//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Golden Touch // by Darth Link 22 //------------------------------// “What do you mean, you found nothing?” The advisor in question whimpered at his queen’s words, but he pushed forward. “It’s like I said, Your Highness, we’ve found no new holes in Equestria’s defenses.” “There were plenty of holes around the Royal Wedding!” “That’s before they knew you wanted their lands!” the advisor said, now looking absolutely sure that his queen wasn’t going to allow him to leave the throne room alive. “They’ve been building up their defenses since then! Even Princess Twilight...” The drone couldn’t see the hoof coming until it was too late. He went tumbling down the stairs from Chrysalis’s giant throne, hitting the floor with a pained whinny. “Never... speak that name... in my presence!” The advisor got to his hooves. “Y-yes, Your Majesty. I was merely saying... the Hated One now has a guard around her! Apparently some Unicorn tried to attack her!” Chrysalis gritted her teeth. “What about that Centaur? He managed to cut a swath of destruction through Equestria...” “He had raw power we just don’t have.” “Well then, what do you suggest?” The advisor shifted onto his hooves. “Go on, speak freely. There will be no repercussions if I don’t like it, I promise.” They both knew that was a lie. Still, the advisor took a deep breath and spoke. “I think we should just forget about trying to conquer Equestria and...” “What?” Chrysalis roared, causing her advisor to whimper in fear. “We must conquer Equestria! They have so many resources, they’ll make us even stronger. Love is just the tip of the iceberg! Their technology, their exports... we’ll be rich! Filthy rich! My subjects will love...” “Your Majesty, your subjects hate you!” Instantly, the Queen of the Changelings was bathed in green fire. She stood on her hooves and glared down at her advisor with a look that filled him with dread. “What?” “I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but it’s true!” the advisor went on, pushing his fear back. “You’ve been so obsessed with trying to get revenge for what happened in Canterlot that you’ve let your kingdom fall to ruin! So many resources are going towards your personal vendetta that the average Changeling lives in poverty! The invasion might have made you a laughingstock, but everything afterward has made you hated! It’s drained our treasury and our resources, and nearly every other kingdom has a trade embargo against us due to your vendetta! The outer territories are being snatched up by other countries, and your subjects are just willing to go along with it to escape your rule! Those that remain could be just days away from revolting! That’s why you need to just drop this whole thing and go back to actually running your kingdom!” The advisor stopped talking, having finally said what he had wanted to say for years. Chrysalis could kill him, but it was worth the risk if he had steered her on the right track. After a few moments, the green flames disappeared, and Chrysalis just glared at him. “...Get out of my sight.” The advisor needed no second bidding, darting from the throne room in fright. Chrysalis sat on her throne, steaming at her advisor’s words. It infuriated her that a drone like him thought he knew better than his queen, but it infuriated her more to know that he was right. He had been neglecting her kingdom lately. The subjects would revolt sooner or later. Which is why she had better hurry up and take over Equestria so she could show all those idiots just what an awesome plan it was. She just needed an in. She just needed a way to get back at those stupid ponies. What could she do, what could she do? Giving a sigh, she rose from her throne and began walking to her war room. At least, that’s what she called it. Sure, it didn’t have the big, fancy bells and whistles that Celestia’s had, but it got the job done. She wasn’t swimming in money like that pretty little pony was. She made it to the small room that was covered with maps, enemy statistics, readouts on the Changeling army, and more. She got on her maps to plan the next strategy, but she knew she couldn’t hope to take on Canterlot in her current condition. Her advisor had been right, so many resources had been thrown at trying to defeat Twilight Sparkle that her treasury was at an all time low. There had been a record number of deserters in the Changeling army, and those that remained were ill-equipped. Even the most brilliant strategist in the world couldn’t make a victory out of this mess. Oh, how could it get any worse?” “Mommy?” Chrysalis winced and groaned. Of course that question had an answer. She looked up to see her young daughter entering the room. The spitting image of her mother, her cerulean mane hung neatly down to her shoulders, partly neatly from the thick, round glasses over her harlequin eyes. The poor thing, however, looked worse for wear, sporting a black eye and bruises on her face. The queen groaned. “Not now, sweetheart, I’m trying to be queen.” “But there’s a bunch of bullies going around!” At that, Chrysalis lit up, looking away from her maps and at her daughter. “Really? Did you impress them with the moves I taught you?” “...Mom, you never taught me any moves, and I’m the one they beat up!” “...You’re lucky we have a history together, Nerd,” she said, going back to her maps. “But Mommy! I’m in pain and I need help!” “Sweetie, I love you, kind of, but I couldn’t care less about you or your problems right now. And don’t call me Mommy.” “But someling just beat me up!” “That’s nice, dear.” “That’s... Are you even listening? They hit and kicked me and gave me something called ‘The McCryssy Special’.” Chrysalis snorted. “Heh, heh, glad to see some moves never go out of style.” "And then!” Pupa whimpered, wiping her snotty muzzle against the back of her hoof. She called me 'Pupa Pupa Poo Poo Pants’! So she hurt my face AND my feelings!" Chrysalis looked at her daughter. Then, she fell to the ground, laughing harder than ever. “Oh, wow, I actually have to thank you, Pupa. I needed a laugh.” “But... what am I supposed to do?” "Did you tear out their throats with your teeth?" "Um... no?" "Uh-huh. Of course. So what do you expect me to do about it, then?" "I don’t know... eat them, I guess?" The Queen heaved a sigh and leaned back against one of her maps, pressing her hoof against her forehead in frustration. "Look. Pupa. I can't just eat all your problems for you. You've got to learn to grow up and eat them yourself." “But it wasn’t a school ‘ling, it was a grown Changeling!” “Oh, boo-hoo,” Chrysalis said, looking at her maps instead of her daughter. “Every day it’s something new. ‘Mommy I’m bleeding, Mommy I’m sick, Mommy I haven’t eaten in three days because you had the kitchen staff executed for suggesting you go on a diet.’” “She said, ‘Send a message to your bitch mother about what a horrible queen she is’. I can’t leave the castle anymore because you’re hated that much!” “Oh my goddess!” Pupa’s face brightened up. “That’s it! The Goddess of the Changelings! I can ask her for a favor and use it to destroy the ponies! Thank you, Pupa, your absolute total disgrace has given me the idea to save the Changeling Kingdom! Well, I’m going to be over at Grandma’s for a while. There’s leftovers in the fridge, don’t bleed on my carpet!” And just like that, Chrysalis flew out of the war room. Pupa sat there, whimpering in pain as her mother went. She looked down at the floor. She thought about going to the castle doctor, until she remembered that the doctor had quit a few days ago since Chrysalis had refused to pay him. Sadly, that doctor had accidently shot himself in the back of the head twice the day after he quit. She decided to just go to the kitchen to get herself a snack. Maybe a pony orphan was chained in the pantry to give her some more love. As she walked, she fumed. She had never known her father, a side-effect of Changeling mating rituals, and her mother wasn’t much for giving her any affection. The only love she had ever received that wasn’t from a brainwashed pony had been from some of the more sympathetic castle staff, and the high turnover rate ensured none stayed long. She entered the kitchen as her thoughts turned toward the stories she had heard of Equestria, how it had the most love out of any kingdom her mother had attempted to conquer. More than ever, she wished she lived there. Not that it was unusual, these days Changelings would rather live in the Diamond Dog kingdom than here. She opened the pantry to find a young pony wearing a collar that was chained to the wall. She sat up and wagged her tail at seeing the Changeling Princess. Pupa petted her and took a large amount of love out of the small thing. At least this pony wouldn’t leave her. As she refilled the bowls with Pony Chow and water, she began to pray that the Goddess would tell her mother to spend more time with her. As she watched the pony eat, she prayed harder. Nothing happened. After the pony had finished eating, Pupa walked back to her room. It was large and elegant by most standards, but Pupa knew the only reason she got it was because Chrysalis didn’t care who she stole it from. She sighed, grabbing a pony doll out of her bin and bringing it to the fire pit. As she struck the match and brought it down on her, lighting it on fire. As she watched the stuffing burn, she sighed. It just wasn’t the same as the real thing. She really wanted to see a real pony burn in agony, but her mother never took her on the warpath. She sighed, reaching for another doll and biting its head off. It still wasn’t the same. “Goddess... please... return my mama to me.” The Birth Bog was considered Changeling holy land, and few had the privilege to enter. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures, so she entered the mush where all Changeling life had emerged. As she stood in front of the disgusting, bubbling liquid, she gathered her wits about her. Standing tall, she spoke the words. “Oh Great Goddess! I ask for your words of wisdom! Come forth!” After a moment, the bog bubbled, and out from its depths a figure emerged. She looked like a mare, a bit, but there were so many differences in her features she would hardly be mistaken for a pony. For one thing, she had eight legs, an extra one paired with the standards quadrupeds already had. Her eyes looked more like a dragon’s, and indeed, a dragon’s tongue occasionally slithered out of her fanged mouth. Her grey coat was decked in onyx regalia, making her look quite intimidating. A horn stuck out of her forehead, as sharp as a dagger, and her wings were filed into points, looking like knives that some creature had organized into a pattern. She looked down. “Who calls upon the wisdom of...” Then she saw it was Chrysalis. “Oh, it’s you. Figures, you forget the ‘humbly’ before ‘ask’, and the ‘please’ before ‘come forth’.” “Hi, Momma!” Chrysalis beamed, a ridiculously wide, toothy grin stretching ear-to-ear. The Goddess shivered. “Never... ever... call me that again. It’s just Terra to you.” “Great Terra, you must give me the means with which to destroy the enemy of the Changelings!” “Oh, I must, must I? Getting very musty in here. You know, when I knocked that seed into this bog, I had hoped the results would be a little more impressive. So far, you’ve been a massive, massive, massive, and I mean massive disappointment.” “I know we haven’t conquered as many kingdoms as you’ve been expecting, but that infernal Twilight Sparkle is holding us back!” “I never wanted you to conquer any other kingdom, you dollard! I just wanted you to be strong and prosperous without harming innocent creatures.” “...I don’t understand how that’s possible.” “I know you don’t,” Terra said. “Even though I’ve told you several times, you need to appreciate your real treasures...” “Yes, exactly, treasures!” Chrysalis said. “Thanks to Twilight Sparkle, the Changeling treasury is at an all-time low and my kingdom’s GPD’s reached lower than Yakyakistan’s. I was hoping for a twofer: can you help me both destroy Twilight Sparkle and reclaim my kingdom’s vast wealth? That’s my money!” “...Do you just block out whatever you don’t want to hear?” “I’m not hearing a yes or a no.” Terra actually put a hoof to her face. This was an impressive feat, as living since Time began meant she had seen what mortal children would refer to as “some pretty stupid shit.” Still, she took a deep breath and counted backwards from ten and spoke again. “Are you sure you can handle great power? “Why in the world would you think I wouldn’t be able to?” The Goddess rolled her eyes. “Gee, how about the fact that you let your kingdom fall to ruin?” “Yeah, blah, blah, I heard this gibberish from my advisor already today.” “Yes, and he failed to mention you aren’t even that good at trying to conquer Equestria, or getting revenge on Twilight Sparkle.” Chrysalis gritted her teeth. “What?” “Need I remind you of the Secretariat Comet? When it was passing overhead, Canterlot was assaulted by other forces almost immediately. You could have taken advantage of the situation and blindsided Canterlot once both parties were weak. Celestia would have been your prisoner, and Twilight would have fallen soon after. Instead you stayed the course, and it got you imprisoned for months. And then what? Once you got out you signed right on to that pony’s little plot without bothering to find out what she was planning, and you nearly released the Umbrum on the world. Your attempts would have gone better if you just had a little planning...” “Look, are you going to help me or not?” Terra glared at the Queen of the Changelings, and the mortal actually shrunk back, realizing she had spoken to a goddess. Then, Terra grinned. “Fine. You want power and money? I’ll give you the means for both.” Then, before Chrysalis to blink, the goddess lit up her horn and fired it right at her. At first, it seemed to just be a flashy light show. But then, a searing pain ripped through her front right leg. Chrysalis screamed in pain as the leg split apart and something poked out of it. It was something golden, and it grew bigger, and bigger, until it completely absorbed her hoof. It came down into a single point, looking as sharp as ever. Chrysalis hardly saw this. She was screaming in pain. Only Terra’s magic kept her upright. When it was over, she hung in the air, suspended by magic, breathing heavily. As soon as she collected herself, she spoke. “I... I understand. By making the gift painful, you’re teaching me to respect it all the more.” “No, I just enjoy watching you writhe like the worm you are,” the Goddess admitted with a sly grin. “I’m lifting you up because I don’t want you touching my floor until you understand what you have.” “Uh... what I... aaah!” Chrysalis looked where her left front hoof had been. Instead of a hoof, there was what appeared to be a claw. A golden claw, split in two points, looking almost like a scorpion’s, albeit one that was split into two. “Wha... what did you do?” she demanded. “I don’t think I can even walk on this!” “If you aren’t actively engaging it, it will split apart as soon as you put your hoof down. Go on, do so.” The Queen of the Changelings hesitated, but eventually obeyed. As promised, the two parts of the claw split apart and traveled up her leg, allowing her to stand. She lifted and lowered her leg a few times, testing out the new appendage. Then, feeling brave, she brought the leg down and touched the ground. There was a small flash, and the patch of earth she had touched turned to solid gold. Then, it started spreading, turning the stone and dirt golden. “What the?” “Very eloquent,” Terra said, lighting up her horn. The spread of gold stopped, then receded back into the single point. “Yes. You wanted a twofer, and I gave you a twofer. Anything you touch with that claw will turn to solid gold. Stone, plants, ponies...” Chrysalis gazed at her new appendage with glee. “This is it. I can turn Twilight Sparkle and all her friends into gold statues! They’d look so good in my throne room!” “I’m sure they would,” Terra replied. “But be warned, Chrysalis; the gift I have given you could easily qualify as a curse as well. For when you devote your whole life to one pursuit, you may find you’ve lost what matters the most to you. It will not be long before you crawl back in here, demanding that I release you from the horrors of and you’re gone already.” Indeed, the cavern was now empty, and Chrysalis’s cries of joy were heard just outside the entrance. Terra put a hoof to her head again. “Stupid... maybe the Creator was right. Maybe I should put more effort into making something less disgusting. Like parasites.”