“Morning Skitter,” I said and sipped my tea, opening the door before turning to return to the couch. Nothing planned for today, I might actually get some writing done, no classes to sit through, no boring dinners later or anything. Luna would likely be busy with this entire trial thing tonight too. From what she said, he looked guilty.
Pausing I stopped and looked back. The doorway was empty. No 'Good Morning, sir'.
What?
Turning around I returned and looked outside into the hallway. Just the two guards.
“Have any of you seen Skitter?” I asked the Swift Spear.
He shook his head and looked at me, “No, sir. She never showed up.”
That had happened a total of one time before and then Chrysalis had sent a replacement. Now there was nopony here.
Something was wrong.
I floated the tea to the table just next to the door and headed for the stairs, “Swift, you are with me.”
“Yes, sir,” he quickly agreed and followed along.
We didn't need to go far, just down a flight of stairs and to the left to reach the bedroom just beneath mine and Luna's, it's the one I had given to Skitter so she would stop sleeping outside the door.
Knocking on the door didn't give an answer.
I tried again and then glanced at Swift.
He shrugged, “Maybe she overslept?” he suggested uncertainty.
Yeah. And maybe I'll spontaneously grow wings.
I pushed the door open and slowly entered, “Skitter?”
The inside was quite different than what it was when I assigned it to her. Gone was most of the furniture but the desk and a chair, the walls covered with that blackish resin like material Changelings use in their hives.
The bed was missing, having been replaced with one of those cell like openings I saw in their hive that changelings liked sleeping in.
What I had never seen before though was the green sphere hanging from the ceiling almost to the floor. It was large enough for a pony and glowing softly in the dim light. I could see the faint outline of a pony or changeling inside it.
What?
Slowing down I slowly moved around it without touching. Skitter was in there. What in the world... I have seen her molt before, it was nothing like this. Okay, that was disturbing too, she had to crawl out of her own skin.
But this was...
I needed answers and it was clear that she was not in any state to give them. I turned to Swift, “Come on, we are going to see the Queen.”
His ears twitched, “Are you sure that's wise?”
“No. But I need answers.”
The path down to the hive was as long and twisting as ever but it's not like you could get lost. There were always changelings you could ask for the way and I had been down here a couple of times before so I walked the path with sure steps, my horn lit to light the way.
Swift tried to do the same as he followed behind but he kept looking around at the moving shadows. I couldn't blame him, this place was creepy as hell for ponies. And humans too for that matter.
The throneroom was like I remembered it. A throne in the middle, four pillars for the ceiling and large green glowing love storage.
Much more stored this time, seems like the Crystal Kingdom situation is working out.
Chrysalis was lounging on her throne as changelings bustled around the room on different tasks, from shoring up the walls to delivering love into the tanks.
“Queen Chrysalis,” I said and bowed slightly as I reached the steps up to her throne, Swift following my lead with a small quick bow of his own before he went back to looking vigilant.
“Lord Page,” Chrysalis answered as she raised her head, “For what reason do I owe the pleasure?” she asked before she locked her eyes on Swift, “Oh, did you bring me a present?”
“Cut the crap. So not in the mood,” I snorted, “It's related to Skitter.”
She raised an eyeridge at me, “In which way? I assume it has something to do with the fact your shadow is not with you today?”
I nodded, “I found her this morning. She is in some sort of... green cocoon. It's hanging from the ceiling in her room.”
That got Chrysalis' full attention. She regarded me for a long moment before she nodded, “I see. Well, it was expected to happen.”
What was expected to happen?
I waited for a second before I suppressed a groan. Of course she would make me ask.
“What was expected to happen?”
She lazily got out of the throne and moved down the stairs towards us, brushing against my side before slowly circling Swift who didn't move a muscle, his eyes stubbornly forward, “It is your fault of course, Lord Page. You kept her stuffed with love at all times, not allowing her to be hungry.”
“If she was to guard me, she needed the power.”
“Mmm. But you also wished her well. Wanted her to be happy and well fed,” Chrysalis continued with a smirk as she brushed a wing along Swift's back before she moved back to look down at me. “Constantly filled with love. Do you know what the hive's way to replace a lost queen is? They choose a drone and keep her constantly filled up to the brim until the metamorphosis begins.”
They... wow.
...Oh.
“She is becoming a Queen?”
“A Princess. There will be years until she matures fully to a Queen. She should emerge in a month or so. Be sure to be there when she does, she will be starving. I will provide guards and Love storage so she does not drain you dry.”
I nodded, “I see. Thank you.”
“Not doing it for you, my little predator,” she purred and then returned up the stairs to her throne, running her wing along my side on her way past.
I turned to leave before I stopped and looked back at her, “You know... It occurs to me that with a new Queen, we don't really need you anymore, do we?”
Instead of the glare I expected, she just nodded with a small smug smile, “Indeed. But it will take years for her to grow from Princess to Queen. I should last that long.”
“...What?”
Her wings buzzed slightly and she regarded me calmly, “Changeling Queens are long lived but not immortal like your Princesses. And I am Old.”
Oh. Suddenly her attack on Canterlot made a lot more sense.
“You planned this,” I finally said as I stared up at her, “You planned this from all the way back when the treaty was negotiated!”
The new Queen would have the favor and trust of not only me, but the Princess of the Night. Solidifying the alliance in a way Chryaslis herself would never be able to do and she knew it.
Chrysalis just relaxed in her throne again and waved her front hoof with a smirk, “You are dismissed, hunter of dreams. Return to my daughter. Guard her well.”
I hate dealing with changelings.
Okay, that's unfair. I actually like changelings.
I hate dealing with Chrysalis!
Ohhhhhhh.... Well... that happened. Well played bug but... Well played.
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Well payed indeed :)
Great move forward for the Lings too, not just about the ponies trusting her more than they ever would have Chrissy, but she'll also have the experience of working with ponies not against them.
7376492 very true. Also I'd like to make the first harem comment/ joke before Celestia dose. You know she's going to comment about Page having two large mares in his life.
Bam didn't see that one coming!
Luna would so love that.
Wait. Literally her daughter or she sees her as her daughter?
One could say Chrysalis bugs him.
I feel there was a missed opportunity for Chrysalis to quote Little Shop of Horrors and after Page's accusation say "And I want to THANK you!" in reply.
Princess Skitter?! Aaaaaahhhhh!!! This story had gone from good to great!!!
Chryssie plays the game well. Proves her worth in being one of the power weights in Equestria, not only power wise, but in all ways.
Am I the only one thinking about how Skitter most likely had no idea (better saying, had not realized) about this and will freak out way more than Page? And that it will be a cute as heck freak out?
Now, Page certainly is well cared for. A princess for a lover, one for a body guard, one for a in-law and one for a friend, a queen for a rival... Damn Page, you have your grubby hoves on likely half of the royalty of the damn planet!
Now that is a character written well enough to carry the mantle of Chrysalis. Played the long con like a fiddle and not once did I consider such a move. In part because I don't know the rules surrounding the universes creatures but that's besides the point. Would it be too much to ask for a touch more challenging interaction? I'm just loving how you've written Chrysalis and I want more.
That was a nice twist! Sneaky Chrysalis!
It does raise a question though - if all it takes is to make a new queen is to keep a drone full of love and care, what happens with those changelings who are emulating ponies and are in a loving relationship with them? Or does that exist in your fanon version? I know that Skitter has found pony ways to be confusing at times, so perhaps they can't maintain that kind of relationship?
Cheeky Chrysalis being all smart again.
I love chapters like this, but I have a soft spot for changelings. Almost wish there was an interlude, with Skitter's thought processes before her changes. Was she aware of this? Was it instinctual? Now I'm wondering if she will go through some mental changes as well as physical. It's entirely possible.
Though, more than anything, I love the portrayal of Chrysalis in this series. Rude, arrogant, and dismissive, but you can't accuse of of not following her duty. She's even getting a new Queen without any effort at all. Wonder how much of 'Blank Page's fault' will stick to the wall in political circles. He's certainly in enough of her plots.
Cadance's reaction is going to be interesting
What a
Every time you write Chrysalis, I just think she must be ridiculously fun to spend time with. Clever, funny, and just vicious enough to keep you on your toes. Everything a confident man likes in a woman.
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If it blurs the line between drones and princesses, I'd imagine it would transform their society to be less hive-like, too. Together with the integration into Equestria we might end up with another tribe of ponies. If their biology plays ball, that is.
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Clever girl.
From bodyguard to princess, talk about one heck of a promotion.
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What is wrong Page?? -Celestia/Luna
I uh... welllll.....l..... kinda sorta made a princess
And you still manage to do so much with few words. Well anither great chapter.
-BFBL
Can i Like this story again please?
7376514 Most insects that have hive-like structures only have 1 individual per hive to lay eggs. That individual is the queen. Sonce the changelings in this story are obviously insect-based (they molt, for example), it isn't unreasonable to assume that Chrysalis sees them as her children both figuratively, as their ruler, and literally, as their biological mother.
Good for Skitter!
7376786 Eeexactly!
Chryssi has what makes the coolest villians of all time. She has the long term plan in mind from the beginning. People are so focused on the now they neglect to see the big picture. The best villians are the ones that make plans around plans, playing with the heroes perception of reality until they have complete controls of the situation... Then they strike. The best laid plans are the ones that require patience.
Why are so many people calling this a huge twist? I mean, it is (kind of), but it was clearly foreshadowed a few chapters ago when Page noticed that Skitter had grown taller. Just as there appears to be further blatant (but well-written) foreshadowing in this chapter.
You just summed up the entire fanon thoughts regarding the subject.
Chrysalis is best changeling Queen.
Really need an emote for her.
I like this Chrysalis. A lot more than her canon counterpart, actually.
8008671 same here
8008671
Super late, I know, but this Chrysalis makes a lot more sense than the Hasbro version. She's cunning like a predator would be and she knows how to plan out long winded events that can ensure her victory one way or the other, her end goal is keeping the hive alive, regardless of her survival, which is how mortal creatures should be living, the future generations are the future, not the current ones.
This is one of the best portrayals of Chrysalis I've read. Terrifyingly smart, utterly dedicated to seeing her hive prosper, and still an absolute bitch about it.
ohhh, nice twist. did not see that one coming.
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I had some suspicions, but it still caught me mostly by surprise.
7376557
How would that work? Since Chrysalis has never been to the human world, she would never have heard of Little Shop of Horrors, much less be familiar enough with it to quote it.
7377134
am i the only one who saw this coming? no seriously, as soon as Page found the pod my first thought was silver leaf getting some therapy then transformation ala thorax.
7951770
but i like Chrysalis. and i don't just mean the one in the time loops. i would risk the hive just to give her a hug.
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9103475
You both would probably like Chrysalis in Change, if you haven't already I really recommend reading the series!
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Ya know...........no one has ever pegged her as the looooong planning type like this. I wanna see both princess's reaction to this.
9180915
I love that chryssy. Need to reread the new kingdom one though forgot the main story points lol
Much Swift very Spear so sharp
Clever Queen! Very well done!
... I have to admit, this level of planning was not something I associated with Chryssi.
Good for her, though. This one interaction alone clearly shows that she cares deeply for her hive, consequences for herself be damned. I may not like her, but you have to respect that.
Clever girl....... very clever.....
This wasn't according to keikaku
Keikaku was according to this
7376537
Why. Just why.