Tales Through the Mirror: Twilight Sparkle and the Defender of the Realm

by FancyFan

Aside 1: The Queen of Liars

A bronze pegasus touched down on a small ledge on the side of a nondescript mountain to the west of Canterlot. His features were forgettable; a single colored and dull coat with a with an mane the same dull bronze of the coat done in the most common of styles. His cutie mark was likewise boring, a simple trio of white clouds, most likely indicating that he, like so many of his winged kind, had skill and work in the weather service. His features, while bland and forgettable, are fortunately unimportant as they promptly disappeared in rush of green flames.

In his place stood a creature with chitinous skin that was pitch black, except on the two large back plates which were a deep blue. The eyes were also blue, but light and cerulean, as were the two membranous wings. The legs and tail were pocked with holes and the head sported a short slightly curved and very pointy horn. Once, its visage was unknown in the lands of Equestria, but after the failed invasion of Canterlot, all knew its name. Changeling.

Though it was perhaps more accurate to say that all knew the name of its species. This particular changeling went by the name of Procuticle when amongst his own kind. After a quick but unnecessary glance around to determine if any one was watching, Procuticle pressed his right hoof against a nondescript rock on the mountain wall. A small portion of the mountain wall started to shift, slowly revealing a small tunnel. Procuticle walked inside, and pressing a much more noticeable rock on the inside wall, caused the mountain wall to return to its original position. When the passage fully sealed itself and the darkness became absolute, Procuticle cast a small spark of green magic from his horn, triggering bioluminescent fungi on the walls and ceiling of the passage to light up. Now able to see, he began the long walk to the hive.

It was hard to tell how long the walk took with no sun or moon to mark the passage of time, but Procuticle finally arrived at the opening to the cavernous expanse of the changeling hive. In his way stood two changelings that stood perhaps a hoof-length taller than him. They both looked at him in confusion for a brief moment before the one on the right spoke up. “Procuticle(*)? You aren't due back for another three weeks. You didn’t get found out did you? By Chrysalis, its getting harder and harder for you harvesters(1) to stay hidden now that people are on the lookout for us.”

“No Labium, no one found me out.”

“Why are you back so soon then? Fill up already? Did you replace a stallion with a particularly, amorous, fillyfriend(2)?”

“No, no, nothing of the sort, I just found something that the queen is going to want to hear right away.”

The changeling on the left perked up. “Ohhh! Do tell! I’m always in the mood for some exciting news.”

Procuticle shook his head, “I really shouldn't tell you Stylet. I cant be sure what the the Queen will do with this information, so I shouldn't get the rest of the hive’s hopes up before hand. I just hope she thinks that its worth potentially ditching my identity completely for.”

Both Stylet and Labium gasped. Lanium recovered first and asked in shock “You bailed? Didn't even let the guy you're replacing go? Wow, you must really think you have something important.”

“I sure hope I do.”

Both guards stepped aside. This time Stylet spoke. “Well then, you’d better get to the queen if what you have is important enough to bail for.”

As he trotted past them into the hive, Procuticle called back to the guards, “Wish me luck guys!”

“Hive’s luck to you Procuticle!” both called back.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Procuticle made a beeline to the center of the hive were Chrysalis’s chambers were. Large and glowing a sickly green, they were noticeable from the entirety of the hive. As he approached the doors he called out to the guards. “Harvest Procuticle, reporting with urgent news for the Queen.”

The royal guard, distinguished by her(3) dark blue metallic armor, looked at him with confusion. “A harvester with urgent news? That's the job of an infiltrator(4).”

“Yes, well, its not like I meant to stumble across who I did. These things do happen.”

“I suppose they do. But if I find out that you’re wasting the Queen’s time, I will make you wish you hadn’t. And if she does so first, I’ll make you wish you hadn’t been hatched instead. Her Majesty's condition is still delicate.”

The royal guard motioned to one of the lesser guards at the door, who proceeded to open it. As Procuticle walked past the royal guard he said to her. “That won’t be necessary.” Then muttering quietly to himself, “I hope.”

From the outer doors to the chambers it was only a short walk to the audience room. Upon entering, Procuticle immediately bowed until he was announced by a herald. “Harvest Procuticle comes with urgent news your Majesty.”

From the throne on the other end of the room came the weak voice of the changeling queen. “You may rise harvester, though know that if this is about anything short of the Equestrian’s discovering the whereabouts of the hive I will be most displeased.”

Procuticle rose shakily to his hooves and looked as his queen. She still, even over slightly a year after her battle with Celestia and Sunset Shimmer, looked terribly beaten and exhausted. He hadn’t witnessed the fight personally, but the knew from gossip amongst the hive that Chrysalis, despite having Celestia on the ropes for the beginning of the battle, had barely managed to give give the order to retreat and teleport herself away to safety before that accursed Sunset Shimmer had joined in the fight. The burns were Sunset had blasted her with a gout of fire so hot that the guards present at the fight claimed it felt like the sun had entered the room were still present and her wings had only just begun to heal from being burnt to cinders.

“My Queen, I bring you now news of despair, but of what I hope to be joy. While harvesting in the small town of Ponyville this morning I ran into a young unicorn mare. When I helped her pick up some things she had dropped, her appreciation was enough for me to catch a glimpse of the power that she held. I do not claim to be an expert on these matters, but from my past experiences with unicorns it seemed to me, um well it seemed to me…” Procuticle paused out of nervousness. Only now did the true enormity of what he had found really sink in.

“Out with it already harvester! I require much rest to recover, and your inability to finish your report only delays the date at which I am restored to my full glory.”

Procuticle gulped. “Y-y-yes my queen. M-mmy apologies my queen. The mare I found was magically drained, near full depletion even, but even so, she had more magic in her than any unicorn I have ever met before. Your Majesty, I feel that if she was fully recovered, she might even be able to stand against Sunset Shimmer.”

Procuticle now had the rare privilege of seeing the Queen of the Changelings stunned, though she did recover quickly and proceeded to ask. “And what is the name of this pony that could be the instrument of our revenge? You did make sure to get her name harvester Procuticle, did you not?”

“N-n-oo your majesty, I apologize that in my haste to report this news I did not. But I can show you exactly what she looks like.” A wave of green fire washed over Procuticle, and in the place of the dark chitinous skinned changeling stood a lavender unicorn with a purple mane and a starburst cutie mark.

Chrysalis turned her head to a changeling standing off to the side. "Adviser Tympanal, I want all infiltrators looking for this pony. All of them. Even the ones already on assignment. Have them start in Canterlot, something about her looks familiar. Find me this unicorn. Find her and bring her to me. I shall have my revenge against that accursed SUNSET SHIMMER!”

*. While nearly identical to outsiders, changelings are able to identify each-other via the placement of their holes. This process, as well as their skill at infiltration, is aided by a near species wide possession of eidetic memories.
1. Harvester: a changeling who infiltrates pony society for the purpose of gathering emotional energy.
2.While the harvesting of emotional energy is done at all times from the target, the process is greatly increased during physical intimacy.
3. Changeling females are near indistinguishable from males(other than the queen obviously). The only noticeable outward difference is a green tint to the eyes.
4. Infiltrator: a changeling who infiltrates pony society for the sole purpose of gathering intelligence.

Author's Note:

And so there we have it. The introduction of the next major character. Procuticle! Ha I wish. No its Chrysalis.
Favorite part of writing this chapter: researching insect body parts for Changeling names.

Comments

[Manes]

I like it and I like you here hav a follow

[Albi]

And now the conflict begins!

[ForSpite]

With that chapter title, I half expected Sunset to show up.

[ferret]

Princess Celestia! You don't know me, but that's O.K. because I'm not the Twilight Sparkle you would know. You see, I was caught in a magical mishap that appeared to be overwriting my entire world to replace it with some egomaniac's pipe dream, but it turns out I just got teleported into some perfectly normal alternate universe instead, which no pony had twisted using dark magics from beyond any mirrors to suit her own image. I was just wondering if you and your good student could possibly maybe send me back home, a home which most certainly still exists since no pony went and oh I don't know, annihilated it. Princess Celestia? Why is your protege Sunset Shimmer there turning so pale?