Intermission -- 'The Traditional Way'
Silverline’s mind was clouded by pain – he swam in it, drowned in it, got pulled down by it gnawing at his body. As he sunk into unconsciousness, a dream filled his vision. No, a memory. One that he learned to cherish.
* * *
“My my, you sure are a strong little pony, aren’t you?” chuckled Chrysalis, watching her ceiling-bound prisoner struggle against her magic worming its way into his mind and heart. “Why do you pain yourself so? Wouldn’t it be easier and more…pleasurable, to just give into the feeling? Embrace-”
“Shut up!” yelled Silverline, both to the creature below and the voices in his head. It left like a thousand tiny whispers buzzed inside his skull, trying to maim him with sweet nothings. He was given promises he yearned for since he joined the army – proper recognition and retirement, allowing him for a family of his own. He heard voices of reason turn him against his ruler. That he was left for dead, that the mission was a suicide one. Above all, however, there was one alluring whisper, a sound that soothed the storm he struggled against. Silverline wasn’t sure if those were words or not, but they felt nice. The kind of nice he was taught to resist and throw out.
“Isn’t that precious?” cooed Chrysalis, observing with rising interest how her pony soon-to-be-slave huffed and puffed, flailing like mad in the green goo he was trapped in. “I am actually impressed by you, pony. There is something different about you. You’re not the weak, helpless victim that squeals for mercy at the sight of a fang. No, you’re made from an entirely different type of clay.” The Queen looked around the ceiling where Silverline’s troops hung in different stages of being fed upon. “Even these other ponies aren’t half as special as you are. What makes you capable of resisting me for so long? What. Makes. You. Tick?” asked Chrysalis, licking her fangs hungrily.
Another flash of green light made Silverline faint from effort.
* * *
The silver-maned soldier didn’t know where he was or what day it was. For all he cared, it could have been the end of the world and he could be dead. Nothing mattered. There was nothing but the empty, cold void inside his chest.
The only company he had were the whispers. Voices that kept rattling on about things he didn’t care for anymore. Stuff he didn’t actually know.
“You are a most interesting specimen, pony. And might I add, you fit my tastes perfectly,” chuckled…something from below. “A perfect combination of sour battle hardiness and sweet, sweet love for the ponies you swore to protect. Regret works well with Purpose, and the Pride magnificently bubbles up as you consume. Brilliant.”
Silverline felt something around his body, a thing that kept him more or less warm, dissolve and let go. Gravity took him in his not-so-caring arms and smashed him against the floor of the chamber. Not even the dull pain of the impact mattered for the stallion.
“I guess that with you, pony, we shall have to reach to changeling tradition. Magic can only substitute this much, after all,” smiled the changeling Queen, guiding the indifferent Silverline outside. Towards the sun.
* * *
Little by little, Silverline got his will of life and fight back. For some reason he was no longer held captive and was allowed to walk wherever he wished. He was mostly ignored by the monsters around him, and he did nothing to interact with them.
As his mind became sharper and higher cognitive functions kicked in, Silverline started considering escape from the valley. It was around that time that Chrysalis approached him again, towering over the small pony.
“So, pony, how do you like it here, hmm? I can already tell you’re feeling better. Soon you’ll be ready.”
“I have a name, monster,” hissed Silverline. “Whatever you plan on doing, unless you confine me again I will escape this place. It is best you kill me now, for I swear I will do anything in my power to bring you down, changeling!”
“Oh my, such courageous words. Don’t tempt me with your valor, Silverline,” smiled Chrysalis, enjoying the shock on the stallion’s face. “Of course I know your name. Your friends were very helpful in learning about you and Equestria.”
“My squad! What have you done with them!” Feeling his rage grow, Silverline tried to charge his horn with magic, but it was no use. He wasn’t fully recovered yet.
“Don’t worry, they are all alive. You can go see them if you want to,” said Chrysalis, showing the stallion the way to her lair.
Reluctantly, Silverline followed the mare. Questions about what she was planning and how he would escape distracted him enough to disregard the thousands of eyes that stared at him intently.
* * *
They all looked horrible. Each pony was undernourished, sad looking and totally unresponsive.
“That is not how you treat prisoners of war, monster!” shouted Silverline, the blood in his veins boiling from both frustration and anger.
“Oh, is it? I am so sorry. We do not know of any other ways. How do ponies treat their prisoners, hmm?”
The stallion’s jaw literally dropped to the floor at the statement. They didn’t know how to treat captives? What ridiculous nonsense! Wasn’t it common sense that ponies needed food and water? And the position they were in, it was a health hazard!
“If you tell us how to look after your friends, we will,” suggested Chrysalis, settling herself down on her throne.
Was she for real? First she tried to maim him, now she acted all nice and as if nothing has happened?
“What are you up to, monster?” asked Silverline.
“Me? I’m just trying to make your stay here as comfortable as possible. When you’ll be fully recovered, I will show you something. And then give you a proposition you’ll gladly accept.”
“Me? Huh? You’re insane. I would never agree to anything, you beast!”
“Never say never, my dear,” cooed Chrysalis, a playful spark in her eye.
* * *
During the next two days, Silverline kept coming across acts of kindness from the enemy – his men were transported to a cave and locked away behind a thick layer of goo. They were no longer fed upon and were recovering, supplied with food and water that the stallion fed to them. Each step the soldier took was constantly watched by thousands of eyes.
At first, Silverline thought that they were following him, making sure he would not flee before their Queen offered her “proposition”. The truth revealed itself when the stallion was scouting out the edges of the valley, trying to find a suitable focal point for a siege of this cursed place. One hoof put in the wrong spot made the ground under his feet crumble, sending him down the slope of jagged rocks that would surely turn his body into a bloody pulp.
Before the stallion managed to think about using a spell, a dark figure darted beneath him, catching him and settling safely down at the bottom of the canyon. The teleportation spell that Silverline prepared was buzzing around his horn as the colt stared into the blue insectish eyes of his savior.
“Thank you?” tried the stallion, not believing the awkwardness of the situation. He was actually saved by the enemy. What in Tartarus were they planning to do to him?
Without a word, the drone flew away, joining his brothers and sisters in one of the caves. Where thousands of eyes stared.
* * *
Silverline’s heart was put at ease when one day he came into his squad’s prison and heard them talk. They still looked horrible, but at least they were alright. Dropping the burden of worry for his ponies felt great. Now they could start hatching a plan of escape.
“Silverline,” said a brown colt, raising his eyes to meet those of his leader. “You’re alright.”
“Yes, and so are you,” replied the soldier, sitting with the others. The weak smiles they mustered helped warm the colt’s heart. “Don’t worry, we’ll be out of here soon enough. For some reason the enemy trusts me and allows me to roam free. I’ll try and find a way to escape this wretched place, preferably with you all. If necessary, I’ll go alone and bring back the armed might of Equestria with me, and get you colts home.”
“But Silverline. You said this mission was a ‘no coming back’,” pointed out a blue-maned buff stallion.
“Well, things have changed. I won’t leave any of you for these monsters to feast on. We’re coming home together, or we die here,” said Silverline. “Now, I have to go. Their leader wants to show me something and propose something I ‘will surely agree to’. I’ll humor them for a while,” he chuckled.
As he rose from his seat, the others followed, saluting their leader in a neat formation. With his spirits high and will strong, Silverline made his way to Chrysalis’ chambers.
* * *
The room was filled with changelings. A clear path was left from the entrance to the throne upon which sat Chrysalis, a wide grin on her mischievous face.
“So you came, dear Silverline. Please, come in. We have a lot to show you.”
With only a moment of hesitation, the colt braved the distance, not paying attention to the ghastly blue eyes in the sea of black that followed his every move.
I wonder. If I would lunge at their leader, would they react? Could I actually hurt this beast? Is it worth a try? No, not now. The time must be just right, thought Silverline, sitting in front of the Queen.
“So I am here. What is it that you wanted to show me?” asked the colt, crossing his fore hooves on his chest.
“Straight to the point, are we? I like that,” smiled Chrysalis. For some reason it was no longer the fanged grin of a praying mantis. More like…a proud, legitimate smile. “We are all here to tell you the story of the changelings. About us, our culture. We wish to tell you the truth, nothing else.”
“Propaganda? Are you serious?” laughed Silverline. “You are trying to convince me with words that you weren’t trying to hurt me or my men?”
“Well, you are alive, aren’t you? I know that a pony as intelligent as you will understand. We would rather speak to you through images and feelings, so that you would have a clearer view of who we are…but I gather that you aren’t a fan of changeling magic,” giggled Chrysalis, making herself comfortable on her throne. “So we are left with words.”
“Fine then. Humor me, changeling.”
“Our tale begins long ago, many lifetimes before mine. We used to be just like the ponies – industrious, brilliant, and eager to get the best of life. We had rulers good and bad, tried many types of governments and organization…but everything failed in the face of the core changeling nature. It is a flaw present in almost every sentient being – and that is greed. Selfishness. The inability to care for another regardless of your own situation. Time and time again, the changelings rose to great heights only to fall a century or so later to anarchy, riots and destruction. The poor would rise against the rich, becoming the new middle class for some time. From that mass then emerged the new poor and rich, and as you can guess, history went round and round in a circle.”
“There were many that tried to break this vicious cycle of destruction and rebirth. Technology was a dead end, as it made changelings lazy and indifferent to their surroundings. Magic fared better for some time, but those with lesser potential shunned those that were gifted, and the inequality between talents brought upon more conflict than gain. In the end, it was a single mare whose name got spirited away by time that found the solution.”
“The greatest burdens of social life were misunderstandings. One changeling meant something the other didn’t understand. Emotions were hid behind masks, fake smiles or false tears. The mare that brought upon a revolution in communication invented our shape shifting abilities. The idea was simple – by using some medical engineering and magic, one could literally be in the skin of another. Change his form, try and understand better. It worked for a short while, changelings were happy that they could become who they wanted to be. City streets were filled with perfect and healthy specimens.”
“You can probably guess what went wrong at that point, right?” asked Chrysalis, pausing her story to look at the stallion.
Silverline blinked a few times. “Umm…you were even more false to each other?” he tried, uncertain where all this was going. So far the story was pretty uninteresting, and definitely nothing that could be used as a bargaining chip in favor of the Queen.
“Precisely. Instead of stepping into other changeling’s horseshoes, they moved even further away, not only covering their minds but also bodies. The ingenious mare saw that, and moved her crazy idea to new heights. If you could not tell what another felt, maybe you could smell it? Many animals exerted pheromones that acted as a way of communicating between individuals. Again, using magic and technology from olden ages, the changelings learned to feel the scents of emotion. With this kind of powerful tool, communication was easier than ever before. You could tell that someone was happy, or sad, in love or anger. After an unstable decade, our culture flourished and the overall happiness of the populace increased.”
“Everyling thought that they needed no more. That this was the peak of evolution, that nothing more could be achieved in the field of happiness. They were wrong. The genius invertor’s next of kin decided to continue the life work of her predecessor.”
“While emotions were free for everyling to see, thoughts still remained a mystery. How many brilliant ideas got lost in the minds of those that chose not to speak? What about those that could not speak at all, trapped in sick bodies? This time the breakthrough took time, patience and many sacrifices. The art of telepathy was a difficult one to master, and somehow always had the same sad side-effect. When two creatures shared minds, it was inevitable that one would overpower the other, effectively subduing and enslaving it. It was all the same, no matter how many tests were made and research done.”
“Those that chose to live with the gift, or burden, of telepathy were kept in a specially isolated village. Scientists didn’t pay them much mind at first, but as time flew by, they noticed that that society not only grew, but was living in a state of utopia.”
“With only a single mind to rule over many, there were no misunderstandings, no hazards, evil or cruelty. It was the purest form of tyranny, yet nopony complained. They didn’t have to make decisions, they worked in unity and harmony, never wronging another or making mistakes. It was all perfect. Changelings still had their thoughts and opinions, ones that they could debate wordlessly with others. At the same time their overseer watched over them, a gentle figure that selflessly cared for her flock, guiding their bodies for them, coordinating efforts to reach new heights of efficiency.”
“How long do you think it took for everyling to accept telepathy as a gift, rather than a dead end?” asked Chrysalis, a spark of pride in her eyes.
“This is ridiculous. So your culture feeds on a single…changeling doing all the work for them? You’re trying to tell me that these creatures here are living, breathing individuals?”
“These toys?” asked the Queen, pointing at the crowd. “Of course they aren’t. Let me finish my story first.” Chrysalis hemmed and continued.
“As I was saying, many decided to accept telepathy and being ruled over by another. Soon there were many overseers controlling thousands, millions of changelings in their day to day life. It was bliss. No more pain, hurting, conflicts. Nothing but happiness. We lived like this for a few millennia, enjoying the peaks of evolution while Equestria was but a budding kingdom.”
“All good things are said to last only so long. Unfortunately, that was the case for our miracle answer to life as well. With time, changelings were less and less eager to make decisions by themselves. The overseers were tired, yearning for someling to care for them as well so they could enjoy sweet laziness as well. Little by little, the amount of changelings controlling others declined, until only one remained. She was my grand-grandmother, a changeling of amazing willpower and dedication. She accepted the burden of living the lives for others. At the same time, she wept at how the society declined into brainlessness.”
“Soon, her mind was the only thing that kept the changelings moving at all. They lost all desire to think, locking themselves away, leaving behind bodies that required attention. It was silent. Noling to talk to, share ideas with. It was cold. There were no emotions to go by. Nothing but the buzzing of thousands of bodies.”
“On the brink of depression, my ancestor was saved by something that came from the outside – a pony. It was a settler that was looking for new lands to conquer for Equestria. He was warm and smelled of adventure and boldness. He met one of the Queen’s drones and just said ‘hello’. The ruler of the changelings brought him to her lair and they spoke. Such a simple thing, to communicate…”
“Hold up,” protested Silverline, not amused by the story at all. “So you’re telling me Equestria knew of changelings?”
“No. The settler never came back to his kingdom,” smiled Chrysalis.
“You murdered him,” concluded Silverline.
“No. He stayed. He joined the hive mind and lived out the rest of his life happy.”
“You enslaved him,” growled Silverline, waving Chrysalis away. “That is even worse than death.”
“You are incorrect again, Silverline. You see, the settler had an open mind. He decided to try the changeling way of life. To become one with the Queen-”
“So he did get enslaved!” triumphantly shouted the stallion. The grimace on the regal mare’s face made him settle down instantly.
“Let. Me. Finish. No, he was not mind controlled. The Queen did not know how to control a pony. But the link worked. They could exchange images, experiences, thoughts. It was what the scientists wanted to do so long ago. Understanding without domination. The Queen and the settler believed that changeling and pony minds were too different and simply did not mix.”
“If it is all so great and perfect, why didn’t you reveal yourselves? Why didn’t you talk to the rulers of Equestria? Why do you hate us so now?”
“The settler ruined it all. In the end, his selfishness surfaced in the form of treachery. When the Queen decided to look for more ponies to link with, perhaps form an alliance with, the vile creature stabbed her in the back. He did not want to share this gift with anypony. He wanted to remain special and only hers.”
“The wounds weren’t deep, but they healed for a long time. The blow that her faith in pony kind sustained did not heal, however. It was sad that the southern culture, your culture, is still locked in the barbaric times of our pasts. We could offer so much more, help in ways you can’t even imagine. But we can’t do that while your attitude is still the same. For did you not come here with ill intent? To spy on us, to find our weakness and use to your advantage?”
“I-“ gasped Silverline. It was obvious they came here seeking information. They were told who the enemy was…but not why. He never questioned Celestia’s orders. Then again, he never spoke to the other side like this. “No.” he finally shook his head. This was all aimed to confuse him. Propaganda. “Why do you blame the whole country for the actions of a single individual?”
“So you claim to be an altruist yourself? That you would not put your own desires ahead of others?” asked the Queen, smiling slightly. Everything was going smoothly thus far.
“Of course! I live and breathe for my country, for my ponies!” zealously replied Silverline.
“Oh really? Then tell me this – should you stumble upon a changeling, a badly wounded one, would you help him? Would you even come close, knowing he is your enemy and might hurt you or the ones you love?”
“I-”
“Exactly. You would not. You are devoted to your own kin. Your altruism reaches only as far as the borders of your Kingdom do. As the settler’s did. The changelings go beyond that – we offer our love and goods beyond ourselves eagerly. We believe in the good that lives in the hearts of others – we can sense it after all.”
“That’s idiotic. Helping everyone who just comes around? You’d be doomed!”
“Because others would use us, right? Like you wanted to use our hospitality, escape and ‘come back with the armed might of Equestria’?”
Silverline remained silent. The changeling logic confused him – did he really just try and use them? But they hurt him and his men! Well, they did just capture everypony. And they were well now, with not even a single scratch. The changeing's intentions weren’t evil, yet Silverline and his stallions used lethal spells against them. Was it self-defense, or offense? They came here, uninvited, snooping around. What could they expect? They thought they’d receive death. Instead, they got…
Kindness.
“I can tell you are starting to see, Silverline,” said Chrysalis, nodding her head approvingly.
“Wait. You’re still trying to confuse me. I…I believe in my superiors. They would not give me a mission against innocents!”
“If they could benefit from it, why wouldn’t they? Can you claim that they are as good-willed as you are? As kind, generous or devoted to their country as you are? Has anyone even told you why you were sent to spy on us?”
Before the stallion could counter, Chrysalis cut in: “Because of a traitor. One of my children opened up their inner mind. Can you imagine that? After many centuries of silence, another voice in the web of thoughts? I was blinded by love towards this new being. I gave it all I had – my heart, my love. And in the end, it left me alone. It fled to Equestria, wishing my death. Spreading lies about the changelings, wishing to be one of a kind. Wanting control over these useless dolls,” said the Queen angrily, staring down one of the drones. The creature bent under the pressure of the gaze and collapsed, not moving at all.
“Can you understand my sorrow, Silverline? My disappointment?” wept the queen, a single tear rolling down her face. “All I want is someone to share myself with. I…I don’t want to be alone. I want to trust again. I want to help.”
“But…I…” started Silverline, but was unable to say or think anything coherent. Here she was, the enemy, the beast, exposed and crying, confessing her innermost desires. She wanted to be there for somepony. Could it be that, perhaps, Princess Celestia was wrong? That the traitor to the changelings was poisoning her mind?
No. These thoughts were outrageous. The sun goddess didn’t make mistakes. Right?
“Silverline…” whispered the Queen, slowly standing up and approaching the tense stallion. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you. All I want is…is to share. Can I share with you? For just a little while? I promise, if you won’t like it, I will stop. And set you and your kinsmen free. We don’t wish to hurt you. And even if we end up being hurt by you, you will at least know our full history. Hopefully, it will not die out…”
Is she serious? thought Silverline. She will let us free? This is a trap. Or is it? Was she lying? She wasn’t using magic, and the whispers were long gone. Maybe…maybe for a little while, I could humor her?
“Alright. I will share this,” he paused looking for a proper word. “This thing. With you. But if you try any funny stuff, I will defend myself.”
“I know. But you won’t. I promise.”
* * *
Two days later, Silverline was sitting with his troops, telling them about the amazing experience he shared with the changeling Queen. It was as if his mind was locked away and hid under a heavy rug, one that got lifted after the minds of pony and changeling met. His ponies were terrified at first, believing that their leader has been maimed by treacherous magic.
Their attitude changed when Chrysalis shared her link with them as well. It was a whole new world, so delicate and fragile. A thing worth protecting and fighting for. And most of all – something that deserved to be shared with others.
“Chrysalis, we can help,” said Silverline, emerging from the metaphysical world that was the Queen’s mind. A most beautiful and artistic mind.
“Really?” beamed the mare, baring her fangs. Long ago, he would read that as an evil grin. Now that he understood the changeling, he read it as joy and excitement.
“Of course. That is the least we can do. What I can do,” said the stallion, bowing. His squad followed, smiling and assuring the Queen of their will to participate as well.
“Thank you, everypony,” replied the touched changeling mare. “But how could you help? It’s not like you can change your kinsmen in a day or two. How could you make them see what you now understand?”
“Do not worry, my Queen. I already have a plan. It will be a difficult and risky one, but I’m fairly certain we can do it,” said Silverline, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “We will do what we do best – be the vanguard for you, your majesty. We will prepare Equestria for receiving you. Whether they like it or not.”
“You mean, an invasion?” gasped the mare. “No. I will not allow it. I’m sure we can do it peacefully and-”
“No, your majesty,” calmly cut in the stallion. “If the enemy, that other changeling, keeps seeping poison into the mind of Princess Celestia, it will be only a matter of time before things escalate into an all-out war. And I will not allow you and your gifts to vanish. They deserve to be spread!”
Silverline’s words were applauded by his squad and a small, shy smirk from Chrysalis. The stallion was getting used to her physique, and now that he thought about it, he found her rather attractive. Intelligent, loving, very caring and generous. Maybe, after the ponies understood and embraced the changelings, they could…
* * *
The stallion gave out a sigh of relief as Chrysalis’ hoof ran along his chin and neck. His green eyes were focused on the changeling queen, unblinking and full of devotion.
“Now, my dear Silverline, are you sure you’ll be okay?” asked Chrysalis, worry plain in her voice. Her deep emerald eyes were set on him, making the stallion’s heart flutter and spirit lift towards the heavens.
“Of course, my love! I am the best of the best, and I shall not fail you!” fervently replied Silverline, earning himself a kiss on the cheek.
As he enveloped himself in a teleportation spell, he heard Chrysalis say something else, but it was too late to go back now.
He popped up in the middle of the canyon, surrounded by thousands of dolls controlled by his Queen. The stallion steeled himself and gave them a sign that he was ready. He had to argue this point of the plan heavily with Chrysalis, but in the end she reluctantly agreed to mangle him. It was required that he looked and felt the part of a stallion that barely escaped the monster. Then, when he would recover, without being suspected he could relay information to the Queen. Tell her exactly what she needed to start an invasion.
And then, when everypony would be certain of their deaths, they would receive love and kindness instead. They would all be one, with Chrysalis. Silverline wouldn’t even need to confess his feelings to the Queen – they'd be plain for her to see, and much more vibrant than the petty words that ponies used now.
So much good. He would be doing so much good. And not for himself. For others. Like a changeling. Selflessly, regardless of anything else.
Silverline closed his eyes the moment the black tide of chitin and sharp teeth descended upon him.
So much good.
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Four f
ing hours. But it was worth it I tells ya, was worth it!
the moment I finish one chapter the next comes up? Sweetness! So does this mean we are back to the awesome upload rate of the past?
Anywho, thanks for being a great author who keeps me entertained with great tales.
1637708
You're welcome
Brainwash for everyone
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24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m48g8cqbea1rw9dago1_500.jpg
1637786
Silverline:
t.qkme.me/36bt2z.jpg
Holy fuck.
...that is all, really.
celestia didn't tell them of the ponys that the changelings kidnapped and murdered?
1637936
A good soldier needn't know who they shoot. Mainly because their own judgement could get in the way
Wow, Star Trek much?
1638055
Oh really? How so?
1638066 ST:TNG had an episode about a Borg that became detatched from the collective and self-realized. His name was Hugh. The episode was, in fact, called, "I, Borg".
1638075
Ohhh, I didn't ge to that part yet. I'm still in season 1 of TNG, I barelly got to know Q
Loving the show nontheless! /]
1637707
nice job and such quick posts......can you do me a favor? make chip cry before the finale. please?
More awesomeness
Hooray!
1638156
I'll try and make you cry as well. I know I cried while writing it
Wow, he's really deep in it, isn't he? I wonder how much of that "history" spiel was an outright lie...
1638202
this is what the story lacks you see, despite being a difficult task if you can manipulate the feelings of the reader...you have done the impossible. writing can have a profound effect on the writer but an even bigger one on the readers if conveyed well!
...so how much of what Chrysalis said was sincere?
It SEEMS like it...but Silverline's idea seems a bit...off.
Awaiting further releases.
Well.... I don't really have anything to say about this chapter except its a mind fuck
Just glad this is updating again, one of the first stories I started tracking.
This is now a heck of a mess.
A changeling who is with Celestia is trying to make peace between Changelings and Ponies by researching ponies emotions and changelings weakpoints, when Queen think he betrayed her and want to kill her.
And now Queen convinced pony soldiers that changelings want a peaceful solution with ponies and share they gift with tham, when in result they are going to ivade and start a war.
SO if the invasion fail, changelng on Celestia side will try to negotiate peaceful solution when Chrysalis will expect him to finish her off.
If invasion succed, pony soldiers on Chrysalis side will expect peaceful solution when Chrysalis will probably just go for all out revange or turn all ponies into food source.
And to think that Chrysalis managed to convince pony reconesanse team to join her so easy and Changeling on Celestia side managed to convince Celestia and Twilight that peace between changelings and ponies is possible, and the only reason why they not made peace is because both sides expect hostility from other side and so they return hostility.
Like I said, it is a mess what would make Discord proud.
I like how you wrote the brainwashing, excellent work.
1639494
1639541
What to do, what to do
I guess that the ponies (or changelings) with the strongest convictions and beliefs will survive. Is Silverline better than Chip? Is Celestia wiser than Chrysalis is cunning?
And just what the hell is happening with lil' Silver Heart?
Read on, find out!
1637793
so was Silverline truly indoctrinated through persuasion, or did Chrysalis use more insidious means? did she lie?
i'm not quite sure, to be honest.
so far Chrysalis has been unambiguously evil, and i kinda like it that way
I think Silver Heart is driving her parents insane with a furby, at the time of writing this my mum is driving me insane with a furby
Feh, that entire 'history' of the Changelings Chrysalis spewed reminds me of the 'history' of the Aryan Nation as compiled by the propagandists of the Nazis. In other words, utter bullshit.
Of course, it's easy to convince the feeble-minded.
Chip needs to forcibly brain-scan Silverlight. Anything less is a massive strategic blunder.
1640373
Hell if I know
I'm just a writer here.
1642576
He is still a pup compared to Chrysalis. His powers are limited by his own understanding of them. Add a severed connection to the hive and often naive attitude and...
Yup, Equestria is f
ed
troll.me/images/installation-wizard/stand-back-shits-about-to-go-down.jpg
1643213
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1643221 Which is why Celestia NEEDS to be a true tyrant! Instead of spying on the Changelings, she should have launched a tactical solar flare and fried the lot of them!
Arg! Can't we even get any competent dictators? KILL THEM ALL DOWN TO THE BABE BORN (or egg laid, in this case) YESTERDAY!!
The one thing that puzzles me is that so many ponies are that mentally vulnerable. If Chrysalis' mind control is so perfect, how could she possibly have lost the first time? Or, why would she even bother with such a pointless invasion attempt when slipping in silently and converting ponies to rebel from within (as she's doing here) would have virtually guaranteed victory?
Really, this tactic would be better used as a retelling of the Wedding Episodes, where Chrysalis actually doesn't do a butt-load of stupid things (like leaving the real Cadence anywhere close to the castle, leaving her un-mind-controlled, merely imprisoning Twilight instead of hypnotizing/killing her). Basically, this sudden surge of common sense in Chrysalis makes one wonder why she was so indescribably stupid the first time. It's rather jarring to the continuity.
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Being a creature of light and purity, Cewestia still believes there is a better way than
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Converting a pony with pure magic isn't that simple. Even in the show we see that she has to recast the spell every now and then to keep reign over her target. And being the only changeling capable of thinking, she would have to enslave ponies personally, which would put her in a vulnerable position away from her nest. Without tactical information about the place she will be working in, she might fall unexpectedly simply due to the ponies outsmarting her on terrain.
Another factor to take into consideration is her hate for the ponies. A person who hates thinks differently, less logically, and is usually bent on some otherwise needless attempt to humiliate the enemy or realise some form of fantasy or imagination.
Next thing, would you risk an invasion when the enemy already knows of you, and may have a way to neutralize your only strong points/weapons? For all Chrysalis knows(thus far), Chip might be anywhere, and could have aided the ponies in a ton of ways Chrysalis can't predict. She is playing it slow, at least while paranoia and a thirst for vengeance doesn't get the better of her.
Also, since this is an alternative universe setting in which already a lot of things have changed, bear with me for some more time
1645266 I was referring back to the Wedding episode stuff. She never would have lost the first time had she played things with this level of strategy.
I mean, she had Shining Armor already under her control. He could have led ponies on a wild goose chase. So close to Celestia, he or Chrysalis could have injured or killed her (since we see that she is mortally vulnerable). There was no reason at all to let Cadence live in any case. She was an unecessary risk, and proved the undoing at the last moment. Also, leaving Twilight, the well-known student of Celestia and incredibly powerful unicorn, anything other than unconscious for the duration of the wedding was hair-brained almost beyond belief.
It's the primary reason I felt the "Canterlot Wedding" was so weak in story. Chrysalis was merely a 'muwah ha ha ha' villain with a poorly thought-out plan. She didn't even research Cadance's behavior. Her success at fooling other ponies was more to do with their script-shackled lack of observational skills than her cleverness. Celestia, at the very least, should have noticed her behavior was more atypical than could be explained by pre-wedding jitters, especially considering Cadence's alicorn power IS LOVE.
I'm thinking about Chrysalis' motives the first time around. This time, she's out for revenge. The first time, the goal was 'get food for swarm'. If anything, her actions would be reversed. The first attempt, when she had plenty of time to plan, when no one suspected anything, would have had her full intellect to bear, to ensure a complete and inevitable victory. This time, with her swarm severely crippled and starving, it would be far more natural for her to act in a desperate and/or foolish manner.
As for hate, I could point out many examples in history where hatred has led to extraordinarily clever schemes to cause the destruction of an enemy, especially when it is a 'first-strike' sort of situation.
Al Queda, as a prime example, has nothing but murderour fanatics in its ranks, and yet it consistently pulls of strategic and well-coordinated attacks, even with multiple countries trying to take it down. The suicidal 9/11 2001 attack was approximately 6 years in the making, for example. They blended in with American citizens, gained easy access to the flight training they needed. They studied airline security and hijacking response protocols to know what to say and do to keep the passengers from resisting (we saw what happened to Flight 93 once the passegers knew what they intended to do). In the end, they took down the twin Towers with essentially nothing more than a few box cutters. Those were the only weapons they had. Everything else was handed to them by our own ignorance of evil. And they were merely human. Can you even begin to fathom the horrors they could perform with Changeling powers?
Blind hatred leads to foolishness; slowly savored and nurtured, malignant and malevolent hate is capable and deadly.
Given what the Changelings are, what they can do, and the (rather odd) backstory given for them (assuming any trace of Chrysalis' story actually resembles the truth), if Celestia knows of them in any fashion, she is proving to be more than inept in her dealings with them. We saw in the wedding episode that she would not hold back when defending her ponies. She hit Chrysalis with a beam at full power. Had Chrysalis been weak, she would surely have been killed. Celestia had no intention of giving her a second chance.
Even a creature of light and goodness knows there are some evil things that must be utterly destroyed and shown no mercy, lest innocent lives be lost.
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In that light, I agree that most, if not all MLP villains had the power, but not the minds to back it all up. But hay, it's a show for kids, good must win
While her swarm isn't starving, she's keeping it in a state of readyness and "wanting more". Since they can eat normal foods which nourish them to some extent, Chrysalis can have the luxury of taking her time. Even if the drones die, it is of no difference to her, mainly because they are in essence just additional pairs of hooves, wings and horns.
Yeah, I was referring to blind hate, a kind of fury. When honor comes to play, sometimes foolishness prevails.
In the wedding episode, I believe Celestia's hoof was pushed. She was faced with immediate danger that she had to dispose of. When dealing with less, umm, imminent threats, she seems to be the more 'live and let live' kind of pony (Nightmare Moon banishment, Discord cast to stone, Sombra cast to ice). On top of that, neither me nor you can tell what that spell REALLY did. For all we know, Chrysalis could have murdered Celestia right then and there (which I was dead certain the moment I saw that green beam hit her horn), but she didn't.
The only person to 'die' to date was Sombra, in the end defeated by his own people. So we can assume that the original MLP world isn't as violent or malicious as ours (or Chip's) is
Also, just to clear things up, there is no first or second time around. This is an alternative universe thing, in which the wedding didn't occur yet, and changelings are still pretty much unknown to ponies
Well, the evil train seems to have derailed and plummeted straight down into creepy canyon
I feel that this is a major brain f
k, as most good lies are. The best of lies contain some truth in them, and I feel Chrysalis' story is the same. If there actually was any mind control/possession, it was very subtle. But then again, it is changeling nature to be subtle and sneaky, so it could go either way. I feel like this is going to be clarified later, but for now it is rather confusing. BRAVO, GOOD AUTHOR. BRAVO I SAY.
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Feel free to draw it! I'd happily see and maybe add it to the chapter it is related to
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He no crazy, he just changeling. A big ol' good hearted totally clueless child
nice one
Ooh she is cunning! And made a sleeper too!
There is no one as zealous as a new convert.