The Curious Case of The Queen of Hearts

The Crystal Empire has a most peculiar trespasser one night, and with her the empire's past is revealed.

How will this affect the present? Or the future, for that matter?

Princess Cadance doesn't know, but she's determined to see it through to the end.

This is an exploration of a headcanon I've had about changelings for the longest while. Hopefully it doesn't prove
too absurd.

Also rated Teen, just to be on the safe side.

Chapters (1)

Comments ( 13 )

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Europa

Europa #1 · Feb 26th, 2014 · 1 · ·

Very interesting story, always like Chrysalis-redemption fics. Please update ASAP, and have a like.

rikusorasephiroth

rikusorasephiroth #2 · Feb 26th, 2014 · · ·

'She imaged Twilight would be especially interested.'
I'll assume you mean 'imagined.'

Moonton

Moonton #3 · Feb 26th, 2014 · · ·

4005595
Wow, good catch!
I don't know how we both managed to miss that.

Crosshair

Crosshair #4 · Feb 27th, 2014 · · ·

Wooooow. I never thought about this little twist. I hope it turns out interesting, cause I think it actually fits!

D48

D48 #5 · Feb 28th, 2014 · · ·

While the concept of the changelings being magically created feels a bit cheap to me (although not nearly as bad as the hive mind stupidity), you do seem to have some interesting ideas here so I will see where this goes. After all, you have not really cemented anything besides Chrysalis being the old ruler of the Crystal Empire so it is too early to pass judgement.

I have also done a bunch of work putting together some headcanon including some physiological nuts and bolts which I can post here or PM to you if you want, although it is too long for me to be comfortable dumping it here without your approval.

Moonton

Moonton #6 · Mar 6th, 2014 · 1 · ·

4013400
Go ahead! I'd love to hear them.

And I agree on the hive mind dislike. Nowadays it just feels lazy, an excuse to not bother thinking up character or culture by writing all of them (whoever 'they' may be) as mindless drones.

I do like bug puns, however.

D48

D48 #7 · Mar 7th, 2014 · · ·

4043630 Ok, you asked for it.

changeling physiology

size:
height (to top of head): .9~1.2m
mass: 30~50kg
this is slightly smaller than ponies, but not much

chitinous, segmented exoskeletons must be thick and strong to support weight
joints in particular have extremely high load bearing requirements
as a result, changeling joints are much more complicated than insect joints
have a bearing pin going fully through the inner layer with cushioning tissue around it
also serves as natural armor, however healing would be very slow like bone
the thickness of the exoskeleton would make molting a slow process
faces are a thiner, more pliable layer with a secondary skull-shell to protect the brain

must have large, well developed heart and lungs like a bird or bat with hemoglobin-based blood
different from terrestrial arthropods to allow larger bodies and increased neural activity

use dual tracheae to allow continuous unidirectional airflow (in the nose, out the mouth)
this allow exceptionally efficient O2/CO2 transfer beyond what birds are capable of
continuous exhale allows continuous talking or singing without stopping to breathe
this is made possible by the lack of a spinal column and reduced muscles
neck is fairly inflexible with just a pin at each end and rotary disks in the middle
disks are like the turret on a tank, but have short range of motion locked by bone pegs

have a small esophagus due to feeding primarily on emotions
stretches to accommodate food and restricts the tracheae
this forces them to quickly regurgitate any food in the esophagus if they have to fly

must have thermoregulation to maintain physiological efficiency and observed activity
can pump blood into the wings to act as radiators or solar collectors
also have sweat glands primarily around the head, back, and wing muscles
these are the highest heat generation areas, although there are some all over the body
this increases food and water requirements to mamal-like levels

senses:
must have excelent vision for flight, eyes are primary sensory input
eyes are adapted to see a lower radiation band than humans, can see near-IR but not blue
range is approximately 500 nm to 1400 nm
also have a secondary set of thermographic receptors to see approximately 9 to 10.5 µm
cornia reflects higher frequencies which makes the eyes appear blue in daylight
underneath the cornia, eyes are fairly typical, with a vertical slitted pupel
color varies between individuals with green, gold, and grey being most common
brown and red are rare but possible, but blue/violet are not due to cornia
"grey" can be blue/violet pigments or an IR-primary color in addition to true grey
all colors have varying shades, blends, irridesence, and so on
eyes may get a blue tint in moderate light from cornia
Chrysalis's eyes are damaged and lack this protection
this has damaged her eyes and ruined her night vision
this improves low-light vision, but requires larger eyes to get good resolution
also have tapetum lucidum for improved low-light vision
eyeshine is typically less pronounced than normal reflection off the cornea
hearing is also good, but not exceptional
touch is reasonably acute, but nowhere near human hands
primarily done through a thin skin layer with various sensory cells over exoskeleton
have relatively weak sense of smell because they rely on eyes for threat detection
however, they do have a number of specialized pheremone sensors to help identify emotions
taste is relatively strong to compensate for weak smell in detecting toxins
have an additional unique magic/emotion detecting sense
gives changelings an exceptional understanding of what nearby creatures are feeling
this also gives an exceptional awareness between changelings with two-way reading
this connection has been known to make outsiders think they have a hive mind

diet:
fairly standard omnivores like humans
as such, diet is fairly similar to humans in most ways allowing for regional avalibility

reproduction:
after mating, females lay a single very large egg which they protect in a gelatinous cocoon
eggs typically weigh about 3.5~4.5 kg or 10% of the mother's body weight
this egg is too large to fully develop inside the exoskeleton of the female
this forces the underside of their exoskeleton to open while the egg develops
females are mostly immobile during this timeframe and spend most of it on their side
incubation is usually a communal process when possible due to the required time and energy
in large communities/cities, there may be individuals who specialize in this
this workload may also be shared with trusted members of other species
parents still care for their individual offspring after birth
young are roughly comperable to human or pony infants uppon hatching
timeline after a sucessful mating:
shell opens at about 24 hours
egg is laid at about 72 hours, shell closes within minutes of release
egg hatches after about 8 months of incubation

magic/love energy:
changelings do not really eat love
they use it to get others to lower defenses so they can steal magic energy
changelings can do magic, but they must draw their power from their energy reserve
it takes at least a month to build up a full charge, and is usually much longer
holding more energy induces more losses to biological processes and less efficent storage
changelings can also make magic storage goo for long periods of time
this energy can all be released in a very short period of time if needed
this makes a well-fed changeling devestating in a fight, but recharging afterwards is slow
flying requires magic like pegasi
as such, a changeling with little or no magic cannot fly

msc:
changeling brains can "overclock" in high stress situations
this gives them excetional reaction time and makes the world look like bullet time
this lets them fly through close terrain at very high speeds

history:
changelings were closely associated with earth pony tribes to cover their weaknesses
changelings kept them from becoming slaves, but were hated by the other tribes for it
were initially part of Equestria and were critical to the military for their burst power
society in general shifted against them over time due to their shapeshifting
remained important to the military, were well respected by most old mil families and Luna
many changelings started going disguised at all times to avoid this prejudice
this in turn pushed more ponies away from them and made things worse
the mistreatment of changelings was part of what pushed Luna over the edge
changelings and most old families went with Luna, but the population stayed with Celestia
changelings were driven out after Luna was banished along with sympathetic ponies
Celestia and ponies erased them from history and cast them mosters along with Luna/NMM
changelings were forced to sneak around to gather love which renforced pony hatred of them
this made it very hard for them to survive so their population started slowly declining
this decay was what eventually forced Chrysalis into invading after diplomacy failed
she was hoping Luna would be able to turn things around, but it didn't happen

holes are in a pattern unique to individuals, serves as visual identification
(stolen from "Love Mine")

rikusorasephiroth