Bound to Darkness

by asylum1388

Chapter 5

Flowing blood.

To Celestia, it was the first indication that something had changed. The curse had stopped her heartbeat, so the wound Chrysalis had inflicted on her had never bled. But now she could feel the warm fluid pouring freely over her back and for once in her life, she was grateful for the painful sensation of it slipping out.

She tried to move, but found herself impossibly stiff. She didn’t have time to ease herself into motion; she had to move. Groaning with the strain, she first managed to twitch, then even bend her leg.

“D-did she just move?”

“Oh, hells, she did! Princess Luna too!”

She blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Then, with a monumental effort, she managed to get a leg beneath herself and roll over onto her belly.

“Shit, what do we do?”

“Kill the hostages! The queen said leave none of them alive!”

Celestia’s muscles screamed with pain as she pushed herself upright, panicing at the changelings’ words, but before she could even turn her head in their direction, a deafening crack shook the room. All seven changelings slammed hard into the opposite wall and slid to the floor in a crumpled heap.

She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to see Luna seething at the changelings from her own spot on the floor, a disturbingly familiar shadow stirring in her eyes.

“Y-you will not hurt them again! I will kill you first!” As she began charging up a second spell, Celestia lunged in her direction and gently placed a hoof on her sister’s.

“L-Luna, stop, please! They are beaten,” she croaked. Luna shot her a furious glare for a moment before softening at the sight of Celestia’s expression and took a deep breath, shaking her head.

Rarity rushed to her side, and Pinkie Pie to Luna’s as Twilight Velvet made straight for the hole Twilight and Chrysalis had made. Velvet danced agitatedly as Rarity helped Celestia to her hooves, glancing quickly between the alicorn and the hole. “P-princess, please! I-”

“I will bring her back, Twilight Velvet, I swear it,” Celestia interrupted tiredly.

“T-thank you...”

Celestia stepped warily over to the dark portal and stared down momentarily before glancing back at Luna.

“I will be along shortly, sister. First I would bind the changelings to ensure that they remain harmless while we search for Twilight,” Luna muttered, motioning Celestia on.

Celestia nodded grimly and leapt through the gap. Lighting her horn, she soared carefully down the slope and heard Luna catch up to her just as she entered a narrow tunnel. Her heart was racing and her breath shallow, nervous that she’d never find Twilight in the massive caverns, but the feeling was quickly replaced by dread as the signs of battle became more and more pronounced. Flying faster with each pile of rubble she passed, she simply followed the carnage until she spotted two bodies lying on the stone.

She dove down, slamming into the ground and skidding to a stop over the changeling body. Slowly and carefully she laid a hoof on it and flinched when it moved. “T-twilight?”

Trembling, the changeling gazed up at her with a haunted stare and Celestia broke down, hugging her tight. “I-I’m sorry, Twilight. I should have recognized you. I let my anger blind me to the truth. I am so sorry!”

Weeping, she cradled Twilight to her chest, allowing her apprentice to silently curl up against her as Luna landed to inspect the other body. Celestia watched her sister mournfully for a minute before speaking again. “Luna?”

The Princess of the Night glanced at her over her shoulder momentarily before returning her stare back to the body. She sighed and shook her head. Her heart sinking, Celestia choked back a sob and buried her face in Twilight’s mane.

“Twilight, what were you thinking?” Luna asked sadly, leaning up against Twilight and stroking her back comfortingly.

“S-she was going to kill you! I had no choice!” Twilight wailed, beginning to cry openly.

“Shhh, Twilight, it’s okay,” Celestia whispered. “It’s going to be alright. She can’t hurt anypony ever again.”

“We’re proud of you, Twilight,” Luna murmured as she pulled Twilight closer, tears flowing down both their muzzles.

They let her cry until her bawls faded to mere sniffles before Celestia pulled her away again, rubbing her shoulders tenderly. “Twilight, listen to me. Everything’s going to be alright, I promise. We’ll find what we can of Spike and give him the proper burial he deserves; but right now, we need to go back to the castle. Everypony’s really worried and they’re waiting for us to return.”

Twilight stared blankly at her for the few seconds it took for her words to register and nodded. Celestia smiled and offered her a hoof as Luna stepped over to Twilight's lifeless body, lifted it with a spell and gently draped it across her back. She leaned into Celestia and whispered, "You guide her out; I believe that Twilight has been traumatized enough today without having to stare at... this the entire way back."

Celestia nodded before turning back to Twilight. "Come, my little pony. Just do as I do and you'll be fine."

The three of them took off, making their way through the caverns and back to the tunnel Twilight chased Chrysalis through. They ascended the slope and carefully swooped through the hole Twilight made when she had initially attacked Chrysalis.

As they landed, Twilight's mother bounded over to her and hugged her tight, the room breathing a collective sigh of relief that died in the air as Luna entered and carefully deposited Twilight’s body on the floor. Nopony in the room moved for nearly a full minute before Twilight’s mom stumbled over to the corpse, touched it once, and broke down into tears.

“W-what in tarnation happened down there?” Applejack asked as she and Twilight’s father moved to comfort the grieving mare.

“Faced with no other option, Twilight made a difficult choice,” Luna muttered cryptically.

“The queen... Chrysalis had Twilight’s back to the wall,” Celestia sighed. “The only way for Twilight to ensure our safety was to immediately break the Blood Bind, and the only way for her to accomplish that was to end Chrysalis’ life.”

“S-so it was either your body or us,” Rarity murmured, stepping slowly up to Twilight. With a sob, she threw her hooves around her friend.

No sooner had Rarity spoke than the rest of Twilight’s friends and family moved in to hug her. They remained that way for a few minutes before Celestia spoke up. “Everypony, I know that we are all in a highly emotional state and that we are all hurting, but I fear that we are not done yet. Twilight, Luna, and I must discuss what is to be done with the surviving changelings. I would also very much like for Rainbow Dash and Applejack to have their wounds treated. If you would all please move upstairs, we will join you shortly.”

Twilight’s friends and parents all nodded sadly and slowly made their way out, leaving Twilight and the princesses alone.

“So, Twilight, what do you want me to do with them?” Luna asked agitatedly. Twilight raised her head to see Luna glaring at the seven remaining changeling soldiers, each pinned to the dungeon was in uncomfortably contorted positions by solidified shadows.

Twilight stared at them and felt a hot flash of anger well up in her chest. She stood up and stomped over to the one in the center and leered at her. “I recognize this one. 2,987. She helped me when I was stuck in their burrow.” Twilight leaned towards the drone with a threatening sneer. “Let her down.”

The shadows dispersed and Twilight drove a hoof into 29-87’s gut, sending the soldier sprawling across the ground. “P-please, your dragon-”

“Don’t you dare speak of him!” Twilight shrieked, throwing a kick into the drone’s jaw.

“N-no, please!” 29-87 gasped. “We didn’t have anything to do with that. He was dead long before she ambushed you at the hive! We-”

“You think that’s all I’m upset about?” Twilight interrupted hysterically, kicking her again and again. “I was kidnapped, tortured, my friends and family were almost killed, and now I’m stuck like this; all because you betrayed me!”

“We didn’t have a choice. We—”

“Don’t lie!” Twilight screamed, pressing a choking hoof on 29-87’s throat. “The rest of the hive had a choice and they chose to stay with me! I thought you were my friend. We were going to try for peace between our people, and you just threw it away!”

“Twilight, that’s enough. Hurting her will not change what’s been done,” Celestia interrupted softly, gently placing a hoof of Twilight’s shoulder.

Twilight wheeled around at her with a glare. “Princess, you can’t ask me to just forgive her for what she’s done.”

“That is exactly what I am asking of you, Twilight,” Celestia replied softly. “Rage and hate are like poisons, Twilight, you must let go.”

“I-I know that,” Twilight stuttered, grinding her teeth. “I just... I can’t. I’m so angry that it hurts and I just want to make her hurt!”

“I understand that, Twilight, but that isn’t who you are,” Celestia said urgingly. “This drone has played a part in a grave injustice inflicted upon you, and your hurt and anger are clouding your judgment. Causing her pain will do nothing to alleviate your own, and you will regret it later. Do not become like the monster you just destroyed.“

Twilight hung her head, feeling thoroughly ashamed. “I want to let go, I really do, but I just can’t!” she replied tearfully.

“Over time, the pain will fade and perhaps then you will find yourself able to forgive,” Celestia smiled, hugging Twilight with one hoof. “In the meantime, I am here for you.”

As Twilight leaned into the hug, she felt something brush against her forelegs and opened her eyes to see 37-22 staring up at her with eyes full of concern. "We go home now?"

"H-home?" Twilight whimpered.

"Back to the nest?" the drone asked timidly, hopefully.

"The nest? B-b-but this isn't how it was supposed to be! Everything was supposed to be back to normal, not messed up forever," Twilight whined. The full implications of the day's events stormed into her mind, but her complaints died in her throat as 37-22's emotions leaked into her thoughts.

"Queen doesn't want the hive?" It was more of a statement than a question. The drone understood that Twilight hated the thought of returning to the nest, but didn't understand why. Confusion, fear, and despair swam through her head, and Twilight could feel all of it.

"No, that's not what I meant! I mean I..." Twilight stammered, trailing off helplessly. She gave Celestia a pleading glance, but the alicorn was only able to return it with a weak shrug. She glanced back to 37-22 and sighed. "Ju-just wait here..."

She stood up and turned around, towering over 29-87 and growled. "You. Up. Now."

The injured soldier slowly clambered to her hooves and faced Twilight with a pained bow. Twilight pointed sharply at a nearby isolation cell and 29-87 limped into it fearfully. Twilight glanced at Celestia and gestured for her to follow before entering the cell herself.

She waited for Celestia to enter before trying to slam the solid steel door shut, only for it to bounce off Luna’s hoof. She gave Twilight a disapproving frown and closed the door softly as Celestia shot a luminous orb into one of the corners. Giving 29-87 a disgusted glance, Twilight began pacing angrily across the cell.

"P-please, my queen I beg you," 29-87 whimpered, trembling violently. Twilight shot her a venomous glare and she shrank back. "Please make it quick. It's all I ask."

"I'm not going to kill you," Twilight grumbled quietly.

"Mercy... She is merciful," 29-87 breathed, collapsing to her haunches. "Thank—"

"I said that I wasn't going to kill you, not that I'm forgiving you. So stand up, shut up, and do as you're told!" Twilight snarled, stomping towards 29-87 and prodding her in the chest. The drone snapped back to her hooves and shot to attention as Twilight resumed her pacing.

The former unicorn shot her a few additional glares before speaking again. "I'm going to ask you a series of questions. You're going to answer either 'yes' or 'no' unless I specifically ask for more information. Not a word otherwise; got it?"

"Y-yes," the changeling croaked.

"Chrysalis is dead. That makes me the sole ruler of the hive, correct?" Twilight grumbled, glancing quickly over her shoulder to ensure that the princesses were watching.

"Yes."

"The sole undisputed ruler? No chances of a succession crisis or revolt?"

"Yes," 29-87 murmured with a nod.

"Good," Twilight grunted. "Now here's the big question: if I left the hive to its own devices, would it survive?"

"No."

The abrupt bluntness of the soldier's reply stopped Twilight in her tracks and she turned to stare at her. "What if I ensured that the hive was protected and its needs filled?"

"Still no."

Twilight frowned at her, confused. "Why not?"

"W-well, among changelings, the queen is the hive," 29-87 explained quickly. "She may not manage each and every task, but she provides us with direction and purpose." She glanced nervously between Twilight and the princesses. "A hive without a queen would just... exist! We'd go through the motions of life, but it'd be aimless."

"Like a brain-dead pony on life support. Not dead, but also not alive," Luna muttered. "I wouldn't wish that on anything. I imagine that members of the hive would eventually just lie down and wait for death, having lost the will to live."

29-87 nodded grimly. "A-and even if we didn't become too depressed to work, the collective hive would die anyway; only a queen can produce new drones. We'd have six or seven years. Fewer if the foragers die first."

"I see," Twilight grunted through pursed lips. "Okay, now I want to know about feeding. When changelings drain love from ponies, what exactly happens to the pony?"

"We don't actually drain love, we just absorb it," 29-87 inserted before withering under three pairs of suspicious eyes. She continued insistently, as if begging them to believe her. "Sentient beings give off emotional energy and changelings are sensitive to it. That's how we can— how you can— sense what others are feeling," she stated directly at Twilight. "When we feed, we just suck up the love that's already being directed at us; like a sponge!"

"So it doesn't hurt the pony at all?" Celestia asked skeptically. "No adverse effects?"

"...No."

"You hesitated," Twilight growled threateningly. "Why?"

"I-it doesn't affect the pony, but if a changeling feeds off of a single pony long enough, that'll become attuned to that pony's emotions and it'll be easier for them to hypnotize that pony," 29-97 muttered guiltily. "But that's an effect on the changeling, not the pony."

Twilight nodded. She paused for a few seconds, grinding her teeth. "I've got one last question, and it’s the most important one yet. I want you to think about it before you answer me. Really think about it; got it?"

29-87 nodded slowly and Twilight spoke slowly and deliberately. "Is is possible for a changeling hive to live alongside ponies without negatively affecting them?"

The soldier's eyes flicked between her interrogators, and she opened her mouth slowly. "...Yes."

"Get out."

The cell door slid open and 29-87 gave Twilight an incredulous glance before retreating through. The door slammed shut again and Twilight let out the breath she had been holding, staring at the ground pensively. Celestia and Luna exchanged worried frowns and stepped up to her.

"'Tis a cruel choice fate has laid before you, Twilight Sparkle," Luna breathed tenderly. She lifted up Twilight's chin to look into her eyes. "But nonetheless, you have a choice! You don't owe them anything."

"My sister's right, Twilight. After all that's happened, you are entitled to walk away and return to your old life as much as is possible," Celestia cooed.

"...No. No I can't," Twilight sniffed.

"Twilight, you can walk away. Nopony will judge you for it," Celestia replied insistently. "You have a choice!"

"No I don't. Most of them are no more mature than foals and they've spent their lives scared and hungry," Twilight mumbled. "Even if nopony else would judge me, I don't think I could live with myself if I left them to die."

The Princesses shared another pair of frowns before Celestia spoke again. “If that is what you’ve decided, then we will support you. However we can.”

“Agreed,” Luna muttered. “And Twilight? For what it’s worth, I believe that you are doing the right thing.”

Twilight sighed. After taking a minute to collect herself, she opened the door and the three filed out. Twilight slowly stepped up to 37-22 and leaned down. “I have a few more things I need to take care of here. After that, do you think you could lead me back to the nest?”

First confusion, then joy, and, finally, excitement flashed across the drone’s face and through Twilight’s mind. “Queen’s coming home?”

Twilight simply nodded her reply and 37-22 bowed deeply to her. She stood back to her full height and gave Luna a nod. The alicorn dismissed her spell and the other six soldiers fell to the ground gracelessly, taking a few seconds to get their bearings before standing to face her. “Okay, listen up, because I’m only going to say this once,” she barked. “I am Twilight Sparkle, Queen of this hive. While I am certainly furious with the six of you, I feel it’s in the best interests of all to put the past behind us. As such, I will mete no punishment to those who follow orders and serve me as you served your former queen. Understood?”

The six nodded in unison and snapped to attention.

“Good. Your first orders are to go upstairs and apologize to the guards you hurt today,” Twilight spat forcefully. “After that you are to clean up the mess you made, then go right back to the nest. The rest of the hive is there, scared and defenseless.”

The soldiers all gaped at her incredulously, but slowly made their way towards the staircase, looking over their shoulders at her the entire way. When they were completely out of view, Twilight turned to 29-87 and frowned. “You, on the other hoof, aren’t so lucky.”

29-87 grimaced and bowed her head, fear. “What additional punishments do you deem necessary, my Queen?”

“You punishment is that I’m making you my personal assistant from here on out,” Twilight stated.

“B-but I’m a soldier!” 29-87 whimpered.

“Maybe so, but you’re done soldiering from now on,” Twilight snapped, immediately regretting it. She softened her expression and spoke quieter. “Listen, I’m in way over my head here and I’m going to need help. I’m a changeling queen who knows next to nothing about changelings and I don’t want to cause the hive any further harm. I know that you’re intelligent, dedicated, and that you care deeply about your sisters, so I want you at my side to guide me. Besides, I don’t trust you to protect me, so if you can’t be my steward, you’re useless to me. Understand?”

Twilight offered the drone a hoof, and 29-87 touched it tenderly before bowing. “I-I can accept that. I guess...”

“Good. Our first order of business when we get back to the nest will be to go over everything. And I mean everything. We’re going to review every rule, regulation, law, or policy Chrysalis ever made, and anything I don’t like will be changed immediately.”

“As you wish, my Queen,” 29-87 grunted.

“And I’m starting by giving you all names. This number system is seriously getting on my nerves,” Twilight grumbled. “From now on, you’re ‘Paenitet’.”

“Paenitet. What does that mean?” Paenitet asked, rolling her new nomen across her tongue.

“It means ‘regret’ in the language of the ancient Roamans,” Twilight said with a nod. “As I said before, I haven’t forgiven you yet. I want you to remember how I became your queen, and how you could’ve prevented all this. Once you’ve earned my forgiveness, then I’ll give you a new name.”

“Oh, oh! I get one too?” 37-22 asked excitedly, bouncing up and down in a very Pinkie Pie-ish manner.

“Yes, you get one too,” Twilight giggled. “You’re ‘Amica’. It means ‘friend’.”

Amica stopped bouncing and cocked her head at Twilight. “Amica, Amica... I like!.”

“Good. Now why don’t you two go upstairs and see a medic? I’d like you both looked at, especially you, Paenitet,” Twilight said with a guilty twitch. As they left, she turned to Celestia and gave an exhausted sigh.

“This is going to be a paperwork nightmare,” Celestia grumbled. “First Luna and I have to go put out all the proverbial fires that started over the past few days, then we’ll need to come up with a cover story to explain your disappearance; we’ll also need to draft up pardon letters for your hive... Hey, Luna could you— Luna? Where did she go?” Celestia quickly glanced around the now empty room before shouting for her sister one more time. “Luna!”

“What?” the night princess groaned, her head appearing from the stairwell.

“There’s much to be done. Can—”

“No, I can’t. I’m busy.”

“With what?”

“Well, as Twilight said, she’s going to need help, so that help I intend to provide,” Luna retorted smugly. “First I am going to secure food aid for Twilight’s starving brood and organize a caravan. After that I am going to go over Equestria’s various geological maps to locate a more suitable location for their burrow.”

“We have a perfectly good nest already, why dig another?” Twilight asked blandly.

“Because it would be much easier for us to help you if your nest was more conveniently located,” Luna nodded. “Sending caravans to the badlands every time you need something is quite impractical.”

“Wonderful idea, Luna,” Celestia proclaimed.

“Then I shall get to it,” Luna stated, disappearing up the staircase again.

“After all these years, her sharpness still manages to surprise me at times,” Celestia mused, turning to her faithful student. “I guess this means I get all the boring stuff for myself.”

Comments

[M00nb34m]

I saw this coming a mile off. As sad I am her old body had to go, I'm glad the Changelings ended up with Queen Sparkle!

[Admiral_Gravleos]

All Hail Queen Sparkle!

[Bromad]

Way to take two for the team, Sparkle.