Chapter XV
Fear was an infrequent companion to Queen Chrysalis. She was, of course, familiar with it intimately, and from both sides. She had often used it as a weapon, having been subjected to the power of what fear can do to a mind and even the body. The changeling liked to think she was the mistress behind the fear most of the time. The truth of the matter was more often than not the reverse. Loathe was she to admit fear had driven her halfway across the world along with the determination of finding a way to end the changeling curse.
What drove her decision was that very same fear and its odd coupling with the desire to put an end to the Hunger and at last fill the Void for all changeling kind. The answer was here, in Equestria. The key, Chrysalis felt, lay with the alicorns, or the secrets they guarded.
Celestia was a keeper of many secrets and Luna was her accomplice.
Chrysalis began to realize in her days of captivity, through her hours of isolation with nothing but her thoughts (Atalanta notwithstanding: hatchlings make poor conversationalists, Chrysalis mused), her only recourse was clear. Though she hated it, there really was no other choice she could make. The stalling was meant to buy time for her changelings to get clear of Taalia, as the commotion in the aftermath of the invasion would surely have driven the queen and her murderous Ravagers to ground long enough for Chrysalis’ hive to get free and clear of the bloodthirsty queen’s ridiculously long reach.
She trusted her brood mothers would lead the hive faithfully in her absence. They understood the risks and knew how to handle themselves. All they had to do was keep the hive moving away from Queen Taalia and her minions. The ponies would unwittingly act as screens.
The changeling queen pondered if her planning and counter planning would bear fruit.
So much was at stake. There were too many variables at play, she feared. Too many plans, too many contingencies dependant on outside influences. The ponies had proven to be as unpredictable as they were predictable. Such weak prey had proven resilient. Strong. Unbreakable.
It reminded her of an old Zebrican saying: ‘There is no such thing as a shy water buffalo’.
The way she saw it, the fly had bitten the buffalo, and the buffalo had flicked it off with its tail and had chased down the fly. Now the fly was the prisoner of the water buffalo. What confused Chrysalis was how ponies could be viewed as water buffalo. It made no sense, yet the old saying had sprung unbidden to mind, creating a rather interesting image in the mind of the brooding queen. Then again, the water buffalo could perhaps be Celestia. She ate enough cake, or so the rumors stated.
Her pride had ruled her for as long as she could remember. Taalia had insisted she be broken so long ago and had done so, rebuilding the foundation built on pride and the sense that changelings were destined to one day rule all living things. The Twin Queens had told a very young Chrysalis this long ago, when the tiger changeling queen had presented her prize before the mighty sisters.
Chrysalis let out a small breath. She was uncertain of the future. A large part of her assured her mind she was doing the wise and sensible thing. Her pride, angry and arrogant, battled against common sense. She was betraying her people, her pride said. She was going against all the things that make changelings great, her pride screamed. A lifetime of conditioned perspective steeped deeply in the prejudice and bigotry that made the very core of nearly all changeling queens including Queen Chrysalis was no small thing to set aside.
Was she going against her nature? Could she no longer consider herself a queen? Had the ponies finally broken her?
No…
Chrysalis realized she was something different. She had broken from many of the traditions by refusing to be a slave to more powerful queens. Even more importantly, she had never sought to subjugate other queens weaker than her. A task had been placed upon her. The responsibility laid at her hooves had been given to her by the very beings which made changeling law as solid and immutable as ‘Might is Right’, as Luna had once remarked.
Still, overcoming her pride and putting the needs of her hive before her own desires was something only a Lesser queen would do. Greater queens were greedy, so steeped within their desire for personal power, they became rulers who ruled for themselves. Queen Taalia was an extreme example.
The imprisoned queen did come to a realization. Though she could barely remember her mother, part of what was giving her the will to resist her own stubborn desire to refuse the ponies what they sought was in large part from the early teachings the long dead queen had instilled upon her daughter.
Chrysalis was willful against herself because Taalia had crafted her upon the shattered heart of a broken child missing her mother. Taalia believed she had broken Chrysalis. Her newest progeny established through the power of the Twin Queens was not related by blood, but by anger and hatred. Chrysalis hated Taalia with a passion and the tigress changeling had taken that hatred and molded her student around it.
Atalanta had, in effect, turned the tide within the dark queen’s heart.
Princess Luna had seen it and was quick indeed to exploit the growing bond between mother and daughter. As Chrysalis recovered from her near assassination, there were many nights when the Mistress of the Moon would visit. There would be time for negotiations later, she reasoned to the queen. Now was the time for healing and reflection.
Chrysalis had given in return the form of a means of communicating with one of her scouts. She had eyes scattered throughout Equestria, serving two purposes: watching for ponies searching for them and also watching for Taalia and her minions.
“To summon one of my changelings,” Chrysalis had told Luna with wavering resolve, “You must first know what it is that will attract his or her attention. We changelings use pheromones to communicate with each other. A particular scent will tell them many things. It can tell them where there is food, where there are enemies, if it is safe. Go to where there are thick trees. I will give you some of my scent. I have chosen what the scent will tell the changeling. My changelings will know only one is to approach. They will watch. They will wait. Bring my changeling to me. We shall see if you ponies can be trusted, Luna. Do not interfere with the changeling. If you are concerned about them discovering where I am and attempting to free me, I assure you, I will ensure they understand they are to do no such thing.”
She could not tell the alicorn how terrified she was. Chrysalis could not admit her doubts. Was she betraying her hive? Was this to be a trap?
Atalanta had cocooned herself and would soon be done with her hatchling phase. She would emerge as a nymph, looking like a tiny copy of her mother. Chrysalis felt very protective of her helpless daughter. The ponies wisely did not come between the mother and her offspring. Chrysalis was subdued in her magic, but her sheer size and strength was comparable to an alicorn. On top of that, the queen had a mean streak in her a mile wide. That was not changing anytime soon, as well has her dark sarcasm and snarky wit.
Already those stupid ponies had felt her wrath when it came to Atalanta. She was not sorry about what she did. Not one bit. Remorse was lacking when it came to her daughter’s safety. Chrysalis felt she could trust the ponies as far as she could throw them. She trusted Celestia even less. Luna, now there was an intriguing mare! She behaved like a queen. She was diabolical, sneaky, and underhoofed! Scruples were of little concern to the dark alicorn. Little things like taking into consideration the queen’s feelings would not stop her from looking away from a larger picture. It was one she shared with her sister, Chrysalis was sure, but Luna was willing to do the dirty things.
The more she interacted with the Princess of the Moon, the more she found she liked her! This pissed off Chrysalis more than anything. She liked a pony. As a friend! The horror!
Though there were striking differences between the two ladies, Chrysalis felt there was enough of a connection between herself and Luna to at least have an understanding between the two of them. It was enough for a little bit of trust to take hold. Hopefully, Chrysalis believed it might bear fruit to allow her to open up a little more. She was tired of being isolated, tired of worrying about her changelings. She wanted a safe place for her daughter to grow and be out of the influence of queens like Taalia.
Cadence, apparently had held Atalanta. She had blessed the hatchling with love. The residual potency of the alicorn’s love still clung to her daughter’s life force. It was such that Chrysalis nearly swooned at how overwhelmingly delightful pure love was when not used to hurl changeling bodies to the horizon. It had made the queen a bit tipsy and she had spent the next few days prone to bouts of uncontrolled giggling. Atalanta was happy and active (for a hatchling) and soon began taking the big step towards becoming a nymph.
Mi Amore Cadenza had declined to meet with Chrysalis, according to Celestia, as she was still greatly affected in the aftermath of the invasion. Through Celestia, she had promised to meet Chrysalis in the near future, but was not ready. Chrysalis thought the young princess to loathe any prospect of meeting her again, even if it was with more than favorable terms.
Time went on and Chrysalis found herself visited less by the royals. Luna was the most frequent of her visitors, having made a point to stop by at least once a week to see how the queen and her hatchling was doing. By the time Chrysalis was well enough to walk under her own power, Atalanta had started the stage of molting out of her hatchling skin. She had grown so uncomfortable as she had clearly outgrown her skin. Chrysalis spent a great deal of time licking her daughter and singing to the miserable little thing as she fussed and bawled. Vaguely the queen remembered her own emergence from hatchling to nymph. It had been a blur. She had remembered her hatching far more than she did the transition. There had been a great hunger afterwards, as the transformation burned through her tiny pool of stored love.
Once Atalanta finished her transformation, Chrysalis felt she would be able to begin grooming her daughter for her role in life. She would be a strong leader, with the interests of her changelings in mind. Atalanta would one day be a great queen, and more importantly, a good one. Chrysalis bitterly looked back often upon her life, cursing Taalia and cursing the Twin Queens for the burdens they had imposed upon her. But not for Atalanta! Not for her hive! Never again!
Chrysalis had swallowed her great pride at long last, and she hated herself for it.
She gazed down lovingly upon her daughter, who squirmed and wriggled between her hooves to remove her old shell and emerge anew. For now, there was nothing to do but wait and write.
And write she did.
The Twin Queens sat upon their One Throne, a great couch of black marble strewn with fine silk pillows and cushions. The throne room itself was a singular and unexpected nod to opulence; there were gems and jewels scattered across the floor, imbedded within the crystal beneath my hooves. Above, a great chandelier carved from the bones of an ancient dragon slain by the Sisters was dotted with everflames, enchanted fire that never burned out. On either side of the queens and lining path leading up to them were prone changeling queens who spoke in one voice the will of the Twins. There were fifty of them, twenty-five to each side. Behind them and along the walls stood massive warrior changelings, much like the lion Taalia had mated with. Their numbers were double that of the Voices of the Queens. They were known as The Might of the Queens. It was said both groups lived for as long as the Topaz Queens allowed them to. It was said they were immortal because they had been given immortal blood.
It was said if they marched in the name of the Goddess Sisters, nothing but death lingered in their wake. Might and magic permeated the throne room. This was the black heart of a black empire.
Taalia held me at the door leading in, bowing her head in reverence to the rulers of all changelings. Terror clung to my heart as I could feel their presence long before my eyes sought out and found them.
There were no windows to allow sunlight to fall upon the mightiest of our kind. I do not think it would have been welcomed, given from whom the sun’s light was beholden to.
“A faithful servant of the Throne awaits,” intoned the Voices of the Topaz Queens. Their unified voices buzzed and echoed in the vast room. The heart of the tower thrummed and I looked up upon hearing their voices. A pair of golden eyes blinked lazily from the center of the throne. A pair of intertwined bodies lounged comfortably. “Approach, Queen Taalia, and be recognized. Know that We are pleased with you.”
Taalia shoved me forward. My legs felt rubbery and I was shaking from head to hoof. My wings buzzed, showing how frayed my nerves were, even as my face showed my mortification. At any moment, I knew I would be crushed with the merest of thoughts. Behind her slinked her Ravagers, who had become uncharacteristically cowed in the presence of the immortals.
“Come to the dias, child, and bring the little one,” intoned the voices. As much as I tried to keep my eyes on the ground in front of me, I could feel the eyes of the Sisters boring down upon me, as though they could pierce my soul. They are judging me, I thought to myself. They will see me as unworthy and tell Taalia to make me a broodmother. Visions of the poor creature Taalia had shown me flashed in my mind. I wanted to die.
“She is as you said she would be,” said Taalia in a respectful, awed voice. It sounded so odd coming from her. I glanced over to her and saw she had lowered her belly near the ground and was crawling forward with her head down and her horn nearly touching the floor. She rose to her hooves and moved with stately grace towards the throne, keeping her head bowed.
I was dragged along like a sack of potatoes and dropped upon the first step leading up to the Throne. I squeaked in fright and was hyperventilating. My heart pounded in my chest and threatened to burst.
“Look upon Us,” commanded the Voices. “Let Us see into young eyes.”
I did just that, thinking it was The End. It was All Over. I found myself looking into pools of golden infinity, as ageless as they were ancient. Beauty and horror swirled together with those mirrors leading into a pair of souls so fathomless as to make me feel as though I would drown if I stared for too long. I tore my gaze away from them, whimpering and wishing desperately for my mother.
To look upon the Topaz Queens was to look upon the Beginning and the End of the changeling race. I had never looked upon goddesses before and if I ever saw another goddess again, I should think myself lucky. I was marked, their eyes seemed to say. I was destined to be something beyond a common queen. A distant land would soon beckon me and I would lead my hive to a new beginning. Of course, it was a possibility, a promise. But the cost would be great and I would never know rest. I would one day rise against the sun and strike her down, only to fail and fail spectacularly.
“You will find your answers in the aftermath of ultimate failure,” said the Voices. “Your true test will begin then. What would you have of her?” The question was directed to Taalia, who was now glaring at me with such hate and malevolence that I could see it around her, reaching for me as if she desired to strangle me right there and then.
“I would mold her in my image,” replied the queen respectfully. “I chose her because her potential is beyond her lesser blood. I had attempted to purchase her from the queen who owned her mother, but she refused. I took what I wanted and left nothing behind to be picked over. I have culled the weak. I claim this one as my daughter and humbly ask for the blessings of my Queens that this be so.”
There was a long moment of silence. The sitting queens began to murmur words I could not hear and their wings thrummed excitedly. Something told me to look up. I did so and found the face of a goddess right in front of me, scant inches away!
“Her bond to her birth mother is unbreakable,” said the queen in a voice that was rich and oddly harmonious. “As with all daughters to their mothers. Tell me child; what is your name?”
“Chrysalis,” I stammered, unable to tear my eyes off such changeling perfection. “I miss my mother.”
“Of course you do,” she said with a gentleness I found surprising. “But some things are necessary for the larger picture. You are young and do not understand yet, but in time, you will learn and you will see. Mind you, only you, my sister, and I are privy to these words. Queen Taalia is a vicious weapon and you would do well to learn what she has to teach. It will become invaluable to you. Do you understand?”
“No, I don’t,” I admitted. Closing my eyes, I awaited the blow to fall. Taalia hit me a lot.
Instead, a hoof gently came up under my chin and lifted my face. Our eyes locked. “You will understand. One day, the fog will clear and the sun will reveal everything to you. The moon will become your conscience. Then will your journey begin. Old ways must give way to new ones. Balance must be achieved. The Hunger and the Void must be sated and filled. Seek the land of harmony and you will meet your purpose.”
Other words filled my mind, but I could not remember them past that they were important. The next thing I knew, I was taken from the Throne, blessed by the Queens as the new daughter of Queen Taalia. She was forbidden from killing me and maiming me in ways as could stunt my growth. The command to bring out my full potential was levied upon her with the weight of doom behind it. Taalia cowed before the words as though each one struck a physical blow to her.
I had just been touched by the Immortal Queens, and Taalia hated me for it.
Chrysalis sang a wordless song to her daughter as Atalanta freed herself from her old hatchling skin. She was still pale, Chrysalis noted with little surprise, and sported a spiraled nub of a little horn. It was easy indeed to see why Cadence had doted over her so lovingly.
The queen wondered absently what Shining Armor would think of his daughter.
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Okay, so Chrysalis's defection has been prophesied by the changelings' own goddesses. As a good thing. Like, borderline messianic.
And to make it come about, they turn her over to the most power-hungry genocidal sociopath they have to crush the empathy out of her, turn her into a prideful warmonger, alienate the very ponies she needs to ally with, and make it as excruciatingly difficult as possible for her to come around and become the savior of their race. That's...kind of dickish.
Like, if she needed to know about Taalia's tactics and the kind of threat she'd pose to Equestrian changelings, they could've just taught her themselves.
Also, did Chrysalis seriously not see that prophecy happening along the way? I mean, on the scale of prophetic subtlety it's somewhere between "sledgehammer to the muzzle" and "Pinkie party". How many ways could she possibly interpret "the moon will become your conscience" after meeting Luna?
Very interesting.
A spiral horn?
6857060 It's not so much a defection as it was her obeying the commands given to her.
You'll later see why it seems dickish, as you put it. And yes, it was just that.
Changelings are habitually single minded when it comes to establishing goals and reaching for them. Sadly, it is prevalent throughout the species.
Damn Sparkles! Now they are in royaltys of Crystal Empire, Equestria and changelings. Wanna know how to fuck your way into world domination? Ask Sparkles.
Nice update. I can't decide if the twin queens are wholly malevolent or not. They're clearly willing to do terrible things and employ monsters to do their bidding, but if they actually saw that Chrysalis was somehow essential to curing their hunger, and that she would eventually defect to the ponies after her failed invasion, then perhaps they're just detached and pragmatic.
ever time this updates i debate on reading it then or later because some of this story is so damn sad. Anyway nice update and I love how the sisters and their Throne of badassness
6857217 They have their eye on the prize. Like Celestia, they have a grand plan in mind. Unlike her, the don't care how it is completed.
Shinings.... Ohhh wow. That is going to be an aqward conversation. So a half breed or full with just the looks?
6857285 changeling genes are dominant, but she has some of his traits.
here a question most people are overlooking. how might Atalante react to Shining?
ha i was right the toppaz queens from that other fic you did.
it is 4:30am right now
6857336 when you really, really, really like certain characters, they show up in other stories!
I slightly dissapoint. I think there must be big talk between Chryslais and Celestia...
6857451 There will be.
Oh. So Chrysalis did touch more than Shining Armor's mind.
Now, knowing this, Celestia's and Luna's patience should be appreciated even more, depending on whether they know who Atalante's father is. Because, best case scenario, Chrysalis 'only' just pretended to be Cadance when they were intimate and Shining was still master of his own mind. Even that's already very, very iffy. Worst case, he was already under some form of mind-control, which makes it a little something rhyming with ape.
6857157
... Now I imagine a story where it's revealed that Twilight Velvet and Night Light have been manipulating events from the very beginning in an attempt to amass power through their children.
Wonder who they have in sights for Twilight Sparkle.
Anger arrogance.
Is that an expression?
Switch one of the blacks with dark.
I am not a fan of prophecies but I do like the Twin Queens a bit.
Yes I said it. I like the Twin Queens because as I see them now they aren't evil. They are like defense mechanisms, regulators of the continued existence of the changelings. Good or Evil don't bother them. They seek the betterment of the changelings be it slaughter or peace. And that's fair. I suppose I don't like it when they allow evil things to happen but there's not much that can be done about this. They seek to learn from a balance of light and shadow.
However I do have a thing against your descriptions which tend to be vague and not specific. I realise you're going for poetic descriptions sometimes but I do think it's necessary to paint a clear image of e.g. the Voices of the Queens, and the Queens themselves.
6857352
Also the brood mothers from the other story...
I hope the next chapter will be out tomorrow. *stares at the Author*
6857352 i know what you mean
6858290 I haven't even edited this one, yet! Crap, crap, crap!
~ Neon Lights
I approve of this reference.
~ Neon Lights
6857733 well, in regards to Luna, she has been away a thousand years and hasn't really had the time to get frisky.
6858252 Not all broodmothers are forced to become so. Some choose it. Unforced broodmothers live much happier lives. This will be addressed later.
Hmm, so it's all been prophecised. Chrysalis will be the one to bring the balance to the world. Let's just hope it'll go better than with the one who was destined to bring the balance to the force.
Cya
Raziel-chan
6858827 Not to the world, just the changeling condition.
The world is far too big for that. Even Twilight's ascension was not exactly a world shattering affair. Tirek was not even aware of her existence, remember?
Can a brood mother become a queen if the matriarchs vote on it? This was said early on.
Or a fucking hippo for that matter. This fat things are mean.
The Twin Queens? It seems Chrysalis is confused when it come to this or it is her telling for other changelings' perspectives. Does Chrysalis follow or believe in something many other changelings do not?
Was this actually said was is Chrysalis remembering a little differently do to recent events?
The Twin Queens seem a little benevolent in this case and it doesn't match the empire they rule.
So Atalanta is Shining's daughter. Well, I wonder how visiting hours and child support is going to work.
6857641
I feel all the things you pointed out as needing correcting are actually correct in the context they are used. The words "angry and arrogant" are enhancing "pride", mile wide means streaks are indeed a thing and a saying, using "black" twice so close together does not damage the sentence; it emphasizes it.
Edit: I am all caught up... what the hell?! I thought I had so much more to read.
6858485 'Tis fine. XD I understand.
6859770
It is what she remembers. Her mind may or may not have been manipulated.
Canterlot was not her ultimate failure.
Well, considering Celestia sent Twilight to handle Sombra instead of doing it herself...imagine if our favorite librarian had failed...or worse, been killed? No, the Queens are benevolent so long as the purpose serves to amuse them. They also 'blessed' our favorite changeling queen and, as a result, turned the disdain from Taalia into pure unadulterated malice. On top of that, they forbade Taalia from doing anything to harm Chrysalis.
This is all a game to them. If Chrysalis fails, they'll simply tap another changeling to find the Cure. They've been doing it for as long as they have been in power. No changeling has ever come close.
6861886 I think you might have forgotten to put who you had been replying to in there?
I thought Celestia had freed Chrysalis and banned her under pain of death from coming back.
Wait, Wha-ha-haaaa? Atalanta is SHINING'S daughter?! What a plot twist!
OOoohohohoho, you sly devil, throwing in that little bit at the end...
Goodness gracious me, seems the blood of the Sparkle family is getting into every kingdom, Changeling, Equestria and the Crystal EMpire... hehehe eue
Good show!
Damn it! Why did you have to touch that fool!? You disgust me
I hate to say it, but I'm glad Chrysalis slept with Shining Armor. It inadvertently gave her something to care for and a backdoor path to redemption. A very very spiky thorn-filled path, but a path nonetheless. Sometimes, very rarely, good things come of bad deeds, like a very unexpected bridge.
Hohoho, Chrysalis! That line at the end there!
You have extended the bloodline of the Sparkle family, to another species, might I add.