I had to give those twins some props, they were thorough. The first thing they did was rip off all my clothes and push me into the warm water, one of them going off to grab some supplies while the other dropped some blue soap into the water. They both allowed me a few moments to wash myself of the hardened slime, my face as red as a tomato while they both watched me with curious eyes. After a few moments of washing slowly, the left twin giggled at my behavior and took over, grabbing a sponge and starting to scrub anything she deemed dirty, which was everywhere.
“Eeep!” I squeaked out, not expecting her to go after the more….. ‘Sensitive’ bits.
They both gasped as they saw the slot in my back, just now noticing the device embedded into me. There were a few murmurs of curiosity as they examined it, one brave enough to try to poke it. Freya shot out and wrapped around her hoof, giving it a firm squeeze in warning, before retracting into where it came with an audible squish.
“-Isn’t that going to rust?-” Splish asked, giving it a concerned stare.
I shrugged and shook my head, still blushing. “-I no think so, have been washed before, no bad thing hap yet.-”
They both looked at each other in thought, before continuing with the washing. After that was done, I was led to a table with some cushioning on it, a towel too big for me wrapped tightly around my body. I raised an eyebrow at the twins and followed their instructions to lay down on it, quickly realizing that I was going to get a massage from two cute changelings.
“-You know what you doing?-” I asked, sparing a worried glance at their hole filled legs.
They both nodded and grabbed some ominously glowing bottles, Splash smiling confidently. “-If we can massage our queen, we can massage just about anything.-”
The blue bottle was emptied onto my back, the smell of blueberries permeating the air. Two pairs of soft hooves met the stiff parts of my back, applying just enough pressure to elicit a pleased groan from me and cause all four tentacles to ease out of my back as they lied down on both sides of me.
Splish started to hum a little tune while her twin sang softly. “-Welcome to our royal spa, little friend.-”
“Oh, god…. Not again!”
“What? She's just singing.”
“This place seems to have a thing for musicals. There were, like, five times back in town where, when one pony starts singing, they all start singing and dancing.”
“It can't be that bad.”
“Just you wait. I bet that we're going to see some changelings do some synchronized swimming in the bath pretty soon.”
Out of nowhere came some more music….
One musical later.
“Called it!”
Alice was quiet for a moment. “That was the best thing I have seen in my entire life.” She said with utmost seriousness, before breaking down in giggles. “Did you really have to join in?”
“Er, uh, I couldn't help myself.” I flushed, embarrassed. “Was I good?”
She laughed. “You did pretty good.”
I did call the part about the changelings going for the synchronized swimming bit, their wings helping them buzz through the water with ease. The musical quickly wrapped me up in it, some strange feeling causing me to sing with them. After that was all said and done, the random changelings leaving, my whole body feeling way better and my tentacles sending pleased feelings down their connection, I was allowed to laze about as we waited for Chrysalis to come back.
It didn't take too long though, the queen opening the door and entering quietly. She smiled and looked at me with amusement, me having been floating in the pool with my tentacles fully extended in the water for them to soak.
“-You seem to be enjoying my royal spa.-” She pointed out, laughing when I jumped and fell below the water.
Sputtering, I swam from the deeper part of the pool, climbing out as my face turned red. Grabbing a towel and quickly drying off, my tentacles magicked up some new clothes for me as they replaced my slimy dress. Sighing at the cosplay that appeared, I put it on, tentacles styling my hair to match.
“-Hmm….-” Chrysalis eyed my new clothes, a custom fitting imp form Midna suit, minus the fused shadow helmet thing. “-That’s…. Actually pretty cute.-” She smiled, before thanking the twins for their service and motioning for me to follow her.
I waved at the two and followed Chrysalis outside into the dimly lit hallways, noticing the lack of guards.
“-Where we going?-” I asked, looking around the place for any kind of decorations that could be used as landmarks, in case I get lost in here.
Chrysalis’s horn gently glowed green as she looked around, her eyebrows furrowed in thought. “-I have some of the tunneler changelings expanding the love stores below the castle.-” She explained. “-So, while that is happening, we are going to the center of the hive. There's a large empty lake there from when we ran out of love months ago, so we are going to try to fill it today.-”
I frowned and nodded, not really believing that I could fill a lake with love. We silently walked through the halls, me taking quick curious peeks at her legs, wondering what kind of purpose they serve. It didn't take long for us to get out of the castle, a few guards getting to our sides as we traveled through the streets, some changelings giving me some hungry stares.
“Ah!” I screamed as I fell, my foot twisting painfully.
I tripped on something in the street, the thing completely catching me off guard in this dimly lit cavern. The guards frowned in concern for me, one of them protectively levitating me onto his back.
“-Are you alright?-” Chrysalis asked, worriedly looking at my ankle.
“-I be fine. Why thing in street?-” I asked as I pointed at the trench, the thing leading all the way up the street to somewhere.
She smiled, sighing in relief that I haven't broken anything. “-It used to be one of the rivers that ran through the hive.-” She laughed, remembering something. “-It was a little project to remember my mom’s hive by. She had these running all throughout her hive, the love flowing brightly through them.-” She sighed, looking wistful. “-I wonder how she’s doing…. Oh! We're here!-”
I stared wide eyed at the giant hole in front of us, the thing looking like some sort of pit of death. There were some fatter looking changelings standing near the pit, one of them addressing his queen with some excitement in his tone.
“-My queen, we are ready to commence the draining.-”
“-Good work, Sludge.-” She smiled, turning to me. “-My guards will bring you to the place where these nice changelings can drain the love without trouble.-” At my nod of understanding, she motioned the guards to move.
I was quickly brought to the fatter changelings, a few of them licking their lips as I came close. I was met by one that wore some goggles, it smiling in reassurance as he told me what was going to happen and what to expect. The whole process was going to be in shifts, two of each gatherer are going to be on each side of me and drain as much as they can carry.
We quickly got started, the guard that was carrying me placing me onto the ground. It was a tiring ordeal, the draining making me almost go to sleep from the relaxing sensations coming from their magic. As soon as the first two were full, their belly glowing a bright pink, they quickly ran over to the pit and started….. regurgitating into it, another set of changelings taking their place.
Maybe an hour later, we were done. I was half conscious from all the waiting, doing my best to stay awake as they got what they needed. Blinking, I looked at the now filled pit, the pink slime glowing brightly as I saw a few of the younger changelings swimming about in it.
“Whoaaaaa……”
Chrysalis laughed, rubbing a hoof on my back. “-And you still have more. Thanks for your help, Dakota. You can take a break for the day…..-” She looked at me with some thought, before gaining a small green blush on her face. “-I suppose I shouldn't leave my guest alone while she explores the hive, right?-”
My face turned red as I agreed, crushing on the cute bug pony queen. Her horn glowed as the gatherers left, some of them giving her a knowing smile. The guards left as well, leaving just Chrysalis and I on the shore of the glowing lake.
I started to walk, a little shaky from my twisted ankle, down one of the streets, avoiding the flowing river of love on the side. Passing the changelings that were celebrating in the streets, their cheers consisting of bug chirps and loud wing buzzes, I searched for any kind of place that caught my eye, a certain queen following next to me with a beaming smile on her face.
There was this little place on the corner with a bright sign depicting a snail that was dripping, causing me to blink in thought and go over there, some rowdy music getting louder as I got closer. Chrysalis obviously recognized the building, the smile on her face getting even bigger, before looking at me with a raised eyebrow.
“-You want to go in there?-” She asked, sounding like I was going to regret it if I entered the place. “-How old are you? This is a bar….-”
Smiling, I answer. “-Older than I look.-”
“Really? You're going to drink?” Alice asked, sounding a little upset at the idea.
“Hey, let's have some fun. We literally just saved an entire race from starvation somehow, and I believe that merits some kind of celebration.”
“....Fine, just don't overdo it, okay? I want to be in control after this.” She sighed in resignation.
“I make no promises on the overdoing it!” I internally cheer, before continuing. “You can take the wheel tomorrow, okay? Just in case I party a little too hard with these guys. Seriously, I can hear them from here!”
Chrysalis grinned and walked to the saloon style doors with me, opening them for me as we entered. The whole place went silent as they regarded us, only for the drunkest one to raise his mug and slur out something I couldn't make out, causing Chrysalis to flush and make everyone laugh.
Without word, I hopped up onto a stool near the bartender and gave him the most serious look I had in my arsenal, the guy almost cooing at my adorableness.
“-Strongest drink you have, please.-” I ask him with the most serious voice I can do, making him laugh, Alice screaming in outrage in my head. All of my tentacles felt kind of disappointed in me, except for Jynx and Freya, they were cheering me on in this.
“-Ha! A little thing, like you, wants the strongest drink here? Six Six!-” He called out, a rugged looking changeling strolling up to us.
He was missing an eye, a black eyepatch covering it. The holes in his legs were more jagged than any of the changelings I have seen, looking like chunks were taken out of him. There were cracks all over his chitin, most of them centered around his chest.
He gave me a calculating gaze, seeming to size me up, before nodding, seeming to like what he saw in me. Chrysalis took a seat on my left, much to this guy's surprise.
“-P-Princess! Why aren't you back in the castle?-” He sputtered, causing her to smile in amusement.
“-Can't a queen have some fun with her subjects?-” She asked, getting a glowing red drink from the bartender with a laugh. “-Besides, I've always wanted to come here to meet your little marefriend.-”
He looked like he was short circuiting, his left eye twitching as he tried to come up with a response. The bartender laughed at him. “-Hah! She's got ya there!-”
Six Six scowled in his direction. “-Why’d you call me over here anyway?-”
“-This little lady over here wants to drink the strongest thing we have….-”
“-And….?-”
“-Well, I want to see the two of you have a drinking contest! Come on, this is a celebration!-” He laughed, smiling as he passed some drinks over to a barmaid changeling.
Six Six quickly got two mugs from the guy, the contents in one was glowing a gentle pink, the bartender giving me a playful wink once I looked at him. I took the first drink, chugging the strawberry flavored stuff until the mug was empty, slamming it down with a cheer, knowing that Chrysalis will have my back if I go too far.
“Woooo!” Everyone was quiet, awestruck, before getting loud with applause, the drunk changeling passing out on the floor. “Let's get it started!” I yelled out in English, the band on the other side of the bar starting to play a song.
Six Six smiled and slammed down his drink, everyone going nuts in response.
“This is gonna be fun!”
“I hate you sometimes, you know that?”
Six drinks later, Chrysalis’s POV.
Dakota was holding out against Six Six admirably, her tentacles keeping her from falling off the stool, her cheeks a rosy pink as she spoke up in her language. I smiled as she took another round against Six Six, my commander slurring out some kind of insult to get Dakota riled up, only to fall down, unconscious.
She cheered and turned around to look at me, about falling over in the process, and leaned forward, motioning for me to get closer. I leaned in and was given a kiss, my face heating up as everyling cheering her on.
“It's ‘bout time you got a new marefriend!” One yelled out.
“Go! Go! Go!” They all chanted as she kept kissing me.
“Well…. I do think she’s cute…” I flushed, returning her kiss a little before casting a sleep spell, putting her asleep. “What did you put in her drink?” I asked the bartender, the drone smiling sheepishly as I gave him a suspicious glare.
“Heh, I may have mixed some love nectar inside, to sweeten it for the gal, ya see?” He explained as he pulled out a large pink bottle, earning an exasperated sigh from his Queen.
“Do you remember what happens to anything that isn't a changeling when it drinks love?”
“Of course! It will act as a love poti- ohhhh!”
I took a closer look at my guest, immediately noticing that her blush was turning into heart shapped markings on her cheeks. “How much did you use?!?” I panicked, not having seen this before. “How pure was it!?!” I forcefully lifted him to my face, snarling in protective anger.
“Uh, a-all of it! I-I-I didn't remember that would happen! Please forgive me!” Growling, I threw him across the place, landing face first into the wall.
Everyling looked at me with wide eyes, not expecting anything like that to happen.Floating Dakota onto my back, I ran out of the place without word, heading toward the nearest hospital I knew.
The nurses were ready when we got there, having received my quick message through the hive link, hefting Dakota onto the gurney with practiced efficiency. With a loud tearing noise, a white tail tore its way out of her clothes, surprising everyling in the vicinity. She groaned and opened her eyes, revealing blue heart shaped pupils, and looked around, only to spot me and…. Purr?
“Dakota, how do you feel?” I hesitantly asked her, receiving more purring in response before she transformed more.
Her skin kept making hearts until they all blended together on her skin, turning her a dark pink, the hearts on her cheeks turning blue. Her tentacles flew out and spasmed, like they were trying to resist what was happening, before going still and turning the same color as their owner, gaining the heart markings near their base. There was a loud crack and she spat out one tooth, a small fang replacing it and jutting out of her mouth a little, similar to a young changeling barely out of the larva stage.
I blinked, only to find that she disappeared from her spot. I felt something wrap around my body, the nurses starring in horror at something behind me. There was a playful giggle, and I was lifted by the transformed being and brought to her face.
She smiled widely, wrapping her tentacles tighter around me as she reached out and cupped my chin, cooing softly as she stared at me with half lidded, glowing eyes. Reaching out with my connection, I informed my guards.
“Anyling with strong sleep spells, please come to my location immediately! Our guest has had a bad reaction with consuming love and is highly unstable!”
“Who the buck gave her love?” One changeling asked through the connection.
“On my way, my queen!” Another said, his link feeling close.
“What kind of bad reaction?”
“She’s mutated into some kind of… feral thing. She's very fast and…” I stopped for a second, seeing Dakota bring me closer to her, growling possessively at the few guards that approached, bearing her teeth. “Seems to have claimed me as her mate….”
“It’s about time you got someling, other than us, to love you.”
“....”
“Did I say that out loud?..... Buck!”
Meanwhile, with Spoon and Co.
They walked through the forest without much trouble, only coming across a few cockatrices that were swiftly disposed of by Nocturne, the small wyvern eating only the chicken part. The Lagombi had hopped onto Spoon's back, deciding to take a nap.
“Sooooo……. How deep is this thing you are looking for?” Spoon asked, wearily looking around the place. “We are already in pretty deep…”
Nocturne gave a noncommittal grumble as he walked further in, causing Spoon to frown. It wasn't too long until they got to the end of the forest, the badlands visible from their positions, looking like some kind of large scar in the land. The wyvern continued on without any noise, not sparing the worried Spoon a look.
“Uh, maybe we should go home. We are probably pretty far from town… “ There was no response from Nocturne, causing Spoon to glance nervously at the forest in thought. There was a loud howl that pierced the silence, causing the poor filly to run after the wyvern in fright, having made up her mind to keep following her only source of protection.
With Ash, in Canterlot.
Ash had flew nonstop to the castle, getting there in an hour, almost collapsing upon arrival. It wasn't too hard to get inside the place, most of the guards remembering her from years of dealing with her. Celestia was in the dining room, eating breakfast with her barely awake sister.
The big doors slammed open, a visibly exhausted Ash flying over the table and coming to a stop in front of Celestia, the princess looking surprised at the sudden appearance.
“Dakota’s gone!” Ash yelled out, before dropping down face first into Celestia’s oatmeal, fast asleep.
“Thou are a complete imbecile!” Luna thundered in Royal Canterlot, making everypony around the castle to flinch in surprise. She had fully woke up upon hearing the news, glaring at the sleeping pegasus that failed in her duties.
“Luna, why don't you gather the guards while I bring my maid to the infirmary.” Celestia calmly said as she levitated Ash up from her ruined breakfast.
“Fine, we will do just that.” Luna growled out, stomping her way out of the room. “Just see to it that she will be punished severely!”
Celestia shook her head with a laugh, amused at the way her sister was protective of Dakota. Lifting up Ash, the princess teleported over to the castle infirmary, quickly giving the surprised doctors the unconscious pegasus.
“Just look over her and inform me when she wakes up, please.”
“Okay, prinzess.” The head doctor said in his thick accent. “Ve vill do juzt zhat.”
Half an hour later, in the throne room.
Captain Shining Armor was one of the many knights called into the throne room, most of which were staring in fear at the sight of Luna in full war armor. Cadence had heard some of the commotion going on and joined the princesses in on the briefing of the situation.
Some of the more ‘untrusting’ knights, the ones that didn't want anything to do with the search, found themselves quickly rendered unconscious by a certain alicorn of the night. Celestia kept a poker face throughout the whole thing, almost laughing when her sister threw one of the more ‘passionate’ refusers.
“Alright, everypony….” The solar princess spoke up, gaining everypony’s attention. “I would like all of your cooperation in our search for Dakota. She was last seen inside of her bedroom, at around ten o’clock at night, the only clue that was left behind was a recent green stain on the carpeted floor near the door.” Celestia informed, having gotten the info from Ash a few minutes earlier, the poor mare trying to stay calm as she explained to her boss. “There were no signs of a struggle and there was no forced entry into the home. If I had to make a guess… the perpetrators responsible couldn't have gone too far in such a short time, so they are still within Equestrian borders.”
“Why would anypony want her? I-I mean, she's still young, right? There can't be much she could be useful for…. Maybe a ransom?” One guard questioned, his helmet covering most of his face, causing his voice to have a kind of echoey tinge to it.
“That would be the case if it were a pony.” Celestia pointed out, teleporting in a jar full of black leech things, the small things wriggling about inside. “These are the probably the reason of her being kidnapped.”
Shining raised an eyebrow and scrutinized the leech like things. “They don't seem like much…”
Luna gave the things an apologetic glance before explaining, her expression turning back into a scowl. “These are a product of the monster that experimented on young Dakota.” She shuddered at the thought. “Those tentacles that are inside her back are the very same things inside of this jar.”
Cadence stared at the jar, turning green at the feelings that were emanating from each tentacle, almost screaming out in revulsion at the conclusion she came to. “They all are practically flowing with a mother’s despair!” She thought to herself, almost throwing up.
Luna continued explaining, noticing that Cadence was getting unsettled at the sight of the little creatures. “Each of these are capable of using powerful magic, a single one has enough power rivaling that of our strongest unicorns. As all of you may not be aware, Dakota has four inside her, meaning she could have enough magic to rival Discord if she knew how to use it. If she were somehow controlled by anypony with ill intentions….” She trailed off, the very idea making her teleport the sword that Dakota had transformed Moonshine into and embed it into the floor of the throne room. “We can't let that happen!”
Celestia frowned at the news, her sister having been quiet about what she had learned last night. “Luna is going to head the search, so please listen to her.”
All of the knights saluted and yelled out their affirmative, except the few that were left unconscious on the floor.
Luna frowned in thought. “I hope Dakota is going to be fine…. Who knows what kind of torment is happening to her.”
Back with Chrysalis. 3rd POV
“Great, just great….” Chrysalis thought to herself from her spot in Dakota's arms, her grip surprisingly strong as she slept off the multiple sleep spells and the effects of the love.
After she was tranquilized, she was carried into the hospital while she kept an embarrassed queen wrapped in her arms as some kind of teddy bear. Dakota had turned back to normal shortly after she was brought into the room, only the tail and fang being the only things that had stayed.
The various doctors and nurses were baffled at what had happened, no being had ever reacted that severely to drinking love. Oculus and her team had quickly showed up when they heard the news, Synapse joining the doctors in examining Dakota, them all giving Chrysalis an all clear that most of the love in Dakota's system has finally been cleaned out. The effects of a standard love potion will persist throughout the next day, without further fear of mutation.
“She just won't let you go, eh?” Neuron asked, an amused smile on his face. “If something that cute was holding me, I wouldn't mind.” He pointed out, seeing Dakota mumble something and adjust her arms to better hold her temporary teddy bear.
Oculus glared at him, before giving her queen an apologetic smile. “Please forgive him, I believe he was dropped as an egg.”
“Hey!”
Chrysalis smiled and chuckled softly. “It’s fine. Though, why are you all here? Not that I'm complaining.”
Mismatch smiled as she looked at her queen’s little predicament. “We’re here to congratulate you on getting a marefriend….”
“She is not my marefriend!” Chrysalis practically screamed, a green blush gracing her face in embarrassment. “I'd have to know her well to call her that.”
Mismatch gave the queen a conspiratorial smile. “If I remember what you said at the announcement…. It was that the hive will have more than enough love by the end of the week. So, if I had to put two and two together, she’s staying for a week, right?”
“R-Right.” She confirmed.
“That's plenty of time for you to get to know her!” Mismatch almost cheered, the idea of being matchmaker for her queen going through her head. “I'll even help you out!”
Oculus frowned and apologized, getting ready to throw Mismatch out the window. “Sorry, I think she has been dropped as an egg, too.”
“What? Don't you want her to have someone to love her, besides all of us? It's been forever since she went out with anyone! Think about how lonely that is!”
Oculus thought about it for a second, before nodding her head in agreement. “I…. I can imagine that it would be a little dull.”
Chrysalis pouted. “I'm right here. Please don't talk about my love life in front of me….” She gave Mismatch a little smile, before asking one thing. “Say, if I was interested in your offer…. How would you help? As far as I know, you haven’t been with anyling.”
Mismatch smiled confidently. “I have read some romance books that a few of my friends brought in from outside. There are some pretty good ideas in them, like going out for a dinner…..”
Meanwhile, inside Chrysalis’s throne room.
The key that was left on the throne was missing, in it's place was a mass of smoke, it's form taking on a vague alicorn shape.
“Grahhh! Why couldn't they just put me in her?” It grumbled, its voice being obviously female. “She’s the best chance I have at getting a body and getting my revenge on those six mares!”
It floated to a window, looking over the entire hive. “The changelings, eh? It has been a while since I have heard any news from them….”
“Huh? Who's there?” A new voice spoke up, a changeling poking his head inside the doorway.
“Crap! Crap! Crap!” It panicked, turning back into the key and dropping onto the floor with a loud metallic clunk.
“Coulda sworn I heard someling in here…. Oooh! A key!” He said with some curiosity, lifting it up with his magic and examining it. “Shiny……” He thought out loud as he left the room with the key in his magical grip.
“Oh, great. I get the idiot to pick me up….”