Chapter 3 - The Birds and the Bees
Flitter
Chapter Three
The Birds and the Bees
"Flitter?" Morning Rain asked.
"Yes, Morning Rain?" Flitter replied.
"Where are we going?"
Flitter stopped, and blinked. That morning, after some brief deliberation, they had decided to go to Trotsborough, where their son lived. But somewhere along the way they seemed to have deviated from that path. The odd thing was, he hadn't even noticed. Something was just driving him on.
He peered in the direction they were going in, and noticed thunderclouds in the distance. He looked at Morning Rain.
"That's the Everfree Forest, isn't it?" he said, somewhat perplexed.
"Wild, untamed... it sure looks like it," Morning Rain said. "So, can you please tell me why we seem to be going towards it?"
Flitter clenched his jaw. "My... hive is there. It's pulling me. Somehow." Now he realized it, he could actually feel the pull. An instinctual part of him, driving him home.
"Your hive?" Morning Rain said. "Is this some sort of home sickness?"
Flitter shook his head. "No. I guess it's normal. After reverting to his own form, a changeling is expected to return, and deliver the collected love."
"Eh, Flitter honey, you are a changeling. What's with the guessing?"
Flitter shook his head. "You have to understand, Swift Star was the first person I replaced! This is all new to me!"
"So wait, this love... you actually store it?" she said, frowning. "I thought you just lived on it."
Flitter shook his head. "To you, emotions are like tasting food. You taste them while eating the food, and then they're gone. To get the same taste again, you need more of the same food. To us... it is the food. The more we consume, the more we have. Any excess gets stored."
Morning Rain raised an eyebrow. "Like body fat?"
Flitter gave her a flat look. "Not the comparison I'd use, but, I guess it's an accurate one."
"Wow. After all these years, you must be one pudgy little changeling!" Morning Rain said, sounding somewhat impressed.
"...yes, yes I am," Flitter said, wishing he'd still have eyes he could roll. He missed having a pony body.
"So, how does that sort of thing normally work, then? You already told me you could survive on the primitive emotions of woodland creatures. Probably not comfortably, but still, it was enough. So, what's with the collecting, then? Why would the hive need—"
Her eyes widened as the realization hit her. She stared at Flitter. "It's reproduction, isn't it?"
That was the moment when Morning Rain found out that changelings can, in fact, blush.
"Let me get this straight," Morning Rain said, trying very hard not to laugh. "We've been married for twenty years, during which you've gotten very comfortable with the specifics of pony reproduction."
Flitter lowered his head, but said nothing.
"But the first mention of changeling reproduction has you blushing like a teenager?"
The changeling nodded quietly, which elicited another snort of laughter from the pegasus mare.
She walked up and nuzzled him. "So, how does it work, then? Is it much different from what we ponies do?"
"Um, well, not much, I guess," Flitter said, the red glow still lighting up his black face. "There's just an extra factor involved. Changeling eggs, even fertilized, don't develop unless they get stored love from the Queen. The transfer of love from the drones to the Queen is a rather... intimate affair. Or so I've been told. Apparently it strengthens the bond of the hive. I've never actually seen it."
Morning Rain frowned. "And... that's what you're going back for? An intimate affair with your Queen?"
"I don't know!" Flitter said, sounding desperate. "I don't know any of this. But this drive, this instinct to go back... it's overpowering. I can't ignore it. I'm carrying twenty years of stored love inside me! I imagine most changelings only manage a month or two on one trip! It's like a weight, a force, pulling me to the hive."
"So, what, you hope to deposit that, and then just get out?" Morning Rain said. She sounded somewhat concerned. "They might not let you return."
Flitter looked at her. "I'm not going in without you. Old Ways be damned. If I'm going there, I want you with me at all times."
"Even during that... intimate affair with the Queen?" she asked.
"Especially then!" he replied, sounding rather distressed. "This stuff freaks me out!"
She nuzzled him affectionately. "Don't worry, love. We'll figure it out."
* * *
The Everfree Forest was a scary place, for ponies. Plants growing, animals thriving, clouds moving, all by themselves. Some said it was the work of Discord. Some said it was a remnant of dark battle magic used by Nightmare Moon a thousand years ago. Others said ponies had simply tamed everything else, and this was just the collection of all the stuff they couldn't tame.
Either way, the forest was magnificent, both threatening and teeming with life. Flitter had no trouble fitting in. He was part of this forest. Part of the wild and scary side. He noticed that his insect wings made him much more maneuverable than Morning Rain's, since he could much more easily hover in place. But he waited for her. He would never leave her behind.
It was late in the evening when they finally reached a cave entrance, guarded by two changelings. They looked rather baffled to see the pair. Confused, they looked at each other, and then at Flitter. They said something in a buzzing language Morning Rain didn't understand. She threw him a questioning look.
"Hive speak. The one in the city actually tried it too, but I didn't understand his dialect." He turned to the changeling, and buzzed something back at him. The two looked even more confused now, but seemed to want to stop Flitter from getting through.
Unimpressed, Flitter buzzed something really short. The two changelings looked at him in amazement, and moved aside, letting both of them through. Flitter grinned.
"What'd you say to them?" Morning Rain asked.
Flitter smiled at her. "Twenty years. I don't know if they keep records, but I must've broken them anyway."
Morning Rain laughed, her voice echoing through the tunnels of the hive.
The hive looked nothing like what she'd expected. After the way the changelings had restrained ponies on the Canterlot streets, she thought it'd be a green glowy place filled with slime. Instead, it was quite dry, with the floor of the cave overgrown with a red mossy substance. Paper-like hexagonal structures stretched out in the caves, some of the hexagons closed off and filled with something yellow that emitted a warm glow. Tunnels going up and down were as frequent as those that stayed horizontal; the obvious advantage of a flying species.
When Flitter touched down on the moss-covered ground, Morning Rain followed his example. The moss felt dry on top, but damp when her hoof sank slightly into it. It was a pleasant cool feeling. She suspected the moss was used to store the hive's water.
Curious blue eyes, ranging in tones from steely dark to sky blue, looked out from the hexagonal structures as the pair made its way through the hive. A number of changelings excitedly buzzed around Flitter, seemingly asking him questions, and occasionally changing into Morning Rain's form. From the tone of Flitter's replies, Morning Rain could hear he was mostly shooing them away. Morning Rain felt rather weird when the transformed changelings started making excited sounds with her own voice.
"I didn't even say anything. How do they have my voice?" she whispered to Flitter.
He just smiled. "It's part of your form," he said. "We get it from your aura; the magical energy radiated by all living things. It's more than just your looks."
Morning Rain looked back at the flying copies of herself, and sighed. "Is it still far? This is kinda unnerving."
"No, it should be just up ahead," he said. Morning Rain saw that had to be taken rather literally; the tunnel went straight up.
* * *
The room they entered was not much different from any others they'd seen, except maybe for the fact it was much more sober. It didn't have any of the hexagonal structures Morning Rain had determined to be changeling dwellings, and was illuminated by just a pair of smaller light-emitting ones.
The figure sitting in the room, however, was nothing less than majestic. The changeling Queen was about as large as Celestia, with an odd chaotically curved horn, and multiple pairs of wings. She had an old look in her vibrant green eyes, but her body looked fit and strong. She eyed the pair with the curious kind look of a grandmother watching her grandfoals play.
"Flitter!" she said, her voice clear and without accent, but with the same odd buzzing undertone Flitter's voice had. "You have been gone for a long time."
"Queen Morphosai," Flitter said, bowing his head. "I have, indeed. And I don't intend to stay long."
The Queen curiously raised an eyebrow. "You are positively brimming with energy. I suspect the pony you brought with you is the cause?" She didn't wait for an answer, and turned to Morning Rain. "Yes... the bond did not break, when the form did. Most curious." She looked back to Flitter. "You are even supplying yourself, now."
Flitter shook his head. "I'm not. You can't produce love purely for yourself. It only works when we're together."
The Queen smiled. "And yet you store it, after radiating it to her. Most efficient." She once again turned to Morning Rain. "Hello, pony. My name is Morphosai, and I am Queen and Mother of this Hive. What is your name?"
"Uh... Morning Rain," the pegasus said, rather baffled. The Queen had a way of smoothly shifting between her actions that didn't permit others to say or do anything unless she wanted them to.
"Morning Rain," the Queen said immediately. "You have cared for my little Flitter for quite a long time." She smirked. "What does the future hold for you two, hmm?"
Again, she didn't wait for a reply. She shifted her attention back to Flitter, and briefly touched his horn with her own. Her eyes widened, and started to glow brightly. "So much... you must really want to keep her."
Flitter pulled his horn back in surprise, and glanced at Morning Rain. He was blushing.
The Queen laughed with an odd dual timbre. "Ah, so grown up, yet so inexperienced." She touched his horn again, this time keeping her eyes almost completely closed. A brilliant white light shone through the remaining slits. Flitter was blushing and breathing heavily. After what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only half a minute, the Queen pulled her horn back, closed her eyes, and slowly exhaled. Flitter staggered back.
The Queen nuzzled him affectionately, and gave him a seductive look. "Will you do the honour of fathering your love's children?" she asked.
Flitter stared at the Queen, slack-jawed. "No!" he yelled. He looked at Morning Rain, only to see her as baffled as himself. He quickly flew over to the dazed mare, and held her firmly in his hooves, looking for support.
The Queen sat down, a confused look on her face. "No?" She quickly recovered, and went back to her old smooth self. "Very well, some other male will provide. Why this odd reaction?"
With the situation defused, and Flitter at her side, Morning Rain snapped out her stupor. "Us ponies are, um, monogamous," she said. "Flitter gave me his vows. It kinda means I'm his one and only mate."
"Yes," the Queen said. "But he is a changeling. He made those vows in his changed form." Despite the remark on their 'unbroken bond', the Queen seemed to find it more than obvious that any promise made in a disguise was completely irrelevant.
"I still meant every word of it," Flitter said with a defiant look in his eyes. "My promise to her was completely my own."
The Queen seemed genuinely surprised about that. "You gave me your love storage, while you have a mate? I do not understand!"
Neither did Flitter. "Excuse me?"
"Only excess should be given to me," the Queen said. "Do you not want to father children, at all?"
"She's a pony. I thought ponies and changelings couldn't... uh, mix?"
"Only in disguise," the Queen said. "But changeling seed can bear no fruit without added love. You had twenty years of it."
Morning Rain looked at Flitter. "Did she just say we can have children? The two of us?"
Flitter blinked. "I think so. Though, I have no idea how to feed stored love to an unborn child. I thought it was the Queen's task."
"Any pair can do so," the Queen said. "The Hive has more females with eggs than just me."
"A half-pony, half-changeling," Morning Rain mused. "What would that even be like?"
The Queen smiled at them. "Who knows? Maybe a changeling with a real pony form. Maybe, a pony like any normal one. Or a changeling like any normal one. Maybe, something else." She looked at Flitter. "You have given me all your storage, though. You need some back, to make it work."
Morning Rain and Flitter shared an amused look, before looking back to the Queen.
"We'll make more," Flitter said, smiling. "Consider it a farewell gift."
"Plenty more where that came from," Morning Rain added, mimicking his smile. "Just give us a few months."
The Queen nodded. "I see. Yes... it will not take you long to gather enough." She walked out of the rather plain looking throne room, motioning the two to follow her into one of the dark tunnels behind it. Morning Rain immediately felt the atmosphere was more moist here. As they went deeper inside, the darkness was replaced by a fluorescent green glow shining through slimy membranes that sealed off sections of the walls. This part of the hive looked exactly like Morning Rain had imagined it.
"This is the eggs chamber," the Queen said in a hushed tone. The walls seemed to absorb all sound. "I will show you, Flitter, how to channel love." She eyed Morning Rain's abdomen curiously. "Though I cannot tell if the process will be entirely identical, with a pony."
She swiftly moved towards one of the membranes. A dull glow emanated from it. She turned to Flitter. "Can you feel it?" she asked.
Flitter nodded. "Yes. Developing life." He frowned. "It needs nourishment."
The Queen gave him a look a proud teacher would give to her prized pupil. "You already know what to do. It is in your nature." She nodded towards the membrane. "Try feeding it. You should still have some left." She glanced at Morning Rain, and smiled. "And you will not starve any time soon anyway."
Flitter nodded, and moved his horn towards the membrane. To his surprise, the center of the mucous-looking membrane was actually hard as glass, and his horn ticked against it.
Queen Morphosai had been right. There was nothing to learn. The larva on the other side asked, and he gave. It was a simple, natural thing, like a mother breastfeeding a foal. The energy streamed from his horn into the membrane, and on to the larva beyond it.
As he pulled his horn back, he frowned. He felt as if something was missing. It didn't take him long to figure out what it was. There was no feedback. Unlike baby Blueprint all those years ago, the changeling larva didn't respond with a flow of grateful emotions telling him he'd done something right. He realized this was perfectly normal for a changeling, but it still felt odd, to care for something without building up a bond with it.
"Did it work right?" Morphosai asked Flitter, pulling him out of his musings. She looked slightly concerned.
"Oh!" Flitter responded, nodding fiercely. "Yes, it worked just fine."
"Something is bothering you, though," the Queen said, eyeing him curiously.
Flitter glanced at the membrane. "It's just odd, realizing I started like that, a completely emotionless being. Pony foals give such immense amounts of affection from the very moment they are born."
"They need much more intensive care, though," Morning Rain said. "These little ones seem perfectly content all alone in their little cocoons." She tilted her head and looked at the membrane. "How old are they when they come out?"
"Thirty months," Morphosai replied. "Two and a half years. After that, they mingle with the Hive, make their own home in it, learn the Old Ways, and are sent off to collect."
Morning Rain frowned and looked at Flitter. "Wait... Swift Star was your first form. How old are you, then?"
Flitter gave her an amused smile. "This is the point where you find out you slept with a five-year-old, yes. In your defence, though, I was a fully grown adult changeling by then."
Morning Rain looked at him, completely baffled. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She blinked, and closed her mouth.
Flitter looked at her with a mix of amusement and concern. "Well, you asked," he said.
Morning Rain rubbed her temple with a hoof, and sighed. "Yes... I did." She looked at Queen Morphosai. "Can we, uh, go now?" she asked.
"Of course," Morphosai said, nodding gently. She led the pair out of the eggs chamber, back into the room where they'd met her.
"I wonder, though," she said, smoothly turning towards Flitter. "What made you release your form, after twenty years? I have a feeling it was not voluntarily. Your instincts would not have brought you here if you had another place to call Home."
Flitter shook his head. "Indeed, it wasn't. A changeling Queen invaded Canterlot, and was apparently determined to forcibly contain everyone inside it. I was cast out by a powerful shield spell the ponies used as counterattack. It destroyed my form."
Morphosai's eyes widened. "Another changeling Queen, revealing our race as enemies to all Ponykind? That is terrible news!"
Flitter shook his head. "I don't even understand their point. Surely you can't harvest love by inspiring terror first?"
The Queen looked at him, a pained expression on her face. "Actually," she said, "there is a way. It is against all ancient rules, and against common sense itself, but a desperate Queen may attempt it." She paused, clearly not comfortable with the subject. "It is called the Dreamstate."
Flitter frowned. "What is it, then?"
"Us changelings have the power to affect the minds of other beings," the Queen said, probably mostly as clarification to Morning Rain. "The Dreamstate is that same ability, used on an entire population. They are put to sleep, with their dreams linked together, and continue their lives in that dream while serving as food source for the Hive."
"That... sounds quite merciful, all things considered," Morning Rain said.
The Queen shook her head, and sighed. "It is a desperate move. A dead end. Sleeping ponies can be kept alive, but will not bear children. The ponies in the dream will never see another pony that is not linked to them, and even in the dream they can never have children, for even a changeling Queen cannot convincingly play the roles of several fake ponies."
She looked at Morning Rain, sadness in her eyes. "It is anything but merciful, for either side. Those inside the dream will eventually see the flaws in the illusion, and as they realize they are trapped in a fake world, they will slowly go mad. Love turns to terror, and while the Queen remains in a trance to keep the Dreamstate going, her people starve, and as they die or flee they leave the trapped ponies to starve as well."
"That's horrible!" Morning Rain cried out, staggering back. She leaned against Flitter for support.
The Queen nodded. "Indeed. And even now that is averted, unicorns all over Equestria will start performing disguise-piercing spells. That mad Queen's actions have endangered us all."
She gave the two guests a serious look. "I must warn my little changelings that they will be hunted. It is fortunate you have given me this immense power. I will need your gift to call out to all of them, and it may keep us all alive for months to come."
She glanced at the tunnel from which they'd first entered the chamber, and then looked back at them. "What will you do now, though?" She looked at Flitter. "You cannot go back to where you are hunted."
"Oh, I will," Flitter said. "I need to see my son."
"Your son?" the Queen said, clearly confused.
"I raised him," Flitter said, a look of determination on his face. "That makes him my son."
The Queen frowned, but let the subject slide. She nodded. "You both must stay the night, though. The Everfree is a dangerous place after the sun has set, even for a changeling. After twenty years, I doubt your home is still here, but there should still be some available."
Flitter gave a concerned look to Morning Rain. "The longer we stay, the more chance the news from Canterlot has spread to Trotsborough."
Morning Rain shook her head. "It must have been in the papers this morning anyway. Everypony was expecting an article about the wedding. They all know already."
"Do you feel... okay, sleeping here?" he asked, hesitantly.
Morning Rain smiled. "Why not? You've lived my way for twenty years... let's see what your way is like."
* * *
Morning Rain woke up with an annoying buzzing sound. It took her a moment to realize that it was not inside her head, but coming from outside the paper-like construction they'd spent the night in. Despite its lightness it was very sturdy, but it was decidedly not sound-proof. Sticking her sleepy head out of the hexagonal entrance, she saw at least two dozen changelings excitedly hanging around the place, either landed on top or below their borrowed dwelling, or hovering in front of the entrance. Like the previous day, several of them took Morning Rain's form when they spotted her. They all gave her happy copies of her own best smile.
"What on earth are they all doing?" she asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
She heard a chuckle behind her. "They're feeding, of course," Flitter said, walking up to her and affectionately nuzzling her neck. "Even I'm capable of generating love. This place is soaked in it."
Morning Rain blushed as she thought back to the previous night. The Queen's extraction of Flitter's stored love had left the changeling quite a bit more excited than he'd shown them back there, and the warm earth tones of their appointed dwelling had turned out to create a very intimate atmosphere. The news that they could actually have children together probably helped a bit too.
"Soaked. Right." She gave him an uncomfortable look. "It's a bit weird to know they feed on our intimacy."
"Don't worry. I'm still storing plenty for our little project," Flitter said with a grin. "But you have to understand, emotions are much like scents... no matter how much of the scent you take in, those around you will still smell it as well."
Unsurprisingly, reminding Morning Rain of the fact the place reeked of their night of passion did nothing to diminish her blush.
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I said weekly, but eh, screw it. It's as ready as it'll ever be.
1573832 ... You REALLY want a Chocobo to screw your story? You've got issues, man...
1573846
...wat?
Bonus points for sheer nonsense, though
1573867
So did I. Then people started nagging about sequels, and new ideas started coming... and the next thing I know, I'm at chapter 4 and wondering how to write a good ending to it
Bravo! This is an excellent chapter for an excellent story. I came into this story with a certain skepticism. I loved the first chapter but doubted that the story could maintain its momentum as time passed and chapters were added. My confidence in you is renewed. I am no longer worried.
1573899
Yay! That makes one of us, at least
Hmmm... I very much like this story. I was a little surprised at how quickly she accepted him... however, after 20 years I guess she figures as long as he's the same person underneath it all...
I'm looking forward to reading the next updates!
Hm I'm thinking a half pony half Changling will look like a normal pony but have the powers to shapshift
1573850 You said
You're telling us to screw it, so... I'ma Chocobo, so...
(Unless you meant that YOU were screwing it, but then you should have clarified that, now shouldn't you have?)
1573941
"it", eh? Well, have fun screwing my old abandoned release schedule, then
Very interesting continuation. Id bet they eventually end up in front of Celestia, explaining themselves by the end of the story. Anyway, I look forward to more!
1573946 ... I don't think so. Like I said before, you've got issues, dude...
This is so cool! Honestly, great ideas. I was so happy when I found out this was being expanded. Also, extra kudos for multiple changeling queens and one that isn't evil by any definition (if a little old-fashioned). Keep up the great stuff!
1573946 If your old release schedule was discarded as a fake, does that make your new release schedule a changeling?
1574011
She's a good kind of old-fashioned, though
1574043
Wasn't fake, just slow. Comes with being the "old" release schedule, I guess. Age takes its toll
hey good job so far keep it up any ways keep an eye out for my story that will be out soon-
I dont think I will be the only one waiting for up coming chapters.
so when ever you can get them to us, we will be waiting
So...the Dreamstate is the Matrix?
1574206
Pretty much. A less well-thought-out version of it, at least. Guaranteed feeding for years to come, but ending in inevitable disaster.
I cant wait till their first son sees his new little 'brother'. that would be a hilarious meeting.
cheers
1574330
Meeting their son is kinda the next thing on their agenda. I doubt they'll have the time to pop out a kid in between. That usually takes quite some months
1574338
Stop spoiling my chapters before I post them!
(nah, just kidding, speculation is always neat to see 
)
it's gonna be a bit trickier than that, though. This chapter contains a little Chekhov's Gun that will make sure of that
So this is getting a regular update? That's the best thing ever! This is my favourite changeling-based story.
1574388
Here's hoping you return the favour. I've been craving a Night's Favoured Child update for months
The story is fully planned, mind you, and it's not really long. Six chapters, plus two 2 mini-chapter epilogues.
The changeling lore you are developing is wonderful, this entire chapter was just great.
1574376 yia but I still can't wait to see it. but until then i'm gonna lul at his reaction to learning his father was a changeling since before he was born.
And then Changelings started to open Japan-style love hotels all over Equestria.
1574444
I doubt straightforward whoring would give a changeling much nourishment. Unless you refer to the visiting love couples. Hmm. Now there's an idea
I absolutely love this fic, I'm so glad it's getting more chapters.
queen Morphosai is awesome. there's plenty of fics out there with 'good' changeling drones, but I don't think I've ever seen a 'good' changeling queen before. I love how she honestly doesn't understand why Flitter should be held accountable for his vows. it shows how vastly different two cultures can be, without vilifying one or the other.
and props to Morning Rain for taking all of this so well. she's got some serious strength of character.
a wife who finds out a huge, life-altering secret about her husband and doesn't flip out and cause all kinds of unnecessary drama and anguish? she's like a big middle finger to every stereotypical female trope in the history of fiction. I love it.
now let's just hope Blueprint is as accepting and level-headed as his mom...
This is what we in the business call "a right good'un."
She was going to warn her people about the invasion. But first she sent a message to Chrysalis:
-And that was the kindest of what became a flood of changeling hate mail for poor Chrysalis.
On to the story itself. It's very well written and I couldn't find any errors whatsoever. Easily makes my top 3 changeling stories if only for creating an original new back story to chew on.
1574463
Thank you
Far too few changeling stories go deeper into (or, even consider the existence of) actual changeling culture. I just like making this more of a culture clash than a battlefield
'Mendacity' is another gem that goes deeper into it, but in a vastly different way, gearing more specifically for the classic 'fae world' stuff.
1574490
lol
I still found one error, mind you. I don't understand why I always find more errors just after I publish a chapter, when the fifteen microscope-assisted reads I did beforehand turned up empty
1574451
I meant the kind of hotel where a couple can spend a few hours of fun-for-grown-ups without worrying about nosy parents or noise complaints from the neighborhood.
1574376
Given that Flitter just gave their twenty years of stored love away, it might take a fairly protracted effort, depending on how much is needed, and whether there are any complications in the process... There's a bit more involved in crossing that barrier than what is involved in pony reproduction. In spite of the queen's thoughts, the story doesn't seem to prove the possibility just yet.
On that note, it was interesting to see Queen Morphosai's reaction to Flitter having 'a mate'. She took that seriously. She also seemed abruptly uncomfortable with having accepted so much love from Flitter. Is she keeping something secret? I'm half-expecting to discover in a future chapter that Flitter's situation is the primary way new Queens are born and new hives are started.
1574451
Depending on personal inclination and skill, some might find it preferable to feeding on woodland creatures. I find myself wondering if voyeurism is common among changelings. If love is like a scent, hungry changelings may not be able to resist following loveydovey new couple types. They'd be following less for the nightly activities and more for the long walks in the park, but in the end it'd still be creepy stalking.
I likes.
Man, that "Dreamstate", ugh... so creepy. Like that video. That terrible, nightmare-inducing video.
Just more reason for me to want to BURN EVERY CHANGELING WITH NAPALM.
...Except the "good" ones, I guess...
Still, if I were the ponies I'd keep flamethrowers around. Maybe dustoff and nuke the site from orbit to be sure.
Still, moar story plz.
1574536
I actually rewrote that part after seeing the video. It allowed me to change sheer stupidity (as expressed by Flitter in chapter 1) into something far more chilling
1574529
Nah, Morphosai is being quite open here. Even to the Queen, 20 years is a scary big amount, though. She just felt uncomfortable for having taken it away from him. With a culture pretty much based on replacing another species' mates, their real mates are taken very seriously.
True... but I'm not going to spoil that
Marked read later. Just wondering, if this was published 27 weeks ago, how is it getting featured now?
1412157
Well world building will take you quite a ways. There's lots of detail you can still go into.
I'm surprised you're having problems figuring out stuff at the ending, there's so much you could do with the world you set up, choosing one over the other would seem to be the biggest problem.
I'm so jealous now
1574609
I originally posted this as short story, and now rewrote and expanded it. I'd have posted it as new story entry, but that's against the fimfic rules, so I originally just added the rewrite chapters behind it.
Then, when submitting it to EQD, they rejected it because they thought it looked messy with the short story at the start and a rewrite of the same story content right after that in Chapter One. So I unpublished the original short story chapter.
The two original versions (first release, and initial rewrite) of the short story are still available on Pony Fiction Archive, and a link to it can be found in the Author's Notes at the top of the first chapter.
1574620
Oh, ending it isn't the issue. Making a satisfying ending, however, is really hard. In fact, I wrote the epilogue chapter long before I figured out exactly how to get there.
1573908 oohhh. I'm really liking morphasia and the 'old ways' changelings. your continuation is awesome! give me more!
Great chapter. I just wonder how his son is gonna handle this news. His wife may have kept a level head, but ya never know.
First off, the dreamstate thing FREAKED ME OUT!
Second, I love this story!
And so Chrysalis got other hives into a realy big troubles.
I wonder do they will try to do somethnk to prevent anty changeling campain to go on ?
1574206 That's what I thought of too...
This is good story. I like the characters. The plot looks to have good futures. Can already speculate. Because it is good plot.
Many possibility how this may go. Causes anticipation. Anticipation is good, no? Is nice ambivalent thing.
I will be waiting. Anticipating.
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Loved it, keep up the solid work.
I like it. I always thought that Chrysalis was just a rogue and that other changelings didn't agree with her. my theory was that changelings and ponies lived side by side at one time in the past......good job
This made me cry.
Loving your story and I can't wait for more!!!
I want this story to never end!
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1574451
Well, in this fic, there is a changeling brothel...