//------------------------------// // 19: Fighting One's Pride // Story: Reformation of the Hives // by law abiding pony //------------------------------// The Trunal’kal Mountains stretched east to west along the narrowest points of the changeling jungle. The Trunal’kals reached three hundred miles across with vast oceans on either side. It was here among the snowless peaks on the southern half of the world that Kreesus made her home. Her hive sprang from a single massive spire, the only mountain that was surrounded by four other peaks on all sides. Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash stood within a ventral observation blister on the Long Shot as they watched the hive come into view as the morning sun peeked over the ridge. Both queens couldn’t help but to be impressed upon seeing the inner side of the four outer mountains was completely carpeted in green. Crops grew along terraces going all the way down the mountains and partially up the sides of the inner spire. Drones were everywhere, tending to the plants while dozens manually operated a long wheel and pulley system bringing in seawater from the ocean below. The hive itself was so high above the clouds that the crews of the Long Shot and the Breadbasket starting to suffer mild lightheadedness and the octavia engines were nearing their operational ceiling. “Kind of amazing how Kreesus’ hive gets all they need from just three different crop plants, and has adapted to living off of saltwater,” Twilight said to her sister in an attempt to keep her in a good mood. Even though Rainbow was quiet, Twilight had known her long enough to feel Rainbow’s smoldering ire could lead to an incident with Kreesus. Rainbow Dash didn’t reply. Right now, she was in a little happy place, she was in a ship, surrounded by her drones, the ever enjoyable scents of fresh oil, grease, and lemon scented floor cleaner filled the air, and there was a distinct lack of traitors… inside the ship at any rate. Outside of the ship however, was something Rainbow distinctly wanted to keep out of mind. Rainbow Dash couldn’t enjoy the rather impressive mountainous farmlands without seeing Kreesus’ backstabbing face around every corner. “Let’s just get this over with,” Rainbow said after letting the silence hang far longer than comfortable. “The less time we stay here the fewer chances I get to accidently order a bombing run.” Disgust rippled off of Rainbow Dash like a salty miasma that made Twilight’s nose wrinkle in shared vexation. Not wanting to even see the place anymore lest she actually have that lapse in restraint, Rainbow Dash departed for her quarters, leaving Twilight Sparkle to her thoughts. Might be best. Kreesus should know to avoid RD as much as RD knows to avoid Kreesus… Twilight leaned against the glass and let gravity drag her face across the surface. The sheer amount of despondency towards her job as diplomat was at an all time high. And with no one else who’s qualified around, that leaves me alone to keep the peace. Joy. As her analytical mind just loved to remind her, unlike her militant minded counterpart, Twilight Sparkle didn’t have an excuse to remove herself from diplomacy. Even if it was with the queen who brought down her mother’s hive. The very thought of that betrayal made Twilight push herself away from the glass and shake herself. Drop it, Twilight, just remember what Celestia always said, ‘A ruler’s personal feelings are secondary to the good of the nation’. The memory suddenly made Twilight feel like Celestia was watching her from the sidelines, making Twilight feel self conscious about the next few hours. Well, Chrysalis’ scouts says Poly’s keeping her distance, so it’s up to me to keep everything smooth with Kreesus. Unbidden, and most certainly unwanted, memories of Stripped Gear aflame with Kreesus’ swarm bringing everything to ruin surfaced to Twilight’s mind. Squeezing her eyes shut, Twilight pushed herself off the glass and did her breathing exercise. Bit by bit, she stuffed all her snark, wit, and pre-made aristocratic sass in a neat little box with a ‘do not open until after war’ label on it. There. Now once this conflict is over and done with, we go our merry way, and forget Kreesus even exists for the next several decades if we’re lucky. As if to taunt her, a part of Twilight’s mind reminded her of all the young princesses the other queens had, guaranteeing a string of summits in roughly thirty years time. That’ll be future Twilight’s problem, she thought while shoving that little addition into the box as well. Twilight Sparkle ended up taking lunch in the singular port side observation blister as she watched the first resupply freighter arrive to restock the carrier and the cloaked, jury-rigged gunship carrier Breadbasket. Twilight Sparkle lightly oversaw it all via the hive mind, allowing Rainbow to rest until the next skirmish. It was a moderately light exercise for her to keep the logistics teams and shuttles moving efficiently, mostly because the drones did the majority of the thinking. Well over a dozen new pilots and over thirty new fighters would bring the Long Shot back to full strength, yet Twilight still had to steel her nerves for the fighting and loss yet to come. She wasn’t quite sure how to take it that such preparation was getting easier, yet the impact never did. Trying to keep her mind off of that depressing thought, Twilight refocused on the gargantuan Fluffy, Kreesus’ favorite drone/living airship. The living airship that was more than a match for even the Steamrunner in size. Fluffy had settled down into a truly massive wax covered bedding area near a small reservoir where it started to feed on a warehouse amount of food already waiting for it. I’m kinda surprised the thing can actually land. The skeletal structure alone must be a marvel. For the next three hours, the rest of the armies of the allied hives descended upon the mountain hive and on the surrounding areas to serve as pickets. By then, Rainbow Dash had returned to the bridge where Twilight was still standing. Partially overseeing the last of the resupply, and partially to examine state of the new aircraft and pilots. However, Rainbow Dash couldn’t find the strength to focus on that when her paranoia kept drawing her attention to the hive surrounding them. All around the Long Shot was a writhing mass of chitin bound drones blanketing the mountains. Twilight, through the eyes of the ship’s observers, spied one of Kreesus’ drones flying towards them, gave her sister a confident look and a brief nuzzle. Rainbow grumbled, barely keeping herself from vocalizing. Yet she didn’t want to distract any eavesdropping crewmembers. Twilight sighed at how Rainbow was intentionally pushing her buttons on that. Twilight waited for her sister to nod agreeably, and smiled at finding a good compromise. By now, Rainbow Dash noticed the arriving drone as well. Rainbow Dash started to speak, but checked herself. She looked down at her hooves in frustration. <...No. She’s probably here to talk about the next part of the campaign.> What kind of example would I be setting for the kids if I let Twilight do all of the work with that traitor? Resolving herself, Rainbow Dash teleported through the glass to await Kreesus above the flightdeck. Twilight couldn’t help but to smile at her sister’s sense of duty. Just hang in there, Rainbow. The sooner we win this war, the less you have to deal with her. In a poorly lit rocky hole in the ground, Grogar was unceremoniously dumped on the cave floor, and rolled over to be near a glowing green pool. His chained waxy tomb was as strong as ever. He didn’t have the strength to test it in any case. Polybia lorded over him, positively brimming with stolen necro-demon magic. Yet that very magic was quickly taking its toll on her body. Polybia’s eyes bore a red haze while betraying a wild slightly unhinged look, a sight Grogar was all too familiar with. Her shell developed discolored splotches everywhere, her holes even seemed to enlarge themselves. “What’s this?” Polybia chided derisively. “No subtle attempt at possession?” Polybia gazed upon Grogar who looked almost skeletal with his face pulled taunt on his skull while his ribs were painfully tight against his skin. He also shook like he was freezing. “No glare of contempt or revenge fantasies?” “Give me some time,” Grogar eventually said with an irritating lack emotion. He didn’t even waste the strength to face her. “Your mind won’t last much longer.” “That’s where you’re wrong,” Polybia scoffed as she turned around to leave. “Once I deposit your magic into my drones, I can simply abandon this tainted body, as I have all the others.” Polybia lingered a little while, waiting for the inevitable retort. Be it prophesying her doom or foretelling of her imminent defeat, Polybia had heard it all. Yet this time, Grogar remained passive. Mild curiosity at his silent treatment slipped into anger at being ignored before Polybia quickly felt paranoid. The longer Grogar refrained from speaking, the more worried Polybia became. Perhaps I took too much power this time and it’s actually warping my mind. A cold sweat took hold. I have to dole out this magic quickly before whatever he’s planning can be acted upon. With a dismissive huff, Polybia moved to leave Grogar’s new cell. “Feeding time will be in four hours. Do try to not expire before then,” she added condescendingly. “I still have need of you.” Failing to get a rise out of him, Polybia departed in silence. Grogar remained impassive, save for his involuntary shaking. She took so much of my power that life is clawing its way back into these bones. She had better allow me to feed soon. Thoughts of his suppressed incubus nature reverting itself fueled his anger. Silence reigned for the next couple of hours, with little more than the occasional dripping of water and occasional fidget from Grogar’s two guards ever breaking the false peace that had claimed the prison. Even with such little to do, Grogar was not idle within his waxy cage. With what little strength he had, he reached out for his stolen power. He quickly realized it, and by extension Polybia, was extremely distant now. She must have portaled away. Polybia must have realized how I was able to strike her last time. Not to be dissuaded, he still had some old tricks to try out, though for a being of his age, every trick was old. Yet before he could put any of those plans into motion, the faint sound of hoofsteps caught his ear. However, Polybia had dropped him to the floor in such a way that he could not see the exit. “While I know we only met just recently, Grogar,” said a familiar echoing voice with a playful purr. “Seeing you like this all the time is not doing wonders for your reputation.” Grogar drew his gravely reply out to sound unimpressed. “If I cared for my reputation on this plane, I would have made sure my coat was groomed, Chrysalis.” Even in his crippled state, Grogar sensed a hoof approach to roll him over, yet stop just before touching it. Instead, Chrysalis’ puppet walked around Grogar’s pod so they could speak face to face. Grogar quickly noticed a sour musk wafting off of the drone that came into view that grew much more intense with every vibration of the puppet’s wings. “It’s amazing how sloppy Polybia has gotten within the past several hours.” Chrysalis revealed a fang-filled smirk. “You wouldn’t be poisoning my dear old friend Polybia would you?” The comment made Grogar pause longer than he would have liked. She was definitely sloppy today. No, not sloppy. More like she was having difficulty focusing. Strange. My influence on her shouldn’t be affecting her that way. Keeping the revelation to himself, Grogar shifted topics. “I hardly need to try, given the nature of fel magic. I assume you tracked the portal she used to bring me here.” “A trivial effort, really,” Chrysalis flaunted as she answered. After stroking her own ego, Chrysalis buzzed her puppet’s wings, causing the musk to become even heavier, before she bent down to get a better look at Grogar’s missing horn. “You know, I couldn’t help but to be intrigued by your desire to become a royal changeling.” “I mentioned that, yes,” Grogar stated without giving anything away. Chrysalis turned away from the horn and looked nervously behind Grogar, undoubtedly towards the incapacitated guards. “I’ve not the time to go into the details, but I might be able to accommodate your goals.” She finally got a rise out of him. “You sign a contract of servitude to me, and I’ll get you a royal body.” To his credit, Grogar took a few moments to think it over. Chrysalis didn’t need to say that he had little time to contemplate the offer. “I will only sign a written contract of that nature, and only after I inspect it personally. I tell you now that I will never sign a contract with indefinite terms.” “Not good enough,” Chrysalis hissed quietly. She made her drone buzz it’s wings rapidly, filling the air with the potent musk to the point where Grogar was starting to miss the stench of the undead. “If I free you without a signed contract, there’s nothing stopping you from fleeing.” The necromancer leered at Chrysalis with a toothy humorless grin. “I don’t need you to get what I want. Sooner or later, my efforts will bear fruit, and I will take what is mine. I only humor you to see if you can give me a worthy offer, not to negotiate terms on the fly.” “And I will not be responsible for unleashing a living embodiment of sin upon the world with a royal changeling’s body,” Chrysalis countered harshly. “Not unless you are bound to me!” “Embodiment of sin? Me? You give me far too much credit, as I only personify one of them.” As much as he was enjoying himself, any excuse to shorten Polybia’s hold over him was a welcome change, causing Grogar’s mirth to fade a little. “Tell you what, Queen Chrysalis. I can give a verbal agreement that when this business with Polybia is over, I will negotiate a contract with you at your leisure, within a reasonable timeframe, of course.” “...I can agree to that much,” Chrysalis said after giving it what little thought she could spare. She lit her horn up and saturated it with magic before taking a hoof to it and snapping it off at the base. “Eat this horn so that we can stay in contact.” While his face revealed nothing, Grogar inwardly smirked at Chrysalis’ mistake. She’s giving me a way out without even realizing it. “Very well.” He opened his mouth impossibly wide, revealing the row upon row of needle like teeth that led to a pitch black hole. Chrysalis shrugged off the oddity of it. I’ve created weirder drones than that. With an almost casual toss, the severed horn fell into Grogar’s maw where he promptly devoured it. “It will take time to complete the connection, Grogar, so you will hear from me when it is complete.” “I await with unbound enthusiasm,” he deadpanned. “Yes, I know how liberating freedom can be,” Chrysalis teased, having taken his comment lightly. “Now that this puppet’s no longer needed…” Chrysalis stepped back towards the far wall. Grogar watched as within moments the drone’s chitin started to rupture and break. The heavy stench of sulfur and ozone filled the air as the puppet collapsed in a heap. Scant seconds passed before the puppet was broken down into little more than a oozing puddle that sank into the very rock itself, taking any chance of possessing it along with it. The chemical release also broke up the heavy musk, clearing the air to smell more akin to a latrine. These queens have more intelligence than I realized. Killing the body removed any chance of jumping to the puppet’s body upon death… These queens are nothing like the typical mortals trying to bargain for power. Then again… most of those mortals rarely have the wisdom and intelligence of those passed middle age. Still, even the best of my rivals back home can let the wrong clause slip through a contract, Grogar mused with humor creeping its way onto his face. Back in her hive’s throne room, Chrysalis sat in silence as she mulled over her next course of action. Binding Grogar to a heavily partitioned section of her hive mind had been trivial to complete, but Chrysalis wanted time to plan her next encounter with the fabled necromancer. If I had known Polybia was only going to use a single portal, I’d have waited a few days before speaking with him. Chrysalis’ meditation on her next move didn’t last long before her sister, Jstrul piped in. “Are you sure this is wise, sister?” Chrysalis, who had been thinking with her eyes closed, graced her blind sister with a simple look out of habit. “With the Equestrians adding their presence to this war, dealing with Grogar like this could turn both Equestria and the Soft Sisters against us.” “Grogar is on the inside, dear sister,” Chrysalis started placatingly. She even went so far as to give her sister the briefest of nuzzles. “Albeit in a limited fashion. Any information he can give us will be invaluable.” Jstrul stiffened at the affectionate touch. Centuries upbringing railed against it. Had the sign of affection been done via a drone proxy, there would be no issue, but the embrace from Chrysalis directly was highly uncomfortable. “Please, keep that… pony-rearing to the children.” “A bad yet necessary habit,” Chrysalis said apologetically, as she turned away. It took a few brief moments for both sisters to recollect themselves. “Our daughters need such treatment to be of use.” “I - I know.” All of Jstrul’s instincts screamed at her to mark Chrysalis as going soft, so she had to beat that feeling down through sheer willpower alone. The fact that supreme embarrassment wafted off her sister made it easier for Jstrul to brush it off. “What are we going to do about Grogar in the end when he comes looking to collect.” The obvious answers of turning him over to the Equestrians for destruction or to sequester him away to allow him to possess a new royal egg jumped to the forefront of Chrysalis’ mind. Try as she might, she couldn’t bring herself to decide. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, sister.” Back in Ponyville, an undisguised Roseluck was doing some much needed housework. Yet her mind was only half focused on the dishes she was washing. With Scootaloo off in the Equestrian Navy, the house had fallen quiet with just Rose and Lucky around. With the pots and pans cleared away, Rose turned to head up to the bedroom, only to stop in nostalgic recollection. She missed seeing the red and gold crusader cape Scootaloo always left on the table instead of the coatrack, the omnipresence of tree sap that always managed to escape her notice for days, and the occasional fits of laughter when Scootaloo’s friends slept over. Sighing, Roseluck walked over to the kitchen table where Scootaloo’s latest letter sat open. As a running joke, the paper had a few splotches of tree sap stuck along the edges, courtesy of Scootaloo herself. With a wistful smile, Rose read a few lines. Pride filled her chest at how strong, independent, and loving her adopted daughter had turn out. Maybe we should adopt again. I’m sure my little gumdrop would love a brother or sister. Roseluck lovingly folded the letter and started to take it to a cabinet in the den when a knock rapped on the door. Rose poked her head out into the main hallway towards the front door. With it being dark out, she couldn’t see if the visitor was trying to show themselves through one of the side windows. Even with the leadership of the PCE publicly denouncing their own actions, Roseluck couldn’t shake off her mild paranoia ever since she started living openly about her changeling heritage. She trotted over to the door, and peered through the peephole to behold a plain looking grey earth mare with a dirty brown mane. The mare had an impatient look, but didn’t appear threatening to Roseluck. A second knock made the anxious changeling jump at undoing the deadbolts, but she kept the two chain locks in place. She cracked the door open as far as the chains would allow and peered through the slit. “Hello?” The grey mare showed little emotion outside of mild surprise at Roseluck’s glowing blue eyes, clearly meaning she wasn’t disguised. “You are the one called Roseluck, correct?” “Y-yes?” Roseluck tried to sound friendly, but the late night visit by a stranger brought her natural paranoia to the forefront. “I must speak with your queen-mother. It is of the utmost urgency.” Roseluck narrowed her eyes in suspicion. All of Rose’s queens were careful whenever they puppeted a drone in public so that the common pony had no idea that ability even existed. “Begging your pardon, Miss…” “Creed,” the mare replied with a curt yet not overly harsh tone. Even so, Roseluck was getting weary of her visitor. “If it is so important, why not go to the hive itself? She should be there,” Rose offered friendly enough. “That I cannot do,” Creed replied with mounting impatience. She had to collect herself to speak calmly. “I need to speak with your queen, and I know she can speak through you.” Roseluck’s paranoia jumped three fold at that, yet her gut reaction to summon the local drone soldiers was cut short when a sickly green spire of light appeared above Creed’s forehead. The light was shaped exactly like a horn where no horn was present. Within a few seconds, a round object was summoned and dropped into Creed’s awaiting hoof. From there she presented it to Roseluck. Though she had been a love collector all her life, even Roseluck knew exactly what it was: the Stone of Parley. It took Roseluck all of two seconds to go through the very short list of queens who would ever want to speak with with Cadista. And with that realization, Roseluck’s anger and fear took over. “You must be Kreesus,” Rose spat as if it was the most vile word she knew. “My queen wants nothing to do you!” Kreesus had expected this, and tried to imagine Roseluck as a royal rather than a disobedient drone. “I have invoked Parley, whether your queen is willing to speak to me or not is irrelevant.” Roseluck ground her teeth at the law, causing her fangs to cut her a little. “Fine.” Rose looked out behind the disguised puppet and saw a few late night ponies going for the growing night life in Ponyville. “Get inside before anypony sees you. I have to wake my husband about this before I tell my queen.” Rose undid the chains and bruskly ushered the puppet inside. Not wanting to give Kreesus any chance to turn violent by making her wait, Roseluck raced upstairs to her bedroom and found Lucky just leaving the shower. He instantly noticed Roseluck’s anger marred face and cringed. “Whatever I did, it wasn’t my fault.” “For once, I believe you,” Roseluck snorted, trying to hold onto her anger. She cantered inside to keep her hate-filled tone from carrying down to the living room where she left Kreesus’ puppet. “You won’t believe who just knocked on our door!” “Judging by the look on your face, I’d say my brother,” Lucky replied honestly. “I wish,” Roseluck seethed. “It’s that bitch, Kreesus.” “The Kreesus?!” Lucky half freaked. “The same,” said a highly impatient voice from the door. Both Rose and Lucky turned to find Kreesus’ puppet had dropped the disguise, and looked decidedly unhappy. The more time wasted here, the more time Twilight or Rainbow can find out and stop all this before I can speak with Cadista. “Can we move this along?” “If it’ll get you out of my house, then so be it,” Rose spat hatefully. “I’ll relay your request to my queen.” Kreesus stayed by the door as she pondered about Roseluck’s behavior. I thought I understood Cadista’s brood. Her drones were always rather professional towards me, largely because of Cadista herself. If Twilight spoke true, and Cadista forgave me, then why is her drone so hostile? “What do you think you’re doing going behind my back?!” yelled a familiar raspy voice, jarring Kreesus from her thoughts. Instead of Cadista’s vibrant blue eyes, Kreesus was met by Rainbow Dash’s magenta eyes instead. “Get out of Rose’s house, now!” Kreesus actually jumped in shock. “R-Rainbow Dash!? But I ask-” “I’m her queen now!” Rainbow Dash whisper-shouted to keep from waking Ponyville. I knew Cadista had given up her crown, but she went so far as to relinquish her place in the hive mind too!? Though she was able to hide it by removing motor control to the puppet, Kreesus was absolutely stunned and horrified by the revelation. She slumped in her throne, utterly appalled at what she had reduced her old friend to. By the time Kreesus thought to refocus on her puppet, Rainbow Dash had shoved Roseluck’s face into Kreesus’ puppet’s own. “What’s with the silence huh? Am I not good enough for you to acknowledge as an equal without Twilight around, is that it!?” Rainbow raged with flying spittle smacking the puppet in the eye. “No, no…” Kreesus said weakly as flashes of good memories with a strong and proud Queen Cadista raced past her mind’s eye. “Please, I - if Cadista doesn’t want to speak then I’ll leave.” Rainbow Dash was disgusted by the brief glimpses of sorrow that kept breaking through the surface of Kreesus’ eyes. She would have thrown Kreesus out of the house, alliance be damned, but some small part of her wanted to know just what Cadista thought of it. Rainbow snorted at the request and backed up. “You want to talk to her? Fine, but mark my words. I will have your head if Cadista asks for it.” Kreesus gave a shaky, yet regal nod. She stood there with frayed nerves as Rainbow Dash spoke mentally with Cadista. Lucky was about as lost as he possibly could be. While he knew about puppeting, he had never seen his wife possessed before. I hope she’ll still be her old self once the queens are done. Another part of his mind latched onto a rumor he’d heard in passing when Rose had been speaking with a few purple drones a while back. Hey wait a minute… this whole puppeting thing makes drones go crazy for some loving. She might be up for some angry sex when all this is over. I know I’d need some if I had a bunch of pissed off royals in my head. Oblivious to her husband, Roseluck’s eyes shifted to sky blue as Cadista assumed control. The former queen fixed Kreesus with a regally neutral scowl, but her eyes almost betrayed the pain she kept locked away. “Hello, Kreesus,” she said in that achingly familiar voice. Muscles twitched anxiously in Kreesus’ jaw, and she couldn’t stop herself from flipping her tail in agitation. “Hello, Cadista. I - I see you…” “Have done well for myself?” Cadista replied calmly, though the words should have been bitter. Instead Cadista remained unwaveringly stoic. “About as well as can be expected.” “I heard that you forgave me,” Kreesus said too quickly. Cadista’s words flooded her with extreme embarrassment, but she was too old to let that render her speechless. “Is it true?” Cadista was silent for a moment before turning to Lucky. “Dear, I know this is your home, but could you excuse us?” Hearing a different voice out of Rose is damn scary. “Changeling matters, got it.” Lucky snapped a hasty, yet sloppy, salute before squeezing past Kreesus’ puppet to busy himself in the kitchen. Cadista waited until Lucky left the stairs to continue with a weary thread in her voice. “It has taken me a long time, Kreesus. My home, most of my children, centuries of work. All of it is a molten ruin now. Were it not for Twilight and Rainbow Dash,” Cadista didn’t bother hiding her mounting grief. “I would rather have joined my hive in destruction. “Yet I know now that I share an equal amount of the blame for Stripped Gear’s destruction.” Cadista mentally chastised both Roseluck and Rainbow Dash who yelled against it. Kreesus hated where Cadista was going with this, but Cadista spoke first. “I should have offered you the secret to making a love-producing heir. I knew full well the monumental achievement I had made, and was proud of it.” Rainbow said heatedly, not seeing why Cadista was sharing the blame. Roseluck mirrored Rainbow’s sentiment, yet all Cadista did was tell them to wait. “Are you seriously taking the blame for my actions?!” Kreesus asked with deep shock. “Aren’t I responsible, though?” Cadista rebuked with sudden shame and inward anger. “I did the impossible! I created a changeling strain that could produce love. All those centuries of being mocked and ridiculed for giving my drone intelligence and self-identity, for Yumia and I going against all logic by developing cold metal technology instead of advancing my biology.” Even now, with her royal blood all but gone, Cadista couldn’t fight the overwhelming pride she had in her life’s work, and let that pain filled pride shine in her voice. “And for chasing that impossible dream of love creation. Honesty is one of the highly regarded Equestrian values, is it not?” Cadista broached the rhetorical question to not just Kreesus, but to Rainbow and Roseluck as well. Rainbow Dash was starting to get worried, and patched Twilight into the conversation (after she had physically walked into the room where Rainbow was) in some hope she could make sense of this where Rainbow couldn’t. “So why not let it all on the table, hmm? I was, and still am, profoundly proud of Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, both as my daughters, and as living vindications that all my work, all those years of public ridicule, were not for nothing! “So where Twilight or Rainbow Dash might have shared this secret with you, old friend, I - I,” Cadista’s rant faltered as her soul was crushed all over again by her loss. Tears started drenching both Roseluck and Cadista’s real face. “I didn’t. I would have, if you had come to me first. But no. I wanted to bask in my achievement. Dare I say it, some part of me wanted to see you beg if only a little. For you to apologize for all the mockery, light though it was compared to the others.” Having no Day of Grief for herself, Kreesus had no buffer for the tidal wave of misery and regret that was flooding her. “Don’t - don’t you dare say another word!” Kreesus practically shouted, shattering Cadista’s rant. “You do not control my hoof! I destroyed your hive, yo - your everything…” Centuries of friendship flashed before both Cadista and Kreesus’ mind. Countless talks, dinners, and even shared battlefields taunted them with what they had once shared. Friendship. While they hid most of it from their puppets, both of them wept chest-wracking sobs. Neither of them could stand the sight of the other, but couldn’t bring themselves to leave. Twilight Sparkle was at a loss for words. She didn’t have many memories with Kreesus, but she had originally thought of her as a trusted ally. Mother… I wish I knew how to help you. Twilight’s helplessness dredged up the last thing Twilight wanted on her mind: Twilight Velvet. Twilight couldn’t stop herself from wishing she was in Cadista’s place with Velvet begging for a chance at reconciliation as Kreesus was. Ignorant of her sister’s spiking sorrow, Rainbow Dash’s smoldering anger at Kreesus barely let up, even after hearing Cadistia’s reasonings. However, she wasn’t going to stand idly by. I can’t believe I’m about to do this. With Cadista so paralysed by renewed grief, it was trivial for her to take back motor control of Roseluck. While Roseluck shared her mother’s grief, she let Rainbow do as she wished with her. So, Rainbow slowly walked over and gave Kreesus’ puppet a strong hug. Cadistia barely realized what happened before Rainbow gave her control again. Both she and Kreesus’ cries faltered at the embrace. Twilight was so stunned by the hug, she was thrown out of her wishful daydream and nearly broke contact with Roseluck to stare at Rainbow in disbelief. It took Kreesus and Cadista a few brief moments to realize what had happened before Cadista left her pride to the wind and gave Kreesus a crushing embrace. Kreesus in turn was at a total loss as to how to act. Centuries of staying aloof from others, going whole centuries without physical contact with another queen, only fed her ignorance. However, some long forgotten part of her subconscious drove her to return the embrace. Neither Kreesus nor Cadista could find the right words. I don’t want my last years on this Earth to be without you my old friend, Cadista thought. Yet even without her crown, she couldn’t bring herself to say it aloud. I let my pride destroy my one true ally and friend. I swear I’ll make it right, Kreesus desperately wished she had the courage to say. Not wanting to witness anything more private, Rainbow Dash narrowed her focus on the connection, allowing Cadista to stay within Roseluck, but eliminating Rainbow’s awareness of the room. The act had also knocked Twilight from witnessing anything further. As much as she wanted to keep her mother company, Twilight was compelled to reach out to Rainbow before she could leave the little nook they had occupied at the stern side of the Long Shot’s command tower during the whole ordeal. “Sister, wait a minute.” Rainbow begrudgingly stopped before taking to the air, she didn’t turn around to face Twilight, however. “I’m glad you did what you did back there.” “Don’t get the wrong idea, Twilight,” Rainbow replied heatedly. Twilight was taken aback while Rainbow faced her with fire in her eyes. Her scowl had not improved at all. “If granny wants to make peace with that traitor, then that’s her business. I don’t care what excuses granny makes for her, Kreesus was still the one who destroyed Stripped Gear.” “I know what you’re saying, sister, I really do.” Twilight used Rainbow’s hesitation to come over and lean against her affectionately. “I know where she’s coming from, though, and in some small way, I - I envy mother for this.” Rainbow Dash arched an eyebrow at that, with her scowl deepening. “This ought to be rich. Last I checked,” Rainbow started ranting, “granny lost her hive, gave up her royal blood, any ability to have more children, and gave up her crown. How could you be envious of that?!” Rainbow steamed while stomping her hoof on the loud metal floor. The act turned a few heads from the drones on spotting detail, although all Twilight did was fall intensely quiet, both physically and within the hive mind. Even her emotional aura became unreadable. “Because for all she’s done… I still hope Velvet will do the same one day.” “Twilight,” Rainbow called out with with her anger ebbing a little as her sister walked away. “You’ve got to let her go. She certainly did with you.” Twilight charged her horn for a teleport to her quarters while looking at her sister with a forlorn frown and drooped ears. “Would you?” Not wanting to let the drones see her cry, Twilight teleported to her chambers, leaving Rainbow Dash alone and fuming. Damn it all. I can’t see why Twi and granny try so hard. Traitors betrayed you once, and they’ll do it again. They’re not worth the heartache. Opting to leave Twilight alone, Rainbow Dash departed for the pilot briefing room to give orders for the next mission. Well over an hour later in Roseluck’s bedroom, Kreesus and Cadista had slowly managed to recollect themselves, and eventually released their embrace. Their faces were stained with tears and their noses drenched in runny liquid, but for the first time in years, Kreesus felt lighter than ever before. How little did she realize her actions at Stripped Gear had weighed upon her. Cadista had an even harder time reigning in her emotions, though it was for reasons Kreesus didn’t suspect. In truth, Cadista had to wrestle with herself to keep an emotionally open aura masking her deeper longing desires of retribution against Kreesus. It would take more than an age to forgive you Kreesus, but my daughters depend on you for now. Making sure her emotional mask was in place, Cadista gave the object of her ire a friendly yet weak smile. “I have missed our dinners together.” “They were happier days,” Kreesus added with a more genuine grin. “We must do so again…” Her breath caught in her throat. “I - I can’t say how badly I utterly ruined everything we had, Cadista. I will do all in my power to keep your daughters alive through the war, as if they were my own.” Cadista was caught off guard by the heated steel with which Kreesus put into every word. “I swear it!” “Thank you, old friend.” Cadista heaved a shuddering sigh as she finished wrapping her true emotions up into a little box in the back of her mind. “I believe we’ve taken enough of my daughter’s time. I’ll await those shared dinners after Polybia and Grogar are dealt with.” Kreesus felt her heart warm at the prospect with a renewed fire she hadn’t had in years. “A sound idea.” Kreesus made for the window and opened it to leave, yet she stopped before climbing out and turned back to her renewed friend with a mournful yet happy smile. “Farewell, Cadista.” With that, Kreesus’ puppet jumped out of the window and flew away. Cadista sighed again. “Thank you, Roseluck, I shall send you some compensation to make up for such a trying night.” “It was an honor to serve you, my queen,” Roseluck said purposefully instead of the more fitting moniker of mother. Cadista briefly thought about correcting her, yet a part of her felt renewed purpose and satisfaction at being called a queen, even if it was for the last time. With wordless thanks, Cadista departed Roseluck with Rainbow’s mental bridge falling away along with her. Roseluck felt her strength give out and slumped heavily onto the carpet. She laid there, with only the rise and fall of her chest giving any movement for a couple of minutes before Lucky poked his head through the door. He spotted his wife on the floor, and quickly swept his eyes over the room for any possible threats before rushing over to her side. He carefully rolled her over and pulled her head off the floor. She gave a relieved smile to see the lack of distress on her tired face. “Hey, everything go okay?” Roseluck sagged into his strong forelegs, while wrestling with how she was supposed to feel. An unintended side effect of Rainbow’s mental bridge was that Roseluck heard all of Cadista’s inner thoughts. Including her deception. Slowly, Roseluck summoned the strength to pull herself up to hug Lucky. “Yeah, nothing some sleep couldn’t fix.” If he was honest with himself, Lucky felt a little confused at how physically calm Roseluck was. Shouldn’t she be trying to jump my bones after playing host to the queen? Sensing she was exhausted, Lucky deftly slid Roseluck onto his back so he could drop her off at the bed. Ah well, at least she’s in a good mood. After depositing her on the bed, Lucky didn’t like how bedraggled Roseluck was looking. “You should take the day off tomorrow, go to the spa or something.” Roseluck yawned sleepily and wiggled into the sheets. “That sounds nice. I love you, dear.” Roseluck only scantily heard Lucky’s reply while pride filled her as her thoughts returned to Cadista. Your secret is safe with me, my queen. With Lucky snuggling against her, and giving his love, Roseluck quickly drifted off to sleep.