As One Door Closes
There was an unsettling quiet when they entered the queen's bedchamber, as if not even a single breath was being drawn. The room was a lot more crowded than the last time Mothball, Discord or Mantis had entered. The nurse changelings were tending to their queen, determined to make her last few moments in this world comfortable: adjusting her pillows, laying a cloth on her head and laying extra blankets over her body. Her eyes were staring blankly up at the canopy of her bed.
Even Twilight, whose life had been almost ruined by this creature many times, was disturbed by the sight.
"My queen," Mantis said, approaching the bed with the ivory chest hovering in front of him, "I've brought your heart, and more."
He gestured for Trixie to come. She gulped and slowly trotted to her mother's side, her stomach churning at her thin, pale figure. Chrysalis squinted at her.
"Who are you?" she asked in a weak whisper.
Trixie glanced down and realized she was still in her pony form and changed back to her true self.
"Bellatrix? Is that you?"
"Yes, Mother," Trixie said with a nod. "But I go by 'Trixie' now. I've…come to succeed you."
Chrysalis snorted. "I didn't think they'd find you, or that you would come back, after what happened last we met." She carefully looked her over. "You've changed. Not just your height, but something about you is…" She sighed. "You got your heart back too, didn't you?"
"We ran into her and the others at the old castle," Mantis explained.
"Others?"
She rolled her head over and finally noticed Mothball, Discord and Twilight. She couldn't help but smirk.
"How charming. Two of my greatest enemies have come to see me off. Pity the other princesses and those Element bearers aren't here too. It'd be like a little reunion!"
Twilight looked up at Discord and whispered, "I swear, if she wasn't dying…"
"I know, right?" the draconequus murmured.
"So this is my grandma?" Moonbeam said, putting her front hooves on the bed.
Chrysalis glanced down at her in confusion. "Grandma?"
"My daughter, Moonbeam" Trixie explained, placing a hoof on the filly's shoulder.
"I see. Well, looks like you've got the job of producing an heir covered, though you'll have to help her improve her transformations. She looks like a pony mixed with a cow!"
"Actually, she was sort of…born this way."
The queen's eyes widened. "What in the world did you sleep with?"
"That is not important, Mother," Trixie said between her teeth. "However, now that I am going to be Queen, there is something I've wanted to tell you for a long time."
She leaned forward and whispered harshly, "I…am not…you."
Chrysalis sighed. "No. No, you're not."
She winced as she felt a rush of pain in her chest.
"Here," she said, pulling her daughter close so their horns were touching. "It's time."
The queen's horn glowed and sent a spark to Trixie's. The changeling princess jumped as she felt the jolt of electricity.
"Now let me give you one last bit of advice. Remember all those things I taught you about being a ruler?"
Trixie nodded.
"Don't listen to any of them."
The princess was unsure of how to respond to that. Chrysalis released her daughter and looked around the room.
"Well, I have nothing more to say. Anyone else?"
Everyone was silent. Trixie and Discord were particularly surprised that they had nothing left to say to the dying queen. Mothball glanced at General Mantis, who had a seemingly emotionless expression, but he could clearly see the pain and sadness locked away in his eyes. The prince nudged the general forward. Mantis looked at him in confusion, only for Mothball to wave his hoof towards his mother.
Mantis glanced down at Chrysalis and gulped. "I, um, have something to say."
The queen turned her attention entirely to the general. He took a deep breath.
"My…Chrysalis, I just want you to know that…well, I suppose you already know, but I'd just like to say that…being in your service…is the only thing that's kept me going and…" He hung his head. "I don't know what I'm going to do once you're gone."
She gazed up at him, her eyes not giving any sign of emotion.
"Do it," she whispered.
His head shot up. "What?"
She put her hoof to her chest. "My heart. Now."
Mantis nodded and opened the ivory box, levitating the faded green heart out of it. He squinted inside the box and his eyes widened.
"My queen, what is…?"
"Just do it!" Chrysalis barked.
"I…don't know how to…"
"Let me try," Discord volunteered, snapping his fingers.
The heart vanished and Chrysalis sat up, wailing in pain. The nurse changelings gripped one of her forelegs, the royal children and the general grabbing the other. She shook the nurses off so she could grip her chest. Her eyes shut tight as she gritted her teeth.
Memories came rushing back: the births of her two royal children, the training sessions she had shared with them, the long personal talks she had shared with Mantis, all memories made without her heart.
She had never given much thought to these moments before, but now they were richer, more vibrant, and the recollection of them brought tears to her eyes.
Once she had calmed down, she looked at Trixie and Mothball and said, "Children?"
The two royals were alarmed at the tears streaming on either side of their mother's odd smile.
"You're…" she sniffed, "you're so…grown-up and…so beautiful."
"Are you alright, Mother?" Mothball dared to ask.
She surprised them even further by throwing her hooves around them both.
"Yes, my children!" she cried, squeezing them tight. "In fact, I've never felt better in my life!"
She released them and glanced down at Moonbeam. "And my granddaughter…" She ruffled her mane. "You're so beautiful too!" She gestured to the entire room of changelings. "You're all beautiful!"
"I didn't think she'd get this sappy," Trixie whispered to her brother. "Then again, she's been without a heart longer than me."
The queen frowned when she met Discord's gaze.
"Discord," she said slowly. "Now that I have my emotions back, it's come to my attention that any feelings I had for you…have diminished."
Discord snorted. "Well…would've been nice if you figured that out before you removed your heart and went on a vengeful rampage."
Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "I know, right? All that did was make me a power-crazed tyrant with no sympathy towards…"
Then she suddenly coughed and fell back onto her mattress. One of the nurses checked her pulse, now that she had one to check.
"She has a pulse," the nurse said, "but it's slowing. The sickness has reached her heart."
"So," Chrysalis heaved, "I was right." She winced. "It won't be long now." She turned to Twilight. "Twilight, I know we've had our differences in the past, but do you think we can let bygones be bygones?"
There was nothing else the alicorn could say to the dying queen, except, "Sure."
"Good." She rolled her head over to Trixie and Mothball. "Children…forgive me. I was denied happiness in my childhood, and thus denied it to everyone around me, even you. But…it seems you've found happiness on your own. I hope it stays that way." She lifted her hoof to stroke Mothball's cheek and then Trixie's. "That way, your lives will be better than mine was."
"Wow," the prince said, tears forming in his eyes. "That's…the most supportive thing you've ever said to me."
"Ditto," Trixie choked.
"Sorry I won't be able to make it to your wedding, Mothball," Chrysalis said. "And Bellatrix…Trixie, I'm sure you will make a splendid queen."
Moonbeam sneezed and switched to her changeling form, which made the queen raise her eyebrow.
"And please," she said, "help your daughter control that."
Trixie shrugged. "Fair enough."
The queen sighed. "I was a terrible mother, wasn't I?"
Mothball opened his mouth, but Trixie answered for him. "Yeah, you pretty much were."
"Yes," Chrysalis agreed. "But you should know, even in my heartless state, you both were important to me. It's hard to believe, I know…"
"Actually," Trixie said, glancing at Moonbeam, "I know exactly what you mean."
The queen smiled softly. "I love you both. You deserve to hear it at least once from me."
"Mother…" Mothball said as he touched her hoof.
Chrysalis gasped and clenched her hooves. Her breaths were now short and barely audible. She tiredly lifted her eyes towards the general, raising her hoof to cup his chin.
"Mantis…" she heaved.
She drew his face to hers and lightly brushed her lips against his.
"If only…"
Her eyes closed and her hoof gently fell from the general's face. After a long, shaky breath, her body went still. One of the nurses checked her pulse and hung her head solemnly.
The changelings fell to their knees and bowed their heads, the soldiers removing their helmets. Even Twilight and Discord lowered their heads in respect. Mothball held his mother's lifeless hoof, while Trixie embraced her daughter as unexpected tears fell down her cheeks. Mantis gently stroked the queen's brittle hair and closed his eyes. Even now, he refused to show his emotions in front of her.
He looked up as a hoof touched his shoulder. He turned to Captain Acari, who tilted her head towards the queen's body. The general nodded and put his helmet back on. His horn illuminated, its green aura enveloping the queen's body. The rest of the soldiers did the same, and together they lifted the corpse from the bed.
They positioned themselves on either side of their queen, Mantis in the lead, and carried her out the door. The others followed, the royal children and Moonbeam first, then Discord and Twilight, then the rest of the changelings present.
When they emerged from the bedchamber, there were many gasps throughout the hive. Slowly and solemnly, the procession moved across the hive to a staircase leading underground. Many other changelings joined them.
In the lowest part of the hive was a grand tomb, with the corpses of past changeling queens preserved in crystalized mucus. The soldiers laid Chrysalis' body on the nearest empty stone altar. The soldiers stepped back, except for Mantis, who started speaking in a strange tongue that sounded like bees buzzing.
"What's he saying?" Moonbeam whispered to her mother.
Trixie replied, "He's saying, 'We are gathered here to honor our dearly departed queen. Although she is no longer with us, the memory of her shall always be preserved not just in crystal, but in us all. May she be rewarded in the next life, and that she may finally be at peace.'"
Discord snapped his fingers and conjured a green rose. Everyone watched him curiously as he approached Chrysalis' body and placed it in her hooves.
"Farewell," he whispered, "old friend."
As the royals went to say their goodbyes, Mantis took out the ivory chest that had held the queen's heart and opened it. Inside was a small book, which he had noticed earlier but hadn't gotten the chance to ask about. He opened it to see yellowed pages written in ink, each entry dated. After reading a few lines, he realized it was the queen's diary and stopped, for he felt he was invading her privacy. Then he noticed a slight bump in the pages. He quickly turned them over and his eyes widened when he got to the middle.
There, pressed between the pages, was a blue cornflower.
There was a caption below: Mantis gave this to me today. Perhaps the last bit of joy I'll ever feel.
He levitated the cornflower from the book and gazed at it in disbelief. He had given this to her the day she had removed her heart, and she had kept it all these centuries.
The general then looked at the body of the queen and approached it, laying the flower alongside the green rose.
"Rest well, my queen," he whispered.
Discord glanced at the flower and then at the general. "You cared about her a lot, didn't you?"
Mantis looked up at the draconequus. "She may have loved you, Discord, but you didn't know her like I did." He hung his head and sighed. "No one did."
"General," Captain Acari said. "We're ready."
Mantis nodded and backed away from the corpse. He closed his eyes as he, the royal children and the other changelings illuminated their horns. Crystalized mucus surrounded the queen and slowly enveloped her body. Everyone watched as she was wrapped into a chrysalis, her body visible through the mucus for all to see.
The changelings' horns diminished and they all lowered their heads for one last moment of silence. Then the crowd started to depart.
"Where's everyone going?" Twilight asked.
"Our queen is dead," Captain Acari replied. "It's time to crown our new queen." She turned to Trixie. "You coming, your highness?"
"I, uh," she stammered, staring at the body of her mother. "I'll be there in a minute."
Acari looked to her general, who nodded in approval. Discord and Twilight followed the others out. Mothball placed Moonbeam on his back and joined them. Mantis, however, looked back at the princess, who was staring at the cocoon. He walked up and sat beside her.
"It's funny," she murmured. "I was never fond of Mother, but I can't help but feel sorry for her. She never was truly happy, was she?"
Mantis shook his head. "No. She could've been, though, if she had just allowed time for her aching heart to heal."
"I never quite understood your feelings for her."
He sighed. "It never really was a secret, was it?"
"Don't get me wrong. You do a really good job hiding your emotions, but they're still there. Still, why her? I mean…you knew she could never feel the same way."
He lifted his hoof and caressed the cocoon's surface. "You didn't know her, when she was still herself. She was a young, frightened princess who was unsure of what she wanted. She was told her destiny was to take the throne and one day rule Equestria, but every time I saw her, I knew she wanted more.
"Do you know why she was so interested in Discord? Because he was the first creature ever to treat her as an equal, and the thought gave her pleasure. She told me so herself. She developed such an obsession, which she called love. When that love was shattered, instead of waiting for her emotions to stabilize, she eradicated them. That only made things worse."
"Yeah," Trixie heaved. "No kidding."
The general lowered his hoof and raised his head in determination. "But I'm not going to make the same mistake."
"What do you mean?"
He turned to her. "My sole purpose in life was serving your mother. When I discovered her life was ending, I thought mine was ending too. But I am not going to give up on myself just because my love is gone. I have already lived longer than what is average for a changeling. I have a few years, maybe less. However many years I have left, I'm going to spend them making sure you start your new reign on the right track."
She blinked. "You'd do that?"
"The love of my life is gone. What better way to live out the rest of my days than to look after her daughter?"
Trixie hung her head. "Trixie hasn't been Bellatrix for such a long time. She's not even so sure she'll make a good ruler."
"Trixie? Bellatrix? Does it matter what you call yourself?"
She lifted her head and stared at the general. After one last glance at her mother, she said:
"Lead on, General."
They flew up to the main foyer where all the changelings were hovering above, a path to the throne cleared for their new queen. Mothball, Moonbeam, Discord and Twilight were standing on either side of the large seat, waiting for her.
Mantis put a hoof on Trixie's shoulder and nodded. She took a deep breath and proceeded to the throne. As she flew by, the changelings bowed their heads. She had forgotten how good it felt to have respect from others. She had been a queen once before. This time, she was going to do it right.
When she reached the throne, Mothball gave her a wink and Moonbeam waved. Trixie smiled and turned to face the crowd. Mantis took Chrysalis' old crown from one of the soldiers and held it out for the princess. Trixie lowered her head so he could place it on her, just as he had done for her mother over a millennium ago.
"Long live Queen Bellatrix Insectra…" Mantis announced.
"Please," Trixie said, holding out her hoof. "Just Queen Trixie is fine."
The general raised an eyebrow, but started over. "Long live…Queen Trixie!"
As Trixie rose to her full height, the changelings and guests cheered. The new queen took her place on the throne. After a few minutes of applause, Trixie held up her hoof to silence them.
"Fellow changelings," she said, "as your new queen, Trix—" She paused. "My first order of business will be to grant you all what you have been denied. From what I have experienced, and what I have witnessed from my mother, it has come to my attention that although emotions can make us suffer and lead us to do things we regret, we simply cannot exist without them. We fear so that we may avoid danger, we anger so that we may stand up for ourselves and those we care about, we regret so that we may learn from the mistakes made by others and ourselves, and we love so that we can make a difference in someone else's life.
"If these emotions are imbalanced, we may create a void in ourselves, and we spend years trying to fill that void, but all in vain. Our emotions can lead us astray, and we can get hurt along the way, but if we take the time to balance them out, we can become even stronger. No creature must ever have to suffer like my mother did, and no one ever shall again."
She turned to the draconequus. "Discord, do you think you can do me a favor?"
Discord shrugged. "Depends on what it is."
She gestured him to come closer and whispered in his ear. His eyes widened.
"Well, I could try, but…you sure that's a good idea?"
Trixie glanced at the general, who instantly understood her intentions and nodded.
"Do it," she told the draconequus.
Discord sighed and raised his claw. "Very well, but you might want earplugs."
He snapped his fingers and all the changelings, the royals and the general excluded, cried out in agony. Many gripped their chests, some collapsed to the floor in shock, and others cradled their heads.
"What'd you do?" Mothball asked.
Trixie smiled. "I filled the void."
"You mean you…?"
She nodded. "No creature should ever be without a heart."
Lieutenant Bombus looked up at the queen. "What's happening? Why do I feel…?" He sniffed. "Why do I feel?!"
As the changelings started to recover, some of them were breaking out in tears. Others took one look at each other and embraced. In no time at all, the hive was echoing with happy sobs. Captain Acari caught sight of Bombus and blushed.
"Oh, uh, Bombus…" she smiled, rubbing the back of her neck. "About you saving me earlier, I never realized you were so…"
He interrupted her with a sudden wail and rushed to the general, throwing his hooves around his neck.
"General!" he whined. "I just want you to know that…you're like the father I've never had! And that's really important to me, 'cuz, you know, none of us have any fathers! I love you, man!"
Mantis scowled at the queen. "Change them back."
The royals, Discord and Twilight burst into laughter.
"I'm serious."
Twilight smiled up at Trixie. "I guess we made the right choice in coming to find you."
"Indeed, Twilight," the new queen said as she watched her subjects rejoice in their new emotional state. "Things are going to be very different around here."
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Amazing. Scuse me while I go cry womanly tears.
Wow, I really liked this, bittersweet. But with Trixie... I think things for the changelings will be better.
My god... the feels...... I NEVER FEEL FELLS THIS BAD BEFORE!!!
R.I.P.
QueenChrysalis... You're epicness will be remembered forever...Long live queen Chrysalis
Now from a funeral to a wedding.
I think you hit my feels oh my aching heart.....wait since when I had one
Well done DisneyFanatic23 well done. I'm glade you didn't kill off Mantis I just hope there some room for Iron Will in ending of this story.
CAN'T WAIT. CAN'T WAIT. CAN'T WAIT. CAN'T WAIT. CAN'T WAIT. CAN'T WAIT. CAN'T WAIT.
Be at peace. Queen Chrysalis.
6093346 same.
6093367 SAME.
6093631
(I's figures the puns was worths its)
6093641 lol
Mantis is very funny at the end ^^
Wow........I never thought I would cry over changelings lol!
6093787 I see where you're going with this....
No I don't.
Rest in peace Queen Chrysalis, long live Queen Trixie.
6093959 Every pony and changeling, it's like saying every girl and boy.
6093992 OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/192/262/daf.png
The feels...
Wow, it went from epic feels to laughing out loud at Bombus and Mantis in the end. I can't wait til the next chapter, but don't worry, I'll wait anyway, patiently.
~Melly~
6093696 every good drama should have at least one moment of laughter
6094741 ^^
I can imagine.
Yep.
Yep.
I'm with them.
A minotaur.
Yus.
Oh.
That worked.
They are, aren't they?
True.
Yes, that'd have been nice.
Anything?
She was going to die anyway, at least she can die while able to feel emotions.
You're a good pony, Twilight Sparkle.
It's the nicest thing she's ever said, period.
Indeed.
I was about to say that.
Daaaw.
Heh.
The Queen is dead. R.I.P Chrysalis. *removes hat*
Discord's gone so far, back in Return of Harmony, he'd have cheered for her death.
Interesting.
Heh.
Oh, oh wow, I, oh god the feels.
Aye.
They don't waste time.
Don't think so, no
Not really no.
I see.
I see.
Eh?
Really?
Fair enough.
I suppose not.
Lead on, McDuff!
In her defense, her full name is a mouthful.
Interesting.
Good changeling.
That is pretty much what I'd say.
What so you, oh, I see. *puts earplugs in*
Turned Nobodies back in Sombodies.
Didn't she just explain this?
Oh god my sides!
Oh yeah.
Oh?
Oh god this was an amazing chapter. There are simply too many good things to say about this series in general but the most prevalent is that you think when you write your stories. You take time out of your busy schedule just to make sure that the quality of your chapters are superb and I thank you! 5 out 5 dancing daleks for your entire series! But we're still hanging onto the edge of our seats to see what you have in store for us next
*slow claps* Congrats your feel strike almost made it through my armor.
6095410
THE MARBLE HEART RULES SUPREME!!!!
I am so relieved you didn't revive Chrysalis. This is probably my favourite chapter so far!
RIP, Queen Chrysalis.
And long live Queen Trixie!
While you may have been a tyrant, you looked out for your people and kingdom. After so much pain and heartache, you still stood strong. Even after countless defeats, you never gave up. When you realised the error of your ways, you tried your best to mend those mistakes. When you realised your love for your children, you embraced them with motherly love. When your life was at an end, you went out with dignity and grace.
Rest in peace, Queen Chrysalis. And may your children continue to learn and grow.
-shadow of eclipse
Omg I cried a little at Chrysalis death, I thought I was going to hate her in this story but now I see as a new person
Long live Queen Chrysalis! Rest in peace 
6095410 H..ow? I died when she died. I can't even say her name.
6095306 I wish I listened to this when she died.
6096923 I created anti-feels armor
"The love of my life is gone. What better way to live out the rest of my days than to look after her daughter?"
That guy.............right there.............He´s admirable
all the changelings, the royals and the general excluded, cried out in agony.
Mothball has a
Moonbeam has a
Trixie has a
Mantis has a
they shouldn´t be crying along with the others cause they shouldn´t be touched by the spell.
I didn't think I'd feel bad about Chrysalis' death
Neither did I.
Rest In Peace Queen Insectra Arachne Chrysalis III/3º/Third! Not much people cared about her but the ones who did shall keep her alive in Memory.Horrible mother, decent queen, she deserves a better life.
Seems appropriate that I write this, since I just attended a funeral last week.
Sorry 4 your loss, D
But we're not done yet. There's one loose end that still needs tying
THE WEDDING!
THE FEELS
Very well written, I would've cried, but...
6096941 how do I have stronger anti-feels armor than you? must be because I read Past Sins, Discordant Feelings, and other sad romance fics out there. Possibly some of the saddest.
(But this fic is still great nonetheless!)
Was I the only one playing -Glorious Morning 2- (by Waterflame) in my head?
[Also, I've seen sadder. 9/10 it was okay.]
6098722 you genius.
WEDDING TIME! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESS!
6097849 I think you meant THE FEELS
6098722 Nice spoiler, dudette. Very lame move. Very lame.
6096941 But.... The FEEELLLSSSSS. She pierced my armor within seconds. And I normally don't get my armor pierced.
6102465 My armor is special
6103874 Why "or?" It's supposed to include all of them.
6103796
Where does one make this armor
And how does one make matching lances
I'm getting a head start on my Nightmare Night costume
Its not weird
6105039 Ok First you need the heart of a frost dragon and then you need to go to the final circle hell where you will put the heart in the eternal fire to get the metal, then you have to ask Death himself for the tears of the innocent (if your wondering those are the tears of the still born). Mix them together and forge it that's how you get the armor.
Ummmmm now I need to see if I can make a spear.
6105100
Alright
Frost dragon: check
Tears of the innocent: check
10th circle of hell: check
Now all I need is some Eternal fire
Do the eternal flames of hatred work?
For your service I will let you have a joyride in my possessed Boeing 747
He's very friendly
6106258 The eternal flames of hatred do work and thanks for the ride.