The Start of Something New
Warden felt out of place.
The entire changeling army sat, quiet and obedient, in the throne room of the Canterlot Castle. Kuno stood at their head, in all the glory of her new, more regal form.
The royal guard, with Shining Armor at their head, all armed and armored, were likewise crammed into the room. They bordered the edges, and guarded the door, forming a wall of spear-points to discourage any changeling from trying to leave.
All four princesses sat in their thrones on the raised portion of the throne room. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight Sparkle.
And Warden felt so out of place. He wanted to stand next to Kuno, but a changeling flanked her on either side. Her ‘praetorians’, the honor guard. They had procured purple armor with gilded gold edges from somewhere, and looked quite intimidating.
And so Warden was sitting to the side, neither a guard, nor a changeling. He felt more like a silent observer.
“You wish… for residency for each and every changeling present?” Celestia asked, slowly, carefully.
Kuno nodded respectfully. “Yes. Residency for each and every changeling under my rule.”
“You understand that this is… troublesome?” Celestia asked uncomfortably. “Your kind has… certain tendencies that are not… conducive to a relationship.”
“I can… offer assurances,” Kuno said awkwardly, frowning slightly. “I am committed, as are my subjects, to making this work.”
“Your kind feeds on love,” Celestia pointed out bluntly. “I allowed you residency as you were clearly enamoured with your husband and he was a ready source of sustenance for you. I could not, however, allow changelings to roam free when their only recourse for sustenance is to take the place of ponies.”
“You don’t know everything about changelings,” Kuno said quietly, her new, larger wings giving a slightly irritated buzz. “My kind can sustain ourselves with acts of kindness, among… other acts.”
“Sexual acts,” Celestia said knowledgeably. Luna looked away, her cheeks darkening.
“Yes,” Kuno responded candidly. “It is an intense form of love.”
“You intend to… what? Open a whorehouse?” Celestia asked, her tone turning disgusted.
Kuno’s eyes narrowed slowly. “Not… in that sense. Were you to allow us residency, I would create a… a kind of kind of guild. The Changeling Consortium. A… kind of one-stop-shop for pony needs.”
“Needs.” Celestia snorted once, wrinkling her nose.
“A changeling has no set special talent. And we can be anypony. There are services we can offer to ponies that they could get from nowhere else,” Kuno explained carefully, her wings giving another faint, irritated buzz. “Lost loved ones. We could give a pony an hour with their dead relatives. And all we ask is a small amount of love in return. A blacksmith, is something that a changeling could be at a moment’s notice. A baker. A seamstress…”
“And where would this ‘consortium’ be?” Celestia asked.
Kuno looked at Warden for the first time during the entire meeting, licking her licks cautiously and then turning back to Celestia. “We are in possession of a large property and manor that I feel would adequately work as both a consortium and an embassy.”
“I am familiar with the territory,” Celestia said carefully, giving Kuno a long, long stare. “You understand that you are asking for you and your subjects to be governed under the law of our land, correct? Pony law.”
Kuno nodded slowly. “Yes.”
“And soon to include a law against unlawful impersonation of any pony, living or dead,” Celestia added blankly.
Kuno blinked once, her ears splaying back. “Malicious unlawful impersonation,” she corrected.
“You are not even part of this country yet and you seek to advise me on laws?” Celestia asked carefully, her tone growing sharp.
Kuno gave a slow smile. “Yet.”
Celestia snorted once at that, tossing her mane slightly, her wings arching once, impatiently. “And before anything else is to happen, I have to ask… how many ponies have you all murdered? How many ponies have met death at your hooves?”
Kuno sucked in a breath, looking back over her shoulder at the changelings behind her. “Any of you that have caused the death of a pony, step forwards.”
There was a rustle of movement, and three changelings stepped forwards, moving to stand in front of their queen, facing Celestia.
Celestia’s eyes narrowed at them.
Kuno took a single step forwards, carefully sitting down at the end of the line of ponies.
Twilight and Cadance exchanged glances and whispers.
“Do they have names?” Celestia asked calmly.
“Ask them yourself,” Kuno said, inclining her head respectfully. “I have not had time to assign them names myself.”
“You are certain that they will be truthful?” Celestia queried suspiciously.
“Lying would not be in the interest of the hive. They would not lie to their queen… or their princess,” Kuno explained, bowing carefully.
The changelings behind, and beside her, all bowed.
“Very well. You. First on the right. Have you a name?” Celestia queried.
“I do not, your majesty,” the changeling said, bowing deeply.
“What ponies did you cause the death of?” Celestia asked simply.
“One, your majesty. A guard. He found me out. I snapped his neck.”
Shining Armor stiffened.
“Take that one to the dungeon,” Celestia said, waving a hoof.
Kuno straightened slightly, giving the changeling a sad look.
The changeling hung their head, nodding sadly as a pair of guards escorted them away.
“You, second in line, a name?”
“No, your majesty.”
“Very well... same question.”
“A young mare. I took the place of a cook for a day while he was… indisposed. I did not know that one of the regulars was allergic to sesame seeds. I mistakenly poisoned her with sesame seeds.”
“Mareslaughter…” Celestia said quietly. “Take that one to the dungeon as well.”
Kuno winced, ears splaying back as the second changeling was taken away.
“You, the third. A name?”
“No, your majesty. Though I am known as ‘Speaker’ to Kuno. It is more a title than a name.”
“Very well, your crime?”
“I killed a thief. An extortionist. A possible murderer.”
“Go on,” Celestia said, making a motion with a hoof.
“I killed them. Are you not sending my to the dungeon?”
Kuno’s eyes narrowed. “Answer the question, subject.”
The changeling stiffened slightly. “Yes, your majesties. I was confronted by a criminal pony who had discovered my true identity and attempted to commission me, under duress of torture, death, or turning me in to the authorities, to steal various valuables from homes using my natural talents as a changeling. I killed him before he could tell anypony.”
“You believed yourself in mortal danger?” Celestia asked carefully.
“Definitely so if I were to be detained by the guard. No love would be a slow, painful death,” the changeling said with a sad shake of their head. “Shall I show myself to the dungeons?”
“There will be no need,” Celestia said bluntly, waving a hoof. “Return to your changelings. What you did was a kind of… self-defense.”
“But not the changeling who defended themselves from your guard?” the changeling challenged.
“You may argue for your brethren in their trial,” Celestia said simple, her eyes narrowing. “Return to your group.”
Kuno straightened up, tall and regal, as the attention of the princesses turned to her.
“Kuno… your crimes?”
“The deaths of five ponies,” Kuno stated simply.
Twilight Sparkle and Luna exchanged worried glances.
“Very well, list them,” Celestia said, making a motion with a hoof. “Be descriptive.”
“My first mortality was an accident. But preventable. An older pony with a heart condition. I was pretending to be a nurse, as it is a good source of love. I prescribed the wrong medication, they succumbed to cardiac arrest.”
“A mistake, then?” Celestia asked carefully.
“Yes, but avoidable,” Kuno admitted, shaking her head sadly. “The second was a… sexual misadventure,” she said, biting her bottom lip awkwardly.
“This should be interesting,” Celestia said dryly.
“I was in with a group of intensely loving individuals. Dominatrixes and their submissives. I was taking the place of a dominatrix. They are largely anonymous and quite… loved. Strangely enough.”
“Strangely enough,” Celestia agreed.
“I mistook one of the cues and the submissive choked to death,” Kuno said blankly. “I regret it. But it was my mistake. I didn’t do my homework.”
Celestia frowned deeply, lips pursing. “Go on.”
“The remaining three are murder,” Kuno stated.
“Don’t keep us waiting.”
“The first of my murders was a high-class pony. I was with him for quite some time, and I became aware that he was part of a slavery trade. Trading in… foals,” Kuno trailed off, her eyes narrowing slowly. “I perforated his sk—
—We don’t need the gory details on what you did down to the minute details,” Celestia said, holding up a hoof. “You… eliminated him because of what he did?”
“He had his… thugs go to orphanages, adopt ponies, and then sell them. For anything. It was disgusting.”
“I… I cannot fault you for what you did,” Celestia admitted.
Twilight gasped softly.
“And the remaining two?” Celestia asked, ignoring Twilight.
“Daggertail and his cronie, Sunshine,” Kuno admitted, frowning deeply.
“The circumstances?” Celestia queried.
“Sunshine had, on orders of Daggertail, broken my husbands wing and hoof, crippling him. He also tried to have me killed by proxy, by turning me in to the guards, where I would have starved to death,” Kuno explained quietly. “I warned Daggertail to leave my husband alone or I would kill him. I gave him my promise. And when he refused… I killed him.”
“I understand,” Celestia said carefully, earning another gasp from Twilight. “But you must understand that what you have done violates the laws of this land.”
“I will do the time in the dungeon, where you held Chrysalis, no less, if you look me in the eyes and say that you believe me guilty of wanton murder,” Kuno challenged, rising to her hooves.
Celestia frowned deeply, her wings giving an irritated flutter. “For your kind to achieve residency in Equestria, they would need to learn the laws of our country. And they would need to obey them. They will need to be named, registered, and have some means of identification. No longer would your kind be allowed to lurk in the shadows. You would be monitored and policed, as regular ponies are. And any violation of our laws would result in severe repercussions. Understood?”
“I understand,” Kuno said, bowing.
“We will need time to converse, and decide your fate. Your kind are confined to your estate until tomorrow afternoon when our decision will be handed down. If any changeling attempts to leave, they will be considered as an enemy combatant and treated as such, understood?”
“I understand,” Kuno repeated respectfully.
“Well that was… weird,” Warden said, laying his chin on the kitchen table.
“My heart is still racing,” Kuno admitted, wide-eyed, rubbing a hoof through her mane anxiously, hoof tapping against the floor.
Warden was vaguely aware of the rustle of movement all around as changelings picked their rooms. He didn’t know the exact number of rooms in the manor, but there were definitely more changelings than rooms.
“So… what happens now?” Warden asked awkwardly, ears splaying back.
“We wait,” Kuno said simply, sitting down and then letting her head drop onto the table with a long, weary sigh. “Either Celestia and the other princesses agree to allow us all residency, or they banish us.”
“And if they banish you all?” Warden asked, his wings giving a tiny flutter.
“Then… we all start a new hive somewhere in the badlands...” Kuno said, trailing off, worried. “I just realised that if this all goes wrong… then I’m going to have to drag you with me, and the rest of the hive… maybe even out of Equestria.”
“Yes, you will,” Warden said tiredly, hanging his head.
“You… don’t even give any thought to possibly staying?” Kuno asked carefully.
Warden arched an eyebrow. “I died for you. Sure as tartarus not letting you get away from me,” he said with a firm shake of his head. “You’re stuck with me.”
Kuno smiled at that, rising up a little bit to her new, larger height. “Even though I’m bigger now?”
“Just all the more to love! Though the… errr… physics of certain activities escape me utterly. I’m going to need a stepladder,” Warden said, looking her up and down carefully.
Kuno snorted once, giving a soft giggle. “That would be an amusing prospect.”
“You… you’re still all the… uhm… same?” Warden asked cautiously, making a motion with a hoof. “No weird… eggbits or sacks or anything crazy like that?”
Kuno blinked once. “No. No! Why would I have… eggbits?”
“Because you’re the queen. Isn’t it like… your job or whatever to lay eggs to hatch an army?” Warden asked, wrinkling his nose deeply.
Kuno squirmed slightly in place. “Sort of. Sometimes. Though I very much doubt that it would ever, ever come to that. And certainly not since I’m married. It’s a very weird process and well… I don’t see that it would be prudent to explain it to you when the very adult details might be overheard by everyone and their uncle.”
“Not to mention all the royal guards flitting about,” Warden said, looking towards the window. The silhouette of a royal guard was visible, standing on the hill outside, just at the edge of the estate. “So this whole… ‘consortium’ thing. Were you being truthful about it?”
“Yes!” Kuno said earnestly. “Most ponies can’t do a thing outside of their cutie marks. Imagine if you had a project that required a dozen different talents. You could give that project to changelings to do!”
“Ponies aren’t that… useless,” Warden said, frowning deeply.
“Warden, you couldn’t cook to save your life,” Kuno pointed out bluntly. “You can grow the most amazing, stupefyingly tasty vegetables, but your idea of ‘cooking’ is to place them all in a pot and boil them until they are a uniform colour and consistency.”
Warden winced slightly. “Well… I could learn?”
“But you wouldn’t have to, if you had a changeling there for that. The consortium could be a one-stop shop for anything!” Kuno bounced in place excitedly.
“And what about the other thing? You said before? About… erm…” Warden trailed off awkwardly, making a motion with a hoof. “The whole… loneliness thing. Seeing dead relatives. And such?”
“What about it?” Kuno asked, head tilting to the left.
Warden gave an exasperated sigh. “Sex, Kuno. If you give the average pony an avenue for repercussion-less time with whomever they want, they’ll want sex.”
“And?” Kuno asked blankly.
“And!” Warden said, snorting once. “I don’t want this place to have a reputation for being a… a whorehouse.”
“Warden, imagine that I died,” Kuno said carefully.
“Okay, so I’ve committed suicide,” Warden said blankly.
Kuno glowered at him. “Be serious.”
“Okay, fine, you’re dead. What now?”
“You come here, to the consortium, to spend some time with ‘me’,” Kuno said, making a motion with a hoof.
“Yes? And? I don’t see how this is relevant,” Warden admitted, shaking his head.
Kuno gave a long-suffering sigh. “If it were me, Warden. If you were convinced I was back from the dead, even for a few hours… wouldn’t you want to hold me? Touch me? Enjoy the time with me one last time?”
Warden frowned deeply at that, chewing on his bottom lip. “I still don’t think that I would… You know… Sex wouldn’t be on my mind.”
“But we can’t disallow that option, Warden. That’s placing arbitrary limits on what can and can not be done in the privacy of the rooms. My changelings aren’t stupid. I doubt that you’d convince any of them to just… have sex with you as another pony for your enjoyment. That’s creepy and weird and a little off-putting. But if two ponies were to be in that state of mind, where sex might be something that could help them feel better, or better remember their lost wife or husband, or even, yes, in the rare occurrence, grant a fantasy, then that would be fine with me.”
Warden frowned deeply, rubbing his forehead with a hoof.
“Again, imagine… me. If you couldn’t have me whenever you wanted,” Kuno said with a toothy grin.
Warden frowned deeply. “Okay, fine. I’ll… I’ll permit it,” he said, chewing on his bottom lip. “But... I don’t like it. And it will be done discreetly. Swarm will never know it’s happening. Period.”
Kuno nodded. “I will make sure they use the utmost discretion.”
“I don’t believe I just gave you permission to turn my manor into a whorehouse,” Warden said, mortified.
“It’s not a whorehouse,” Kuno said with a long sigh. “It’s a consortium. It just happen to be what changelings are best at.”
Warden raised an eyebrow, giving a wry smile. “I… kinda have to concur.”
“I don’t know if you’re teasing me or trying to get into my pants,” Kuno said, scratching her chin thoughtfully.
“Maybe a little of both?” Warden offered with a slight smile. “Not like I could act on any baser urges, anyway. Still too drugged to even feel anything.”
Kuno gave a long sigh, resting her chin on the table again. “My new crazy-powerful form and I can’t even take advantage of you in it.”
“We all have to make sacrifices,” Warden said with a wry smile. “So… all these changelings… they live here now?”
“Until tomorrow, at least. Permanently if Celestia gives us residency,” Kuno explained.
“Going to need to soundproof rooms… and set boundaries on where they can, and cannot go. And where they can conduct their… ‘business’,” Warden said, rubbing hooves through his mane anxiously. “Can they… can they learn to grow?”
“I don’t see why not?” Kuno said, chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully. “What have you got in mind?”
“Well, if they can take over the aurora growing… we could expand the fields,” Warden said with a motion of a hoof. “We take a percentage for running the operation, and the rest of the funds go to the consortium for basic upkeep and whatnot.”
“That’s… that’s not a bad idea, really. But there is so much to work out first…” Kuno trailed off with a long sigh. “Diplomatic things. Political things. They all have to have names… I need to get a new collar,” she rubbed at her neck with a hoof. “I broke my old one when I changed.”
Warden winced, and then nodded. “I’ll get you a new one tomorrow, from the store. And… why are you so… different?”
“Different?” Kuno asked curiously.
“Different,” Warden affirmed. “You have… individuality. I never noticed how stark the difference was until you were next to other changelings. They’re like… drones.”
Kuno nodded quietly. “Back in my original hive, my queen encouraged individuality. She encouraged us to become… ourselves. Chrysalis was completely different. She viewed the individuality as a hindrance. She… basically used her magic, as queen, to turn all the changelings into drones. She suppressed their emotions, and their individuality. She let me retain my sense of self because… she found me quirky,” Kuno gave a toothy smile at that. “Plus, I am somewhat of a wicked tactician.”
“I’ve noticed,” Warden said dryly. “So… can they be ‘fixed’?”
“They can be encouraged to develop their own personalities, now that Chrysalis is gone. But for now… I’d prefer they remain… reliant on the hivemind for their emotional state until we know what’s happening.”
“That’s… prudent, but still a little bit… strange,” Warden said uncomfortably. “Feels like entrapment or something.”
“I’m not doing it to them, I’m just not fixing it until we’re settled in and I can do it in a useful sense. And if they don’t have individuality, then I can assure Celestia that they won’t go off on their own and impersonate ponies,” Kuno explained.
“And… the ones that got thrown in the dungeon?” Warden asked quietly. “What about them?”
“I’ll visit them, give them some love so they won’t starve… but they did illegal things... If we’re committed to being under the rule of Celestia, and the rest of the princesses, then all we can do is submit appeals,” Kuno said sadly. “There’s nothing else we can do.”
“I thought, for a minute there…” Warden trailed off, biting his bottom lip.
“That I was going to go to jail?” Kuno asked with a faint smile.
Warden nodded quietly.
“Not a chance in tartarus. Celestia already knew about Daggertail and Sunshine, and the other three are across the ocean. Plus, I am the queen of the changelings. Throwing me in the dungeon without evidence of me wilfully hurting ponies would destroy any chance of our two species interacting. And Celestia might seem to be harsh… but she doesn’t want to exile us,” Kuno said with a firm shake of her head. “She’ll go through with this. It’ll be rocky, but we’ll make it work.”
“You’re so certain?” Warden asked carefully.
Kuno nodded firmly. “I’m certain of it. Celestia knows that exiling us would be death. And when she has a chance to turn what was a sworn enemy of Equestria into allies? She’d going to jump at the chance.”
“I hope you’re right…” Warden said, frowning deeply, scratching at the table with a hoof. “We spent a long time building a life here… I don’t want it to all just fly out the window.”
“But you’d still be with me, right?” Kuno asked earnestly.
Warden nodded firmly. “No matter what happens.”
“Then everything is going to be fine,” Kuno said, leaning across the table to kiss his nose gently.
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I'm very interested in how this new consortium thing will work. You have my intrigue.
Such a cute scene at the end there. Kuno being cute and cuddly again.
lips
you were right not the strongest chapter but still good
I have a feeling Warden will have to become a changeling in the end. King Warden and Queen Kuno of the Changlings, has a certain ring to it.
Let's hope that they can work things out.
I don't know, I think you did fine with the whole political thing. I'm sure that someone with a better mind for these things will find something to nitpick about it but its not like it is the basis of the story.
Also I just realized that I have been following this story since the beginning and I don't think I have said so much a s a word.
Love the story; looking forward to more!
The 2 changelings did illegal things? If the first one hadn't silenced the guard, they would have skipped a trial and went straight to execution just for being a changeling. I'm pretty sure that would/should be considered self-defense. As for the second changeling, it was a complete accident but sadly is likely to be judged by the end result only. This reminds me exactly of part of an episode on the Science channel. People sadly are judged by the end result rather then their intentions. Say there was someone you wanted to kill and you suspected they were allergic to peanuts (but they actually weren't but were allergic to something else). You silently slipped some peanuts into their food in hopes of kill them. They aren't allergic and so nothing happens. Because no death or anything happened very little if anything would be done to you. The person who wasn't allergic to nuts but something else (can't think of anything). They eat out at a restaraunt and the chef accidently puts what they're allergic to in the food. The person dies of the allergy and the chef gets a very long sentence despite it being a complete accident because they're being judged by the end result rather then their actual intentions.
5066613
you cant guarantee the first one would be immediately executed, minority reporting is a very bad way of conducting legal sentencing; the changeling panicked and killed someone so thats still murder, not intentional but still. the cook thing is just silly, the cook will make a dish unless told to prepare it specially, if a dish has nuts in it and the person is allergic to nuts and doesnt tell the cook not to put nuts in it and dies eating it nothing will happen to the cook cause hes not psychic it was the person who is allergics responsibility to tell others of their requirements. also if you suspect someone is allergic to something and try to kill them using that and it fails you obviously cant be put in jail cause their was no criminal activity to document. example is you can walk into a police station and tell them that you murdered someone, until they find a body and a weapon they cant keep you for more then 48 hours. the third changling was threatened verbally where the first changling just got caught visually and panicked, thats the big difference between the two, also many courts of law will give you a much lesser sentence if your victim is a known criminal, and it was necessary to dispose of them
I want to punch your version of Celestia in the face. She was OOC throughout this chapter, even if she was dealing with changelings, and didn't even seem to think about what she was doing before condemning both of those changelings. One of them even openly admitted that it was a mistake and was sentenced for mareslaughter while Kuno said that one of her murders was a mistake and was barely chastised. Why wouldn't Luna or one of the other princesses step in with their own opinions, too? They were just standing there. If they weren't going to be involved then why have them there at all? Why would they even have political powers in Equestria if they just stood back and allowed Sunbutt to do everything even when she's in the wrong? Your story is a good one, but you're right: Definitely not the best chapter yet.
5066887 Not quite OOC. Remember this is from a POV on the *outside* of Celestia's benevolent leadership, from a race that has threatened Equestria and defeated Celestia at one time. As a ruler, she is obligated to see the admitted criminals detained before a trial, and they *will* get a trial, at which the circumstances of the offenses will be brought out, verified, and the criminal acts punished. Remember, Celestia already knew about Kuno's score, and still let her run around loose (well, metaphorically shackled to a former guard by chains stronger than steel) There is a great deal of 'stage' going on here for the benefit of ordinary ponies who would naturally panic if admitted criminals were permitted to run around free (other than Kuno, of course).
Well the politics weren't done badly. Quite good honestly.
5066887
I think you're missing an important point here. They have been detained, not sentenced. Now, if that second changeling is treated as a murderer for an obvious accident, then that could be considered pretty clear-cut racism, but as it stands she isn't throwing them in the dungeon forever, merely having them detained while their crimes are investigated.
The title of this chapter seems... familiar.
5067160 Never heard of it before.
Correlation is not causation.
5067141 It was more of her attitude that bothered me, but you're right. The canon Celestia wouldn't have spoken like that if they were only temporarily detained, and the last time I checked, this didn't have an Alternate Universe tag.
5066887
Remember: Politics is a bitch.
5066957
Since when did Kuno kill somepony?
Was it in the current chapter?
5067189 Eh well whatever. Thought it may have been a reference but I was wrong.
Although your stories were probably part of the inspiration for that story's predecessor. I'm not just talking out of my ass this time because the author does have the Affliction stories in his favorites. So it's possible. 
Fun Fact: An Affliction of the Heart was actually one of the main reasons I started watching MLP. So thank you for that.
5067272 It was in the first volume.
5067282
Hmm....I don't really remember h-oh was it those thugs? And yes I just remembered as I was typing.
5067289 Yes it was the thugs who injured Warden.
5067299
Ah, now I can understand if kuno was treated slightly better.
The idea of having to submit to laws that were never intended to apply to them is... incredibly short-sighted. I mean, I get that identity theft would be an issue, but the ability to change your appearance to look like anyone else is who the changelings are. Being told they aren't allowed to do that is like telling a pegasi they aren't allowed to fly without a license, or unicorns not being allowed to practice magic, or earth ponies not being allowed to walk...
If this is going to work, new laws need to be drafted in order for changelings to continue being changelings without violating the law just by doing what they were literally born to do.
5067482 Celestia said, specifically
Unlawful is the main word to look at here.
It could be unlawful to impersonate any pony at any time. Or the law itself could say 'with malicious intent' or 'without express permission if the pony still lives' or something like that.
5067506
Still, that law is going to need a lot of other laws/revising of the wording of the law in order to consider the changelings unique position. As it stands, any lawyer would be able to use the law to convict a changeling for simply doing what they do.
I don't think Celestia is the issue here. Especially if this is the same Twilight from your other changeling story. (I know they're separate, but I tend to have traits of ponies uniform throughout my stuff. You might do the same.)
I have two problems here.
First, the only significant difference I can see between the changeling who accidentally fed somepony something they were allergic to and Kuno's first two kills was that they happened overseas, and were thus outside of Equestrian jurisdiction, but that wasn't even mentioned to Celestia.
Second, when talking about the consortium with Kuno, Wardens views suddenly switch from thinking that it's going to be a whore house to thinking ponies won't want sex with deceased loved ones to thinking it'll be a whorehouse again. What's with that?
Are you insane?!
Do you know what you have just done?
I would not wish those words upon my worst enemies, for fear that the doom that strikes them might extend far enough to reach me. Yet here you have directed them at the good guys! Why? Why must you be so cruel!?
Wait, Kuno killed somebody like her with wrong medicine but gets away?
Celestia is a hypocrite.
Now why did she have to go and say that? Might as well have said "nothing could possibly go wron," or, "what's the worse that could happen?"
Whenever I read this story, I feel like not enough focus is put on their child Swarm. To the point where you might say it's all to easy to forget she exists at all.
Commence read.
Politics can be a finicky and messy topic.
Glad for the still pleasant moments between the two at the end.
"She's" ?
now inevitable: pony-changeling racism and the likes
Um, where was Swarm through all this?
Unless there was a quick instruction for Swarm to stay at home (alone....) that I missed.
It's not like me to pick, and I do love this story, but during the times when Kuno asked Warden if he would stay with her even to the point of banishment, were ideal times to bring up the needs of their daughter.
Don't forget about her!
Get the guy a step ladder dammit, cant wait for more.
5068122 remember that kuno knew that putting her in jail for murder would ruin their chances at coexistence, but a nameless(quite literally) changling won't.
I don't really agree with Kuno's rationale for the 'sex with a dead partner' thing. Firstly, you'd have a tough time convincing yourself that your loved one is there, as the changeling wouldn't have any of that person's memories. Second, I feel like the person would feel guilty for betraying their partner's memory or indulging in whatever their fantasy is.
Also, bit of grammar:
why did that other changeling go to the dungeon his murder was an accident. I waited SSSSSSOOOOOOOOO long for this more please
This idea of Kuno's, allowing ponies to be with dead loved ones, is nice in thought but in practice...It'd be unhealthy. Yeah, it would help some, but there are bound to be ponies who will go the extra mile here. I mean, it's not really their loved one and...it just feels wrong. It'd be like someone wearing their skin, or someone mimicing your special someone.
It might be just me, but I think Kuno needs to do a little rethinking and retooling of this idea.
All aboard the hype train?
*toot toot?*
Don't feel bad about this chapter, it worked reasonably well.
5070504 You forget that they are changelings. Chrysalis demonstrated magic use repeatedly to convince Shining Armor that she was Cadance, even though she acted nothing like Cadance.
What the hell man, the damn site didn't notify me of an update! Sigh. Oh well, great chapter as usual!
5070393
If you kill some one by accident then weather or not you go to jail depends on a number of things. If you were doing something you shouldn't be doing like impersonation someone then that counts as manslaughter.
5070814
I think a lot of people are forgetting that the chance to "interact" with a celebrity, currently alive or not, is quite a draw. Yes yes, I'm certain Celestia will throw some law stating that changelings need written permission from said celebrity or estate of a dead one, but the idea that you too can have a night on the town with the Wonderbolts or dance with the Twilight Sparkle-- er, wait, that's right. She can't dance.
Ok, maybe not her... but I'm sure there's another famous pony you can dance with!
Celebrity Impersonators is big business over in CA so it makes perfect sense open a 'consortium' over in Los Pegasus too. (Would the faux-Elvis changelings have to be big too?)
Silly Kuno, you don't wear pants.
Hmm, one nitpick is that Kuno shouldn't have let her Changelings go before she had an agreement with Celestia that they could stay. I don't think Kuno would leave any one of her Changelings behind if she were banished.
Although, imagining that conversation, the refusal of letting her Changelings go before the agreement might not go over so well.
5073478
Lyra. That is all.
img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110821005645/mlp/images/3/37/FANMADE_Lyra_wearing_pants.png