Chapter 4
Cheersalis
“Thank you,” Iqqel said, putting the cup away. “During a night the changeling confesses to the Speaker, telling him about his choices for life. The chances are that he or she already knows that prior to the Ceremony, but this is our way of formalizing those choices. After the night the changeling emerges from the Hall of Names and is henceforth considered an adult member of the Hive.”
“It’s pretty complicated,” Twilight admitted. “And what about the eyes? Could you please give me some examples to work with?”
“I can tell you about mine,” Iqqel said. “As a drone who was always more comfortable with my feminine traits, I also felt my talents revolved around helping others through what I could say to them. I enjoyed that more than anything else, and in time I realized it was my destiny to dedicate myself to the Speaker Caste. It took me quite some time of walking around the Hall to choose my name, but when I finally found it, I closed my eyes and spoke my vow: ‘Yesterday a drone, tomorrow Lili-Iqqel of the Speaker Caste’. When I opened my eyes, my confessor said they turned violet.”
“Just like that, your eyes turning different?” Twilight frowned. “How exactly does it work?”
“We can’t explain that, Twilight,” Chrysalis cut in, subtly pointing at Twilight's flank with a six-pointed star on it. “Much like you can’t explain the mystery behind your cutie marks.”
“That’s a fair point, I admit! But what about you? Is it Chrysalis of Chrysa-Lis?”
Chrysalis treated herself an apple imported from the surface.
“I also went through the Ceremony of Names as a drone, many years ago,” she said. “Everything went just as in Iqqel’s case until I was to speak my vow. I did it, several times, but my eyes didn’t change into the color I expected. Nor did they remain white. They became black.”
Twilight’s own eyes widened in fascination.
“When the Speaker saw that he fell to the ground and kneeled before me. I initially didn’t understand that, but he explained that it is my destiny to became the next queen.”
“Wait a second,” Twilight could barely stay seated on her chair because of the rising excitement. “Are you telling me that you descended into that Hall of Names, that you had dreams and plans for your life, and your very identity almost fully shaped… and you were denied to assume it? And Chrysalis isn’t even your real name?”
Chrysalis smirked. She’d never expect that by telling about the beginnings of her Metamorphosis she could evoke such strong emotions. If it wasn’t so personal she’d tell Twilight the rest – that would certainly knock her over!
“It is as real as it can be, Twilight Sparkle,” she said instead. “For the changelings, a name we choose is a promise we make. A promise to ourselves, each other and the entire Hive. Though I did not become what I intended to become, I left my past self behind the moment I’ve sworn to lead and protect the Changeling Hive Chrysalis, assuming the name traditional for our queens.”
Then she sat up more comfortably, drinking down Twilight’s bedazzlement. If that wasn’t good enough presentation of how deep the changelings’ culture and caves were reaching, then she honestly wouldn’t know what else she could say. But it was apparently enough – for a few good seconds Twilight was staring blankly into her cup only to pour herself another glass of more stimulating drinks served on the table.
Now, for the grand finale, Chrysalis was going to inquire about the treaty. It was time for some hardcore diplomacy.
Out of the blue there was a sound of a party trumpet being heard. A flame-maned changeling flew into the room, spreading glitter and confetti all around the place. She had balloons fastened to her tail and streamers coming through the holes in her legs. When Chrysalis saw a triangular paper hat on her duplicate’s head, she became fully convinced that despite her precise instructions a walking disgrace to her body had just entered the ballroom.
“Hellooo, everyone!” she waved her hoof sweeping around all the guests, then shook her tail to release the balloons into the air. “Sorry I’m late but the reception down there was awesome! The changelings surely know how to party, don’t you agree, Queen Chryssi?”
Both Twilight’s Royal Guards and Chrysalis’ Spire Guards reacted at a commendable pace, the pegasi standing in front of their princess, and the changelings rushing at the newcomer.
“Wait!” Chrysalis commanded, to which the changelings stopped, still throwing angry stares at the duplicate. She cleaned the edges of her mouth with an amaranth napkin and turned to the alicorn mare, standing up. “Excuse us for a moment.”
She couldn’t act suspiciously towards the duplicate – not with Twilight around, ready to condemn her little experiment. She knew that with a single spell Twilight could learn about the arcane nature of the Chrysalis look-alike.
Chrysalis grabbed her duplicate’s tail and dragged her across the ballroom while she just kept fluttering her wings and smiling joyfully. They disappeared in an adjacent chamber as Chrysalis slammed the door shut with her magic.
“What are you doing here? What is this?” she hissed, knocking the ridiculous paper hat out of the ludicrously smiling head of her duplicate. “I told you to stay away from the Spire until the Equestrians will be gone!”
The other changeling, apparently oblivious to Chrysalis’ words, grabbed the hat and raised it to eye level.
“It’s a cool hat! You can turn it into a boat if you–”
“I will turn you into a boat!” Chrysalis cut her off, using magic to burn the paper hat down. “I’ll invent a new, into-boat-changing magic solely to test it on you! You’re nothing but trouble and you shouldn’t be here! Not when we’re this close to signing the treaty!”
The duplicate started pulling the colorful streamers from her legs.
“I love your new hairstyle, by the way,” she grabbed the pile of streamers with her mouth as if she was a cat carrying a kitten. “Do you want to accessorize it?”
“Argh!” Chrysalis wanted to strangle her duplicate. “Are you even listening? The Equestrian ambassador turned out to be Twilight Sparkle instead of some dumb pawn from Celestia’s court we’ve expected! If she starts sniffing we’re doomed!”
“Hey, and what’s exactly between us and Twilight Sparkle? Why don’t you want her to see me? Are you ashamed of me? Should I be ashamed of myself?”
Chrysalis had to put a hoof on her forehead to regain her self-control. She closed her eyes, took a couple of deep inhales and exhales, then looked at the duplicate who was just rearranging her orange mane into pigtails banded with streamers.
“Please, don’t be distracted for a moment and search through our memories,” she said, putting a hoof on the other changeling’s mouth. “As we both know, Twilight Sparkle is especially knowledgeable magic user and that she and Celestia had banned cloning magic because it is a, quote, ‘condemnable art leading only to abuse’."
There was a muffled comment being heard.
"Shush!" Chrysalis said, securing her counterpart's mouth even tighter. "We're too similar and she's smart enough, it will only take her one examining spell. If she realizes how you came to be, Equestria will start meddling with my magical studies. And you surely remember how many other questionable projects I have running at the moment?”
The duplicate just nodded, unable to say anything.
“She can’t find out, do you understand? Just this once, focus and say that you understand how important this is,” she said, taking her hooves away.
“Sure!” the other changeling exclaimed happily. “So, are we returning to the feast or not?”
“Oh, what a brilliant idea!” Chrysalis rolled her eyes, feeling utterly defeated. “And what we will tell them, hmm? ‘Hey Twilight, here’s my clone, go say hello’?”
“That’s– you’re right, that’s a big problem!” the orange-maned changeling replied, nodding with seriousness written all over her face. She started playing with the streamers in her mane. “But why would you want to tell her the truth? Don’t you know somebody who excels in deception, lies and fabricating the truth?”
Chrysalis touched her green scrunches and smacked her head, then both changelings smiled at each other deviously.
Half a minute later Chrysalises stepped back to the ballroom where confused changelings and Equestrians were anticipating their return.
“Ambassador, caste representatives,” cerulean-maned Chrysalis wearing green scrunches addressed the group by the table. “I would like you to meet… uh… Cheersalis, who came from a faraway Hive Dontask reigned by the Queen Dontell. You probably never heard of either, but that’s okay. Don’t worry.”
Her voice sounded steady, but she was shuffling her hooves nervously, as if she couldn’t stand standing still. But beside Chrysalises, only one other individual in the ballroom could see that.
“She is a world-class specialist and has the academic degree in Non-Invasive Love Harvesting Methods. She had already gained respect and appreciation of our changelings, which is aweso– which is awe inspiring, and I hope that you’ll… uh… welcome her as I did.”
The other Chrysalis, with her orange mane decorated with streamers jumped to Twilight.
“Hello! It’s so nice to meet you!” she smiled widely, although her smile was slightly forced. Also her moves were rather odd, as if her body was used to walking with dignity instead of jumping like crazy. But again – beside Chrysalises there was only one individual that noticed that. “I heard that you’ll be signing the treaty and stuff and… I don’t know, celebrating that all night long! So I think you should sign it, what do you think?”
The alicorn squinted, then grabbed her cup in the magenta mist, drinking the beverege extremely slowly and strongly focusing on the orange-maned changeling. For Chrysalis it was obvious that Twilight was just using her magic to tell if the changeling introduced to her as Cheersalis was a regular creature or one of arcane origins. Hiding it behind holding a cup wasn’t as smart as you'd think, princess!
“Yes, I think we can sign the treaty now,” Twilight said after a while of that intensive stare. The mare put the cup away, seemingly disappointed – although beside Chrysalises only one other changeling in the ballroom spotted that.
Holding a rolled parchment and a quill dripped in a square inkwell, Iqeel approached the cerulean-maned Chrysalis, although her eyes were escaping towards Cheersalis. This time, however, only she was aware of that… and nobody else.
“My Queen… the Cultural Exchange Treaty,” she put the document at equal distance between Twilight and Chrysalis. The latter was about to reach for the quill. “No need for that,” Iqqel walked away before the quill would accidentally get covered with red, sparkling mist. She gave it to the lavender mare instead. “Your signature was already there, my Queen.”
Twilight grabbed the quill in her own magic.
“On behalf of the magical land of Equestria,” she began, “it is my great pleasure to announce that the Cultural Exchange Treaty between my nation and the Changeling Hive Chrysalis is now binding,” she scribed her name at the bottom of the parchment. “May it be the beginning of a beautiful relationship where ponies and changelings will stand together, learning what’s best in them from each other!”
The representatives cheered and raised their glasses in a toast, which the changelings in all clusters were going to repeat in the hours to come. Canterlot, Manehatten, Cloudsdale and all other places they had been dreaming about and waiting to visit were now open to them.
Still at the Spire ballroom, Queen Chrysalis of the Changeling Hive Chrysalis – the original one, although with the slightly altered appearance of her mane tied with colorful streamers – was once again blessing Iqqel in her thoughts. Her advisor did a commendable job.
As always.
* * *
Dear Princess Celestia,
It would seem that the Friendship Duplicate Spell that we dropped into the hooves of Queen Chrysalis’ oblivious agents was performed, even if she was trying to hide it behind her foreseeable deceit. I am certain that the duplicate introduced as ‘Cheersalis’ will bring the Magic of Friendship into their Hive. I believe that with a proper ‘encouragement’ from the cultural exchange program the changelings will develop a harmonized structure just as we calculated. Note: now that we’ve acquired more luminite crystals we should perfect the spell formula before bringing the Harmonica Initiative to the Griffin Kingdom.
You will have my full report as soon as I return to Canterlot.
Always your faithful student,
Princess Twilight Sparkle
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Hello and welcome to Cheersalis!
I came up with this silly idea in the shower, so please don't treat it too seriously. In short, it is a package with my headcanon on changelings, their society, naming convention and customs, conveniently wrapped with [Slice of Life] motives and some dose of randomness. It also contains some worldbuilding... and a one of two deceiving twists. It's a story about Queen Chrysalis, after all!
Once again, please don't overthink it - I simply needed to vent the changeling infestation off my system before returning to my current flagship. Enjoy!
No.
Bad Twilight.
Civilizations is not a good role model for how you're supposed to treat other countries!
Even if the Culture Victory is the most benevolent of the possible ways to 'win', you still shouldn't deliberately try to make another country that was obviously already functioning quite well(at least in this fic) the same as yours!
IT'S JUST AT 9000!!!!
okay, on read later list.
Looks to be a fun read.
They planted it... I guess mess with the ponies, they fight back with friendship... But damn! The Griffons are next.
3751597
It could have been worse, I guess - they could employ Gandhi's benevolent nukes!
*Twilight Sparkle has completed SS Booster*
Thanks for reading!
3752955
First the changelings, then the griffons... then the entire world!
I was expecting changeling Cheerilee
What a twist, good one. Didn't think that it will be so well done fic.
"By Deception Thou Shalt Make War" -- Motto of The Maressad, the Equestrian secret intelligence service
So, is this a bit of cultural imperialism or simply trying to influence the Changelings onto a less-harmful path without all the trouble of a huge invasion and a costly occupation that could last generations? Either way, it's smart. However, I do hope that the ponies do not destroy the unique aspects of the Changelings' culture in their attempt to shoehorn them into their culturally-specific concept of 'harmony'.
Add one word please.
)
Anywhere.....( there are 9000 words in this fic..... Make the reference.
3894917
I intentionally left if at exactly 9k in order not to make the reference.
That Friendship Duplicate Spell, FTW.
You know, this makes it sound rather dark and mindrapey... until you consider what they are actually doing... which is just throwing a Pinkie at them.
4022532
Technically, yes, it's just like Pinkie-fying the Hive. But is it morally right of the ponies to intervene behind the scenes like that, even if they consider it harmless or even proper? Food for thought.
4022784 ... They don't have to keep her. Chrysalis could just kill Cheeralis if having her morally dubious cloning project be really happy and upbeat is such a major problem for them.
Loving that cover art. That alone warrants a read! Will do as soon as I get that pic!
Chrysalis, see? You ARE funny!
4022532
4022784
I think throwing a Pinkie Pie in is brilliant! And I haven't even reached the part you're talking about yet!
4022784
4022532
Read to the end. I personally think that, despite the Princesses being responsible, just like of Twilight's spells, the whole 'love is magic' plan will backfire, as no matter which way you cut this brick of cheese, Cheersalis is still a Changeling. Yeah, she might spread love throughout the hive, but that will probably just result in lots of lazy Changelings.
Some of my OCs might learn a thing from Cheersalis, you know...
4281695
On average, the Princesses' plans (Twilight included) backfire, like, ninety percent of the time. So who knows what will the next day bring to those huggable changelings? Changes, that's for sure.
Thanks for giving this a read, and thanks for the follow!
4282389
Especially Twilights.
And no problem, also, THIS:
th03.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2014/100/3/0/100__prince_john_winter_approved_by_theprinceofthenorth-d7dz20j.jpg
I am amused at how the Ponies are quick to use magic of questionable morality on other species to get them to conform to their ideals.
4370480
I know, right? Sneaky little ponies are the worst!
Thanks for giving the story a read!
Wow, I knew ponies were arseholes, but this is too much. I think i should start recruiting changelings to try and take over Equestria again...
4541278
Protip: attempts to "take over Equestria" will give you guys bad press. Try "fighting for equal rights" instead, and we'll be drinking cocktails in Canterlot in no time!
4541485 but the ponies snuck in and tampered with the queens books for their own benefits. I'm not sure equal rights covers that.
Wait... The ending sound really fucked up for a comedy... I think this initiative... Is scary.
4709846
Hello and thanks for the fav!
Indeed, the names of the brides are ME references. I don't know, I was looking for short name-like words, preferably with a doubled letter, and I kinda remembered the Quarians and their Migrant Fleet.
As for the ending, I fear that Twilight's ongoing mission to teach everypony about friendship might have gotten out of hand...
Wow, that ending sure made things instantly terrifying...
4790855
Oh, but how can the noble act of bringing the magic of friendship to every corner of the world be terrifying? Unsettling, perhaps, but I'm sure that the Princesses will make sure everyone to feel great! Who needs freedom, anyway... when you have safety?
Thanks for giving the story a read!
4793104
Sorry for the double comment.
Great story, although I´m concerned about the methods to spread the magic of friendship. This seems so devious but also effective. It is obviously that this methods are a part of equestrian diplomacy at least into this universe, but if all conflicts are solved like this- to a certain degree with deviousness - what will happen when one nation find out what really happened? Would the gryphons pleased to be tricked like this?
BTW: Very good world building.
4869730
Thanks for giving it a read!
No nation would be happy if they found out that somepony's messing with their internal affairs. The question is, will they ever find out? I'm pretty sure that Celestia, having a 1000+ years of experience in leading a nation, is not going to slip that easily, especially when paired with our super-organized-and-rarely-wrong Twilight Sparkle. Truly, dark times are upon the world with the magic of friendship knocking on its doors!
I'm glad that you've enjoyed these world building bits. They were the whole reason behind writing the story in the first place.
This made the Repo Man happy
Yeeah, looks like both are exactly equally skilled in lies and deceit. About as convincingly as Chrysalis played Cadance in Canterlot
Pffhah. You insidious bastards. Did NOT see that coming
Remarks and corrections:
> Sorry I’m late by the reception down there was awesome!
Shouldn't that be "[but] the reception down there"?
> drinking the bevarege extremely slowly
"beverage"
5218525
So many comments!
Indeed, the changeling invasion was supposed to be a hostile takeover of the worlds' most efficient love factory! Sadly it failed, because Chrysalis skipped a couple of Cadance 101 classes.
Thanks for dropping by, thanks for pointing out the mistakes, and I'm glad to hear that you've enjoyed the twist at the end!
5333014
Hi, here's your clarification!
This happens a few years into the future of what we know from the series. I can best describe such point as "Chrysalis got wiser and is bored with conquest" and "Twilight is used to her role of a Princess, and has more equal relations with Celestia than just student-mentor type".
This was pretty silly and quite enjoyable.
Still not sure why chapter 3 ended the way it did, though. It wasn't much of a natural break at all.
Either you edited things, or you've been working on that story for almost a year. Does this mean the story's mostly finished already!?
5431176
Obviously they're wearing multiple sets of armor, you know, for protection. Don't question it. Shut up.
It started as a one-shot, but I felt 9k words was too heavy, so I split it into chapters.
That's simply because this story comes from the times of me being awfully concerned about the word count. You know, that primal urge to make everything even, equal, and shiny. Fortunately I've learned that one should focus on telling the story itself instead of adding words up to that so beautiful nine thousand.
Both are correct, actually. I'm experimenting with new method of self-promoting. I've edited the author's notes of some of my stories to let people know what I'm up to in the nearest future. That said, I've been working on DC since after I finished Of Lilies and Chestnuts, so yeah, almost a year of figuring out what I want to do. It's far from done, but the third chapter should land this Tuesday.
5432590
>replied almost 15 hours ago
>checks notifications
>no notification
I hate Fimfic sometimes.
I kinda like it.
You get a like just for the synopsis. Might become a fave if the rest of the story lives up to it.
5434916
Thank you, let me know if you enjoyed the story once you've read it.
Wow! That ending sure was a right hook of morally dubious behavior from our favorite cake eater and adorkable bookworm.
5451125
Sneaky ponies, aren't they? We can only wonder who else they dragged into this conspiracy.
5453647 The end is neigh!
Don't know why folks are so down on the ponies. Nopony forced Chrysalis to perform an illegal and untested spell from a stolen spellbook. That usually ends really, really well.
Fun story, thanks.
5525201
I guess Chryssi is too much of a researcher at heart to pass up opportunities like that, however morally ambiguous they may seem.
Glad you enjoyed the story, and you're welcome!
Interesting. I would have expected that being shapeshifters they just changed their color to match their choice. The cutie mark parallel is neat though.
5580068
The Great Wizards of Words has once again stumbled upon one of my stories!
Glad you liked the thing. I wanted to make the looks of my changelings vary a bit to liven up their society, but there wasn't much to work with aside from the eyes. Hence the colors. Also, now that I think of it, I suppose they can change them at will, but they don't normally do that in their natural form - they're proud of who they have chosen to be.