The war room within the first hive was seldom used. Any matters between queens were debated and sorted within the council chamber and thus the room had grown disused ever since the old hive was turned into the centre of changeling society rather than a conventional hive itself.
Not anymore however, as the room was now being utilised by Queen Crudelis and several of her top changeling drones. Maps of the surrounding area, Equestria and the Badlands were laid out on the table before them.
“Do you have everything?” Crudelis asked the drone holding the checklist.
“Everything is in order.” The drone levitated the list towards his Queen. “That captain from the Badlands actually thought that it was part of some scheme instead of what it was, a list of statistics to help better organise this council. Their paranoia knows no bounds.”
“And rightfully so,” another chuckled, tapping a hoof on the map of the Badlands. “Reports tell me that our agent is inside. Soon enough everything will be ready; at least it will be once she acquires the device.”
“When will these plans be placed into action my Queen?” the first drone asked.
“We can’t rush this,” Crudelis stated. “I have ordered our agent to lay low until Chrysalis and Twilight Sparkle are returning to the hive; that is when she shall acquire the device from their own storage. The moment those two return to the hive is when we strike.”
“But what of Equestria?” the changeling asked.
“What of them?” Crudelis asked bluntly.
The changeling shuffled nervously. “With Princess Twilight’s personal connection to both the Crystal Princess and the Sun Princess, I doubt her death will go unnoticed, or without consequence.”
“Let me worry about those alicorn princesses and their little ponies. I have my own plans for them, but baby steps, Lieutenant. Chrysalis and her brat must die first.”
“Yes, my Queen.”
“Good. Now, the council takes place tomorrow morning and I want it to run smoothly. Keep hostility with other hives, even the Badlands, to a minimum. I will not have these hostilities spoiling our most sacred tradition. Is that clear?”
“Yes, your highness!” All the present drones saluted with the affirmative.
“Good, you know what happens to those who disappoint me, just as Vespula did. Dismissed.”
All of the drones saluted one last time, gathered up their things and began to file out of the door. Crudelis herself gave a small hum of satisfaction as all her plans slowly but surely same together, before too exiting the room.
Twilight and her mother, Queen Chrysalis, walked through the hallways of the ancient changeling hive. Drones of various hives passed by them, as did the odd queen here and there. They were on their way to the council chamber of which Twilight Sparkle, as a long time scholar, was eager to lay eyes on for the first time.
“Who did this hive belong to originally?” the young princess asked her mother.
“Hmm?” Chrysalis was broken out of her own thoughts by her daughter’s voice, having just missed her line of questioning.
“I asked, who did this hive belong to originally?” Twilight repeated.
“Ah, now that is the question…” Chrysalis half muttered.
“Huh? Does that mean you don’t know?”
“Well, there are stories…” Chrysalis began to explain. “But none truly know what happened in this hive. The details have long been lost to time.”
“What are the stories?” Twilight’s curiosity only grew.
“There are several. Some say the hive was never actually a hive, but was purposely built for the council, or some other alternate purpose.”
Twilight seemed wholly unconvinced by that theory. “That seems… unlikely. This place seems like it once held a permanent population of changelings from what, admittedly little, I have seen of this place.”
“That is just one theory, though I do admit is one of the less likely options. The most likely is that it was just a hive to some changeling queen way back when. Perhaps that queen died, or moved on and left the place empty, only for it to be re-purposed later. Or perhaps it was home to the queen who founded the council in the first place, who knows?”
“That does seem far more plausible than the first theory. I can easily see that one being true,” Twilight nodded, being far more convinced with that theory than the first one.
“It is the most likely,” Chrysalis agreed. “But there is one other story…”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “You trailing off there sounded rather ominous.”
Queen Chrysalis chuckled. “Yes well, this is a rather fantastical story. One usually told to scare young nymphs just before bedtime.”
“Now it sounds really ominous,” Twilight remarked. “Used to scare foals you say?”
They stopped in the middle of the corridor just nearby to the hive’s old war room, not far from the council chamber itself.
“Do you wish to hear it?”
Twilight gave an affirmative nod. “To do a good job researching you need to hear all sides of the story to some to a set of satisfactory conclusions.”
Chrysalis smirked. “Spoken just like a princess’ protégé.”
“Oh just tell me the story,” Twilight said as she rolled her eyes.
Chrysalis giggled mischievously. “Are you sure? I did say it was used to scare young foals…”
“Mother!” Twilight fumed.
Chrysalis’ giggles turned into laughter. “Oh you are too cute when you are flustered, daughter of mine.”
Twilight gave her mother a deadpan look. “Finished?”
Chrysalis let her chuckles trail off. “Yes, I think I am quite done. Now… the story?”
“Yes, if you please.”
Chrysalis took a moment to recollect the old story, but it quickly returned to her.
“It is said long ago, all of our kind was ruled over by a single changeling, a single unifying, and oppressing voice among a single hive mind.”
“A single hive mind ruled by a single individual?” Twilight gasped. “How is that possible? If a drone tried to actively link with an entire hive as we do it would drive them insane. Only queens are able to handle that many voices at once over the Head‐based Internal Vocalisation Egregore, whereas most drones merely are able to sense most in the hive and are only actively able to speak over it to us, those in their class and family! And even we have our limits.”
Her daughter’s information dump over, Chrysalis deadpanned: “Yes Twilight, I am fully aware.”
“I know but, if a queen tried to connect every changeling in existence at once it would tear them apart!”
“This changeling was anything but ordinary,” Chrysalis continued on despite the ramblings of her daughter. “Her power was extraordinary, as was her ruthlessness. She ruled over all changelings with an iron hoof, effectively robbing all, even the queens of their free will. Our kind was completely bound to her will, we couldn’t say no. We couldn’t rebel. In short, we couldn’t truly live.”
Chrysalis gave her daughter a moment to process this information. “It is said this hive was her home. And that from here she ruled her empire with evil intent, destroying all that got in her way. This was an age when the sun and moon moved by their own accord, when nature was unregulated and the existence of alicorns were a simple myth. The zebras and griffons were closest, and were subjugated in their earliest history, history now lost to time. Ponykind however, would escape her brutality as her empire never reached the shores of what would become Equestria, never mind the original land where the three tribes lived in their founding days.”
“So long ago, this planet was so chaotic back then, and I don’t think even Discord was alive then to make it so!”
“Indeed. But that is the nature of evolution, and progression.”
“I guess so,” Twilight agreed. “So? What happened to her?”
“The same thing that happened to King Sombra, and other similar tyrants,” Chrysalis stated like it was obvious. “Apparently one day a Changeling Queen got free of her control, and brought everything crumbling to the ground. She defeated the tyrant and likely killed her, creating the society we changelings have this very day.”
“Wow… that does seem pretty fantastical,” Twilight said. “The second theory seems more likely to be true.”
“Perhaps.” Chrysalis casually stated. “But so did Nightmare Moon once. As did the Crystal Empire, and the Elements of Harmony themselves. If you recall, even we were once relegated to mere myths and legends until the wedding a couple of years ago.”
“Touché,” Twilight conceded. “All that power for a single queen to hold…”
“Actually, according to the story the changeling in question wasn’t quite a queen but something… more. And far worse.”
“I see,” Twilight hummed in contemplation. “Still, best to take it with a grain of salt. But if I can, I certainly will be putting research time into this!”
“I had a feeling you would, checklists are going to be involved I assume?”
“Of course!”
“Of course.” Chrysalis repeated in a deadpan voice. “Anyway, enough stories. I believe we were heading towards the council chamber?”
“Ah, right. We should probably get on with that...” Twilight chuckled.
Chrysalis herself chuckled in return. “Come on, let’s go.”
Just as the two royal changeling turned to continue on down the corridor, the two froze in place as the door to the war room opened and several changelings in blue and red armor came piling on out. The drones eyed the queen and princess spitefully as they sauntered on past, but did no more than that.
But that was not the worst part.
The worst part came when Queen Crudelis followed them out.
“Oh buck my life,” Chrysalis broadcasted over the entire hive.
When Crudelis spotted the two other royal changelings her blood red eyes locked on to their green and lavenders ones, an unnerving grin spreading across her face.
“Ah! There is my favourite niece!” Crudelis exclaimed in fake cheer.
“I am your only niece, Crudelis. What do you want?” Chrysalis snarled.
Crudelis rolled her eyes. “Oh please, do you have to act that way towards family? I have been dying to see you again, and to meet a certain other.”
Twilight flinched as Crudelis’ eyes locked solely onto the young princess. “Twilight Sparkle. You have no idea how pleased I am to finally meet the latest addition to our family. How are you my dear? Well I hope?”
“Fine, thank you.” Twilight responded through gritted teeth, half tempted to bear her fangs, knowing it would likely do little to intimidate the much older Changeling Queen.
“Good, I heard about that nasty business with that dastardly assassin a while back, I hope the scar doesn’t bother you too much?”
Twilight instinctively placed a hoof on the permanent mark on her chitin, while Chrysalis flashed her fangs angrily, eliciting little more than an amused smirk from Queen Crudelis.
“If you would excuse us, ‘aunt’ Crudelis. We have business to attend to.”
“Come now Chrysalis,” Crudelis smiled. “You can set all that aside for a while.”
Crudelis turned back to Twilight, “Besides, I have heard so much about you Twilight. Defeating as many evils as you have, you certainly are quite the hero back in Equestria. If you were a pony you may have even ascended to an alicorn.”
“That was the original plan, apparently…” Twilight admitted.
“I thought as much, Element of Magic.”
Twilight glared at Crudelis. “Well I have heard much about you too, Crudelis.”
“Oh?” Crudelis was all ears.
“Yes. Rather impressive how you convinced a dragon to murder a fellow queen!” Twilight accused
Crudelis snorted. “I see you are rather privy to rumours and speculation my dear, but yes my sister’s death was terribly tragic. Honestly though, it wouldn’t be that hard for any queen to convince a dragon commit such an act, a life debt is a very serious thing to their kind. Such a queen might even have a dragon like that in her service to this very day. Actually, don’t you have a dragon yourself?”
“You aren’t denying it,” Twilight pointed out spitefully.
“Aren’t I?” Crudelis smirked.
“Enough of this,” Chrysalis stood in between Crudelis and her daughter. “Don’t you have a council to run?”
Crudelis sighed. “Yes I suppose I do. But don’t worry, we’ll be seeing each other very soon.”
Crudelis brushed past Chrysalis and began to walk down the corridor in the opposite direction of where Chrysalis and Twilight were heading, much to their relief.
“She is meant to be related to us?” Twilight asked.
“Come on, the council chamber is just down the hall.”
Twilight examined the council chamber with great interest. The room was circular in shape with around thirty seats spanning the edges of the hall. The roof was made up of some kind of semi-transparent material Twilight couldn’t identify. It allowed sunlight to enter but it wasn’t transparent enough to clearly see out. In the centre of the roof the crystal keeping up the perception filter hummed away as it did its work, as it had done for thousands of years preceding that day. The floors were tiled with intricate patterns and shapes. Similar decorations adorned the walls and pillars of the structure which had all been masterfully crafted with gold and various other materials, and then well-kept over the hive’s long history.
It wasn’t a stretch of the imagination to visually replace all the council seating with one giant throne at the end of the room, as it would have looked back when it was still utilised as the hive’s throne room. And when Twilight looked at the design of the room her thoughts were brought back to the story her mother had told her. She could certainly imagine some king or changeling empress running an empire from the room she now stood in.
Her scholar side was squealing like a little filly Twilight.
Fifteen guards lined the room, one from every hive attending the council. Each held the usual stoic expression on their faces. Spike was also present, speaking to a few other drones about the event the next day.
“Hey Twilight!” Spike called when he spotted the Princess.
“Hey Spike,” Twilight replied back to the young dragon. “How are things coming along?”
“Nicely. Things are just about ready for tomorrow.”
“Good to know. But… wow! Have you seen this place?”
“Yup. It is pretty impressive. Actually, I am surprised you haven’t started excavating it already.”
Twilight groaned. “I am not that bad!”
“Uh-huh.”
Well, the checklist wasn't evil, Twilight can sleep easy then. Well, relatively easy.
As for which one is the true history, I'm thinking option 3, because tropes.
Geez, Crudelis really grates on my nerves... Awesome chapter as always!
that queen is sorely underestimating the Princesses,
TV Tropes called, they know the answer.
And Crudelis is sorely misjudging the princesses and Elements. They will be Furious with a capital 'F'.
Imma say the one about something "more" controlling the Changelings from this Hive is the true story.
7269922 Nope, they were actually truthful on that one. They already have plans and the checklist is not involved.
Good thing too, cos if there was ever an evil checklist I think Twilight would break...
I'm thinking story 3 was true because there are always remnants from times long past of immense power waiting to be awoken to continue their work from thousands of years ago. Also, what 7269824 said. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
I like the old cover art, but I will wait to see the new one when it's complete done.
I thought this was suppose to be uploaded on Sundays?
7269924 Yeah, so I've read in this chapter. Now, I'm hoping for a couple of key factors to come into play. Otherwise, Chrysalis' Hive is doomed.
MY bet's on Option 3.
As to THESE:
7269855
7269903
my answer is "Oh, yeah! Definitely!"
7270036 Twilight is going to find old Queen-goddess of the changlings and well we know how that will go... also why does everypony forget that Discord likes Twilight and her friends
7270073 Very true,
And I dunno.
Weird, ain't it?
7269924
I know which one Crudelis thinks is true. And if it wasn't, she is going to make it true.
Awesome encounter! I like how Crudelis is portrayed in this chapter: callous, sly and very devious. She WAS gloating a bit at one point.
Crudelis reminds me of a character in an upcoming book who is exactly the same: arrogant, vicious and devilishly clever. That character gets her comeuppance in the end ... I wonder if Crudelis will do the same?
7270036 Especially if Fluttershy gets involved in the fray, then Crudelis will be 1000 times more screwed with the Embodiment of Chaos himself in the quote-on-quote 'war'
7269924
If any of her friends get hurt, Twilight may make an evil checklist and It will be Crudelis' hive that is doomed.
When a good mare goes to war...
7270274
Let me guess 3 and I think that is part of Crudelis's plan pm me if I'm correct
all the tropes
The meeting with Crudelis wasn't as suspenseful as I thought it would be. If that's the right word to use.
Right, what's the chances Crudelis either wants to revive the original changeling queen god thingy or gain it/her power somehow?
I rely on 3
Who knows? Maybe you trick all of us.
7270420 Expecting a Mexican stand-off?
It is not the first time that Chrysalis has met Crudelis face-to-face. And Twilight has stared down more than enough villains in her time already.
7270449 Well considering, if the story is true, this changeling can control queens with its mind.
So no that is not the plan... Crudelis isn't that dumb or suicidal.
Oh yeah, that. If Crudelis kills Twilight and Chrysalis gets away, she's gonna have to deal with three angry mothers- one solar goddess, one changeling queen, and one really really pissed off unicorn
7270497
I was waiting for the old-western duel. I mean, you didn't even add a saloon!
-10/10 severely dissapointed
Calling it now, Crudelis is the reincarnation of the evil changeling.
I really want a badass twilight moment were she beats the shit out of Crudelis.
Hmm, two mundane explanations with little detail and one detailed and mysterious I've, gee, what a difficult choice.
Why do I feel what Crudelis is attempting is related to that story?
And I dig the new cover art.
As history knows
Storiess are determined by the victors
And from what we know from that journal twilight read
The Highest queen had changed her mind before her death by queen crudalis
and crudalis changed the story to try and fit herself as the hero possibly
7269855 It's a bird! It's a plane! It'- Oh my god it's the SUN! It BURRRRNS!!!
Another rather good chapter. I do have one question for you though. Did you retcon the number of queens in attendance? I thought you said in the last few chapters that there are 19 queans in attendance?
7271323 Celestia: "i forgot how much fun burning ants was."
I say the third story is true, and Crudelis is planing something that involves it.
I love that new art. Great work on your story! Keep it up.
W
7271473 she was something more... like twilight being an Alicorn would have made her something more? Twilight the superbug.
7270274 crudelis' hive called for help, but nobody came.
7271309 Imperatrix wasn't the changeling mentioned in story 3. Neither she or her daughter Crudelis were born then.
7271381 No, there are just 30 seats because when the council was first formed there were 30 queens. Not anymore.
7271797 oh, welll sorry then
(guess we'll have to do the time warp again)
The last one. Things that seem impossible are always true.
7270274 oh yeah when a good mare goes to war the world burns
7271799
I meant more this line here Fifteen guards lined the room, one from every hive attending the council.
and the fact that the previous chapter you listed off the queens that were attending and Chryssalis even said “There are now only nineteen queens,” Chrysalis realised.
The fact that Chrysalis saw Crudilis walk out of the war room and what she said I'm suprized that she hasn't sent word to have the hive do a sweep of its self or at least start checking. And one more thing, has Ember taken control over the dragons and is friends with Spike because that would be another powerful ally to Chrysalis and Twilight to an already large list they have?
7273876 You missed the fact that said four of those queens couldn't be located and wouldn't be attending. So only fifteen are.
When Chrysalis next said "There are now only nineteen queens" she is talking about Vespula's death.
7274569
Ahh that's right. I forgot about the "couldn't be located" part. My apologies. I'm running on very little sleep the last few days.
Oh no, this isn't looking good :O
The third story about the evil/ultimate/super queen makes me think of this changeling age chart and that the ancient stage fits pretty good in how I think that queen would look like.
derpicdn.net/img/2014/11/11/762658/full.jpeg
7275496 There is a reason for that. That chart is actually what inspired it.
I have a 4th theory. Once upon a time , there were 30 changeling queens . One queen was more powerful than the rest , and unlike her mother , cruel and devoid of love . During those times , changelings lived in harmony with ponykind. The queen had her heartbroken too many times , which is why she was cruel. One day , she challenged her mother , and killed her . The sister of the new queen , ran away from the hive and was eventually seen again. When that queen killed her mother , she created a spell which meant she could feed of the other queens power . During that time , because she was out of reach , the sister made the hive which modern changelings use today . Eventually the queen found her sister and killed her . Very soon , she had some changeling drones , as well as a queen . She taught her daughter to be cruel like her , but the daughter was not . That daughter was none other than Queen imperatrix, who soon had a daughter called Chrysalis , who she taught to be cruel and cunning. Chrysalis grew up and had her own hive , but one year , there was a shortage of love , and her husband , died , shortly after the her daughter was born . That changelings name was twilight sparkle . Eventually , she ordered a attack on canterlot , and she was near her beloved daughter once again , after having abandoned her on a doorstep. The cruel changelings name was Crudelis .
And that is my theory!