July 7, 2013
Sunday morning, I felt like I didn’t want to get out of bed. The previous night had gone late, what with reviewing the submitted fics for the contest, going to the author-reader meetup, and then hanging out at the Ponystock rave until the early hours of the morning.
Through it all, I had barely managed to hang on to Chrysalis’ secret. It was distracting, and several times during the course of the evening I had almost blurted it out; in the quiet hotel room while grading stories, in the busy hangout area with readers and other authors, at the bass-heavy dance party. At least the wubs would have made it impossible for anyone to actually hear.
I probably made the right decision, however. Looking back at it in hindsight, it was probably better to keep the secret and just go on with my life than it was to spread it everywhere and ignite some sort of alien invasion hysteria.
To be fair, bronies would probably at least give the changelings a shot at being friendly. If that didn't work out, I wondered how some sort of fight would go down and decided that I didn’t want to think about it.
There were a few hours until the first panel later in the morning. IHOP was having some sort of pancake sale, so we headed down the street to get some. I was still a little zonked from the late night and Maria handled the driving. For some reason, there was a Delorean parked beside our car in the garage.
The elderly Sunday morning crowd at the pancake house regarded my Mohawk and tired dopey expression with distain. It was a good thing that I’d decided to go back to long sleeves after the previous day’s incident at lunch. I might have shown off my ink to draw attention away from Chrysalis, but fortunately that was not needed as she’d gone out “normal” for breakfast. I can only imagine what the old folks would have thought of her costume.
We had breakfast and came back in time for me to go to the first panel. It was still morning and not many people had arrived while we were setting up. I was talking with Moonglow beforehand when I felt someone shoving my away from the front row of audience seats. Gary Oak pushed in. “Sorry guys; you can’t ignore my girth.”
“You’ve been in the crowd on pretty much every panel so far,” I pointed out. “Maybe a little absence would make the heart grow fonder.”
“In my experience, absinthe makes the heart grow fonder,” replied Moonglow.
And that pretty much set the tone for the panel. It was a good thing no kids were in the audience. The next panel, half an hour later, had a larger crowd and was a little more focused on its subject. Mr. Tristan, The General, and a few others joined us.
I went to lunch rather than sticking around for the next event where the winners of the writing competition were announced. It helped that I had reviewed them and already knew who won.
As I was heading downstairs to grab a bite to eat, I spotted Chrysalis posing for pictures with fans. Several had t-shirts and merchandise depicting her natural form. Many more expressed their personal choice of Best Pony with sqees of delight when she came into view.
I was struck again how mind-blowingly perfect her costume was. Of course it was perfect – Chrysalis looked exactly like whatever she pictured in her mind. What I found most impressive, and somewhat frightening, was how she’d managed to blend human and changeling into something that was aesthetically pleasing and awesome by brony standards, while not going over the line into obviously alien.
I looked around for Maria and found her a short distance away, distracted with studying some of the items available for sale. She looked like she trusted Chrysalis enough to give her a longer leash.
I went over to Maria to say hello while I was passing by. My schedule was weird today, and we’d already made plans for her and Chrysalis to get lunch on their own time.
“The silent auction is still going,” Maria said. “Your story isn’t doing too hot, though.”
The ten thousand word story I’d promised to whoever won the bid wasn’t supposed to be a huge deal, but I would have liked to see it do well. The Seattle Childrens’ Hospital needed money just as much as any other charity. I took a moment to visit the gallery to see the depressing news. The opening bid was two dollars.
The morning had been pretty good. I’d probably made the right decision to keep my mouth shut about Chrysalis. We’d eaten pancakes for breakfast. I’d had a good time at the panels. Even being a speaker, I was still learning things about writing. Despite all that, I headed off to lunch knowing that the item I’d donated for bidding wasn’t even worth a Big Mac hamburger. It seemed like maybe the afternoon wouldn’t be so great.
By the afternoon, the time the last panel was scheduled, I’d recovered somewhat. Some lunch had been nice and I’d used my off time to do some writing. The panel was the last one before the convention’s closing ceremony.
We made it one to remember. The audience, led by Gary Oak of course, was active and asked a lot of good questions. Wrapping it up, I felt like we’d accomplished something and was happy to have been a part of it.
Stepping out into the main hall, I found a crowd of people waiting for the closing ceremony. After hunting around, I met up with Maria and Chrysalis. The changeling queen was beaming, clearly excited about something.
“I’m ready to go home,” she explained.
“Can it wait until we’re away from these crowds?”
She nodded. “Yes, I understand. Anyway, I’ve very much enjoyed the feelings I received. I will miss these bronies.”
We headed to the central area, the Mane Stage, for the closing ceremony. Despite my anticipation of seeing Chrysalis off, the event seemed to pass quickly. Perhaps also because overall I’d enjoyed the convention so much that I was reluctant to see it end.
The ceremony was brought to a close. After a thunderous wave of applause and self appreciation, Everfree Northwest was officially over. Making our way through the crowds, we found our way downstairs and out of the building. The evening was warm, and the sun was still high enough for plenty of daylight left.
Nearby, I saw that The General was trying to get away from fans and go home. I chuckled slightly under my breath. A couple dozen people had wanted to take pictures with him at the meetup the previous night. I almost felt sorry for the guy, but that’s what he got for writing well and being famous.
Eventually deciding that he wasn’t going to get away so easily, The General gave up and began to conduct an impromptu panel right there on the grass beside the hotel. A group of listeners quickly gathered.
I caught sight of Tristan in the crowd of people still flowing out of the building. He waded his way over to say goodbye. I shook his hand. “Maybe see you next year?”
He nodded. “Sure. Oh yeah, I wanted to tell you—
I didn’t get to hear what he was saying. My attention was yanked away, riveted on Chrysalis, who stood a short distance away and was looking upwards. Her eyes were wide, staring skyward while her horn blazed with green magic.
Then I saw a spot of light appear in the sky. It stretched open, widening into a portal that expanded over the hotel.
When the first changeling drones started to come through the gaping hole in the sky, I realized that someone - probably me - had a serious problem.
Last paragraph:
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Chrysalis confirmed for best party-crasher ever.
*insert trombone WOMP WOMP WOMP WOMP here*
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The shit has hit the fan! I repeat! The shit has hit the fan!
Dammit Chrysalis!
Chrysalis...
t.qkme.me/3osepk.jpg
ha! called it, or at least I would have if i had written down my thoughts, darn it.
This actually makes sense, and I look forward to see what happens next. Also, it means that there is more chapters of this story to read in THE FUTURE! (DeLorian appears with Chrysalis driving it. )
As to why this makes sense, read the following-
1) This world is full of people who are compassionate, and a good amount of said people are bronies.
2) Equestria has already displayed that changelings are not welcomed.
3) Chrysalis has received TONS of emotions from the humans she has interacted with and been around, restoring her to full power in a matter of weeks. (I think) and easily enough to feed her 'hive'.
4) The Changeling's were scattered across Equestria and most likely need a new home, so why not good old 'Merica?
5) The military applications and roles the Changelings could fill are limitless* and could easily be spies if necessary.
* IF the Government doesn't over react or go full-force on them and Chrissy decides to comply with them. (And she probably will knowing that they have weapons of mass destruction at their disposal.)
2841303 Funny you mention that, there actually was a Delorean in the parking garage at the convention
If you can't handle it from here on...
i.imgur.com/wXq0LdW.gif
Otherwise,
i.imgur.com/RaugEcd.jpg
The Farmer and the Viper
2841303 shhhhhhh...dont give away the secret
Lol I would find it HILARIOUS. if she was faking it the whole time. And she was underestimating our shit :3
It's morphin' time!
heh, perfectly logical that chrysalis would do this
Now for chrissy to learn why you don't fuck with humans.
Basically this.
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2841470 But... She KNOWS what happens when you Fuck with humans... You get beaten, shot, stabbed, blown up, or nuked from orbit...
She also knows that humanity is a exercise in inconsistency; black, white and gray all over. They did give her a crash course on human society.
That being said... no this doesn't surprise me.
This is the same Idiot who decided to one on one the eternal equestrian sun princess.
Won by luck...
And then got bitch slapped out of town by the equivalent of a sandwich.
So is it time for an ill conceived hostile takeover?
Or is it transdimentional moving day?
In the space of time between the last two paragraphs, I thought she was going to take the convention center - and bronies of EFNW - home with her for food...
idk which would have been more awesome, but I like the migration
And thats why kids. We should always told your parents "otherwise another people" about taking care of beigns from another dimnesions :-P
2841317
I actually have a picture of the 11th Doctor IN a Delorian. I can show it to you if you want, I just have to dig through my 600+ photos to find it...
See America this is what you get when you create gun free zones and CCP holders cannot have thier guns, Alien changelings are a danger we need to be more aware of
A better home for changelings? Sure, but bronies would still go stark raving mad at the news that "MLP is real".
2841303
sure we have weapons of mass destruction but on the whole they can not be used on changelings ...
zombie movies aside we will Not use nukes on ourselves so changelings will be pretty safe from just about all of them ...
now think about US Politics ... If she changed her disguise every couple years Chrissy Could become president and stay president till ...well ... how long does an immortal live?
even if changelings can not Control emotions (Chrissy can do it if no other changeling can) they can definitely feel emotions. With that ability Any normal changeling could control crowds and become elected to just about any position in American politics. How long till all branches of government are controlled by changelings (and Chrissy)? my guess? ten years ... Max ...
OoooOOOhhhhhhhhhh...FUCK.
2841817 Madder'n a March Hare.
Changeling invasion? Time to call in the specialists.
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Dammnit, Chryssie. I love ya, but you can't pull dat shit here.
It's usually at times like these I wish I could go to a Brony Con, but hey, what good is there in moping when you could punch a changeling square in the face?!
lol hey guys chrissy isnt as idiotic to actualy pick a fight with us she might be moving in....or maby she is idiotic and gose extinct
*grabs shotgun*
Let's do this
2842828 *picks up an AA-12(with a drum clip and vert grip), a Desert Eagle(with an extended mag), an MP5(with extended mag and ACOG scope), a PKP Pecheneg(with an ACOG scope and vert grip), a Javelin missile launcher, and commandeers a Halo Universe UNSC space ship(fully outfitted with two MAC Cannons)*
Time to kick ass or chew bubble gum. And i'm all out of bubble gum.
(all the things i've learned from COD MW3, SOCOM US Navy SEALs, and the Halo Universe is right here^. i play too many video games, don't i?)
2843380 well...... Now I just feel puny
Chrissy...Why? Do you have no sense of subtly whatsoever? If I wanted to send in Changelings, I would do it in the middle of a forest or something, a place with no witnesses and less panic. Then, you could get in and do whatever the hell you want.
Also, TNaB>>2841317, have some stuff for you to fix.
shoving my away: me
absinthe makes the: Is this supposed to be flowery language or simply a typo of "absence"?
2843417
It's heavy liquor.
2843538
Okay...I think that makes sense? So drinking (in the guy's opinion) makes the heart grow fonder? I don't really see it, but whatever.
Chrissy's subtlety skills: 0
Really, if she wanted to do this, she probably could have announced her intentions, revealed her true form, and asked nicely for the bronies to help her get set up in peaceful coexistence, and the bronies would fall over themselves to accommodate her.
2843380
Everything looks better when you're drunk.
2843674
We're talking about someone who chose to disguise herself as a Princess and infiltrate a wedding in the name of her hive. Someone whose Plan B was essentially an assault on the Equestrian capitol.
Diplomatic solutions are clearly not her forte.
2843859 Just saying what she should have done, not what she would do. That's why Chrissy was defeated by an asspull in the episode.
Well.....they done fucked up.
*Alondro hobbles over on his peg leg, looking like a weathered old Scottsman* AH WARNED YEH!! DIDN' AH WARN YEH?!!!!
YA SHOULDA LISTENED!!! "KILL IT NOW!!!", I said! But ye narry woulda listened, ya blunderin' blatherscyte!
Wakko tried to warn them, but apparently, they didn't learn their lesson and take his words to heart.
Maybe they're just coming to bring their queen home with a royal procession.
or
Maybe they're coming to capture her for failing to provide for them once again.
Either way, they're coming to take her away.
or
Who knows, maybe their coming to bring willing bronies to Equestria as love-snacks. The changelings get food, the bronies get to go to the awesome fantasy land of their obsession before they die, and the ponies don't get the love sucked out of them and are left mostly alone by the changelings (but not the bronies. That is, unless the changelings don't let the humans out amongst the ponies.). Everyone is happy and everyone wins. Except for the ponies that encounter, and are driven mad by, any of the humans who get away from the changelings. Oh, and possibly the bronies who are over-love-drained to human raisins.
i.qkme.me/3v43hq.jpg
Shit just went real.
Chrysalis seems to be as surprised as everyone else. Wonder if that's an act.
2843393 Where guys like him need all that junk, great men like you and I only need a shotgun.
Personally I'll take the 870 Module Combat Shotgun, outfitted with a red dot holographic site and 12g Slug shells.
Oh yeah, and a knife, not a wimpy american knife, a good old australian Kukri.
2843380 So you've been sitting around chewing gum while we have been actually fighting?
It'd be pretty cool if the military could be involved.
Alright, I'm going to be honest here. In this situation, I wouldn't be sure whether to be standing there, grinning like an idiot, panic, or go to the nearest firearm store and buy a shotgun... Either way, based on how Chrysalis has been acting, she may try to make nice with the human race, since she's 1) Seen how powerful our weapons are, 2) Seen how playing nice worked with the two of them, and 3) I just plain want this to end with Changelings staying on Earth, living amongst us. Because Changelings, and nice Chrysalis
Word.
Somehow I did not see this coming. Seriously. How could I not see this coming? She is Chrysalis. How did I not see this coming?!
For some reason I think there should be a manic Twilight emoticon.
Well, that happened.
2841385 Let's Morphing.
2845529 Demopan?