot, knowing that Shining Armor would use his shield as defense. Then, I personally ambushed and imprisoned Cadance, taking her form in order to feast on Shining's love. That way, I could weaken Shining to the point where his shield would shatter, and my children could attack. It was fool-proof." "Wow... you really put a lot of thought into that." Sleight cringed. "Yes, and for a brief, glorious moment, it seemed like I had succeeded. Canterlot was under our control, and nopony could stop us... or so I thought." Chrysalis suddenly frowned. "The power of Shining and Cadance's love was far greater than I had ever imagined. Together, they were able to expel me and my forces far from Canterlot..." "I heard about that part." Sleight recalled. "It must have been a rough landing." "Not as rough as what happened afterwards." Chrysalis scowled. "The entire hive was stuck, far from home, with no home or sustenance. We were forced to slowly rebuild. Just finding all of my scattered children alone was hard enough, but even worse, our attack had everypony in Equestria on high alert. Within days, they had mobs going out into the badlands, hunting down any and all Changelings. They even found our old hive and demolished it in mere minutes. We spent years trying to rebuild a new hive, but even then, it was but a hollow shell of what it once was. My mother's legacy was in shambles: the hive was still hungry, we were living in a terribly uncomfortable cave, and we couldn't go into a single town without raising alarm from the authorities." "And I'm guessing talking things over was out of the question?" Sleight frowned. "Please, a Changeling would be lucky to get a word out of a pony before they tried to kill or apprehend him or her." Chrysalis scoffed... before sighing solemnly. "With the ways thing were, sneaking into towns or taking wayward travelers was doing nothing for us, so I went with the only other idea I could think of: trying to take over another city." "Again?" Sleight crossed his hooves, "Even after what happened last time?" "It's like they said: at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Chrysalis quoted. "But we couldn't attack Canterlot. And our attempts to infiltrating Baltimore and Las Pegasus were foiled by this wayward traveler we would soon meet once more. But I had made sure to stay abreast of matters in Equestria. And knowing of the Crystal Empire, and its Crystal Heart, powered by love, I knew this was my one chance at redeeming myself in leading our hive..." Flashback... "Rejoice, my children!" Chrysalis told her Changelings, from their new hive inside a cavern. "Soon, we will once again achieve our former glory!" "How, your majezzzty?" A slightly younger Char inquired. He had recently arisen to head of the Changeling Guard, and was taking his role with fervor. "The Crystal Empire is abundant with love." Chrysalis revealed. "And that love is concentrated within their Crystal Heart. With the love in that heart, we shall be the greatest of hives once more!" The Changeling horde cheered. "Yes!" "At last, we will be on top again!" "And we won't starve!" "All hail Queen Chrysalis!" Char bowed. "Changelings are number one!" A younger Sazh whooped. "My Queen, may we talk in private?" Wizel asked. "Now, Wizel?" Chrysalis scowled. "Yes, now." Wizel nodded. "Very well." Chrysalis sighed. "Excuse us, my children." Wizel led Chrysalis into a side cavern. "Well, out with it..." Chrysalis declared, having a good idea of what Wizel was about to say. "My Queen, we cannot attack this Crystal Empire." Wizel told her. "And why not?" Chrysalis asked. "This is the opportunity we've been waiting for! The chance to regain our former glory!" "Have you forgotten what happened the last time we attacked such a large target?" Wizel inquired. "I've forgotten nothing." Chrysalis said sourly. "In fact, I'm looking forward to making Shining Armor and Princess Cadance pay for what they did to me-us, I mean." "It won't work." Wizel declared. "We will lose, just like we did before." "No." Chrysalis shook her head. "I made a tactical error last time, underestimated our quarry. This time will be perfect. And we shall reclaim our past glory!" "Which we only lost because you led us on that attack in the first place." Wizel pointed out. "Watch your tongue, Wizel." Chrysalis snarled. "My mother may have tolerated your insolence due to your familial connection, but I am not so hampered." "What you call insolence, is what I call 'common sense'!" Wizel grunted. "This Crystal Heart and the Empire itself is like a bug zapper, and we are going to fly right into it!" "You are over-reacting, old bug." Chrysalis sneered. "Am I?" Wizel growled. "Do you not remember the state we were in after Canterlot? We are careening down a slippery slope, my Queen. We are hungrier than ever, we lost about a dozen of our own this month, and we have angry mobs, angry military ponies, and angry everything else riding on our flanks! And by attacking Crystal Empire... well, you might as well have declared Changelings in Equestria extinct and it will be all your-" "What other choice do I have?!" Chrysalis suddenly roared, catching the old changeling off guard. "My Queen, what-?" Wizel gasped. "You don't think I see how much dung our hive is in?" Chrysalis snarled, though Wizel noticed tears beading up in her eyes. "Day after day, seeing my children rasping for sustenance, their stomachs groaning for even a little smackeral of love, and seeing nothing but Faust-damn rocks in this Faust-forsaken hell-hole, I am constantly, endlessly reminded about how I am failing my own hive, and my mother! Do you know what it's like for a mother to see her children suffering and being unable to do anything to help them? Well, do you?" "I have an idea." Wizel frowned. "Don't forget, this is my hive, too. The plight of our kind is not lost upon me. Far from it..." "It is not by my hooves that we are suffering, though. It was the ponies that pushed us to attacking Canterlot, and it is them now that pushes us to do the same to the Crystal Empire!" Chrysalis growled. "I hope not to wage war on equinity, but I will do so if it means keeping my mother's legacy alive." "And even if it means killing the hive?" Wizel asked. "I doubt your mother would approve of that." "My mother told me to keep this hive going, no matter what it takes." Chrysalis declared. "She would not tolerate the inferior ponies subjugating us like this. If she were here, she would urge me to find a way to regain our former greatness! She would support my decision today. She would believe in me!" She lowered her head. "She always did..." "Chrysalis, please." Wizel pleaded. "Don't do this. You cannot win." "Maybe so... but I must do this." Chrysalis frowned. "For my children. You can either join us, or stand aside...it's your choice." Wizel pondered for a moment, before sighing. "I swore to your mother I would stay by your side." Wizel sighed. "And I will keep that promise." "Thank you..." Chrysalis nodded, "For the glory of our hive, right?" "Yes. For the glory of our hive." Wizel frowned. "Don't you worry, you will come to see that you were wrong." Chrysalis smirked. The present... "But of course, it was I who was wrong." Chrysalis sighed. "Once again, I came close to victory, only to be defeated by an element I had overlooked. Dusk Shine, son of Princess Twilight, channeled the power of the heart, and cast me out of the Crystal Empire." "Guess it kinda runs in the family, huh?" Sleight asked. "Indeed." Chrysalis admitted. "After that second humiliating defeat, I fell into anger, and spite..." Flashback... Chrysalis, carrying the wounds from her recent defeat, sat on her throne, seething. "Vile, miserable equines..." She snarled. "Who do they think they are, making a mockery of my... of our greatness? One day, I'll make them all pay... prove to the world that Changelings are the superior beings... and bring everlasting glory and prosperity to the hive... just like I promised you, mother..." Wizel observed Chrysalis from around a corner. It broke his heart to see his niece like this. "This has to stop..." He whispered to himself. "For the sake of both Chrysalis, and the hive itself, things must change..." The present... "My compassionate uncle decided to take drastic action." Chrysalis told Sleight. "Under the pretense of a long-range scouting mission, he was going to bring this fight to an end... by any means necessary..." Flashback... In a small village near to the hive, Wizel took on the appearance of a studly teal Pegasus stallion, and approached a brown-coated Earth Pony mare whom he knew to be a courier, who brought packages to the larger citizens. "Hello there, lovely lady." He declared. "Hello, yourself." The mare cooed. "Care to join me for a drink?" Wizel asked. "With pleasure." The mare smirked. They traveled to the local bar, sharing some drinks. "Wanna go back to my place for coffee?" The mare asked. "Gladly." Wizel grinned. They made their way to the mare's apartment. "Hmm, I seem to be out of coffee." The mare grinned. "But I'm sure there's other stuff we can do." "There certainly is." Wizel nodded. Using his magic, he zapped the mare, knocking her out. "Sorry about that, my dear. Don't worry, you'll awake with no memory of this encounter." Taking the mare's form, Wizel boarded the train, wielding a false package. "Another delivery, sweetheart?" The conductor asked. "You know it." Wizel nodded. After the train stopped off at Baltimare, Wizel repeated his strategy several times, each identity leading him closer to his objective. Eventually, he targeted a foreign correspondent, and traveled to Canterlot. Once there, he closed in on his true objective: The Senator Dapper Dignity. He approached the gray-maned, peach-coated Unicorn one morning as he made his way to the senate, disguised as a beautiful Unicorn mare. "Excuse me, Mr Dignity?" Wizel asked. "Yes, my dear?" Dapper smiled, taken with "her" beauty. "Can you help me with something?" Wizel asked. "I think I can spare a moment for a lovely mare such as yourself." Dapper declared. "What's the problem?" "It's right over here." Wizel lead him into an alley. "Where?" Dapper asked, looking around. "Here." Wizel zapped him with his magic. "Sorry, Senator. This is for the greater good." After hiding Dapper in a safe place, Wizel took his form and entered the Senate. The meeting began just as he took his seat. "Welcome, Senators." Celestia, who was fresh from her honeymoon with Shine Paladin, declared. "We have a lot to get through today..." Wizel waited patiently for his moment, as the other Senators brought up their business. "...And that is why I believe a 2% increase on export tax regarding Poison Joke is necessary." A female Unicorn Senator declared. "Thank you, Senator Grouse." Celestia nodded. "We'll take that under consideration. Any other urgent business?" "Your highness." Wizel spoke up. "I propose we put in motions attempts at forming a peace treaty with Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings." "Are you mad?" Another delegate asked. "After everything they've done?" "What they did, they did out of desire to survive and prosper, not malice." Wizel declared. "And if we were make peace with them, they may not so inclined to launch such an attack again." "He has a point." A female Pegasus senator agreed. "Perhaps if we extend the hoof of friendship to them, it will put an end to hostilities." "Or leave us open to another attack!" A Unicorn stallion declared. "There'll always be the threat of attack, if we keep treating them like enemies!" An Earth Pony stallion declared. "They're living being, and we should treat them like equals!" "Typical bleeding-heart nonsense!" A Unicorn mare spat. The senate was up in hooves. Some agreed with "Dapper's" suggestion, other were viciously against. The debate went on for over a week, until finally, a slim majority voted for an attempt at peace. "The motion carries." Celestia declared. "A peace delegation will depart for the Changeling hive as soon as possible." 'Excellent.' Wizel thought, as he slipped away. After releasing the real Dapper, whom he had been keeping in a magical coma, Wizel headed for home, repeating what he did to get to Canterlot, but in reverse. By the time he got back to the hive, he was exhausted, but content. "Hey, Wizel." Sazh greeted him. "You look beat. Must've been one heck of a scouting mission." "You could say that." Wizel nodded. "But it's looking like it'll be worth it." "Tell that to my nose." Sazh cringed. "You stink, Wizel." "I suppose it has been a while since I cleaned the old exoskeleton." Wizel admitted. "Then do it." Sazh gagged. "Quickly!" "As you wish..." Wizel smirked. The present... "Sneaky old rascal, isn't he?" Sleight smirked. "He certainly was." Chrysalis nodded. "Needless to say, I was most surprised when Celestia and her family arrived at the caverns. I played along with their offers of peace at first. Then I decided to toy with Celestia by demanding to have her husband, Shine, as a peace offering." "Whoa, really?" Sleight frowned. "You mean like..." "Relax, my love." Chrysalis chuckled. "There was nothing romantic about it. I just wanted to hurt Celestia by taking somepony she cared for. When she inevitably refused, I had my children attack. We had them right where we wanted them... until Shine spoke up. He convinced me that since I was trying to do what was best for my family, that didn't make us so different, as he was doing the same. His words resonated with me, enough that I agreed to peace." "That Shine feller does seem to have a way with words." Sleight admitted. "Almost as much as me." "It wasn't until after the delegates left that Wizel revealed his hoof in things." Chrysalis declared. "I was a little angry at first, but I knew he did it for the right reasons. I even thanked him." "So... it's not likely dear old mom would have liked the choices you made." Sleight mused. "True." Chrysalis nodded. "Sometimes, I feel guilty that I abandoned her teachings. But I also remember the promise I made her. This hive is prospering, by a means Cocoon never could have conceived of. This may not be the old Changeling way, but it's a way that works, and that's what matters." "Amen to that." Sleight grinned. "Thanks for sharing all this with me, Chryssy. I feel closer to you than ever now." "As do I." Chrysalis embraced her husband. "And I'm about to do something Cocoon would really hate..." "Really? Wha-" Sleight was silenced by Chrysalis' lips on his. "Oh, right. ...Wanna make her really angry?" "Oh, yes." Chrysalis smirked. The two kissed once more. The tales of Chrysalis' past had enabled Sleight to understand his wife more, and strengthened the bond between them.