Queen Chrysalis was walking alongside her daughter, Princess Twilight Sparkle, towards one of the hive’s main entrances. Twilight was going there to receive her special guests, the other elements, and walking with them was Twilight's assistant and close friend Spike the Dragon. The little guy had grown on Chrysalis over the last couple of years.
Chrysalis broke the silence that was threatening to build up on them. “How long are they going to be staying for, Twilight?”
Twilight looked up at her mother. “Just a couple days. Enough time for them to see the whole hive and get up to a few other things.” The smile on her face was ear to ear.
The queen raised an eyebrow. “Other things?”
Twilight grinned sheepishly. “Yeah… don’t be surprised if a giant party breaks out in the atrium; you know how Pinkie Pie is.”
She suppressed a shudder. “I’ve heard the horror stories. What else do you intend to do that hopefully doesn’t involve destroying society as we know it?”
“Well we don’t have any plans in place, so we’ll just end up making it up as we go along.”
Chrysalis looked at her daughter with an amused expression. “Making it up as you go? My daughter, I would have thought such a disorganised state of affairs would have given you a conniption.”
“Oh hardy har har,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “While it’s true I may have, say… two years ago. Now, I’m able to put that aside and just have fun; I mean that is what’s important, right?”
“Yeah, you are a real Princess of Friendship,” Carduus joked as he walked up to and fell into step with the two royals.
Twilight DID NOT jump, royals don’t. “G-Good morning Carduus, you’re in a good mood I see?” Twilight said, taking the jab in stride.
“Why shouldn’t I be? But alas, I haven’t dropped by for a social call unfortunately.”
A frown briefly crossed her muzzle, before she wiped it away. “What do you need captain?” Chrysalis asked.
“My Queen, your guest is here.”
Chrysalis’ eyes slightly widened. “Already? He wasn’t supposed to be here for another few hours!”
The four of them stopped dead in the middle of the corridor, and Twilight looked at Chrysalis in confusion.
“Mother? What guest? What are you talking about?” Twilight looked at Spike to see if he knew anything. Pulling out a clipboard of the court's daily events, Spike looked through the sheet before looking back at Twi and shrugging.
“He’s waiting for you in the throne room,” Carduus interjected.
Chrysalis sighed and turned to her daughter. “I’m sorry Twilight, but this cannot wait.”
“Some explanation would be nice.” She had turned her whole body to face her mother.
“Soon. But for now go on, find your friends and enjoy yourself.”
Twilight looked like she was about to argue, before she visibly drooped. “Well… alright. But I’d prefer not to be kept in the dark.”
“I know. But if this is what I think it is you will know soon enough.”
Before her daughter could reply, Chrysalis quickly began to walk to an adjacent hallway, Carduus following closely behind.
“What was that about?” Twilight muttered.
“Beats me,” Spike shrugged. “There is nothing on the itinerary for today. Come on Twilight, let’s not keep the others waiting.”
The blistering heat was bearing down onto five mares waiting outside one of the hives many entrances. They had been confused at first when their transport had set down on a seemingly empty patch of desert, until the perception filter was dispelled and a cave leading down to a large defensible doorway was revealed.
“Come on, can’t we go in yet?” Rainbow Dash moaned.
One of the guards dressed in the usual dark blue armour in front of the cave held up a hoof to stop the approaching Pegasus. “Sorry ma’am, but no.”
“But we’re friends of Twilight! Come on, I’m burning alive out here!”
The changeling shook his head. “We were ordered to wait until young Spike came back with Princess Twilight. You will just have to wait.”
Rainbow looked ready to punt the guard back down into the cave when a voice came from behind him.
“It’s OK, they can come in,” Twilight said as she walked past the changeling guard.
“Twilight darling,” Rarity spoke. “It’s good to see you again! It has been far too long since your last visit to Ponyville.”
The pair moved in and hugged each other. “It’s good to see you too Rarity, how are you all doing?”
“We are fine sugarcube,” Applejack said as she walked up beside the alabaster unicorn. “Just eager to get out of the sun is all.”
“Yes can we please do that?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Twilight giggled. “Yes, we better get inside before you roast.”
Spike rolled his eyes. “Pfft, you ponies. The heat is fine.”
“Spike? It’s good to see you!” Rarity approached the dragon. “It’s been months since you’ve visited. My you’ve grown since the last time we saw you, you are turning into a handsome little dragon.”
Spike blushed. “T-thanks Rarity. That means a lot coming from you.”
Twilight gave Spike a deadpan glare. “It’s been five minutes and you’ve already started crushing again?”
“Twilight!” Spike protested in embarrassment.
“Oh it’s perfectly fine Twilight, he is so cute when he blushes!” She patted Spike on the head.
“Um… can we just go inside now?” Spike sounded almost like Fluttershy for a moment.”
“I agree, like Rainbow has been saying it is rather hot out here,” Fluttershy said. “If that’s alright with you I mean.”
“Come on then!” Pinkie Pie shouted impatiently. “I need to see where the best place to have a party is!”
“I thought you might,” Twilight chuckled as she turned back towards the hive, the others following shortly behind. “And don’t worry, I know just the place.”
The two large doors to the throne room opened up and Chrysalis strolled in, Carduus at her side. At the other end of the throne room was a changeling dressed in red changeling guard armour.
“Your majesty.” He bowed his head respectfully.
“Captain, would you wait outside until I am finished?” Chrysalis said to Carduus.
“Of course, my Queen.” He nodded, before he walked out the throne room and closed the doors behind him.
“Now,” Chrysalis addressed the drone. “What does Queen Draco want of me?” She did her best to stay civil, slightly irritated at the drone’s sudden, unannounced arrival.
“Nothing, your highness, except to pass on an invitation to the Queen’s Council.”
“Ah, I presumed this would be the case. How long until it begins?”
“Three days, your highness,” the drone told her.
“Three days?” Chrysalis said in surprise.
“Yes. I do believe you were the last one to be tracked down.”
“How long did it take to set up this time?”
“Two years. Our hive was invited just before yours, and since we are one of the few who knows where you are based at it was requested we give the invitation.”
“There are two others who know where we are, what about them?”
“As far as I am aware they couldn’t be located, and thus won’t be attending.”
“I see, I trust Queen Draco didn’t divulge that information?
“No, my Queen would never betray her friends.”
Chrysalis nodded. “Good. How many queens will be attending then?”
“Fifteen out of the nineteen.”
Chrysalis’ eyes widened. “Nineteen? There were twenty the last time I checked.”
The drone winced, “I… shouldn’t say anymore. My Queen will explain more when you meet face-to-face.”
Chrysalis studied the drone for a few moments, making him nearly quiver in his chitin. However, she relented. “Very well. I accept the invitation and will be there with my daughter within the three days.”
“Very good, I will inform my Queen at once.”
The drone bowed one last time before moving towards the door, but he was stopped as a hole ridden hood blocked his path.
“Just, one last thing,” Chrysalis said. “Who was it that called the council this time around?”
“Queen Crudelis, your highness.”
Chrysalis scowled. “Crudelis. You can go, Carduus will escort you out.”
“Yes, your highness.”
With her magic Chrysalis opened the two large doors. Carduus stood to attention as his Queen came into view.”
“Captain, would you please escort our guest out.”
“Yes, my Queen!” Carduus motioned to the drone. “Come along you.”
As the two drones left her sight, the scowl now present on Chrysalis’ face darkened considerably.
Twilight laughed as one of the drones jumped when Pinkie Pie let off her party cannon. Just as predicted the atrium was abuzz with activity as loud music played and both the ponies and drones present enjoyed the party Pinkie had set up in under an hour. As word of Pinkie Pie’s party spread throughout the hive drones had been pouring in to check what all the fuss was about, and Pinkie had been ready to greet every single one, determined to befriend them all. Sometimes the drones could swear she was in multiple places at once.
As Twilight watched the chaos unfold she sat with Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity on the third floor, just outside a restaurant at a table that overlooked the rest of the atrium. Twilight held one of the love-infused smoothies in her magical grasp, having grown rather ‘attached’ to the beverage since she first tried it two years prior.
As she took a sip of her drink, her attention was grabbed by sound of joyful laughter somehow making it to her ears over the noise of the party.
Much to Twilight’s, and everypony else’s amusement, Rainbow was playfully racing a group of nymphs around the atrium, a now eight year old Iuvenes being among them. They could only smile at their happy, giggling faces.
It wasn’t long before Rainbow conned Spike into joining in, determined to teach him how to fly ‘properly’.
“Well they seem to be enjoying themselves,” Rarity had to nearly shout over the music.
“They’ve never experienced Pinkie Pie before,” Applejack chuckled. “Most things are the best the first time, but ah think Pinkie’s parties only get better each and every time she does one.”
“Agreed,” Rarity smiled.
They might have heard Fluttershy also agree, but her quiet voice was lost in the music.
“I must ask, Twilight, who is that regal figure down there?” Rarity pointed down at the statue below. “It doesn’t seem to depict your mother.”
“That’s my grandmother, Avia.”
“I see, she must have been quite a sight in her time, rivalling that of Celestia if the statue is anything to go by.”
“Maybe...” Twilight’s thoughts went back to the diary. “I recently found a-"
“Twilight, sorry to tear you away from the... festivities. But I need to talk to you, urgently.” Chrysalis spoke over the hive.
“Is it about the guest you received?”
“Yes.”
Twilight sighed. “I’ll be right there.”
“Sorry girls, duty calls.”
“We understand sugarcube. We’ll be here when you get back.”
Twilight nodded gratefully, before opening her wings and flying off towards the atrium’s exit, making sure to grab Spike as she went.
As Queen Draco’s messenger left the hive the perception filter shimmered briefly as he passed through it, before returning to normal, hiding the hive away from all untrained eyes. He carried two large saddlebags on his back, filled with supplies for his trip.
All the while he was unaware of the two drones watching him from afar.
They crouched low behind a large outcropping of rocks, having been following the red armoured drone since he began his journey.
The two drones in question, one male and one female, were clad in armour coloured a mix of dark blue and an even darker red. Both had grins fixed on their faces as they watched the other drone spread his wings and fly away, heading in the direction of Equestria where up north and past the frozen lands of the Crystal Empire his hive was located.
The male drone turned to his counterpart. “We’ve found it, finally. There is no doubt that this is where Queen Chrysalis hides.”
Well shit...
i since a attack coming soon
media.tumblr.com/3513c001473ebbe8546952b948a439a1/tumblr_inline_motwxixhGi1qz4rgp.png
Fuuccckkkk...
And just when the Mane 6 are all together too.
And nooooo...
They're dead.
And the next leg of the adventure begins!
7133206
Twilight won't even have to pull in a favor to get the Princesses to help, although... This is more of a civil war. Equestria would have to think long and hard on how they want to wade into that kind of a mess, if at all. Worst case for Twilight would be having to retreat to Equestria and declare asylum (or it's equivalent) to shelter under Equestrian protection. Question then should be if Crudelis really wants to start an open war with Equestria and drag all the other hives into it.
Now why do i want to play a little 'game' with those two stalkers?
That's definitively not good. At least in case of an invasion the Elements of Harmony are present to bust out entire armies if it came to it. But that's the moment.
I like it, but sometimes I honestly don't know what a story is missing for me. It can't be the timeskip anymore. Maybe I need to take a break from reading two days.
Well it is still among the kind of stuff that I prefer to read.
7133300 pinkie pie and the gattling lings vs army of curd
Oh oh, not good...
Pinkie Pie is awesome , and Crudelis is making a HUGE mistake.
7133355 Exactly what I meant.
The Twilight gun 2.0 with her beeing a changeling royal now. Absolute Annihilation.
7133256 Question, does said game require one of the players to know how to use an oxy-acetylene cutting torch?
7133206 I'm sure it's just to confirm the address so Chrysalis gets her pizza delivered in thirty minutes or less.
why don't they enlist discords help in this affair, by making 'defect to chrysalis 'posters in enemy hives, spread dissent
Looks like war's coming.
7133561
did you mean greet?
I'm going to have to withdraw my support for this one too. I am not happy with mirror edge's grim dark turn, but this goes in the exact opposite. the interest in the premise is derived from twilight accompanying and learning to deal with her dual parentage. In this story, twilight only got her feet wet before she was put in a coma, and then when she finally wakes up, we get a time skip past all the relevant development between chrysalis and her daughter.
This is half the fun of the premise for me, and while I am not a fan of Edge's tone, it does deliver what it sought to.
That gives me a (probably stupid) idea for a fic that I'm never going to write - Pinkie Pie is not actually a single pony, but an entire hive of changelings. That would explain SO MUCH.
7133248 Most likely she will not have open war with Ponies. Because as you said, right now it's more of a Civil war. Look at the real world. If America started attaching each other in civil war, nearly no one would get involved. However, if 'America' were to suddenly lash out and attack, say, China... The whole world would turn to look right at America.
And the same would happen here. Everyone is happy to ignore changelings. But if they attacked a nation of power? Probably one of the strongest nations in the world? In actual WAR that isn't easily hidden or over looked? You'd better believe every other nation would suddenly be very focused on Changelings and what they did.
7133248
Equestria probably cannot intervene in case of war between Chrysalis and Crudelis. Why? Because such things are probably percepted by other queens as personal scores. Look at medieval Germany where multiple princedoms and republics fighted against each other and nobody, even emperor usually did not care. But when any foreign power tried to intervene, these all small countries instantly put all arguments aside and unite versus agressor. This could be same here.
Who is the sixth mare?
7133781
It really makes me wonder what the buck Crudelis is thinking. She knows Twilight is still sorta part of Equestria; The Element of Magic and a citizen of Equestria.
Well, I'm pretty sure she's still a citizen. Hmm. I guess she's more of a dual citizenship?
And let us not forget Crudelis was the one behind all that nasty business for the last few chapters. Sending in agents who murdered Equestrians on her orders (reminds me of the years when the KGB and CIA went at each other). Yes, it's all cloak and dagger stuff that will be next to impossible to prove, but Queen Chrysalis is not going to sit back and wait for such evidence to appear. What worries me is Twilight has no experience with war, and it's foolish to think changelings would fight like ponies. She needs to be more proactive (use her book smarts to fortify the hive and drones) and Chrysalis needs to let Twilight know about Crudelis' plans that she suspects.
Now begin TROUBLE !!!! I wonder what will happen when Crysalis turns out that in planning the assassination of her daughter was the Crudelis Queen , I think that will put fire to her beehive with the help of the two royal sisters , the rest of the mane six and even Discord .
I can not wait to read the next chapters
Ohhhhhh no.
So, Crudelis is pulling the royalty of Chrysalis' hive away?
This is wild hypothesisisisisisizing, but I think she'll have her drones dispose of Chrysalis' drones while their queen is away, and then dispose of Chrysalis at the council.
7133942
This is a part that is over looked a LOT in stories.
Tirek was able to steal the magic from everything and everyone, even DISCORD, and was untouchable except by the Elements of Harmony's power. Changelings wouldn't stand a chance.
Nightmare Moon wanted to bring about eternal night. No one would be happy, there would be no love. Whats more, no sun means no heat or food for plants. Everything withers away and dies slow and painful deaths. Changelings wouldn't stand a chance.
Discord.... Just... Discord. Do I need to say any more? Changelings aren't even part of the math, let alone the equation.
All very high, global threats that threaten the entire world. And what's more, if the other events in the show have happened, in their own unique way, in the last '2 years' since the Wedding, Discord is free and Twilight's friend.
Twilight, and the other Elements, are the WORLDS defense from threats on a GLOBAL level. Celestia would protect them, yes. But realistically, so would every other nation in the world. Cause they protect everyone, not just equestria. If they fall, the entire world is dead, or worse. Crudelis shouldn't be stupid enough to touch Twilight, or any of the Elements of Harmony. After all, what is the point of ruling, if in a year or two Discord or someone else gets out and wipes out you and everything else on the planet? Or do much worse things?
an attack during the Council meeting!!!
7134025 Attacking during parley is a no-no... of course Crudelis will do it.
Nitpick time!
M6 minus Twilight makes 5. who is the unmentioned nr 6?
Welp, that does not bode well.
Damn it I know chitin is dense and most every changeling went to the atrium but can you seriously miss spying eyes of evil intent?!
7134521 duhhhhhhh
Either the comma needs to come out, or there needs to be a second one after "Sparkle."
The comma after "atrium" should technically be a semicolon.
Two things: 1) You said earlier that Spike was coming with the Mane 5, but here you say he's already there. 2) There should be an apostrophe in "court's daily events."
Needs commas on either side of "Twilight."
I see someone else already mentioned the extraneous quotation mark, so I'll mention the fact that the end of Spikes question should have a "?" instead of a ",".
There should be a comma after "Captain", and the word before guest should be "our".
There should be a comma after "hive".
Firstly, there should be a comma after the word "ask"; secondly the comma after "there" should be a question mark.
As usual, sorry for all this. I was just feeling a real nit-picky mood today.
Also, my brilliant skills of deduction have puzzled out why there are only nineteen queens now. (Truly, they rival those of Sherlock Holmes.)
7133934 Starlight?
7133256 No, cup cakes made from changelings taste nasty. Changeling has to be sauteed with onion and peppers and served with pasta with Alfredo sauce.
Here we go. The 'war of the worlds' is about to break out! Xd
Looks like things are about to heat up. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
Crudelis is making a big mistake
7133498 maybe....
Would you like to join?mlp.bartstuff.eu/mlp-tplotting.png
7135576 who said anything about making cupcakes?
i know a few recipes i'd like to test what use meat.... i wonder what changeling meat taste like?
hmmm.....
would you like to join me in the cooking?
you seem to have a lot of good ideas, my friend
7136262 Maybe...
7135330 Its fine, I appreciate helpful comments like this.
This starting to get interesting... again!
7136269 I heard somewhere that Changeling is also very good roasted with sage, oregano, black pepper and lemon juice.
7138453 now you are definetly in!
This story is awesome, I love it
This is getting good I have to say Crudelis is really making a big mistake attacking now. If she attack after the wedding and before everything else she could probably have gotten away with it. Now after all that Twilight and her friends have done, she attacks now all the countries will probably counter because Twilight and the others have saved not only Equestria, but the world. She will start the first world war of Equestria at this rate. I WANT MOAR SOON! If that is alright with you.