Chapter 21: The Hive
Chapter 21: The Hive
Nictis leaned with agonizing slowness, creeping out along the edge of the canyon wall. He exposed only a narrowed eye as he peered around the corner. Despite the sheer rock walls shielding him from the scorching heat of the sun, there were only soft shadows within the pale rocks of the chasm. So he moved slowly, carefully, to avoid drawing eyes to his movement. Finally, he gave a quiet murmur to the changelings waiting behind him. “I see it.”
The spires of the hive lay just down the canyon, nestled between high rocky walls. A few changelings could be seen, several armored forms standing at the openings near each spire’s top. It was a sight he hadn’t seen in a decade, but it was immediately familiar. What was less familiar was the small number of changelings who flew over the canyons: scouts and lookouts, patrolling for any signs of intrusion.
His gaze dropped from the spires to a narrow crevice halfway down the canyon. Despite the brightness of the hot, cloudless day, which cast a soft glow off the pale stone, the small opening pierced the rocky wall deeply enough to offer dark shadows within. From where he stood, it appeared to be just another crack or fold of rock, suggesting nothing special, but the knowledge Chittri and Elytron had shared told him differently. “How well guarded are these hidden exits?”
Chittri slid up beside him, though she stayed well out of sight. “They usually have two guards, a short distance inside the entrance. Whether Chara has altered this, I do not know.”
“And how frequently are they used?”
“Using these tunnels is very much frowned upon,” Chittri said. “They are to remain secret, and secrecy is hard to maintain if they are in common use. Unless Chara has seen cause to change this, our entrance would be very suspect.”
Nictis sighed, and withdrew from the corner as slowly as he had peeked out. “So, little chance of bluffing our way past, but far fewer changelings around than if we tried to approach the spires themselves. Also much less likely to have travelling changelings come across the scene.” He mulled over the options before looking to Elytron. “What do you think the guards’ response will be to a suspicious patrol showing up?”
Elytron frowned at him a moment; the sense of contempt still lingered, but he seemed to be ignoring it for now. “My guess would be that they would insist we remain there while one goes back to find a superior officer. What happens then depends on how paranoid that officer is.”
“Given that Princess Chara has led a coup,” Chittri said, “and that she has told others that Queen Chrysalis has been corrupted by Equestria, I expect they will be quite paranoid, indeed.”
On the opposite side of her, Chrysalis--now wearing a much more natural-looking drone disguise--snorted in amusement and flashed a sharp-toothed grin. “She’s right to be paranoid,” she growled, “even if she’s wrong about the reason.”
“Then I’d expect the officer’s response to be a much larger force of soldiers to secure us for questioning,” Elytron concluded.
“Right,” Nictis said. “Persuasion is unlikely, but we’ll give it a try. If it goes badly, at least we can bind them without them being found soon. There are four of us who can fire-portal, so we’ll be pairing up; Elytron with Queen Chrysalis, Fade with Princess Chittri, Chirrup with Sky, and Cara with myself. Stick with your partner. Cara and I will go first, in case we’re confronted right away. I want the other pairs following as soon as there’s room for your entrance.”
Several nods of affirmation were given, and a few peeked out just far enough to see the crevice they would be portalling to. Several lit up in fire as they donned fresh disguises, with slight tweaks to their appearance to ensure they weren’t recognized.
“Now then, I’ll try to talk our way through, but I doubt it’ll work. If I say the words… ‘excuse me,’ that means we’re fighting. If I say that, I want Elytron and Chirrup to make their way close to the guard nearest them and strike the moment you’re both in range. If there’s more than two, Sky and Cara will be next up, and if there’s more than that, everyling piles in. Good?”
More nods.
“Okay,” Nictis said, and drew a deep breath. The familiar tingle of adrenaline teased at the edge of his senses. “Let’s go.”
Cara stepped in close beside him as Nictis called up his magic. Fire flashed around their hooves before surging upward and pulling them down. Everything twisted around them, and then the fires receded, leaving them in the darkened crevice. A quick glance back saw drone-Chittri’s head barely peeking around the rock, waiting for her turn to go. He nodded, then turned and trotted back into the cave entrance, with Cara sticking close to his side.
Another flash of green announced the next pair’s arrival as he stepped up to a turn in the cave, but he held back, waiting. Already, it was getting hard to see. The cool darkness of the cave was quite the contrast to the blinding light and oppressive heat of the Badlands. Slowly, the details of the rocky wall he was facing grew clearer as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.
After two more flashes, he looked back, gave a quick nod, and started to walk.
The cave twisted around, forming a narrow path that forced them to duck to squeeze through before widening into a small but passable tunnel. As soon as he was through, he could see the faint glow of green coming from around the next corner. After waiting a moment to ensure everyling had gathered up, he walked calmly forward.
Rounding the next corner, he found a small chamber had been carved into the rock, likely to serve as a guard station. A bit of glowing fungus clung to a stalactite in the center of the room, faintly illuminating the three changelings lying there, only one of which wore armor. All three scrambled to their hooves at their entrance, feelings of alarm and suspicion immediately hitting Nictis’s senses.
“Hey!” the armored changeling called out. “What are you doing? Noling’s supposed to come through here!”
“Just taking a shortcut,” Nictis replied, with every ounce of weariness he could summon. He kept walking past the guards, though he slowed his pace. “It’s been way too long of a day, and I don’t want to hike my way through half the hive. It’s just this once, okay?”
“No, it’s not okay!” the guard replied, a hint of anger kindling under the surface. “Rules are rules, and I’m not breaking them just because you’re feeling lazy. Now you stop right there!”
Nictis came to a dead halt. So much for talking, he mused. Then he turned toward the armored guard, eyes narrowing angrily. “Excuse me? Who do you think you are?” He demanded angrily as he stepped forward. “We’ve been on patrol for more than twenty four hours, and I’m not in the mood to waste time on--”
The guard had withdrawn half a step at the angry retort, while his companions looked on in concern; all were focused on the angry changeling at the head of the team, rather than those who followed him. The closest of those companions was the first to pay for his inattention as Elytron fired a blast of magic into his side, throwing him off his hooves. The second changeling had only enough time to flinch back before Chirrup’s hind hooves slammed into his side, sending him crashing into a wall; Chirrup followed up with a bolt of magic to ensure the guard was unconscious.
As for the armored changeling, he jerked and looked back to see what the commotion was, just as Nictis charged his horn. Neither had time to act, however, as Sky shoulder-checked the guard. The blow sent him staggering, while Sky lifted up and bucked down on the guard’s helmet so hard that his head bounced against the rocky floor with a loud crack.
The guard managed a weak, gurgling groan as he tried to roll to his side, but he was too badly dazed to put up a fight. Sky reared up in mid-air, horn lighting bright before spiking a powerful stunning bolt down into the guard’s chest; he was, evidently, not taking any chances.
Nictis looked over the three downed changelings. He couldn’t even call it a fight, it had been over so quickly. “Bind them, tuck them in the back corner.” He paused as he eyed the one Elytron stood over. “You didn’t kill him, did you?”
“No,” Elytron said. “It is not my place to decide if they live or die.”
As others began to bind the disabled guards with coughed-up lumps of sticky goo, Nictis cast a glance to Chrysalis. The false drone looked down her nose at the fallen changelings with a haughty glare, though she soon noticed Nictis’s attention, as well as the silent yet questioning look from Elytron. Eventually, she shrugged. “Chara has misled them. They will be given the opportunity to reaffirm their loyalty to their queen.”
The growing grin gave Nictis a good idea of what she would have rather done with them, but at least she seemed to be playing along for the moment.
As the unconscious guards were bundled into the corner and secured in place, Nictis flew over to the stalactite, carefully scraping away at a bit of the luminescent fungus from one side. When he was finished, the chamber was only slightly darker, but the corner containing the guards was cast into shadows. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
“Okay,” he said. “We’re on a bit more of a time limit, now. Being pessimistic and assuming those guards to be particularly healthy, I’d say we have no more than an hour before they regain consciousness and escape their bonds. We need to either be done or have them under guard by then.”
“It shouldn’t take that long,” Chittri said. “Our path leads through the fungal farms, and noling will think twice of a group of guards passing through.”
“You’re up, then,” Nictis said. “Lead the way.”
Chittri bowed her head a moment, then set off at a casual trot, and they followed. “When we get to the central chamber, fly close behind me. So long as we do nothing unusual, we should not draw any suspicion.”
A few quiet grunts of agreement followed before they went silent again.
The air soon grew damp and musty, a fetid smell meeting their noses. As the smell grew, so did the warmth. By the time they emerged into a large, dim chamber, it was as warm as the air outside but humid and stagnant. The smell was the worst part, though. Even a decade later, Nictis immediately remembered why he avoided the tunnels that passed through the various fungal farms. The presence of the thousands of changelings within the hive made the air thick enough without the overpowering stench of all the dung and rot that fed the farms.
They followed Chittri as she made her way through the chamber to one of the exits, the dark, waxy surface muffling their steps after the bare stone of the tunnel. Several changelings fluttered about, tending to their business without a second look to the eight changelings that passed by them. Nictis silently thanked their focus toward their work.
A quick glance back showed that the team was holding up well. Other than a couple wary looks, noling seemed nervous or suspicious. Even Cara was holding it together quite well, though Nictis saw he was breathing a little too fast to appear properly calm. He was probably going to be exhausted by the end of this.
They exited the chamber into a tunnel which twisted around in a slow curve. It was well used, likely patched up many times over its life judging by the thick coating over every surface. Not a single inch of bare stone was to be seen. Several offshoots led into more fungal farms, and as they proceeded, the tunnel grew increasingly choked by traffic. Fortunately, it didn’t impede their progress, as the various workers squeezed to the side to make way for the column of soldiers marching through. There were no questioning looks, or suspicion, or even annoyance at having to move out of the way. They simply made room and went about their duties.
After a couple minutes, they reached a larger tunnel, filled with even more traffic. Again, the workers made way for them. They even passed a squad of soldiers headed in the opposite direction. The changeling at the head of the formation didn’t even look their way.
They soon came to the end of that tunnel, emerging from the wall of a grand chamber. The center was dominated by a huge, jagged spire. It was pock-marked with ledges, the grandest of which stood near its pinnacle, and all of it was bare stone. From atop the spire, the queen could watch as hundreds of changelings flew from one of the many holes and chasms in the chamber only to fly to another, hurrying about their business.
Nictis could practically feel Chrysalis bristling at the thought of some other changeling perched up there in her place.
That would have to wait, however. Chittri’s wings buzzed to life as she stepped over the edge, and they quickly followed suit. Rather than heading toward the peak of the huge spire, she led them toward its base.
Amidst the hundreds of changelings flying back and forth across the chamber, noling noticed just eight more.
They landed on a small ledge, leading into an empty tunnel. Sky took advantage of the lack of other changelings to step up beside Nictis. “I remember this place,” he quietly hissed, casting a glance back to the chamber behind them.
Nictis nodded. “If there’s any one place you should remember, it would be that chamber. That, or the feeding pool.”
Chittri let out a soft, chittering hiss, drawing their attention as she glanced back. “This tunnel should not be vacant. Be wary; something is wrong.”
They fanned out as they continued down the tunnel. Nictis kept a careful eye on Chittri, while doing his best to not feel suspicious. It was hard, though; Nictis remembered this place quite well. It was one of the three tunnels leading into the feeding chamber, a place every changeling would visit every few days. Changelings came and went every minute of the day, filling these tunnels with a steady trickle of traffic even at the slowest of times. To see none was concerning.
As they moved down the tunnel, the sense of wrongness grew. The other detail he remembered of this part of the hive was the soft glow of the great pool that lay at the heart of the hive, like a beacon calling changelings to feed.
That glow never came.
The tunnel sloped downward, widening, and finally opened into the side of the chamber. The pool was there, as was the tunnel leading to where the hive’s prisoners were held, but it was missing one important thing.
The pool was dark, only the faintest shimmer of green visible in the dim cavern.
Chrysalis stared at the pool with wide eyes. “What… what has she done?” she said with a growing snarl.
Nictis winced and quickly looked around, but there was no need to fear her being overheard. The chamber was entirely vacant. There were no changelings feeding, no guards. On the plus side, there was also no ambush waiting for them. “I wonder what else she’s done. I hope she hasn’t moved the prisoners.”
“A concerning thought,” Chittri said.
“There is no love here,” Chrysalis hissed. “I’d say the whole hive starving is a lot more concerning!”
“We can take care of that easily enough, once the prisoners are free,” Nictis said. “Even if she’s squandered all that love instead of just moving it somewhere else, the starvation of the hive will be a matter of days. The prisoners only have hours. We need to focus on one task at a time.”
Chrysalis snarled, looking ready to argue, but instead looked away. “Very well. Just make it quick.”
Nictis nodded and retook the lead. “We don’t know what’s been going on, so this might get messy,” he said as he made his way toward the opposite tunnel entrance. “We might need to act fast, so remember your pairings from before. Those are your teams. Chrysalis, Chittri, Sky, and myself lead their teams, and I’ll address teams by their leader. Good?”
A few quiet affirmations later, they reached the rear tunnel. It descended a short distance before opening into another large, long chamber, but one Nictis was happy to see was not vacant. Along the sides of the room were dozens of cocoons. He didn’t take the time to count just yet, but it appeared to be about the right number on first glance. There were also a pair of changelings standing among the cocoons on one side, chatting quietly, though they quickly returned to tending the cocoons upon seeing that visitors had arrived.
At the back of the room, four armored changelings stood guard around the entrance of another tunnel; a tunnel that, from everyling’s descriptions, led only to a couple of unused chambers. They had been intended to hold more cocoons, in the event the hive ever took more prisoners.
Of course, there was no reason to guard some empty chambers, right?
As they walked into the chamber, Nictis turned his head to whisper. “Chrysalis, Chittri. Hang back. Fight starts, detain the workers, hold the entrance.”
The two royals-in-disguise slowed to a stop, their partners halting beside them. Nictis turned his head the other way, whispering to the changelings still following him. “Strike the moment I say ‘go.’”
The walk across the long chamber was agonizingly slow.
The guard on the far left was looking past them, curiously eying the four changelings who had remained behind, but there was no clear suspicion just yet. The guard beside him moved forward half a step as they drew close, as if he were in charge. Nictis gave him a nod. Inwardly, he tried to think of the changeling before him as a close sibling, a companion in arms. Anything but a target he was about to take out.
The other changeling’s emotions were still, without a hint of suspicion at his deception. “Here for the prisoners?” he asked, returning Nictis’s nod.
“Yes,” Nictis answered simply, as the distance between them rapidly narrowed.
“Which ones do you want?”
Nictis gave him an uneven smile. “Go.”
The other changeling’s expression turned questioning, his mouth opening, but he was unable to ask anything before Chirrup slammed a bolt of magic into his face.
Chaos erupted.
The guard on the left was quick to act; he and Nictis both immediately charged their horns, but neither had the opportunity to fire. Rather than taking the time to charge a second bolt, Chirrup had charged the moment the word had gone out; he ducked his head and slammed his shoulder into the other changeling, driving him into the wall, and they both collapsed in a furious tangle of limbs.
A quick glance the other way was just in time to see Cara thrown off his hooves, green fire burning out against his peytral. The changeling who flung the spell found himself charged by Sky, and the pair of them rolled across the ground, kicking and wrestling.
The fourth changeling lay nearby, sprawled out and motionless by the time Nictis had even glanced his way.
Nictis stepped back, gaze jerking from one side to the other, waiting for an opportunity to strike without risk of hitting one of his companions.
The fight between Chirrup and his opponent ended up being thoroughly one-sided. The difference in strength was clear, particularly as Chirrup rolled over and threw the other changeling into the wall once again. Nictis immediately loosed his spell, scoring only a glancing hit. Chirrup’s was true, slamming into the guard’s exposed underbelly.
A yell brought Nictis’s attention back to the other pair of struggling changelings just in time to see Cara rejoin the fray. He charged in, slamming into the other changeling and ripping him away from Sky with the force of the impact. They tumbled, but Cara kept ahold of the other changeling from behind. The guard could do little to protect himself as Sky and Nictis both struck, and he fell limp from Cara’s grasp.
Immediate concerns dealt with, Nictis looked back. Both workers were cowering on the ground, with drone-Chrysalis and Elytron looming over them. Chrysalis had a hoof on one worker’s back, her teeth bared threateningly. Chittri and Fade both lingered closer to the entrance.
Then Cara laughed, quiet and nervous. “I love this armor,” he said, forehooves pressing to his chest, and let out another shaky laugh, though there was little humor in it. Nictis could see the deep gouge and scorch marks where the other changeling’s spell had stuck.
That had not been a stunning blow.
Hooves clattered on the stone floor of the tunnel, and Nictis snapped around in time to see a fifth guard scrambling to a halt as he rounded the corner of the tunnel before them. The other changeling’s reaction was remarkably quick. He had hardly caught sight of the scene before his horn lit up, a circle of flames erupting around his hooves.
Unfortunately for him, Chirrup was quicker, and a stunning spell was much simpler than a fire-portal. The flames hadn’t even started to rise before the changeling reeled back and collapsed, his spell sputtering out.
Yelps of surprise echoed from around the corner.
“Move in!” Nictis called out, his wings buzzing to life as he charged forward, intent on preserving the momentum of surprise.
They rounded the corner, passed through--of all things--a crude and opened door, and came screeching to a halt.
The chamber beyond was filled with changelings. There must have been near a hundred of them, maybe more.
The nearest changelings staggered back, yelling out in surprise, and giving off a flash of fear. In fact, the entire room was laced with uncertainty and despair.
Nictis hovered there, staring out at the crowd. They stared back, but apart from the few that had stepped back at his entrance, none moved.
The guard had not been referring to cocooned ponies.
Nictis quickly turned, moving close to Sky to whisper into the other changeling’s ear. “Get Chrysalis and Chittri, tell them to come here, now, then take their place.”
Sky quickly nodded and shot off, and after a moment’s hesitation, Chirrup followed.
Nictis landed, returning to slowly looking around the crowd. Many lowered their gaze as he looked at them. Others held their ground, despite the nervousness they felt. A very few returned sensations of defiance, though weak, and usually cloaked behind fear or regret.
His gaze lingered on one of the defiant ones, and it suddenly struck him that he knew this changeling. A faint confusion met him as the other changeling sensed his surprise.
“Lockbar?” Nictis asked. Of all the changelings in the hive, possibly the only drone as widely recognized as the queen was the changeling who oversaw the feeding pool. It may have been ten years since Nictis last laid eyes on him, and he might have looked much older than he used to, but Nictis was certain this was the same changeling.
Reluctantly, Lockbar rose to his hooves, while the changelings on either side inched back. He was favoring one leg, expression tightening for a moment when he moved it. His voice was reluctant and surprisingly weak. “Yes?”
As obvious as the answer was, Nictis had to ask. “You’re a prisoner?”
Lockbar hesitated, glancing past Nictis to the tunnel beyond, where four more changelings were stepping over the unconscious guard as they entered. The older changeling clearly understood that something was very wrong. “...Yes.”
That realization was starting to spread among the crowd as the newcomers looked around with varying degrees of comprehension.
“Why?” Nictis asked.
Lockbar eyed him. There was suspicion in the older changeling’s emotions, but no hostility. “Princess Chara,” he said, emphasizing the first word, “insisted on removing the love we had stored in the feeding pools. She wanted to keep it herself. I told her it was a bad idea, but when I tried to make my case, she had the soldiers seize me.” He limped forward a step. “And why would you not know any of this?”
Nictis smiled, small but sly. “Because we were in Equestria when this happened.”
Lockbar’s gaze darted back to the fallen guard before returning to Nictis and the small group of changelings gathered around him. A sudden sense of hope flared up. “So… what Chara said about Queen Chrysalis…”
Nictis started to reply, but drone-Chrysalis interrupted him with a loud snarl. “Lies.” She stepped forward, eyes narrowed. “And the time for this charade is over.”
Fire burst forth from the queen as she shed her disguise. The nearest changelings reared back in surprise, followed by throwing themselves to the ground to bow before her.
Queen Chrysalis towered over them. “Chara thought she could steal my hive away the moment I looked away. She will regret betraying her queen and hive!”
Nictis sighed quietly, but he supposed it hardly mattered. If they were discovered now, Chrysalis’s presence wouldn’t make a difference.
Chrysalis took another step forward, her hooves placed just in front of Lockbar, who had quickly bowed before her despite the difficulty his leg seemed to be giving him. “Lockbar. What has that traitor done with the love we had stored? Where is it?”
“My queen,” he said, eyes clenched shut as he pressed his muzzle to the ground before her hooves. “She drained it herself. She may have stored some of it in… in your chambers, but I think she’s holding most of it herself. She didn’t want anyone to use it against her, and… and I think she wanted to be ready to confront you.”
“As if she could hope to stand up against me,” Chrysalis replied. “I’ll enjoy teaching her just how wrong she is. Now rise! We will crush this cowardly traitor, and reclaim what is mine!”
Changelings who had been bowing rose to their hooves, wings raised and eyes lighting up with hope, but Nictis saw that many of the movements were sluggish and weak. Lockbar was not the only one who seemed impaired, and though his expression had brightened at his queen’s declaration, he voiced his concern. “My queen, I’m afraid most of us are injured and hungry. We haven’t had anything to eat or drink since I arrived. I will gladly give my life for the hive, but I fear we may not be able to offer as much as we should.”
Chrysalis looked over the crowd, frowning; she could see it, too. A hundred love-starved changelings were hardly a force to retake the hive, especially if the soldiers felt any degree of loyalty to the princess who had led them for so long.
Nictis took advantage of her pause to step in and offer an alternative. “Queen Chrysalis,” he said, bowing his head a little. “Chara is still unaware of our presence, and even if she has drained all of the hive’s love, it’s unlikely she could stand against you.” A little ego-padding never hurt, he thought. “We don’t need a full-scale battle. All we need is to isolate her, and I believe I can make that happen.”
She stared down at him, emotions unreadable, but finally drew her head back to a commanding pose, a faint crack of a smile appearing. “Do it.”
Nictis nodded, then turned to Elytron. “Run back to Sky. Tell him to fire-portal out to Twilight Sparkle, and bring her back here. Stand guard while he’s gone.”
Elytron cast a quick glance to Chrysalis, who gave him a sharp nod, though her smile had turned to a frown.
As Elytron flew off, Nictis noticed Lockbar’s questioning look. Though he apparently didn’t dare to speak up, Nictis decided to answer the question he was sure was on the other changeling’s mind. “In case you don’t recognize the name, yes, Twilight Sparkle is a pony.” He smiled, making sure it was a good, sharp-toothed, predatory smile. “Equestria was willing to give many concessions to ensure peace, including sending some of their own to assist Queen Chrysalis in disposing of this traitorous princess.”
“Yes,” Chrysalis quickly said, adopting a haughty sneer as she rolled with his statement. “The pathetic cowards were so desperate for peace, they’ve offered up more than we could have possibly expected.” She gave an amused snort. “The fools.”
The looks of concern quickly faded from the nearby changelings, replaced with smiles. Nictis, however, had to suppress a smirk. She’s not entirely incompetent, he thought to himself. At least she can act like herself.
He shook off the thought. “Next… I’ll need the armor from one of those guards,” he said, looking back to the tunnel, before turning back to Lockbar. “And I need to know everything Chara has done since Queen Chrysalis left the hive.”
Nictis sped out of the tunnel, wings beating at the air as he lifted off in a vertical climb. He shot up along the side of the great central spire of the hive, the lightweight armor hardly slowing him at all. Naturally, several changelings looked on, some with momentary flashes of concern, but no suspicion. After all, he wasn’t some well-known traitor infiltrating the hive. No, he was a common soldier, stationed to guard the prisoners. He wasn’t anything to worry about.
What that common soldier was doing flying at high speed, panting, with a look of near-panic on his face, that might have been something to worry about.
Nictis focused on his breathing. He was a little winded, but he made sure to pant hard and frantically.
As he cleared the edge of the largest ledge, he pitched over, landing heavily. His quick entrance gave him only a brief window to appreciate the sight of the place. It was essentially unchanged from his memories, even if it felt a little less grand. The view of the grand chamber was commanding, and the open space funneled back to a raised point, as if to draw all attention to the throne that sat there. Many armored changelings stood on the platform. Several of them jerked in surprise, the nearest gripping their spears at his sudden intrusion. He ignored them. Instead, he looked to the throne, and Chara.
When he did so, Nictis was silently thankful for Lockbar’s information. Surprises were bad for Infiltrators. They led to vulnerabilities and mistakes. If he hadn’t known what to expect, he may well have drawn suspicion from the surprise the sight brought him. It was simply wrong.
It was a well-known, unspoken rule: you never, ever disguise yourself as the queen.
Chara was laid out across the throne, lounging there as if there was no question that it belonged to her. She looked very much like Chrysalis, but differed in subtle details. Her horn was a little more jagged, her wings a little longer, her body, while still lithe, was a little stronger. Hardly surprising, of course, when one can sculpt their appearance however one sees fit.
He bowed deeply, as she cast a haughty glare his way, his nose touching the ground. “Q-Queen Chara,” he said, avoiding reflecting on how weird that sounded. “There’s a pony at the feeding pool!”
A momentary flash of confusion crossed the false queen’s face. The soldier she had just been talking to went stiff, any sign of irritation at being interrupted vanishing at the news. Then the queen’s expression hardened, and she spoke. Her voice was deeper than Chrysalis’s, but had the same resonant tones to it, and the same hint of fire behind them. “Explain.”
“She showed up out of nowhere,” Nictis quickly said. “She grabbed us all in her magic, then let me go. She told me to go and tell you she wanted to talk with you.”
“With me,” Chara mused, and slowly rose from the throne. She walked toward him with a slow, confident strut, looking down on him with a contemptuous sneer. “Do you mean to tell me that some pony broke into my hive and disabled five of my soldiers, and you couldn’t do anything about it?”
“We tried to fight her!” Nictis said, coloring his speech with a good amount of fear and a hint of panic. “She shielded herself against our spells and held us in place with her magic. We couldn’t touch her. She was too strong!”
She continued to glare at him for several seconds before giving a contemptuous snort and looking back. “Guards, come. It’s time to dispose of an uninvited guest.”
Nictis didn’t even have to feign relief when her glare left him. So far, things were going according to plan.
Chara’s wings spread, lifting her from the ledge. Behind her, the guards snapped a quick salute before lifting off as well. There were more than he had initially noticed; by the time they all took to the air there were about twenty of them, all armored and bearing spears.
He rose and flew along with them, following Chara. More soldiers rose up from nearby alcoves, and the guard had soon doubled in number. It wasn’t a huge force, but it was more than enough to defeat the weakened prisoners that followed Chrysalis.
Downward they flew, the normal traffic of the hive scattering to make way. The small swarm swooped into the tunnel at the spire’s base, and soon emerged into the large chamber that held the depleted feeding pools.
Across the room, by the rear tunnel, stood Princess Twilight Sparkle. She stood tall and confident, her wings spread in regal display, her expression firm, but not harsh. She eyed the force flying toward her without any apparent emotion.
Around her lay six changelings, four in armor, their hooves bound together and muzzles held shut in faint purple auras.
The swarm of soldiers spread out behind Chara as she slowed, and Nictis weaved to end up just off her flank. From there he could see the grin that had formed, her eyes locked on the solitary pony.
Still good, Nictis thought to himself. And still time to teleport everyone out if things take a turn.
By the time they were halfway across the pool, Chara had slowed to a casual glide, descending toward the rocky shore. Her soldiers followed her lead, spread out loosely as they followed. Several seconds later, her hooves touched down. “Well, well,” she said, speaking slowly. “Princess. Twilight. Sparkle.”
Twilight gave a tiny nod, her eyes locked with the much larger changeling’s. “Princess Chara.”
“That’s Queen Chara now, little pony,” she said, a hint of a growl creeping up behind those words, though it vanished as quickly as it came. “And just what is Celestia’s whelp doing here in my hive, hmm? You’re not all alone, are you?”
“I thought it would be better if we spoke face-to-face before we got any other ponies involved,” Twilight said. “As for what brings me, I want to discuss the innocents you have cocooned back there. I want you to release them.”
“Mmm. No.” Chara grinned as she advanced a step, and Twilight took a half-step back. “In fact, I think I’ll add one more. You should make a nice hostage. I’m sure Celestia wouldn’t want to risk anything happening to her precious little student.”
“You should know that won’t stop her,” Twilight replied. “In fact, it will only make her work harder to dispose of you. But I’m willing to offer the opportunity to negotiate a way to resolve our differences.”
“Oh, is that so?” Chara said, laughing softly as she advanced another step. “Well, go on, let’s hear your ‘offer.’”
Twilight nodded. “First--”
The moment she opened her mouth, Chara’s horn lit up in a blazing light and she loosed a beam of magic straight at Twilight. Twilight was only just able to cast her own spell in time, and the area lit up with a brilliant green glow as the beams clashed. It was a short struggle, holding even for only a second before Chara’s beam overpowered Twilight’s, throwing the pony off her hooves and into the wall of the tunnel entrance.
“Hmm, what was that, little pony?” Chara taunted as she stalked forward, her head held low and a savage grin crossing her face. Her horn continued to glow brightly, ready to unleash a second blast. “I didn’t quite catch that. Care to repeat yourself?”
Twilight groaned as she rolled onto her back. A moment later, the groan turned to a weak chuckle.
Chara chuckled as well, though hers was much colder and crueler. “Oh, I’m glad you’re enjoying this as much as I am,” she said, stepping up to loom over her, and the princess’s chuckles grew hoarse as the false queen pressed a hoof down on her throat. “I always wanted to take down one of Equestria’s princesses. I have to say, though, I’m rather disappointed in you.”
Nictis jerked back as the purple barrier snapped into existence right in front of his face. He bit back a grumble of complaint; even knowing it would happen, he didn’t like the idea of being trapped on the outside of Twilight’s shield, not when Chara was on the other side of it.
Chara’s eyes glanced to the side before returning to Twilight. Her words were muffled by the shield, but Nictis could still make them out. “Do you really think that’s going to help you?” she asked, and Nictis saw her twist the hoof against Twilight’s neck before lifting it up over her head. “Now why don’t you drop your little spell before I tear off your ugly little--”
She stopped and blinked once, her hoof drawing back from the horn.
A horn that was not lit up with magic.
“Gotcha,” the fake Twilight said with a grin, and fired a blast of green magic.
For all the good it did. Chara blocked the beam easily, holding it at bay as she drew back, snarling.
She did not block the second beam, however, which slammed into her side and sent her staggering before she refocused and sent back a powerful blast of her own magic. The beam from the former “defeated guard” imploded as Chara’s spell smashed into his face, throwing him back.
Despite the small victory, the other disguised changelings quickly added their own magic, blasting away at the false queen. Chara scurried back a couple steps as she warded off the series of blasts.
All around Nictis, the changeling soldiers went wild, snarling and smashing at the shield.
Within moments Chara was holding off four beams, then five, then--
The sixth beam tore out from the tunnel and sliced through her divided defense as if it wasn’t even there. The powerful spell threw Chara into the inner wall of the shield, the whole dome flickering with the force of the impact. As all the beams of magic winked out, Chara fell limply to the ground.
The changeling soldiers all halted as Queen Chrysalis strode confidently from the tunnel entrance, her narrow-eyed glare locked on the downed pretender. Behind her followed the real Twilight Sparkle, her horn lit with magic.
Twilight’s copycat groaned a little as she stood. She flashed a weak smile to the original. “Well that hurt.” A flash of fire stripped away the disguise to reveal Sky, who immediately winced and raised a hoof to rub at the side of his chest. Other changelings removed their simple disguises of the captured guards and workers to reveal their natural forms, including Elytron, who seemed hardly fazed by the missing fang and cracked and bloody muzzle he had received from Chara’s spell.
Even through the dome, Nictis could hear Chrysalis’s faint growl. Twilight--the real one, that is--obviously noted it, as well. “Remember, Chrysalis, don’t--”
“Be silent!” Chrysalis snarled, and Twilight cringed. Chrysalis continued on to where Chara lay. The false queen was just starting to stir when Chrysalis placed her hoof against her neck, just as Chara had done to the false Twilight just moments earlier. Chrysalis, however, didn’t speak. Instead, her horn lit up, her mouth open in a savage grin; Chara’s eyes snapped open as she gave a weak, choked cry.
Nictis knew what was happening, and it sent a shiver crawling through him.
Chrysalis was feeding on her.
Chara started to move, twisting under Chrysalis’s hoof in a dazed struggle, desperate to cling to the love she held, but the queen was too strong for her, especially in her current state. Chara cried out as her grasp failed. Chrysalis drew the love from her, so much that wisps of green energy flickered and flowed from Chara’s horn, mouth, even her eyes, all to the waiting queen.
Chara’s writhing grew frantic, letting loose an agonizing scream as her disguise failed.
“Chrysalis!” Twilight shouted, hurrying up beside them, but the queen ignored her, continuing to feed.
Then it abruptly stopped. The wisps of magic vanished, and Chrysalis removed her hoof from the smaller changeling’s neck. Chara’s screams ended, turning to weak, pitiful groans as she slowly curled up at Chrysalis’s hooves.
Through the dome, Nictis could just faintly hear Chrysalis’s words. “Don’t worry, little princess, she’s not going to die.” She chuckled, low and dark, before speaking louder, so that everyone could hear. “She will live, with her title and position stripped from her. She will serve as a common drone, performing the most menial tasks I can find for her. I want her to live a long life, so she can remember the cost of her treachery for every moment of it.”
It was a rather sinister way of phrasing what Nictis considered a remarkably lenient sentence, considering who was giving it.
Twilight looked a little concerned, no doubt pondering what those “menial tasks” might be, but eventually nodded. “Okay.”
Chrysalis turned away from her defeated foe, slowly strolling back the way she came, her eyes settling on Chittri. “Which leaves just one more matter to resolve.”
Chittri bowed her head. “I--”
With a flash, Chrysalis called up her magic--and grabbed Twilight, yanking the young alicorn off her hooves and slamming her back against the cave wall.
Several changelings yelled in surprise, and the shield shattered as Twilight’s concentration was broken with the impact. Sky and Chirrup both dropped into fighting stances, their horns lighting with magic, and yelled out to Chrysalis.
“Ah ah ah,” Chrysalis chided, placing her forehooves on Twilights chest, and lowering her glowing horn just above the alicorn’s head. “You wouldn’t want anything unfortunate to happen to her, now would you?”
Elytron had already spun around to face Sky and Chirrup, ready to defend his queen despite his injury. Fade half-turned, looking uncertain as to who he was supposed to be fighting.
Chittri just stood tall again, her stance relaxed, but her eyes swept across the scene in front of her.
Nictis silently cursed as he slipped to the side. Even with the shield gone, most of the soldiers remained where they were. They seemed lost as to what was going on, so they stood still, awaiting orders. Nictis, however, suffered no such confusion. With the shield no longer in his way, he slipped to the side, stalking around Chrysalis. Her attention was turned to Sky and company, leaving him plenty of room to sneak around behind her.
Unfortunately, this still put him right next to all of Chrysalis’s soldiers, who would almost certainly strike him down if he acted against her.
Twilight struggled against Chrysalis’s hooves, but when she lit her horn, Chrysalis simply slapped her own, larger horn against it, earning a sharp yelp from Twilight. “Chrysalis!” Twilight cried out, struggling some more. “We had a de--urk!”
A little move of one of Chrysalis’s hooves cut off Twilight’s words as it slid up to her throat, pinning her head back against the stone wall. Chrysalis pressed her face in close to Twilight’s, giving her a savage, sharp-toothed grin, and Twilight twisted to try and pull away from those fangs.
“Ahhh. Isn’t this just perfect,” Chrysalis cooed, giving a short, quiet little giggle that Nictis could only describe as sadistic. “I have my hive back, my throne back… and Princess Twilight Sparkle, helpless at my hooves. How could this day get any better?”
Nictis had a perfect shot at Chrysalis’s back. He could take her by surprise… but then what? They were still in the heart of her hive. They might be able to slip out in the chaos, but it would be messy.
He held back, waiting to see if a better opportunity presented itself. Right now, he was just another soldier in the crowd. At least, he was to everyone except Chittri, who was still simply standing there, unreadable.
Twilight grasped at the queen’s forelegs, wings uselessly beating back against the rock behind her. “Let me go! When Celestia--”
Chrysalis pushed a bit more, turning Twilight’s words into weak, choking gasps. “Celestia’s not here,” Chrysalis taunted, her voice cruelly playful. “But you are. I’ve got you all to myself.” She moved a little closer, their faces almost touching despite Twilight’s struggles. “And I want you to remember every single moment of this, princess. I want you to remember...”
Her muzzle moved, right up next to Twilight’s ear. As Nictis crept closer, he could only barely make out Chrysalis’s whisper. “I won.”
Then Chrysalis stepped back, and with a gasp, Twilight fell to the floor. Chrysalis looked down her snout with a haughty smile as Twilight coughed and gasped, quickly staggering back to her hooves. Rage was filling the alicorn’s expression, but Chrysalis spoke first, inclining her head ever so slightly to the side. “The hive accepts Equestria’s offer, on all terms,” she said, and turned to walk away, smiling smugly. “Take your captives and leave my hive.”
Twilight glared at her, though her posture slowly relaxed. For a moment, Nictis thought she might actually strike out at the queen, but she finally gave a frustrated snort, raising a hoof to rub at her neck. “Was that really necessary?”
“Probably not,” Chrysalis said with a soft laugh, and grinned back over her shoulder. “But I enjoyed it.”
Twilight scowled, but looked away. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Nictis slipped past Chrysalis, stripping away his disguise as he rejoined Twilight and the other Equestrian changelings. Chittri also turned to follow, but Chrysalis’s gaze snapped to her.
“Not you,” she said, all hints of humor gone from her voice. “You will wait. I have some things to say to you.”
Chittri hesitated and, oddly enough, looked to Twilight, as if asking for confirmation. Twilight looked back to Chrysalis with a suspicious glare. “You’re not going to hurt her.”
“No,” Chrysalis said, returning the glare with a harsh one of her own. “I am going to talk to her.”
They stared at each other in silence for several seconds before Twilight finally broke away from the exchange and gave Chittri a small nod. The changeling princess bowed her head, and remained behind as Twilight continued on her way.
Nictis followed for a few steps, but slowed to look behind him. He watched as Chrysalis calmly strode past the fallen form of Chara. Soldiers parted before her, bowing in respect as she passed. When she reached the shore of the great pool, she halted and lowered her head. Her horn lit, and after a few moments, a soft glow rose from the pool, spreading outward. When she finally raised her head again, the glow had spread throughout the entire pool.
It was still weaker than Nictis remembered it.
A movement to his side drew his attention away from the pool. Sky was standing beside him, watching as well. So were Chirrup and Cara.
Sky exchanged a glance with him, then took to the air. He skirted the edge of the crowd of changelings to land on the shore. None paid him any attention until he lowered his head as well. Several of the soldiers yelled out, and spears were leveled. All of that halted when a brighter glow started to spread its way through the pool as Sky poured the energy he held into it.
Nictis spread his wings, flying over to land beside Sky, and copied his actions. Chirrup and Cara followed moments later. Nictis slowly poured out most of his magic, leaving himself with a small but sufficient reserve.
By the time they were done, the pool looked much more healthy, the light of its glow casting the chamber in soft green tones.
Every other changeling in the room was looking at them by the time they finished. Cara suppressed a tremble, jerking to follow Sky as the other changeling took wing again to follow after Twilight.
Nictis rose up into the air, pausing for only a moment. Chrysalis was looking at them as well, silent. Somewhere, past the contempt, he thought he sensed a faint feeling of appreciation.
He bowed his head toward her, and flew off.
“Thirty four ponies, two buffalo, a mule, and a griffin,” Twilight summarized, watching as another cocoon arrived. The barren mesa above the hive’s entrance was dotted with cocoons, with more arriving each minute, carried aloft by Chrysalis’s workers. A short distance away, another changeling princess, Princess Indress, was directing the workers. She had given no apparent reaction to the fact that the one Chrysalis had assigned her to assist was a pony.
“It is my pleasure to obey,” she had said, when Twilight had thanked her for the assistance, and had immediately returned to directing the workers.
Sky looked over the scene, smiling softly. Finally, he looked back down to where Cara lay, sprawled out with his head resting against a rock. His helmet was sitting beside him, but he had kept the peytral on, a hoof resting on the gouge in its surface. “Are you going to be okay?” Sky asked, earning a weak nod.
“Yeah,” Cara said, eyes half closed. “Thirsty, though.”
Sky nodded and stood. “I’ll see if I can get you some water.”
“Thanks,” Cara said, though his eyes opened a bit more. “And, um… please don’t tell anyone about… you know…”
They had been out of the hive for hardly a minute when Cara had slipped off to a shadowed corner of the rugged canyon and puked.
“Hey, you did well,” Sky said, smiling. “No need to ruin a good story with pointless details.”
Cara smiled, giving a feeling of thanks, and Sky took to the air.
Princess Indress didn’t react to his approach, nor his landing. She hardly even reacted when he spoke up. “Excuse me?”
“Yes?” she asked, without looking away from the field of cocoons and the changelings managing them.
“Could I ask you a favor?”
“Yes,” she answered, still unmoving.
“Is there any chance you could have one of those guys fetch us some water? We haven’t had anything to drink in hours, and it’s pretty hot up here.”
Indress considered that silently for a whole second before waving over a drone. “Find some containers and bring a full load of drinking water here.”
With a quick nod, the drone shot off toward the hive.
“Thank you,” Sky said. Indress merely gave a sharp nod, and said nothing.
After a moment of awkward silence, Sky turned and walked off, heading toward where Nictis and Twilight stood, watching.
“Hey,” Sky said, stepping up beside them with a smile. “So… it’s all done, isn’t it? We did it.”
Nictis gave a little smile, though it faded quickly. “We did it,” he echoed. “But it’s not done yet. It’s going to get messy once they’re woken up.”
“Ah,” Sky said, his enthusiasm fading. “Yeah, I guess it will. When is that happening?”
“When Celestia and the lead elements of the Guard arrive,” Twilight said, casting a quick glance toward the horizon.
“Got it,” Sky said, nodding. “Thinking they’ll feel more comfortable waking up to ponies instead of changelings?”
Nictis gave a wry smile. “Lockbar didn’t know all the details of their capture, but he was pretty sure that few, if any, actually saw a changeling prior to being captured. There’s plenty of other problems we might face, but there shouldn’t be much initial fear there. Well, beyond the difference in appearance.”
“I’m more concerned about their health,” Twilight said. “Some of them are showing a large amount of muscle atrophy from their inactivity, and possibly malnutrition. It’s hard to say what condition they’ll be in once they’re removed. They’re stable for now, but waking them too early could put them at risk. I’d rather wait for the Guard medics to arrive.”
Nictis was nodding. “I’m worried about mental health, myself. Some of them have been here for a very long time. I expect it’s going to be pretty hard to take, once they learn how long they’ve been gone.”
“I’m hoping having Celestia there when they wake up might help,” Twilight said. “If any pony can comfort them, I think it’s her.” She paused, then added, “I’d also like some of you guys to be there. I think it would help for their first waking experience with changelings to be a good one.”
“That’s going to get real awkward, once they find out,” Sky said. “But yeah, I’ll be there.”
Nictis was a little more reserved. “I’m concerned about what will happen if they do remember changelings,” he said, but eventually nodded. “If you want us, I’ll be there, too.”
The three of them fell into silence, watching as a flight of four changelings carried in another cocoon to set alongside the growing rows. Princess Indress stepped up to it to examine it, as she had all the others.
“Still,” Sky said, “that’s it, isn’t it? They’re safe, and there’s going to be peace between the hive and Equestria. We won.”
Nictis gave a dry chuckle, but eventually nodded. “Yeah.”
Sky nodded as well. “It’s just… I dunno, hard to believe it. Like there should have been something more.”
“I think it was quite enough, thank you,” Twilight said, raising a hoof to rub at her neck. “Too much, in fact.”
Sky rolled his shoulder in sympathy, feeling the slight tightness in his chest. It still ached from the blow he took, though it was fading quickly.
“Chrysalis was just saving face,” Nictis said with a shrug. “She can’t look like she’s bowing to Equestria’s will, especially not after everything Chara had said of her. It let her look like she was in charge, even when she was giving us everything we wanted.”
“I know,” Twilight grumbled. “But next time she can find some way of doing it that isn’t at the expense of my neck.”
Still, she cracked a bit of a smile. Nictis was right, after all; it was just a hollow show of defiance. Whatever Chrysalis might say, they had won.
Though he supposed that meant the hive won, too.
Nictis’s ear twitched, and he turned his head to the side. It was several seconds before Sky picked up the faint buzz, growing steadily more audible.
Songbird came in over a low rise, the evening sun glinting off of it. It yawed to the side as it slowed, and Spark grinned out over the side, with Chirrup riding behind him.
Sky reached out, thumping Nictis lightly on the shoulder. He didn’t need to say anything. Nictis grinned, then took flight.
A few moments later, Twilight spoke with a sound of relief. “There they are.”
Sky looked in the direction she was looking. Far in the distance, just over the horizon, he could make out the movement of several dozen forms. There were a couple pops as Twilight fired bursts of magic into the air, signalling to the distant chariots, and soon a few more flashes of magic showed above the incoming formation.
Then one figure detached from the formation, diving downward for a moment before arcing toward them, an increasingly vibrant trail of rainbow colors following in her wake.
Sky grinned.
Chittri alighted at the edge of the mesa, beside the rows of cocoons. Princess Indress and a small group of workers stood to the side, as did a few soldiers. All seemed quite interested in watching the young alicorn slowly walking among the cocoons. Chittri approached her.
Princess Twilight Sparkle looked up from the cocoon she was looking at, the faint concerned expression parting to reveal a gentle and genuinely pleased smile. “Princess Chittri,” she said in greeting.
Chittri shook her head. “I am afraid it is just Chittri, now, Your Highness. Queen Chrysalis has decided my punishment.” Her pose slackened ever so slightly. “For my betrayal, she has stripped me of the title and banished me from the hive.”
“Oh,” Twilight said with a flash of sympathy. She was well-versed enough in the way of changelings to understand the significance of such a punishment. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I thank you for your sympathy,” Chittri said, bowing her head for a moment. “But while it may have come at significant personal cost, it is a small price to pay for the good of the hive.” She allowed a faint hint of a smile. “And in a way… I appreciate her decision.”
“Oh?” Twilight asked, curiosity and a hint of surprise rising alongside the sympathy.
Chittri looked back over her shoulder, where the very tip of one of the hive’s spires could be seen. “...It hurts to think that I shall never see this place again. Everything I have ever done has been for the sake of the hive, and now I am cast out of the one thing that mattered most to me.”
She took a long, deep breath before looking back to Twilight. “But I have pledged my loyalty to Princess Celestia, and by doing this, Queen Chrysalis has allowed me to fulfil that pledge without any lingering sense of conflict. In the end, her punishment is little more than freeing me to do what I have already promised. I hope that whatever service Princess Celestia asks of me will not bring harm to the hive.” She paused, slowly looking around the mesa. “...But I think I have little to worry about, in that regard.”
Twilight had smiled at that. “So do I,” she said. “I’m sure Celestia wouldn’t ask you to do anything you would dislike. Actually, I don’t think she’ll ask any service of you. I expect she’ll ask you what you would like to do.”
“What I would like to do,” Chittri echoed, and gave a small, slow shake of her head. “I’m not even certain what that is, now.”
There was a moment of quiet, the feeling of sympathy from the small alicorn still holding steady. “Well,” Twilight finally said, “there may be a good deal more changelings in Equestria, fairly soon, and Sky will probably be pretty busy if that’s the case. If you wanted to help changelings, maybe you could be his assistant.”
“His assistant?” she said, blinking. Then she gave a soft, amused chuckle. “Yes, I suppose that could work.”
Twilight stepped up to her. The young princess seemed un-regal in many ways, but Chittri knew quite well how appearances could be deceiving. There was strength and grace behind that gentle and casual demeanor. This pony had great compassion for her, a sense of hope for her future, and even sadness in her loss. She was a kind mare.
“A lot of changelings have made a new home in Equestria,” Twilight said, offering an encouraging smile. “I know it can’t really make up for the one you’ve lost, but I hope you can find a new home there, too.”
Chittri regarded her silently for a moment before slowly casting her gaze across the scattered changelings and ponies.
Nearby, Sky and Rainbow Dash were playfully roughhousing, the mare eagerly telling up Sky’s story with even more enthusiasm than he did. Even the light-hearted wrestling didn’t hide the occasional hug. The mare had a unique way of showing affection, but there was no denying that it was there.
Just past them, Cara sat back against a rock, weary, but smiling. The timid changeling had something great to be proud of. Something that he could look back to, with the comforting knowledge that he could be brave, that he could accomplish things.
Slightly apart from the others, Chirrup stood tall and firm, showing the proper bearing of the Royal Guard. He still wore the armor of the hive, but he no longer seemed concerned by it. Instead, he smiled. The expression was faint, almost hidden under the discipline of the Guard, but undeniable all the same. He had good reason to be proud of his actions, being able to aid both his new home, and his old.
The impressive little flying machine lay dormant, just past the rows of cocoons, and atop the nose of the craft sat Nictis and Spark Wheel. The pair were leaned gently against each other, simply enjoying the other’s presence. Legs rested gently across legs, a diaphanous wing rested lightly across a gray-coated back. They sat quietly, both smiling as they looked over the scene as well, broken only by the occasional soft word or tender nuzzle.
And beyond it all, the chariots of the Royal Guard descended. At their head was a larger chariot, bearing a grand, white alicorn, the very one that she had sworn her allegiance to. The one that had, ultimately, done more for the changelings of the hive than they could possibly appreciate.
“A new home,” Chittri quietly echoed. She nodded slowly, and smiled, faint but sincere. “I think I would like that.”
The end
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So there it is. After three years and almost half a million words, it's rather strange to think that this series is over. It's been a significant feature of my free time for years, now, and I feel kind of sad bringing it to an end. I hope you've enjoyed the journey as much as I have.
I know this end still leaves some things unsettled, but it felt like the best possible place to give a conclusive end to things. The last look around gives a good summary of how things are going and where they're likely to end up.
I could say a lot more here, but instead, I'm putting up an entire blog post about it, right here. If you want to see some new fan art, get some insight into my inspiration, ask me (Or the characters!) any questions about the other stories or the series as a whole, or maybe even get a little insight into what comes next, check it out.
........ Shrugs. Honestly do not think Chrysalis is deserving of some terms like that. She's too unstable...... Not to mention twilight could easily defeat her as she is now.
Why let her save face?
A lovely end of sorts, and a fun read. thank you for writing it.
6405642 The illusion of strength. If she let her come in, then she looks like a puppet queen, and you'd have more rising rebellions.
I'M NOT CRYING YOU'RE CRYING SHUT UP!
orig01.deviantart.net/fc2a/f/2012/015/4/1/pinkie_pie___crying_vector_by_ctucks-d4mf0pt.png
This was been... yeah.
I find myself at a lost for words. That ending was... was perfect, I think.
I just...
Yeah.
Its sad that its over, but Its also nice to see it come to a conclusion. Be proud of yourself, this story was freaking epic and I loved every word of it.
Now please excuse me I need to go do something to help me not think about the fact I wont be seeing more of these characters.
Glad to see you got this done.
Though I stopped keeping track around the time I stopped editing it, it's always good to finish something. I took a brief skim of comments and such and I'm not sure I'll ever get around to finishing this - my pet peeves will probably keep me from really enjoying it and by the comments they're in full force- but your original characters have always been great.
Chrysalis really likes playing with her fire doesn't she? Ah, well. They say you can't teach old dogs new tricks, but in reality it's just that you have to browbeat them into submission until they get the message past their thick skull. I'd like to think that everything has worked out well in that regard, even if Chrysalis isn't happy about it.
She can suck it up.
Though, I think it would be entertaining to have an epilogue scene where Luna shows up for some more dream torment, and just when Chrysalis thinks this is the end, Luna steps back and calmly says:
"That's for Twilight. Enjoy the rest of your night." *poof - gone*
6405642
They (That is, Celestia, Nicts, etc) explained the reasoning a few chapters ago. By allowing Chrysalis to remain in charge of the hive, they're smoothing over the transition for the changelings living there, as they go from seeing Equestria as enemies to being allies. Removing Chrysalis would create more hostility, while leaving her in charge gives an opportunity to befriend the population of the hive, as they see all the aid Equestria gives them and become used to working alongside ponies. So, they're willing to tolerate Chrysalis for now, so long as she doesn't step too far out of line. And if she starts to be a problem later on, they're just as capable of removing her then as they are now, likely with less problems as a result of it.
Not to mention, there is likely to be serious concern among some changelings that what Chara said is true: that Chrysalis has been "corrupted" by Equestria and is basically selling them all out, sentencing them to a lifetime of slavery as a puppet of their "enemy". Chrysalis might have flaws, but she appreciates the value of image. This let her show the hive that she was not at all bowing to Equestria's will, even as she accepted the terms of peace.
...Being able to pin Twilight to a wall and taunt her one last time was just a nice benefit, I'm sure.
6405706
6405727
Thank you very much. It's such a strange feeling for me. I'm happy that the story was able to reach completion, but I'm sad that it's done. I love the final scene (One that didn't even exist until very recently, when I realized what I had set up!), but I'm going to miss these characters. They were a lot of fun.
6405732
And thank you, too. I know we ended up butting heads a little over some things, and I'm sorry about that. I really do appreciate the sentiment. It's been a heck of a project, and there's something satisfying about seeing it through to the end.
6405746
Although in this case, I think the metaphor would be more like tossing the guard dog a chunk of steak laced with sedative.
"Here's all the improvements to your industry, plentiful food, peace and comfort, and oh, hey, all your changelings like us. Huh! How'd that happen?" 
6405771 Well, not everyone can agree on anything! Besides, if you'd written your versions like I write mine there'd be less for me to write about, eh?
good work, it was a joy to read all the way through
6405808
Heh, true enough!
AHAHAHAHAHH! I made it to the end! I read all the chapters! I met all the characters! I saw the climax! I--o.O.....w-wait what......N-no...no! that isn't the end! it can't be! there has to be more! there must be! you can't do this, its inhuman its terrible! GAAAHAHAHAH*cries*
........*sniffle*...such a g-good story. thanks for writing it...*bawls and flails on floor*
BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO END!!!
........so...now that I got thaat out of my system, whatcha gonna do next?
Really good series. You're right that this does leave some things unsettled, but the story would probably start to speak out of control if you tried to wrap everything up perfectly.
Wow...I can't believe it's done. This story has been a constant almost as long as I've been. Brony. To have it end...there's a layer of disbelieve.
I shall miss this story and these characters greatly. To days this has been one of my favorite stories, and one of my top favorites involving changelings.
Best of luck Phoneix_Dragon! I don't know if you plan on writing something else or if you're done for the moment, but I'd like to thank you for years of entertainment. I hope to see some more of your work, but should you cease your works I'll take solace in the two works you've already given us!
Thanks! And thanks again!
I'm reminded of a quote from an old TV show I watched as a kid.
"Now that this adventure is over what will you do?
Well...I guess I'll have to find myself another one."
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I posted a "hint" in the journal post about this story ending. If you don't feel like reading the whole wall of text, just skip to the last image I posted.
It's... kind of a bit different.
Always bittersweet to see a long-runner close up properly. Thank you for many long hours well-spent
It's fun to read in the blog that after a while the characters kind of took over and the story kind of went off the rails a bit when other things made more sense. That's a good thing.
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I'll miss it, too. After three years, this series has become a bit of a feature of my life. To have it over with feels strange. But very much like your quote, I have more adventures to go on. The end of one story means it's time for the beginning of another.
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The characters really made the whole process easier, too. If I ever got stuck, I just had to look to them and ask myself what they would do. Ends up they usually had better ideas than I originally did!
Huzzah! Now I can finally read this!
...Unfortunately, school is starting, and I won't be able to stay up 'til 3...
Eh, i'll be busy with schoolwork... maybe i'll save it for winter.
But come winter, i'm reading the sh
out of this.
This fanfic has certainly been the top of my list for... however long I've been reading fanfics xD
Great ending (and implications), great characters, thanks for an amazing story and I hope you'll continue this series!!
6405706 I agree!
Aww, that's nice. She has a new homerehtah what. the end.
Gah.
*flails*
What I'd like to see is a one-shot side-story about one of the prisoners as he or she wakes up and gets accustomed to a changed world. What do you think?
Amazing conclusion, my friend.:D
Well done author, well done.
This was fantastic. A great conclusion to a wild story filled with all sorts of twists and turns. I like how Chrysalis was slowly broken down until she had no other choice than to accept Equestria's peace agreement. This is one story that most assuredly belongs in my Top 15
It's over? Nooooooooooo
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It is one of the ideas that's tempted me the most. It's certainly going to be an interesting period of time for them...
i.imgur.com/Grp1dyd.png
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Yeah, I'd been thinking of that very image quite a bit, today.
Well then...
...
*starts rereading Without a Hive*
Yay! All is good in the world.... for now!
Keep going! ;)
Well that was a surprisingly fast ending, but I think it appropriate. Well done.
Wow that was unexpected! What am i going to do without my favorite story about lovebugs?D:
Jokes aside thanks for the ride. I think is wise of you to finish it before it get stale
Seems like it could do with a light-hearted slice of life followup. :D
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Hear, hear!
You have the right of it.
"Completed"
So.. I'm going to have to reread Fragments, then have my heart beaten to a pulp by Without a Hive again before I fully tackle this one seeing as I like to read things in one shot. Rip feels.
Grats on the trilogy finish! Give me a few days, I'll probably end up screaming in the comments or something. But first, to download it to my kindle before I sleep.
Thank you for this.
Alondro hisses and draws his conveniently long black cloak over his face, "Blah! Fungus! My one weakness! Clearly these cherngelerngs are the most dangerous enemies of them all!" He then happens upon a mushroom farmer in rural Pennsylvania and beats the crap out of the 'vile fiend' manufacturing deadly biological weapons designed solely to destroy him.
Because really, as if it's believable that anyone eats those nasty, rubbery things by choice!
And now Twilight, the immortal alicorn, knows that indeed she can never trust Chrysalis completely. Sayyy... maybe Agent Sweetie Drops can take her out eventually in a carefully planned covert op, Twilight might think. She might decide that Equestria's enemies are simply too dangerous to leave untended to after all. She might create a Canterlot Intelligence Agency to install Equestria-friendly dictators, which will then backfire and give rise to fanatical radical elements and the need to fight those very dictators... but then the CIA becomes so powerful and in possession of so much blackmail material that even the Princesses can't disband them for fear of the chaos they could create... especially since they put Discord in charge of the agency. Boy, was that ever a mistake!
Seriously, Chrysalis... look what you're gloating has caused! Now there are griffon jihadists eating pony hearts on Youtube and suicide dragons crashing into the Manehattan Trade Towers, not to mention the fanatical minotaur warriors stomping out your own changelings!
Law of unintended consequences, lol.
Or this: "I wo-GLLRKK!!!" Chrysalis looked down to see a jagged lump of rock surrounded by purple magical sparkly cloud stuff sticking out of her chest. "Oh yeah... telekinesis... while gloating, I forgot magic could do that... huh, in retrospect there were a lot of ways this could have gone south... my bad." She dies.
While the ending felt a bit rushed (ok ok... i just want more Nictis/Spark love damnit!) I really enjoyed this story and its predecessors. What started as a simple changeling thrown into a world he (she as Meadow song) wasn't really ready for spiraled into one where Changelings could be something more than simply love thieves. While the other lings also got their own perks and specialness Nictis really grew on me, so it will be sad to see his and the other lings story end. Still, I thank you as the author for one of my favorite Changeling fics and await your next story (with out without Nictis and Spark loving... though hopefully with
)
mfw a new way updates
orig02.deviantart.net/8302/f/2013/003/a/b/new_year_changeling_by_zimvader42-d5qazta.png
mfw i see the end
orig03.deviantart.net/adf6/f/2013/045/f/0/sad_changeling_by_ackdari-d5uxv5n.png
This whole story and the two before it were absolutely wonderful. I'm really going to miss them now that they are over.
I would definitely like to see you do more with this material, but I agree that this is a great place to wrap things up for this series. Everything is fairly well wrapped up, it is clear Chrysalis is on board and working to get things fully smoothed out, and the character arcs are all fairly well taken care of. You could still go back and fill in some background material here and there with details like a one-shot showing how Cara made his decision to leave the hive or a longer story showing Chittri's side of things (this could be really interesting if you do it right), although I think the best strategy might be to do something different in the same universe to give continuity without needing to come up with another storyline for this cast of characters.
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Yeah, I am kind of tempted to eventually do some side-story to all this, at some point. We'll see.
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Dawww... get that one some extra love, quick!
And thank you to everyone else, too, even if I haven't replied to you!
6409530 Cool, I'm really looking forward to it. I think it would be absolutely fascinating to see how things looked from the other side here, especially because we would get to see who Sapphire was which should really add a lot more weight to his death.
Also, it might be fun to see Glitterbug's first meeting with Sky at some point. I can just see that being all kinds of hilariously awkward and creepy, especially if he mistakes her interest for something sexual due to its intensity.
It always saddens me to see such great stories like this end, yet also joy to see that everything worked out in the end.
I've always loved infiltration type stories and, since coming to FIMfiction, well done love stories. I think you've fulfilled both aspects very well, but you definitely have enough leftover material for a fic involving the pony/changeling love relationships in your universe. I'd personally prefer a story that at least includes the 2 main shippings in this story, seeing as you've given us a cliffhanger for their relationship. But it would still be fun to read about others, like maybe Cara falling for Fluttershy, or something with completely new characters.
Such a long road this has been, but I am glad to have walked it.
Thank you for showing the way.
The end? awww... well, what a ride :) I eagerly await your next one!
Sad to see th story end, glad to see it end in such a manner, where you can have them riding off into the sunset, ro to be continued, or even next time, Phoenix suffers a white wash.
I still think anyone dealing with Equestria, should have one small rule written in. Each morning, they will open up the totally sealed and personally locked lunch box, and eat the cupcake within.
It would be kind of neat to see how things have changed 20 years in the future. It'd probably be OOC, but at least in my head I'm imagining Chrysalis finally badly/awkwardly apologizing to Cadence/Shining for the wedding.