//------------------------------// // Chapter 49 // Story: Consequences // by Hiver //------------------------------// I pulled the door closed behind me and sighed. That meeting had been informative if somewhat lacking in some details. No sign of Discord yet. Nopony knew where he was hiding. Mostly we looked at the security of Tartarus and the lower vaults. The vaults seemed fine, but Tartarus... Guarded by a single dog and some enchantments. The hell!? Literally. In any case, Luna would take me there and we would inspect it personally in a couple of weeks. I would follow that mare into hell itself. As soon as that was done though, things moved on to some sort of magic chest Twilight couldn't open and then on to increasing the budget for the hospitals and for construction to help the recovery of Tirek's rampage. Not that any of that involved me, but I stayed anyway to keep up to date and to keep them company even if I didn't have any more input to give. My suggestion of hitting the chest with a big hammer until it opened it had not been appreciated though. Oh well. Releasing the illusion I stretched my wings with a grin. Twilight had offered to teach me how to fly. Twilight had just learned how and Luna agreed with her. She thought it might be good for both of us... Twilight to learn it deeper by teaching someone else and me to learn it from someone that didn't do it without thinking. So that would be fun. I headed for the bedroom before I paused with a small frown at Fern. The little plant creature was laying on the floor, peeking in beneath the couch. Huh? I retraced my steps bent down to look beneath the couch. A pair of wide green eyes stared back at me from the darkness. “Skitter?” The eyes stared at me before they bobbed once. Frowning I moved beneath the table to lay down next to the couch, shifting Fern out of the way to give me a better view of the changeling. She was squeezed in beneath the couch, just barely fitting between it and the floor by the wall. She was visibly shivering. I carefully scooted in beneath the couch next to the trembling changeling, “...Skitter, why are you beneath my couch?” The changeling Princess didn't answer, she just kept staring ahead as she shivered. That's not good. Pressing my side against hers, I focused on my love for her. The love of a friend is still love, not just as ...dense... as romantic love. I felt slightly faint but Skitter kinda melted and relaxed against the floor. I stopped focusing and relaxed again before I let her draw too much, allowing the silence to drag on for a moment before I spoke up again, “What's wrong?” Skitter took a long slow breath before she spoke up, “...While you were at your meeting, sir, I visited the hive. The Queen wished to speak to me about the future.” “I'm surprised that didn't happen earlier,” I agreed with a nod. Skitter frowned, “She wanted to wait until I had recovered.” Made sense. I nodded and waited for her to continue. Skitter took a slow breath before she did. “She said I should pick a replacement for my current duties and then return to the hive to be taught what I needed to know as the next Queen. She would conduct those lessons personally.” Oh. I sighed softly, “That makes sense, doesn't it? You are not a drone anymore, Skitter. You are a changeling princess and soon you will be their new Queen. I'll miss having you around, but it's necessary. So who is my new guard? Scarab? She seemed comp...” “I told her to go fuck herself.” I blinked at her, “...you did what?” Skitter trembled and I settled my wing across her back, “I-I told mother that she was a selfish, underhoofed, backstabbing bitch and that it was her fault everything that had happened to the Hive. If it had not been for her in the hive would never have been banished in the first place and we would never have attacked Canterlot. I-I said that her dying would be the best thing that could ever happen to us and that she could go fuck herself if she thought I would let her turn me into another copy of her.” Wow. I just stared at her in surprise for a moment. For a changeling to even say no to the Queen, it was... unheard of. “What did she do?” If she hurt Skitter, I'll find a way to make sure she didn't have time to die of old age. “S-she smiled and kissed my forehead. S-she said she was proud of me.” Fucking Chrysalis. “That's good though, right?” I asked with a small frown. “...I'm going to be banished from the hive! After what I said to her...” “Did she say that?” Skitter swallowed and shook her head, “No. But...” “But nothing. You are her heir, she doesn't really have a choice.” I reassured her, “So what did she do?” “S-she put me in charge of thirty changelings and told me to rule them as I wished and that she was always available for advice. Page, I have no idea what to do!” I squeezed a wing in between her back and the couch, pulling her close before she could start to hyperventilate again, “Skitter, look at me,” and waited until she did before I continued. “You may not know how to do this, but there are ways to solve that. Luckily you know several ponies that know how to Princess. Come on, let's go talk to Princess Celestia... and wouldn't that fuck with Chrysalis?” That got a small smile from her.