//------------------------------// // Prologue: The strange Alicorn with the strange offer. // Story: F.A.U.S.T. // by Kaisumo //------------------------------// In the harsh dry region of The Badlands, there is a changeling queen that is desperately doing her best to feed her hive. In the depth of the green luminous tunnels of the changeling hive, the injured queen has gaze solemnly around her many followers. At the sound of hoof meeting stone drawing closer, the queen sigh as she remembered the times when her hive was fed enough to communicate through the link of all the changelings. As she focus on the one that came into her chambers, she steel herself for the incoming bad news, for she has sense fear in this one. "M-my queen! There is an intruder on premises!" the bug reported. This alerted the queen immediately. Has the ponies of Equestria decided to pursue her hive? It can't be, why did they attack now after a whole year after her invasion on their capitol? Wait, did the changeling just said an? Only one? Composing herself she stared into the eyes of her messenger."If there is only one intruder, then just get rid of it with numbers. It is really not that hard my little changeling." "B-but but," the changeling stuttered, sweating droplet onto the floor. "The intruder i-is an A-Alicorn!." "What!?" she screeched loud enough to startle the other changelings around her. An Alicorn here? Is it Celestia? Has she came to finish her off? The queen is shaking in fear as she look at the changelings in her chambers. With her hive merely feeding enough, she believed that her changelings will not survive an attack from the princess of the sun. Perhaps if she were to talk to Celestia herself, the Alicorn might take pity on her and leave her alone. She slowly stood up and trot near the messenger. "Lead me to her, I will deal with this myself." "B-but my queen! You're in no condition to-" "Just take me to her!" cried the queen. "I don't want anymore 'lings hurt... just take me to her and let me persuade that insufferable Alicorn away." "Y-yes my queen..." the changeling changed course and trot towards their destination. "This way..." It was a long trot through the tunnels, but it felt a lot longer as she contemplated her speech. The buzzing of changelings in panic rush to hide deeper in the hive did not help calm her. Should she surrender and just beg for mercy? Pleading for her hive to not be harmed and fed as she rot in Canterlot Prison? Or maybe disguise herself as the Alicorn's long lost love as a pleasure slave. She was so deep in thought that she nearly tripped over her escort. "M-my queen, we're here." announced the changeling pointing at the Alicorn on the open fields. The escort was pointing at an Alicorn all right as she has both wings and a horn, but there was something off about her. She has the perfectly spotless white coat just as the queen has remembered her to be, but the queen doesn't remember her having a red tail and mane. The queen stared blankly at the Alicorn that is facing away, tending to some random cactus. This isn't Celestia, but she is still an Alicorn of unknown origin. "It isn't nice to stare at someone's flank you know." the Alicorn announced in a not so regal yet chipper voice. The queen was caught of guard and jumbled her prepared speech. What was off was that she said someone instead of somepony. Was she being polite because she is talking to a non-pony? Perhaps this was the case because ponies usually say somepony even if they are adressing a different species sometimes. That alone has eased the queen's opinion of her. She cautiously trot towards the mare revealing herself. "My 'ling has reported an Alicorn is near and I'm here to check if that was true," the queen announced raising an eyebrow "but I don't remember an Alicorn like you." "That is because I didn't want to reveal myself to the world, until now." The red haired mare turned around and faced the changeling queen. "The name is Faust, nice to meet you." "Chrysalis." she answered rolling her eyes at the usual introductions. It seems this encounter wasn't as dangerous as she thought and she felt her confidence and energy returning. Wait a minute, Chrysalis doesn't remember feeling this energetic before, even when resting and feeding off of some critter's love. Is this Alicorn feeding her? Did she fell in love with her true changeling form? Chrysalis didn't understand what this Alicorn's plan is but perhaps she can use this to her advantage. She cantered around Faust with half lidded eyes keeping eye contact and then stopped in front of the mare posing with a hoof dauntingly covering her muzzle. "My-my, loving what you see Faust? Perhaps me and you can have a lovely evening in my chambers?" Finishing off her act with some seductive blinking. It was a success as she felt a burst of love coming from the red mane mare. The mare walked up to her and proceeded to hug her in her lovely delicious love filled embrace. "Chrysalis..." nuzzling her as the mare gazed lovingly into her eyes with half lidded eyes. "You are so cute when you try to act seductive!" answered the mare as she playfully hug and nuzzle the queen. "W-what!?" the queen stuttered in embarrassment. This Alicorn was treating her like a foal. If it wasn't the fact that she is an Alicorn of unknown origins and feeding her some sort of love, she would have attacked her by now. Chrysalis just stood there awkwardly in the mare's playful yet powerful grip. She was just fed full and yet she can not break out of the jolly mare's hooves. "I will stay and continue to feed your entire hive if you agree to do some things for me." This picked the queen's interest. An Alicorn willing to feed her hive for some tasks in return. She hope those things she wanted wasn't to difficult. "What things do you want from me?" The cheerful Alicorn finally let go and hummed. "Oh nothing big, just that your changelings build a nice big academy here in the badlands." Chrysalis was speechless. An academy here will draw many others into the badlands. Her changelings will no longer be safe to hide as more buildings will erect around the learning facility. "Before you protest, do note that I will be around to make sure nothing harms you or your hive. In fact since this will be the first school building in the badlands, you and your changeling will be the board of education and superintendent. I will just be the Principal and teacher of the academy." the mare stated. The queen was confused."What pry tell does the superintendent and school board do?" "The school board makes guidelines and rules and the superintendent keeps tabs and enforce them on the schools in the district. For now there will be one school in the badlands so the superintendent will just check this one building and flaunt around being the boss." the mare replied with a straight face. "So if I were to be this so called superintendent, i can just walk in and kick the students, and there is nothing they can do because I have your protection and it is basically my school too?" the bug mare was having second thoughts, this deal was too good to be true. "Yes you can! In fact I encourage it!. Kick those student down and show them they aren't as great as they think they are. Feed upon the true or false love they develop in their time learning with others, and most importantly as the superintendent, make their life as miserable as possible." she replied again with that straight face. What kind of school kicks students down? Chrysalis doesn't know how the school was going to function but the offer was too good to pass. She held a hoof up and shook on the deal. "It's a deal... but why do you need my changelings to build this academy? Can't you just bring others to build for you instead of us? If you haven't already know, we changelings aren't loved by many." "That is precisely my point. Think about it, when the others see what changelings can build besides tunnels, they will come to appreciate changelings more. No more hiding and easier to asses food when they no longer fear and love a changeling instead."Faust smiled and gazed over the open field. "I cant wait till F.A.U.S.T. is ready. It will change the world as we know it. I'm sure of it!" How can changeling built buildings lead to love? Perhaps this crazy Alicorn has more in plan then she is letting on. Nevertheless, she will allow this mare to do whatever she wish. After all, what kind of changeling will turn down free love from an Alicorn herself. But why did she decide to use her name for the school? "We are going to be the best-est of buddies you and I!" "Charmed..."