//------------------------------// // Chapter Twenty Two: The Pieces Are Moving // Story: Changeling Mine // by Futile Task //------------------------------// 3 Months Later. Chrysalis paced around nervously in hallway within her new hive, pacing outside a room which was designed to better facilitate changelings who wished to undergo the change and make themselves into something other than a drone. Currently, three of her children were in there, going through the process of changing themselves into hatchery mothers, for with all the nymphs now back within their hive, it would simply be too much to ask Canis to care for them all. Not that their haven’t been volunteers, for when she had confided to Twilight her predicament, Andromeda had immediately volunteered herself to take care of all the nymphs, despite not having the necessary means to do so. So she had decided, she needed hatchery mothers, and so she had selected three of her children, and now she was waiting for them to come out of their cocoons. As she walked by for an uncountable amount of time, a drone walked out, her shaggy dark fur dragging across the ground as she looked to her mother with a smile. “They’re ready for you mother.” Chrysalis made her way inside, smiling brightly when she saw the three new hatchery mothers standing before here. They had long serpentine bodies, covered in fur and looking sort of like giant caterpillars. They had many hooves, but there first four legs ended in bug like claws, allowing for griping. “We are ready to serve mother.” “Coil, Yew, Fuzzball, my darlings, I am so proud of you.” They all coiled around her, hugging her close and giggling a bit, before departing and making their way out as another changeling walked in. “Mother, the swarm has finally hatched from its cocoon, but Twilight Sparkle is preventing us from examining her because of her curiosity.” “I’ll take care of it,” said Chrysalis with a grin, moving out of the room and making her way to where she knew the swarm was, hoping Twilight wasn’t being to nosy. Twilight stared at the many small creatures hovering before her, many of them blinking at her while a few giggled and still a few more gazed around the room as they waited to be inspected. “How is this possible, I mean do you exist with one mind or…or something else?” “Oh we could tell you,” said one. “But we tend to get a bit crass when explaining things,” said a second. “Rude, so rude,” said a third. “And my we say dear,” said a fourth, “you are filling out quite nicely, such a delicious…” “COLONY!!!” The swarm cringed as they and Twilight looked toward the doorway, seeing Chrysalis standing there with an angry look on her face as she starred at the little changelings. “Colony Alpha what have I told you about flirting with ponies, you know it never gets you anywhere.” “Sorry mum,” said the little changeling, giving a sheepish grin as the rest of the swarm shot him glares. “I’m sorry about that Twilight, Colony used to be a hoof full even before the change, and now…” “But it doesn’t make sense,” said Twilight, looking at the swarm of tiny changelings as she spoke, “I mean they all act as if they are individuals.” “That’s because they are,” said Chrysalis, causing a look of confusion to appear on Twilight’s face as she chuckled. “Colony was blessed with what we call the fracture, what you call multiple personality disorder. In you ponies it is a very harmful affliction of the mind, but in changelings it is something manageable, for it allows us to make these little darlings, known as the swarm.” “The Swarm?” asked Twilight in confusion, looking at the mass of little changelings while listening to the former queens words. Yes, the swarm. They are an ingenious group of little ones, each swarmling taking on one of the original hosts distinct personalities, which of course have their own names along with their original name. Some go by designations or numbers, like this swarm here; others have their own distinct names, and are led by the swarmling who keeps the original hosts name. This way, all those little voices are no longer trapped within one mind, and because of their size, they are able to go into areas we cannot, and in the case of this swarm, they will be going to live with the breezies as a thank you for helping to restore Ponyville.” “I see,” said Twilight, watching as the little swarmlings nuzzled up to their mother before flying off towards parts unknown, before grumbling as Chrysalis began to look her over. “Hm, still looking a bit thin for my liking,” said Chrysalis. “Oh god’s not you to,” said Twilight with a growl, trying to pull away as the changeling Queen moved closer. “First the cook, then Mom, then Aunty Andromeda, and now you, how could this get any worse.” “Um…hello?” Twilight looked toward the doorway, and then nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw the giant caterpillar looking changeling standing there. “What the heck is that!?” “That,” said Chrysalis with a smirk, “is your personal hatchery mother; she will be making sure you are taking care of yourself.” “Ug!” said Twilight, beginning to leave the room as the queen and the hatchery mother followed behind her. “Look Chrysalis I am doing fine, I don’t need some nursery maid looking after me.” “And I say you do,” said Chrysalis with a glare, “or do I have to bring Celestia in on this?” That got Twilight to stop, the young mare shooting her a look before speaking, “you wouldn’t.” “Try me,” said Chrysalis with an evil smirk, giggling a bit due to Twilight’s defeated look. “Fine, but that means no cuddles tonight.” Chrysalis’s face immediately blanched, for she had just gotten Twilight comfortable with cuddling with her, if only as friends. It was a mile stone for the changeling queen, for it gave her hope that Twilight might someday return her affections fully. “If that is the sacrifice I have to make to make sure you are well fed, then so be it. Now, I believe you had some books you wanted to look at, and in the meantime, I must depart for Canterlot.” “Canterlot,” said Twilight in surprise, “why do you need to go there?” Chrysalis hesitated a moment, and then spoke, looking like she didn’t want to. “Not here, meet me in your tower alone, well talk then.” Moments later, Twilight and Chrysalis found themselves in Twilight’s tower, Twilight getting comfortable before speaking to Chrysalis with a questioning look. “Ok Chrysalis, what’s going on?” “…Luna thinks more of my changelings may have survived your brother’s sweeps…” Twilight’s eyes widened in shock, and then she moved closer to the changeling, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder before speaking. “Why does she think this?” “Apparently ponies have been sighting changelings skirting the outskirts of settlements, avoiding contact with anything that tries to engage them, and if this is true, I need to help her coordinate efforts to recover them and bring them home.” Twilight nodded her head in agreement, “Then you best be going, and don’t worry, I’ll look after the rest while you’re gone.” “I know,” said Chrysalis with a smile, “just promise me you will take care of yourself as well ok?” “I promise,” said Twilight. Chrysalis hesitated a moment, the darted forward quickly and pecked her on the cheek, vanishing in a puff of magic as Twilight spluttered in annoyance. “So, how go our efforts to get Chrysalis away from her beloved?” The unicorn nearly jumped out of her coat at the sound of that voice, turning to see the dark figure of her Lady standing behind her, her curved horn shining like crystal in the moonlight, and her wings fluttering a bit due to the cold. “They have finally born fruit my lady,” said the mare, smiling a bit as she spoke to her beloved ruler. “Ponies have finally brought rumors to the ear of the little dame Luna, and she has requested the help of Chrysalis to help see if the rumors hold truth. “Excellent,” said the dark figure, “then would you be a dear and fetch me my fastest pegasus if you please.” The mare nodded excitedly, running off and leaving the dark figure to her lonesome, though soon the sound of wings could be heard, and the dark figure turned to see a large and beefy pegasus land before her. “You called my lady,” said the pegasus, her voice sounding so deep it could rival a dragons. “I need you to take a message to the countess of the Shetland Islands, tell her she is to take the infiltrators I gave her two weeks ago and present them personally to her highness Princess Twilight Sparkle as a gift, as we discussed.” “Your will be done my lady,” said the pegasus, before taking off and leaving her once more by her lonesome, not hearing the chuckle which escaped her lips as she left the room herself. “All the pieces are coming together, and soon…check mate.”