Safer Sombra

by Majin Syeekoh

Into The Hive

Luna, Twilight, and Fluttershy approached the entrance to the Hive, hollowed out in a cave. Two changelings buzzed over, ready to attack.

“Wait!” Luna cried out, “we have matters to discuss with your queen, matters of grave importance. Take us to her.”

The changelings, insect wings beating against their black carapaces, seemed to take this in. One of them then waved them in, ponies following. They trotted in, taking in the sights. There were changelings everywhere, coughing up green acid to melt away sections of cave. There were changelings buzzing over eggs, pulsing with life. There were others that coughed up green goop in order to mortar sections of wall. Finally, they approached their goal.

Queen Chrysalis was sitting on a throne of mica, lounging in the blackness, her flowing green mane draping off the side. She then looked up at her guests, quickly sitting up, ”Why do you defile the sanctity of my Hive, ponies?”

Luna opened her mouth, when Twilight cut in, “Is that any way to treat a foreign dignitary on a diplomatic visit?”

Chrysalis looked around and said, “I don’t know. We don’t get very many...guests, you see, being branded as monsters and all,” her wings flitting when she said ‘monsters’ , “Now, why are you here?”

Luna said, “We need your help to dispatch a most terrible foe.”

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow, “What manner of foe would vex even the great...Celestia?” she spat out.

“Well, his name is Sephiroth, but he has been fused with Sombra...Fluttershy has taken to calling him Safer Sombra,” Luna said, “and we believe he has captured Celestia and has taken Cadance under his thrall.”

“So Canterlot is undefended right now?” Chrysalis asked.

“Did you not hear what I said? All of Equestria is undefended right now! Even your hive!”

Chrysalis pondered this for a moment, “I suppose. But what’s in it for me? And how do you plan on having me defeat this vexatious foe?”

Luna looked away, “It would require casting an..amufrycrm...”

Chrysalis leaned in closer, “What was that, dear Luna?”

Luna roared, “THAT IS PRINCESS LUNA TO YOU, INSECT!!!”

Chrysalis laughed with glee, “Now that’s what I was expecting from the ruler of the city I attacked!”

Luna said, “Um, sorry, we forgot ourselves.”

Fluttershy spoke up, “Um, Ms. Chrysalis, we really need your help to defeat Safer Sombra, but that would require casting an Amatory Charm on you, so if you please help us, that’d be great.”

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow at that, “An...Amatory Charm?”

“Yes, Queen Chrysalis,” Twilight said, “since we figure that you feed off of love, all of that love might give you enough power to defeat Safer Sombra.”

Chrysalis pondered on that, “And what’s the catch?”

“In order to prevent further hostilities against Equestria, we would require you to swear an oath of fealty to the Equestrian Empire.” Luna said.

Chrysalis smarted at that, “I am a Queen! Why would I swear fealty to you ponies!?”

“If you don’t, no Amatory Charm for you,” Fluttershy cajoled.

Chrysalis sat there deep in thought. The ponies looked nervous, wondering if she would take their deal. They could almost see the gears whirring in her head as she thought it over.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” Chrysalis finally said as she came off of her mica throne, “So...how do we do this?”

Luna held out a hoof, “Well first, we touch hooves,” she said as Chrysalis touched her hoof, “and then you swear fealty to the Equestrian Empire.”

“Fine,” Chrysalis said, “I, Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, swear fealty to the Equestrian Empire,” and was then taken over by a sickly blue glow that sank into her as she started convulsing on the floor. Twilight grasped her with her magic, limbs stopping their wild flagellating but her eyelids kept twitching. Finally, Twilight let go, Chrysalis slumping onto the ground unceremoniously. Chrysalis blinked a couple of times, then slowly stood up, “is this...love?” she asked as her mane and tale took on a glowing sheen.

“Yes,” Luna said, “that is the love my sister and us feel for all of our subjects.”

Chrysalis looked at Luna expectantly. Luna sighed, then her horn glowed blue and cast a glow over Chrysalis, it sinking into her form.

Twilight started blushing uncontrollably, as did Luna. Chrysalis could feel power exuding from her pores as she filled up with love. Strangely, she felt none from Fluttershy...at least none extra.

“That yellow one...she feels love for all creatures, doesn’t she?”

Luna was taken aback, “How could you possibly know this?”

“Because she is unaffected by the Amatory Charm’s magic. Trust me. After Cadance, I’m the world’s foremost expert on love and all of it’s delicious forms. And Fluttershy’s brand is most...vexing…”

“You seem to like that word,” Twilight said.

“What word?” Chrysalis said.

“Vex. You’ve used it quite a lot.”

Chrysalis blushed a shade of blue, “Well, one of the changelings learned it, and then EVERY changeling learned it, so it’s been buzzing around in my mind a lot, as it were...you know how it is being psychically linked to every one of your subjects…” She was met with blank stares, “Oh, right, you don’t. So point me in the direction of this Safer Sombra.”

Luna pointed, and Chrysalis took off like a rocket, blowing a hole in the ceiling. Luna, Fluttershy, and Twilight followed.

----

Safer Sombra was restlessly lying in bed with Cadance, trying to find a comfortable position. How these ponies with wings slept comfortably was beyond him. He sensed something and braced himself. Luna then blasted through a wall, Safer Sombra catching her and throwing her into the opposite wall, which Luna did a perfect three-point landing on, then rocketed towards Safer Sombra, who let loose a blast of dark magic at point blank range. Luna threw up a shield, the force of the impact throwing her back, then cast a beam of pure moonlight at him. He responded with his own beam, the two locked in combat. At this point Cadance was awake and stared at the battle in awe. Safer Sombra then overpowered Luna and flung her against the wall.

Safer Sombra wore a wicked grin and turned to Cadance, “Dearie, would you be a darling and dispatch of Luna for me?”

Cadance nodded and got out of bed, walking towards Luna. Luna looked up at her, pleading with her eyes, and Cadance winked. Cadance then said, “I, Princess Cadance, send you away from the Crystal Empire, never to return!”

Safer Sombra facehooved, “No, honey, I mean dispose of her!”

Cadance nodded as she picked up Luna, dangling her out a window. Safer Sombra facehooved again, “No, not like that! She’ll just fly back in! I want you to kill her! Maim her! Eviscerate her!”

Cadance nodded sadly as she dropped Luna, “I’m sorry, Luna.”

“We know, dearest niece. Be prepared for arduous battle!” Luna cried as she flew away, Cadance following her.

Safer Sombra smiled, pleased at the solution he had found to his situation. Suddenly, the entire top of the castle was blown off with a green wave of light, which Safer Sombra barely ducked under. When he looked to the source of the blast, he saw a black alicorn with insect wings and holes in her legs floating in the sky, glowing with a sickly green aura, her green mane and tail absolutely shining in the night.

“What are you, foul creature!?” Sombra yelled.

“I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings! Kneel before me and DESPAIR!”