Changeling Castle-Main Floor-Shiny Whistle
I sat down in the ponies' little dining room, taking deep breaths. That had been terrifying! If it hadn’t been for Nemoria and Acronicta’s cheering, I don’t think I could have done it. I snorted, just look at me, I was a performer, and yet being in front of so many changelings had utterly left me limp. I hadn’t been able to count all of them, but it sure looked like there were a few thousand at least. I wiped a drop of sweat from my head and looked up as there was a knock on the open door. Star Bright stood there, a big grin on her face.
“You were brilliant!” she said, coming to sit down next to me.
“How were you able to watch me? I didn’t see anypony but the ones performing out there.”
“I listened from my bedroom window. Has a good view from there. I was one of the few lucky ones not to be a feeder pony tonight so I went to where I knew I’d be able to listen.”
“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it, seems the changelings did as well. I’m just glad it is all over,” I sighed and leaned back in my chair.
“At least you helped make Princess Citheronia’s first-party a success. Queen Chrysalis seemed especially happy with how things went, and that is what is important.”
“Yes, keeping her happy keeps everypony happy.” I let out a yawn and Star Bright smiled.
“Looks like you need some rest. I can imagine why, today being so stressful. Need some help to your room?” she asked.
“Might be a good idea,” I said and stood. My heartbeat was finally slowing down. I readjusted the saddlebags on my back.
“Then I will,” she said and stood as well. She led the way through the hall and toward the stairs. “By the way, I like your manecut. Now everypony can see your eyes.” Grinning, she trotted forward.
I blushed but continued to follow her. Turning the corner, Star Bright yelped and I hurried to catch up to see she had run into Queen Chrysalis and Apatelodes! She bowed low to the Queen. “I am so sorry, I should have been watching where I was going. Is your daughter okay?”
Queen Chrysalis nodded, smiling when she spotted me trot up behind Star Bright. “Yes, she is well. What are you two doing out here?”
“I’m just leading Shiny Whistle back to his room,” Star Bright said, and smiled back at me.
“Right, don’t be mad at her please, I asked for her help,” I said and lowered my ears to my skull. Apatelodes snorted at us, then turned back to Queen Chrysalis.
“My Queen, we should get going, the princess needs her sleep after all. I’ll take care of these two later,” he stared hard at us.
“I’m not mad Shiny Whistle, just watch where you two are going next time?” she said and held her daughter closer. “I enjoyed your song, by the way. Excellent performance, and song choice. It has always been one of my favorites.”
My ears perked back up at that, and I grinned. “Thank you, my Queen, and I’m glad I picked one you like.”
A little chirp came from the bundle in her hooves, and I raised my head in surprise as her daughter, Citheronia? turned to look at me, her eyes such a bright blue, and she smiled. “Hello there,” I said to her and stepped closer. “You are quite beautiful, little one." She grinned at me and I grinned back. She sure was adorable, for a changeling. I reached a hoof forward and tickled her under the chin.
“That might not be a good idea…” Queen Chrysalis started to say, as her daughter looked down at my hoof and sank her fangs into it. I cringed, biting my tongue so as not to cry out. A strange feeling flowed through me, almost like ice in my veins, and I realized she must be feeding on me. It lasted only a moment before Queen Chrysalis was able to get my hoof away from her daughter and looked at me apologetically. “Now I’m sorry. I should have warned you, she’s a biter.”
“Oh… it’s okay, no harm done,” I said and looked down at my hoof. Tiny fang marks pocked it.
“That will teach you to try to touch the princess,” Apatelodes hissed, stepping between me and Queen Chrysalis and her daughter.
Star Bright trotted over to me and took my hoof in hers, looking at the bite. “At least the bite is clean, it should heal well.” She bowed to the Queen and Apatelodes. “I’ll get Shiny Whistle to his room, you have a lovely evening, my Queen.” With that, she practically pulled me past them and started up the stairs.
“What was up with that? Don’t you know better to keep your hooves away from changeling hatchlings?” Star asked, and I was surprised by the venom in her voice.
“Of course not, until yesterday I haven’t been around any changelings, let alone one that young.” I paused. “I’m not sure what made me do it though, one moment I was just admiring how cute she was, then she gazed at me with those big blue eyes and I had the urge to tickle her.”
Star stopped in her hoofsteps and gazed over at me. “Less than twenty-four hours old, and already so powerful. She is certainly her mother’s daughter.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“She must have hypnotized you Shiny. Thought you looked appetizing and wanted a taste.”
I stopped one hoof in the air. “That’s… kind of a scary idea. Then if Queen Chrysalis is unable to defeat the princesses, her daughter likely will, when she grows up.” I didn’t know what to think about her being able to hypnotize me. Was I that weak? Or she just that strong?
“Hopefully by that time, she won’t need to,” Star sighed. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.” Yawning I nodded. Even having only been fed off of for only a few seconds, I now felt about ready to pass out. I leaned against Star for support up the stairs, and she put a hoof around my back to steady me. “If you’re this bad from such a quick feeding, you’d be out like a light with a real one,” she teased, and I gave her a tired smile.
“Well, then I guess it is good this won’t be a regular thing. Ugh, my head hurts.”
“I’ll help with that when we get to your room. After being here so long, many of us unicorns have come up with a spell to help with what we call a ‘feeding hangover’,” she chuckled.
It seemed like forever before we reached my door, and she stopped us in front of it. “Think you can get into bed by yourself?” she asked, grinning.
I nodded. “I think so, after that spell?”
“Of course,” she said and laid her horn against mine, mumbling a spell. Her horn glowed amber, flowing over to my own. The pain diminished greatly, leaving behind only a dull ache.
“Oh, that is much better,” I sighed, “thank you.”
“Glad to help, now you go get some sleep. You still have your class to teach tomorrow after all.”
“Yes… class. Need to be awake for that.” I yawned and she magicked open my door for me. I smiled and stepped inside, turning around to face her again. “Goodnight Star Bright, heh that rhymes,” I laughed and she just giggled at me.
“Get some sleep you silly pony,” she said and closed the door. I grinned and walked toward my bed, stumbling along the way but not falling over. I climbed up, collapsing on the covers, too tired to pull them down, and closed my eyes.
Changeling Castle-Nursery-Apatelodes
I couldn’t believe the nerve of that pony. Tickling the princess, who did he think he was? And yet Queen Chrysalis hadn’t even punished him. Though, I suppose getting bitten by her was a good enough punishment. Now he knew how it felt. I chuckled and looked over to where my Queen was smiling down at the princess, watching as she slept in her incubator. I yawned and looked around at the other eggs. A few were close, little chirps coming from them occasionally, but even they would still be a few weeks until they hatched. Until then Citheronia would be the only hatchling in Phengaris’s care.
“Well, we better get to sleep,” Queen Chrysalis said with a sigh. “I really need to teach Citheronia not to bite, but then there is time for that, she is still very young.” She turned to Phengaris. “Take good care of her tonight.”
“Of course my Queen, always will,” she said and smiled when Queen Chrysalis bent down to kiss Citheronia on the forehead.
“Come, Apatelodes,” Queen Chrysalis said, and nodding, I followed her to the door, opening it for her. “Thank you,” she said and trotted out.
“You’re welcome, my Queen,” I said. We walked in silence, both of us pretty tired, judging by the bags under her eyes and how every once in a while she stumbled, not falling but enough of a misstep to startle her awake each time it happened. I fell into step a little closer to her, ready to catch her should she really fall. Queen Chrysalis fumbled with opening her door when we arrived but finally magicked it open after a few tries.
“Sleep well Apatelodes,” she said and put a hoof to my chitinous back. “Thanks for all the help you have been giving me since I… arrived. I don’t know what I would have done without you and Chrys.”
I blushed green and bowed my head slightly. “But of course my Queen, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sleep well,” I said and looked back up at her. She nodded and put her hoof back down, turning around and walked inside, the door closing behind her.
I walked back down the hall, tired but my mind too occupied to sleep. Stopping by a window, I put my forehooves on the windowsill and looked out. The moon was full tonight, a few clouds floating past it, stars bright in such a clear sky. A large shadow flew across the moon, possibly that of a manticore? It was too far away to tell for sure. A chill ran down my spine as if something was watching me. I looked down into the woods, and spotted a faint reddish light, like that from a unicorn’s horn.
A cloud moved away from the moon and I saw a cloaked figure, about the size of a pony, looking in my direction. It gave a low chuckle and the reddish light dissipated. Turning around, it walked back into the forest and was soon out of sight. I was wide awake now, my curiosity piqued. I had to know who or what had been watching me. Was it just a unicorn? Or something more sinister?
I stepped up onto the window sill and stretching out my wings, jumped and buzzed down toward the forest. If there was some danger to the hive, to my Queen, then I would take care of it now. I dropped down to the forest floor, my eyes quickly adjusting to what little light trickled through the trees. My ears perked, listening for where it had gone, I trotted forward, stepping carefully around some blackberry bushes and hopping over a boulder half-buried in the ground.
“I thought you might follow me, little changeling.” I jumped upon hearing the voice and saw the cloaked figure walking toward me from my left. It laughed, obviously amused at having startled me.
“What do you want, and why were you watching me?” I hissed at it, pulling my ears back against my skull.
“Oh, temper, temper. Do you think that wise not knowing who you are up against?” Its eyes, obscured by its hood, glowed red, along with some type of necklace around its neck. I couldn’t make out the shape well enough in the darkness to know what it was. Its voice was... weird, not high like a mare nor lower like most stallions, making it nigh impossible to make out its gender.
“And who are you?” I asked, baring my fangs.
“Who I am is not important at the moment, just let your queen know I am watching. Things are going to heat up in Equestria soon, and she’ll need to decide which side she wants to be on. The choice could determine if her new daughter and the rest of you survive.”
“Are you threatening us?” I growled. “You are just a single pony, not even a princess,” I snort. “You don’t scare us.”
“Oh, but by the time I return, you will be scared. Go to bed, little changeling, I shall see you again soon. The Umbrum will be excited.” It let out a dark chuckle, and its horn and necklace glowed again, and with a flash of light and puff of smoke, was gone.
I scratched my frill, puzzled by this pony who thought we’d be scared of it. But then, it did seem to have some amazing power. Was it all from that necklace? Some ancient magical relic? I rose into the air, buzzing back toward the castle. I didn’t want to bother Queen Chrysalis tonight about it, she was probably already asleep, but I knew I couldn’t sleep now. I landed back on the window sill I had left and stepped down to the ground. I would just have to puzzle this out and talk with her in the morning.
Queen’s Chambers-Queen Chrysalis
I stretched as the sun’s rays fell on me and yawned, opening my eyes. I rolled over onto my stomach and stretched out my wings. Really had to remember to stop sleeping on my back, or at least to spread out my wings first. Had a kink in my back from sleeping on them weirdly.
A loud knock sounded at my door, and I stood, walking over and opening it. Before me stood a frantic looking Apatelodes, frilly mane disheveled and sticking out as if he had stuck his hoof in a light socket. Large bags were under his eyes, which looked more of a grey-blue today instead of their normal bright blue. He must not have slept last night.
“I wonder what happened.” Chrys said. “He… looks like he saw a ghost or a wendigo.”
“Is everything okay?” I asked. “You don’t look so good. I thought you were off to bed when we parted.”
“I couldn’t sleep,” he said shifting his weight from hoof to hoof. “Would it be appropriate for me to come in, my Queen? There is something I must tell you before breakfast, and I don’t want to scare anyling that might pass by.”
“He wouldn’t do anything to us, let him in. If he is this upset, something bad must have happened.” I nod and step to the side, and he rushes in, pacing across the floor back and forth.
“We… had a visitor last night,” he said, and ran a hoof through his frill again, making part of it frizz.
“What were they doing here so late? Who were they?”
“I… I’m sorry my Queen but I don’t know who they were. They were covered in a cloak. They were a unicorn, but that is about as much as I know on that.”
“Now I know something must be wrong. Apatelodes has never been scared of a pony before. Nor does he even usually get scared in general.” Chrys said.
“So, what happened? Did they try to hurt you?”
He shook his head. “No, just startle me a bit. They came to give a… warning.”
“A pony warning us? What did they want to warn us about, a cold winter this year?”
“This is serious my Queen, not a joke!” Apatelodes yelled. “They said Equestria was going to heat up soon, and you’d have to choose a side,” he gulped. “Then they threatened not only the hive but your daughter specifically.”
“But Apatelodes, it was just a pony, a unicorn maybe but I think the hive would be a bit too much for them to handle alone. Though how they knew of my daughter, now that could be a matter of concern. The only one who doesn’t live here who knows of her is Discord, and he wouldn’t be talking to everypony about her.”
“I haven’t mentioned the part that worries me the most yet, my Queen,” he said and went back to pacing.
“What worries you most?”
“Their necklace. When they used their magic, their eyes, horn, and necklace all glowed red. And they used powers I thought only alicorns could use. They teleported, and not just a few feet, but far away enough that they were nowhere in sight.”
A glowing red necklace… that sounded familiar. But I thought the princesses had it now? How could some other unicorn have gotten ahold of it? Or was it a different one? Was there more than one? Now I could see why Apatelodes was so frazzled. “Did they say anything else?”
Apatelodes nodded. “That they would be watching, and would return soon. Also, their parting remark was… confusing.”
“What did they say?”
“The Umbrum will be excited. What in the hay is an Umbrum?”
“No, nonononono, they are locked away, they have been for over one thousand years! There is no way they can return. If they are coming, all is doomed. They will ruin everything we and the Chrysalis’s before us have worked for.” Chrys said, panicking.
“I don’t know what they are, but Chrys sure does, and they are not good. We must gather everyling scattered across Equestria. As quickly as possible. We need everyone here, where they can be protected.”
“Shall I send some changelings out to look for the others?”
“Yes, but make sure they are in a pair at least, if not more. I want no changeling by themselves out there.” I took a deep breath, Chrys panicking was starting to make me panic, and we couldn’t have that. I needed to keep a cool head. “But don’t tell them what you have just told me. The fewer who know right now the better. Can you do that?”
“Of course my Queen, you know I can keep a secret. I shall send out the forces right away,” he said and took a deep breath. As he turned, he caught his reflection in the mirror and grinned at me. “Well, right after I get cleaned up. Looking like this will certainly draw suspicion. Stay safe my Queen, I will be back.” With that he hurried out the door, closing it behind him.
“Oh what are we getting into?” Chrys moaned, and I couldn’t agree more.