Chapter 77 - Compromises
With Starlight Glimmer off in Sire’s Hollow on her cutie mark mission, that gave my provisional advisor her first opportunity to fly solo... although I had to put an asterisk to the ‘advisor’ part of her title. Princess Diadem’s recommendations tended toward the bizarre at times: enforced labor to complete stalled public works projects; mandatory two-weeks-per-year healing-pod vacations for all citizens at their nearest hive; and nutrition pellets! Apparently, these tasteless mineral and vitamin pills (I tried them) were the solutions to everything from drought to crop failures to fish die-offs.
I was tempted to ask Diadem to not provide me with solutions that ran counter to pony sensibilities until I realized it was my job to teach her what that meant. As a result, my feedback would often be along the line of: “What do you think that pony’s reaction would be?” or “That’s not likely to work. Do some research by talking with pony/griffon/changeling ______, then we’ll discuss it again.”
Apicula’s intentions for leaving her sister with me made perfect sense now. She needed seasoning. Plus lessons on how ponies think and react rather than how a changeling from her hive might approach the same problem.
The last petitioner for the day looked interesting. My roll sheet named her as Cozy Glow who wanted my endorsement for something or another.
Looking up, my eyes widened in surprise. It wasn’t often that young foals came to Day Court as petitioners. Minors needed a parent’s permission to do so and I did not see one accompanying this filly. The small pegasus mare appeared to be about twelve years old. She had two-tone blue sausage roll curls and a pink coat. Her mane and tail were decorated with lime-green ribbons. Overall, she gave off an air of deliberately crafted cuteness in a Shirley Temple kind of way. Her facial expression was much more direct and calculating than I would expect for a filly her age.
I said, “How can I help you, young mare?”
She came to a stop and smiled. “Actually, I’m over twenty. I have dwarfism.”
Diadem buzzed her wings. “You mean, ‘I have dwarfism, Your Highness’.”
“Oh.” That explained how her bearing didn’t mesh with her apparent age. “My apologies for making that assumption, although I suspect that happens pretty frequently.”
The mare bowed. “Apology accepted, Your Highness.”
The silence stretched out for a few moments. I said, “I understand you wanted a personal endorsement, Cozy Glow?”
She brightened and straightened up. “Yes, exactly! But first, let me tell you a bit about my qualifications. I had been working for nine months as the vice-matron at the Sunny Outlook Orphanage in Baltimare when my boss, Miss Gentle Heart, told me she was looking to retire soon. Because I had done such a great job and was practically running the place anyway, she asked if I wanted to be the next lead matron. That’s when I had an idea.”
Cozy Glow’s gaze grew very intense and she started to pace. “What if all three orphanages in town combined under one roof! This would allow everything to be done more efficiently. For example, instead of one retired nurse at each house who mostly slept during daylight hours, we could have two nurses cover eight hours each and always be busy. Plus the one off-duty could be called in for any emergency. I had developed contacts with the city’s rich patrons and was sure I could get them to fund a brand new, larger facility to replace the three ancient relics of the past. I didn’t get an agreement, but I at least got the conversation started.” If nothing else, I could see the mare’s salespony skills.
The pegasus mare stopped and so did her smile. “And then Tirek happened.”
I winced. Baltimare suffered more fatalities than any other city both because of its size and the fact that the residents attempted to survive without their magic for thirty hours.
Cozy Glow sighed and looked at the ground. “Lead matron Hobnail of the Caring Hooves Orphanage was a feisty elderly earth pony. Was. Tragically, she did not survive.” She looked up. “Soon after the magic returned, we got the terrible news. I appealed directly to the mayor to combine the orphanages, at least for the short term. It was a good thing because now that everypony was in the basketball stadium, the combined staff of all three institutions could care for all of the incoming displaced and orphaned foals from one, centralized location. I’m very proud of my staff working non-stop for a week to process everypony who came in and contact every relative that could be found in the public records. When everything settled down, I arranged for a celebration dinner for everypony’s hard work. I asked the combined staff if they wanted to return to their old orphanages. Unanimously, they voted to remain as a team. I took that news to the Mayor and I’m happy to tell you the Cozy Dreams Orphanage opened its doors for the first time just four months later!”
I nodded my head. That was indeed impressive. “I applaud your initiative. Not many ponies could have carried through or even come up with a plan that ambitious, especially under such trying circumstances.”
Diadem leaned closer and I pointed my ear towards her. She said, “What about the foals?”
I glanced at my provisional advisor and nodded before turning back to the pegasus. “Can you tell me more about the foals in your care?”
Cozy Glow blinked and her face went blank. “What?”
I clarified. “How many were in your care before and after the transition? And how many were successfully placed? That is the main purpose of any orphanage, isn’t it?”
The pegasus lifted a hoof and her ears folded back a bit. “O-of course. Absolutely. Umm.” She looked down and put the hoof to her lips. “Ummm. There were twenty-six foals under my care at Sunny Outlook and one hundred and five when I resigned from my leadership of the combined orphanage. During the crisis, we took in almost a thousand foals, though it was usually a case of parents getting separated and the children needing a safe place to stay until they were reunited.”
I said, “And how many of the long-term charges were placed?”
The mare grimaced as the silence stretched out. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. I don’t have those numbers. I could make an estimate, but I would rather not. Especially for the foals who started at the other two orphanages, I just don’t know that information.” She put on a grin that seemed a little too wide. Probably nervous. “I’ll certainly remember their little faces forever, though! I can write back and find out if you like.”
I waved a hoof. “I don’t think that’s necessary. One thing puzzles me, though. I would have thought that would be your dream job. I take it your coming here today has something to do with why you left the leadership position of the combined orphanage?”
She beamed as she showed me her flank. “You’re absolutely right! You see my cutie mark of a red rook chess piece? My special talent is strategy, and with all the challenges overcome in Baltimare, I needed to find new pastures. Through the foal-care grapevine, I heard that Princess Twilight Sparkle was looking for a headmare at her brand-new School of Friendship.”
Her irises grew huge and she put on a childish voice. “I thought to myself, ‘Golly, Cozy Glow. What could be better than getting the personal endorsement of Prince Mark Wells for that position?’”
A smile grew on my face. “I don’t know if you heard, but Twilight already has her eye on my personal advisor, Starlight Glimmer.”
Cozy Glow didn’t even bat an eyelash and her voice returned to normal. “Then it will be that more impressive when I win your endorsement.”
I leaned back in my throne and laughed long and hard. Damn this mare had some moxie. I looked back down at her with a smile on my lips. “Well, I’m certainly impressed with your ambition and can-do attitude.” She stood with the same confident and expectant smile. “Tell you what. I’ll write a note to Princess Twilight strongly recommending that she review your qualifications and interview you for the position.”
The pegasus’ doe-eyed expression and childlike voice returned. “But I would reeeeeeeally appreciate your heartfelt endorsement.”
My smile fell a bit. “Let me give you some free advice. Because you are applying for an adult’s position, you should drop the cutesy act when talking with the Princess… and get yourself a professional dress or outfit for the interview. That will say in more than words how serious you are.”
Her ears splayed onto her head and she jerked back as if I had slapped her. “Oh, ahhhh… of course, Your Highness. I’ll… thank you very much.” She bowed in a proper curtsy.
“You are dismissed, my little pony.”
Cozy Glow hesitated then nodded.
As the pegasus headed to the exit, I called out, “Oh, and Cozy Glow?”
She looked over her shoulder.
“Good luck. Twilight would have to be crazy not to see your potential.”
The mare gave me the best smile I had seen so far. Thanks to pointers from Diadem, I noticed this one came up all the way to the corners of her eyes.
“Thank you, Prince Wells! I’ll write to you and let you know how it went!”
She practically skipped her way out of the throne room.
I turned to my provisional advisor. Unsurprisingly, Diadem had the same mildly displeased look that always greeted me when we were working. “So, what do you think of her?”
The changeling princess raised one eyebrow, which was new. “I admit you surprised me. You managed to get an honest reaction out of her at the very end.”
“So, the Friendship Problem turned out to be between you and your parents after all?” I asked as I settled on the sofa in Twilight’s castle. It was the only piece of furniture in her private library that I really felt comfortable resting on while I was in Marklestia form. Its plush cushioning was sinfully cozy.
Starlight had just arrived back from Sire’s Hollow that morning and, because it was Saturday, she had got off the train at Ponyville rather than continuing on to Canterlot. She slumped into one of the other chairs and sighed. “Yeah. We came to an understanding, but it’s still a work in progress.”
“Aren’t relationships always that way?”
“I suppose,” Starlight conceded. “I spent too much of my life avoiding the confrontation.”
Twilight smiled. “Still, your second Friendship Mission was a success and that’s what counts.”
The pink unicorn gave her a lopsided grin. “True, but I hope to get something a lot less personal next time.”
“You never know,” the alicorn replied before looking at me. “Now that Starlight is back, maybe you’ll tell me how well Diadem worked out filling in as advisor?”
I groaned. I knew this was coming and dreaded it, and there was no putting it off any longer. “She was great, I admit. Not perfect but about the same as Starlight’s early days. Diadem will probably be as good as her very quickly as she gets more practice.”
Twilight’s grinned. “Then you’ll finally relent and let me hire Starlight as headmare?”
I perked my ears forward. “I know you got my note regarding Cozy Glow. How did the interview go yesterday?”
The alicorn beamed. “I agree with you one hundred percent. A very impressive mare! Definitely somepony who gets things done when she sets her mind to it. I offered her the vice-headmare spot and she accepted. I’m very happy to have her on the staff!”
I noticed Twilight said she was happy but didn’t say that Cozy Glow felt the same way. Still, the pegasus mare had been in the number two position before, so that must have been sufficient because she took the job.
I looked at Starlight and she gave me a nervous smile without saying anything.
“Do you really want the job? I gave you the position as my advisor because you wanted to have a positive role in the future of Equestria.”
“And I still do,” Starlight replied, “but this would be even more significant. Being in the position to help teach young minds of several species the value of friendship as I have learned would be extremely gratifying. Plus they will take what they learn back with them to their homelands. There’s the potential for the power of Friendship to spread all across Equus! You’ve already heard how much griffons have improved their lot in Griffonstone.”
I sighed and nodded to Twilight. “I surrender. When do you really need Starlight to take over as headmare?”
“The start of next term unless I get called away sooner for any reason. However, just as you had to train Diadem to suit your needs, I’d prefer to give Starlight some experience with the job as my assistant before hoofing it over to her permanently.”
“And you would just be a teacher after that?”
The alicorn shook her head. “While I won’t be involved in the day-to-day running of the school anymore, I’ll still be reviewing results and adjusting the curriculum to optimize the lessons. However, that will involve a lot less work than having to be headmare at the same time. While the School of Friendship is my baby, I have other responsibilities as a mother and a princess.”
“About time! Between the school and a couple of foals, I’ve had to run the country by myself too often. Maybe I should stage a coup and take over as Queen of Equestria.” I looked over to where Crimson Boulder was quietly drinking his coffee and saw him rolling his eyes. “My loyal minions will hold off all pretenders to the throne.”
Crimson smirked. “Better let Penumbra know well in advance. Her marefriend might be upset at having their date canceled.”
With Crimson restored to full-time personal bodyguard status, Penny now had more opportunities for her personal life and she had been taking great advantage of it. Last I heard, Penny and a Royal Guard mare named Lightning Strike were spending most evenings together. Penumbra became unattached soon after Maximum Lift finally won the millstone-weight class Ms. Equestria World Title. The bodybuilding mare decided to take her long-anticipated break from the sport before the Fall Heat. Now she was happily convalescing with family in Vanhoover and waiting for her first foal. Penumbra stayed in touch and assured me that ‘convalescing’ meant no more than two hours of working-out per day with no cuts for weight or body fat.
“Yeah, you’re right,” I agreed. “Better put the coup off for a bit. Sorry, Twi, I’ll have to schedule it for a more convenient time.”
Twilight replied drolly, “Shall I pencil you in for after Hearth’s Warming then?”
“Sounds good. Maybe make that my New Year’s resolution – take over Equestria as all-powerful monarch.”
Everyone chuckled just as my wife walked into the room with Gemini nestled on her back. She looked at us suspiciously. “What has the Great and Curious Trixie missed?”
Starlight replied, “Your husband is plotting the overthrow of you and Twilight next year.”
“Not if he wants to continue enjoying bed privileges with Trixie.”
“Rats. Foiled again. Crimson – cancel the coup for now.”
“Sheesh! Make up your mind, Mark!”
There was a fresh round of laughter just as Spike arrived, pushing a cart of morning tea and snacks.
“Sorry I wasn’t here when you guys arrived, but I had to go shopping. We were out of your favorite cherry chimichangas, Mark. How many would you like?”
“My usual,” I replied.
“All of them, in other words,” Spike said with a smirk.
“You know me and my weaknesses too well.”
Spike offered some snacks to Trixie first as she was nearest. Fortunately, my wife preferred eclairs and didn’t claim any of my prized pastries. When my dragon friend got to me, he passed over a plate loaded with the heavenly treats. Then he turned around and said, “Notice anything different about me?” He spread his new wings.
Rarity had mentioned the incident where she and Zecora had been grabbed by a roc that had been attracted by the smell of the dragon molt. The scratching that I had noticed last time that I had seen Spike had apparently been the start of the symptoms that had led to this change. My marefriend expounded on Spike’s heroics in rescuing them with Twilight’s help. Therefore, I knew all about his new appendages. Naturally, I had to be an ass.
“Have you had your scales waxed?” I asked.
Spike stared at me as if I was daft. He then flapped up to my eye level and hovered there. “No – try again.”
“Um…” I chewed thoughtfully on a chimichanga. “You’ve had your claws trimmed?”
“What? No! I’ve got wings! See!” He turned so they were practically in my face.
I chuckled. “Rarity spilled the beans, Spike. Congratulations – you’re a big dragon now.”
Spike scowled at me. “Just see if I go out to buy you chimichangas again.”
“I brought the latest Power Ponies comic,” I replied.
“You’re forgiven! Gimme!”
I lifted it from my saddlebag with my magic and he snatched it out of the air and scurried away. He might have started the dragon equivalent of puberty but he hadn’t abandoned his first love yet!
“Speaking of growing up, Twi,” I segued, “I noticed that your library tree is looking almost as big as I remember it pre-Tirek.”
The alicorn beamed happily. “Yes, it’s almost ready. The earth pony magic that I’ve been pouring into it whenever I’ve had the chance has done its job well.”
“Shouldn’t it have been ready sooner though? I’ve seen what Applejack can do with her damaged trees.”
“Normally, you would be right. If this was an apple tree, it could have been restored long before this. But you’ve seen for yourself that, internally, it’s far more sophisticated.”
“You mean the bigger on the inside than the outside thing?” I guessed.
Twilight nodded. “That and several other magical aspects that encourage the tree to create chambers suitable for a library with living quarters. There’s an awful lot of magic involved in one.”
“And I reckon that you want to restore it exactly the way it used to be,” I said with a smile.
The book mare blushed a little. “Well… it will never be exact because it’s a living thing, but yes, it was my first home in Ponyville and I’ve never really gotten over losing it.”
I chuckled. “Some fillies dream of being princesses in castles of their own. This princess just wants her tree.” I waved a hoof around to indicate the crystalline structure we were in. “What are you going to do? Move back to the library tree and rent out the castle?”
“Don’t be silly, Mark. I’m going to reopen the library, of course. Then sleep on the books!”
We all had a chuckle over that although we privately reckoned that Twilight would do exactly that for at least the first night.
The rest of the weekend was pretty typical. Our friends joined us, with Applejack arriving last after finishing up with the Saturday morning market. Even Rainbow Dash had a break from Wonderbolts training that weekend and she regaled us with anecdotes from the team. We relaxed, visited the townsponies, went to the spa, ate a meal at a restaurant, and so forth. After the evening’s socializing wound up for the night, our companions headed off home, except for Rarity. Tonight, my herdmate would join us.
Trixie surprised me though. When we reached our usual quarters, she paused in the doorway, blocking our entry. I raised a querying eyebrow. “What’s up, Lulu?”
“It is time you performed your stallion duty, Pockmark Windbells. Your herdmate will attend to you… in her chambers.” She then firmly closed the door in my face.
I looked at Rarity who smiled coyly. “Am I being dense, Rares?”
She nodded with a small smile. “A little, darling. Do be a dear and resume your normal self.”
I always preferred to reserve the weekend as Marklestia time, but there was an exception for everything. With a thought, I was a stallion again. Rarity nodded and headed for the suite next door, glancing back to see that I followed her. Once inside, she paused to kiss me.
“The moment has come to properly bed me, Mark.”
“Are you sure about this, Rarity?”
“It’s time that we consummated our union as mare and stallion, don’t you think? I’m nowhere near my heat so I won’t accidentally get pregnant.”
We had made love many a time during the Season to alleviate the urges but, of course, always both as mares. However, this was the first time we had the opportunity to be heterosexual since she had joined Trixie and me in a de facto herd. I held out my hoof and she took it in hers. I drew her close and kissed her deeply.
When we parted, I said, “Join me in bed, my mare?”
“I would be delighted, my stallion.”
Let it be known that while the alabaster unicorn is dignified and refined in public, she’s a wildcat in the sheets!
Ultimately, it took both Thorax’s putting a hoof down and Trixie’s increasingly impatient demands to get Twilight to spend a week at Canterlot Castle. The purple alicorn’s premonition that catastrophe was just around the next bend of the road grew a little thin – even if she might be technically correct given Ponyville’s colorful history of disasters. Regardless of her concerns, there were portals connecting the palaces, alert guardsponies, and Starlight Glimmer wanting a trial run at the reins of the School of Friendship. My friend’s vague feelings of impending doom coming to Ponyville were not sufficient to escape her long-overdue turn to preside over Day Court. To everypony’s surprise, it was not Ponyville she should have been worried about.
Furious knocking at our door awoke Trixie and me very late in the evening.
My wife shifted in my embrace to call out, “The Tired and Very Comfortable Trixie hereby orders the latest emergency threatening the realm to reschedule itself to a more reasonable hour!” She gripped my forelegs tighter around her barrel and snuggled into me, letting out a contented sigh. I also sighed but for a different reason. I didn’t share my wife’s optimism at our chances to get back to sleep.
Right on cue, the knocking got even louder, accompanied by a mare’s voice I thought I recognized. I moved my mouth close to my wife’s ear. “Pretty sure that’s Twilight.”
Trixie nodded. “You can thank me in the morning for leaving the anti-teleportation fields up around our chambers. Perfect for times exactly like this.”
The knocking became so strong that I saw the protective spells on the door spark to life. In the crib next to our bed, Gemini started to whine. I gave my wife a kiss. “Come on, dear. Time to be a good friend.”
Trixie muttered under her breath as she scooted towards our foal. “For waking our little Gemmy, somepony won’t be for much longer.”
I found that one of my legs had fallen asleep while wrapped around my wife, forcing me to limp while wincing at the pins-and-needles feeling. To stop the infernal thumping noise as quickly as possible, I used my unicorn magic to open the door. As I suspected, a very frustrated Twilight was on the other side, surrounded by four of my guardsponies. Thorax stood behind her. It was his worried look as much as anything that brought me to full wakefulness.
Without preamble, the alicorn marched inside, her wings ruffling. “Regis Novellus is missing. Did he come here to play with Gemini?”
“No,” came the sharp response from Trixie. A glance showed me that my wife had picked up our foal and was trying to soothe them.
Thorax said, “I’m sorry for waking you… all of you. But it’s three in the morning and Regis has never been out this late. He’ll either suddenly reappear around two or we’ll find him with Moon Dancer. She came with us, and with a whole box of honeycomb. She was still reading in the room next to ours and hasn’t seen him.”
Twilight began pacing, staring at the ground. “I sent Moony to the castle library. Maybe he went there? That can’t be right, though. We showed him where she was staying. Maybe he went in the same direction as in my castle? Down a floor and three rooms to the southeast?”
“Your Highness… uh… Highnesses!”
We all turned to see a batpony night guard in the hallway. His eyes were wide and darted between Twilight and me.
“Report, Sergeant Night Streak,” I ordered.
He shifted on his hooves. “There’s… a situation. Please come with me to the prisoner cells.”
I heard Twilight gasp. Before I could respond, there was a flash of light and Thorax, Twilight, and I stood at the entrance to the castle dungeons. I had to gallop to try to keep up with the alicorn. The numbness in my leg was dissipating, but not fast enough.
When we reached the door to Chrysalis’ cell, I saw Twilight standing in a wide stance, her mane and tail on fire and her eyes radiating white light. She had used a shield to push the guards and mages further down the corridor and keep them there. The alicorn’s voice had a bass undertone as it echoed off the walls of the hallway. “Move away from my son, you monster.”
Thorax wrapped his forelegs around his wife, apparently trusting his chitin to keep him from incurring serious burns. He pushed her back a couple of steps. “No sudden movements, dear. Stay calm.”
That gave me just enough room to peer inside. It may have been the tension in the atmosphere that made me do it. I laughed. “The situation is under control, Twilight. Your son has tackled the bad guy.”
Indeed, Chrysalis’ head was pressed down into one of the many lengths of her endless scarf, Regis Novellus lying on top. Her crown was completely flattened by his body and one eye was shut to keep little hooves from poking it. If the foal’s smile and the changeling queen’s grimace were any indications, only one of them was comfortable.
Twilight’s mane and tail flared a bit brighter, causing her husband to wince. “She’s drained him of all his emotions! Who knows how much pain he is in right now!”
Regis chose that moment to snort and snuggle a bit more into his pillow.
Chrysalis hissed, “Quiet, all of you! You’ll wake the nymph.”
The alicorn’s mane and tail fires extinguished as she gaped. Her eyes were still glowing. I heard the shield holding back the guardsponies dissipate as Twilight ordered, “Lower the fields protecting this cell. I need to get inside, now!”
A unicorn guardspony trotted past us, saying, “None of us have the key code, Your Highness. I’ll get Linear Algorithm and bring her here!”
The pinned-down changeling queen rolled the one eye she had open. “Idiots. All of you. I give you my word as a queen that no harm will befall my grandfoal while in my presence.”
That caused Twilight to release the magic she was holding, revealing her purple irises. If anything, her mouth dropped open even more. The changeling’s actions and lack of remorse were beyond reprehensible by any measure, but her pride would never allow her to go against her word.
It was Thorax who recovered first. “What is your game, mother? How did you lure our foal to you?”
Chrysalis hissed as Regis wriggled on top of her. The foal rolled over and lay stretched out like a cat, bending his back at an angle that would have made any adult pony painfully uncomfortable. Regis, however, just grinned happily as his front and rear hooves draped over her skull. The new position did allow “grandma” to open her other eye a bit.
The queen said, “Still a bit slow. Your increased responsibilities haven’t changed you for the better, have they? Do you really think I have any way to influence anyling through all the shields you have draped around my chamber? No. I was shocked when I heard something behind me three nights ago. Turning, I saw this nymph staring up at me with that infuriating grin.”
She licked her lips then froze as her head ornament stretched. If nothing else, Chrysalis was certainly concerned about the foal’s comfort. After he settled down with only one accidental poke in her eye, she continued. “Not a single scrap of fear in his body. I accept him as a worthy heir.”
Well, wasn’t that interesting? Maternal instincts kicking in, I suppose.
“I will not trust you with my foal, mad queen,” Twilight snarled. Regis twitched an ear then looked up, blinking slowly. His eyes opened as wide as saucers and he sprang off his makeshift bed with a happy cry, moving as fast as his little legs could carry him – directly toward his mother and the layers of shielding in the doorway.
Twilight gasped. “Regis, stop!” If the foal hit the shields designed to painfully halt a full-grown changeling queen…
The foal halted in mid-stride as I heard a thump. Chrysalis had his tail clamped in her teeth. Her forelegs were stretched straight behind her as she had reached the limit of what the chains fastened above her hooves and to the back wall would allow. The queen’s neck and head pressed against the floor to allow her to reach forward as far as possible. Unfortunately, Chrysalis’ momentum had propelled her rump high up over her head – definitely not the most dignified position for any monarch, past or present. Through her teeth, she said, “No, child. Do not go near the doorway. Bad magic.”
The foal pointed up at his grandmother’s rear end and laughed. She growled at his finding humor in her predicament which just caused him to laugh louder.
Suddenly, Regis was trotting up to the doorway. I saw Chrysalis’ eyes go wide. He must have slipped away when she relaxed a bit.
The foal sat down upon seeing his mother’s outstretched hoof. “Regis Novellus, you will listen to your mother. Do not touch the pretty magic field. Owies. No… touch.”
The foal giggled and looked the doorway up and down. As he reached for the fields, a unicorn mare slid to a stop behind me. Linear Algorithm took stock of the situation quickly and with a flash of her horn, the entrance to the cell was free of magic.
The foal pronked up to his mother. “Mommy! Mommy!”
“What? What?” she answered automatically.
“Come! Come! See funny gramma!” Regis beamed at Thorax. “Hi, Daddy!” The foal grabbed one of Twilight’s forehooves and dragged her into the cell. “Come! Come!”
Linear Algorithm gave me an uncertain look. I shook my head and followed Twilight into the cell with Thorax close behind. Chrysalis had righted herself to a sitting position. She leaned back slightly as the alicorn approached.
Twilight’s scowl returned. “You are trying to turn my own son against me, aren’t you? He always listens but now he’s defying me.”
Chrysalis scoffed. “Oh, please. Children have minds of their own. Don’t blame me for the curiosity that obviously comes from you. Your worse half doesn’t have the mental facility for it.”
Twilight’s deeper frown drew a delighted laugh from her son. “Funny face! Funny face!”
The alicorn’s ears flicked a few times in annoyance. “I will not allow you to corrupt my foal. You are the worst kind of influence.”
Chrysalis laughed in the alicorn’s face. “You are every bit an overprotective first-time mother, aren’t you? I suppose I should not have expected anything else. And all you know about children and what they think and feel comes from books, doesn’t it? Perhaps you should rely more upon your dear, dear mother-in-law to help you.” She chuckled. “Allow me to demonstrate.”
The changeling queen loomed over Regis, capturing his attention. She put on a deep, echoing voice. “You, Regis Novellus, will become greater than all your forebears. For you, all changelings, ponies, and alicorns will bend their knee. You will lord over all of Equus as its absolute ruler! Your power will be boundless! Your whim will be law! None will dare oppose a creature so immense in power.” She raised her head and paused dramatically. “You… will rule… all!”
The foal gasped and looked up higher and higher to keep staring into his grandmother’s eyes… then kept going. He rolled onto his back and laughed uproariously, kicking his hooves in the air with his eyes closed just as his mother would sometimes do.
Chrysalis smirked at Twilight. “Does your little one appear to be corrupted? Or just amused?”
I turned to the guardspony next to me. “Linear, could Chrysalis be telling the truth? Could Regis have visited here three nights ago or even the nights afterward?”
The mare glanced at Chrysalis before returning her gaze to me. “It’s possible. The guards perform hourly checks on the prisoner, and there is a sound-dampening spell applied to the doorway in the evenings.”
“Sound-dampening spell?” I asked.
“Yes. The queen has… um… terrible flatulence at night.”
Chrysalis' unhappy voice cut through the air. “It’s that low-quality love you dolts keep feeding me!” I turned to see her expression change into a toothy grin. “Now if you could arrange for some of Shining Armor’s love…”
“Enough!” said Twilight. “We’re leaving. Regis – bedtime!” As she reached for her foal, he deftly bounced onto his hooves and scampered away. His delighted giggles traced his path into a shadowy corner of the cell. His mother spared Chrysalis a glance and wove her way through the hanging scarf sections until her horn lit up the area, revealing it to be empty. “What?”
At the last moment, I saw Regis creep up behind Twilight and pull her tail. He yelled, “BOO!”
“GYAH!” Twilight jumped high in the air and came down tangled in parts of the scarf that draped everywhere. The foal laughed and clapped his hooves before darting away to a new corner. The alicorn held a hoof to her chest, trying to slow her breathing as a concerned Thorax put a comforting hoof on her withers.
Meanwhile, Chrysalis chortled off to my right. “Good nymph! Go scare that mean old hag!”
Untangling herself, the alicorn glared at her mother-in-law then cast a broad beam of light in the direction her foal had scampered, showing a small table carrying the scroll naming the victims of Chrysalis’ attack during the Royal Wedding. No Regis, though, and no shadow big enough for him to hide in.
I glanced back at Chrysalis in time to see her flick an ear then grin even wider. A few seconds later, she spun her head to point at her tail and yelled, “Boo!”
Sure enough, Regis stood there with a hoof upraised, ready to grab and yank on his grandmother’s tail. The colt tumbled backward, laughing gaily at being caught out. While Thorax and a light-casting Twilight raced around Chrysalis’ left side, Linear Algorithm and I sprinted to the right to cut off his means of escape… well, at least the unicorn guard did. I got my hooves caught on the Queen’s endless scarf and tumbled to the stone floor.
After needing a second to absorb the pain, I opened my eyes. Immediately, I perceived two things: the sound of Chrysalis’ howling laughter behind me and the sight of a well-lit corner of the cell in front. Regis jumped into a small section of the wall cast into shadow by one of the loops of the scarf and just… disappeared. Well, maybe the shadows seemed to shimmer on their edges briefly, but I could have imagined it.
Linear’s shocked gasp let me know I hadn’t. “Shadow-walker!”
“What?” asked Twilight. “What do you mean?” Meanwhile, I stood and pulled my legs from their blue and green knit bindings.
The visibly shaking guardsmare stammered. “The foal stepped into the darkness and it embraced him! He will reappear in another shadow to stalk his victims! To steal their very—YAAAHHHHH!”
The flightless unicorn’s jump put the alicorn’s positively to shame. The clang of her helmet against the stone roof echoed through the chamber. At this point, Chrysalis rolled onto her back and kicked her legs in the air just like her grandfoal had done – accompanied by unrestrained peals of laughter. Regis looked at the prone form of Linear Algorithm and whimpered, his ears flat on his head. He glanced up at his mother with wide eyes before bolting for the nearest corner of the room.
Twilight’s horn flared and the cell was bathed in light. Regis dived at a shadow only to have it disappear. Instead, he slammed headfirst into the wall and crumpled into a heap. Thorax quickly scooped up his sniffling son and held him to his chest. The foal broke out into wails of distress and I could see tears glisten at the edges of his closed eyes.
Chrysalis righted herself and snorted, turning to Twilight. “I should have expected as much. You really are a…”
Her words stopped and her head snapped back as Twilight’s eyes glowed white and looked directly at Chrysalis. The changeling queen’s words may have halted, but her smirk remained the same. After a ten-second stare-down, Twilight turned away. “We’re leaving.”
I said, “No. Not yet. Bring Regis over here.” With a steadying hoof, I brought the guardsmare to her hooves. “Linear Algorithm, what pony were you referring to? Which one can walk through shadows?”
The mare’s eyes regained focus only to find visibly displeased parents staring daggers at her – the mother’s daggers hidden behind eyes shining white or possibly a smoldering mane and tail. To her credit, Linear answered the question. “The… Pony of Shadows. It is rumored he consumed the very souls of his victims.” Behind me, the quiet snickering of Chrysalis ended abruptly.
I pointed a hoof, saying, “Does this foal look like the Pony of Shadows to you? In any way at all?”
A tear-streaked muzzle and desperate clutching at his father’s chitin emphasized the point better than any argument I could express with words.
The unicorn’s ears drooped and her head followed soon afterward. “No, Your Highness.”
“No,” I repeated. “Isn’t it true that Princess Luna could likewise do so?” I was taking a gamble on this one.
Linear opened her mouth and closed it. She tried again. “It was rumored that she could, sir.”
“Indeed.” I looked to the entrance to the cell where another mage and four guardsponies watched silently. “I want all of you to keep that in mind. Also, allow the parents to break the news of their foal’s special talent in the way they see fit, rather than hearing about it from half-truths and distorted lies. Everything you hear and see tonight is not to be reported or repeated. Am I clear?” All of them nodded their heads immediately and fervently. Good. The parents had enough to deal with.
Linear’s voice was very quiet. “I’m sorry, Your Highnesses…” She turned to King Thorax. “…Your Majesty.”
“Apology accepted,” said Chrysalis.
Turning to look at her face, she seemed to be entirely serious.
“Likewise,” I heard Twilight say behind me. “And as I said before, we’re leaving. Are you coming, Mark?”
“In a minute. I have something to discuss with Her Majesty.”
Chrysalis raised an eyebrow but said nothing. As I heard the foal’s cries get softer along with the sound of receding footsteps, the guardsmare said, “If you’d like a replacement, Your Highness—”
I sat down. “Please take your place by my side, Linear.” A few seconds later, I heard the unicorn mare walk up to my left. Chrysalis’ eyes had not left mine.
After the last of the hoofbeats and cries had faded away in the distance, the queen finished her earlier sentence. “… mean old nag.” She sighed and put on a more pleasant smile. “Thank you for being of use to my grandnymph.”
“More so than you,” I replied.
She looked to the side and tapped her chin with a hoof. After a few moments, Chrysalis lowered her hoof and said, “Yet.”
That might be true. It would be difficult to prevent Regis from visiting his imprisoned grandmother who had essentially sworn her life to protect the foal while in our presence. Perhaps bathing the room in light from multiple sources and removing all obstacles that could create a shadow would work. Still, I didn’t want to use that card unless I both needed and wanted to. Chrysalis sat back and smiled, obviously willing to wait me out this time rather than the other way around.
I said, “A Council of Changeling Hive Queens is being called. You have been invited to attend as a non-voting member but may refuse if you wish.”
The former hive queen scowled at my thinly-veiled insult but recovered quickly with a pitiless smile. “But why would I wish to participate? That is what you want, but not I.” Chrysalis stood up and began pacing back and forth, keeping her eyes and toothy smile focused on me. “I might be persuaded to come, but there is a price for all things.”
I rolled my eyes then put my head in my hooves. “Here it comes.”
“I demand to be set free after… stop shaking your head! Look at me!”
I acquiesced to her last two requests so I could look her in the face again. “No. Just no. I’d rather hold the Council later when that single queen drops her demand.” That gave me an idea. “Which reminds me to ask you. Which queen would you say holds the biggest grudge against you? Out of all of them, which is most likely to try to get even at the Council, considering that they all agreed you had to retain your nullifying bands.”
Chrysalis’ smile fell and she stared at me. I waved a forehoof. “Don’t say Twilight Sparkle or Carpacia. The first no longer considers you a threat… uh… until you cleverly made yourself one tonight. The second won’t do so until you have an army following you again.”
“Queen Sanguine Dreams,” said Chrysalis.
“Right in one!” I cheered. “I wonder why that might be?”
Chrysalis tapped a hoof rapidly as she narrowed her eyes. “I withdraw my demand. Instead, one part of my fee will be a promise from all of the participants not to cause me harm. In addition, your troops will ensure this is so.”
That only covered part of what I wanted. I said, “Of course, so long as you understand that the other queens gagging, binding, and stuffing you under the table for being disruptive is not considered ‘harmful’.”
The queen narrowed her eyes further, then nodded.
I clapped my hooves. “See how easy compromise is, Queen Chrysalis? It’s one of the key principles of Friendship. I’m pleased you already grasp the concept so thoroughly.”
“Stop trying to distract me. I’m not done with my conditions.”
I nodded. We at least had some momentum going.
Her grin returned. “I have changed my mind. After a few conversations with my near-sister, Postgena, and to a lesser extent her Hive Savior, Cadance, I have decided to… ugh… ‘compromise’.” Her smile twisted into a leering grin. “I will accept your seed to spawn my next of kin.”
Momentum stopped. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s what you really want.” In the background, my mind was racing for a way to turn her down that wouldn’t jeopardize the Council.
“Oh, but I am quite serious. Once I got over my ‘pony-like concerns’, I saw the wisdom in the suggestion. Surely you wouldn’t refuse just because of your personal convictions, especially now that we are so close to the agreement you wanted?”
I noticed what she didn’t say. “Are you telling me that this single favor would gain your commitment?”
Chrysalis waved a hoof. “Oh no, no, no! This is just the start of negotiations. We still need to discuss establishing my new hive, tribute Equestria will provide, restitution, and many other matters.”
Stalled too long, queen-bitch. My panicked brain had finally found and grasped a Get Out of Jail Free card. I smiled, which immediately caused Chrysalis’ to slip a bit. I said, “You have to realize that I am not a mere common stallion that ruts every tail shoved his direction. No, I am royalty.”
The changeling lowered her horn threateningly. “You dare to—?”
I closed my eyes and waved a hoof. “No, I am not. I apologize. That was phrased poorly.” I opened my eyes to stare into hers. “What I am saying is that I only mate with mares in our de-facto herd. As I understand it, you are asking to become a member, is that correct?”
Chrysalis pulled her head back and squinted slightly. After a few seconds, she said, “What would that imply?”
I laughed. “Oh, nothing you can’t handle, I’m sure. I hardly want to bore you with the details.”
My smile didn’t seem to provide any assurance. Chrysalis said, “Tell me.”
“Well, let’s see… as third-mare, you would be oath-sworn to do the bidding of Trixie and Rarity at all times. And of course, they do listen to my suggestions.” I put my head on a hoof in a thoughtful pose. “Hmmm. The first thing we’d have to do is cut off those disgracefully messy tail and mane hairs. Yes, I think a buzz-cut would do you a world of good.”
Her eyes went wide and she opened her mouth to say something but I barreled on. “Maybe spending a month as a table or a year as a statue would be educational. You would certainly have something to talk about with Discord.”
“Enough!” the queen’s wings buzzed in agitation until she got them under control. After several breaths through her nose, Chrysalis said through gritted teeth, “I withdraw my demand… for now.”
While Chrysalis thought about her next request… and doubtless triple-checked it for flaws… I considered how to best tell Trixie about this conversation and make it amusing. Unfortunately, anything related to herd management fell squarely into her hooves, and I had discovered Trixie’s sense of humor didn’t extend there. Frankly, I couldn’t see a way to tell my wife about my “offer” and avoid sleeping on the couch for an extended length of time. Good thing all the guards were sworn to secrecy.
Chrysalis held the underside of one hoof in front of her and was pressing on different areas with the other, apparently counting something out while mumbling to herself. I interrupted her musings.
“Do you wish to retire or do you want to start a new hive?”
“A barren changeling queen has no reason to exist. Of course, I will start a new hive. And it will—”
“Let’s talk about location. Would the Crystal Caves under Canterlot serve your needs?”
That earned me a sharp look. She said, “Are you serious?” After a pause. “You are serious.”
“I am. Close to a ready food source. Plenty of room to expand. Lots of materials at your beck and call. What’s not to like?”
Chrysalis scoffed. “Living under the hooves of my oppressors. All my actions under constant scrutiny thanks to your pet hives placing ‘observers’ in every chamber. Continuous poisoning of the minds of my children.”
“And still the best offer you’ve had… by far. And a challenge that I think you are capable of meeting.”
Her nostrils flared. “Don’t patronize me, stallion. What would keep me from just leaving? I could abandon such a perverted excuse for a hive and start over someplace your reach doesn’t extend.”
“Your word.”
Chrysalis stared at me intently as if she could somehow extract every secret from my soul. After giving her a minute, I stood up. “We can talk more about that topic later. Right now, I want to get back to bed. Do we have an agreement regarding the Council? Your guaranteed safety in return for attendance?”
Chrysalis snorted. “Also: daily excursions through Canterlot and the castle, only the finest quality love, and my grandnymph allowed to visit me whenever he wishes.”
I said, “We’ll start with weekly, I’ll arrange it, and that’s Twilight’s decision… but I will recommend it.”
The changeling queen smiled. “Well, well. Perhaps you were right, Mark Wells. Compromise can be a good thing.” I didn’t need a changeling next to me to read the condescending emotion in her grin.
I smiled back. “Just keep in mind that ‘compromise’ doesn’t mean taking half a slice until you can grab the whole cake when the other isn’t looking.”
Chrysalis’ lips curled back, showing even more of her fangs. “Of course not. Why would I settle for just a cake?”
Yep. Still the same ‘mad queen’. I shook my head as I turned around and marched to the doorway. “Good night, Chrysalis. Don’t let the bedbugs pull your tail.”
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Honestly, Cozy having stunted her growth would have done wonders for the show, rather than the end result of turning a filly into a statue with two of the worst villians in MLP.
I still ship Chrysalis and Mark
Makes sense.
Didn't one of the writers all but confirm that Cozy Glow was inspired in part by Baby Doll, the Batman villain?
I hope this one can be satisfied with 2nd-place for a while.
Your Chrysalis is one of my favorites.
She's very complicated and feels like a deeper, richer character than many others I read.
And still a villain! Unabashedly so, even.
Yet she's sympathetic enough that I kind of want her to get a happy resolution, too.
Her scenes are some of the most compelling and interesting.
I suppose I, like Mark, am still trying to discern a good solution that finds her successful in a way that satisfies her, but that also doesn't also have her bring about an age of suffering as the "mad queen" everybody calls her.
Twilight and Thorax's kid is going to be interesting. A shadow walker, huh? I like it.
And of course with Mark and Trixie's kid as a two form shapeshifter, the royal family is one hell of an act!
Haven't been keeping up, but it was a pleasant surprise to see this make featured. Glad to see it's still running.
10040988
From what I heard, Crazy Glue was also inspired in part by Darla Dimple, from the film Cats Don't Dance.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/6/6/2059052__safe_cozy+glow_applejack+plushie_baby+doll_batman_batman+the+animated+series_cats+don%27t+dance_darla+dimple_evil+grin_female_filly_fluttershy.jpeg
derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/2/6/1954944__safe_edit_edited+screencap_screencap_cozy+glow_school+raze_betty+%28fallout+3%29_evil_fallout_fallout+3_female_filly_pegasus_pony_tranquility+.png
(This one just made me laugh)
So Cosy Glow will be an adult psycho who will try to destroy Friendship? Or goes nuts in a different way?
Not to mention the only honest part of that whole sales pitch, she might have told the truth but I doubt she was honest, also I'm am very suspicious about matron Hobnail's death as it clearly allowed Cozy to take over
Keep an eye on her, from a distance, she didn't know any of the foals the orphanage she supposedly worked so hard to create and then she immediately left it upon completion
Shadow walking, awesome
Still waiting for the day that this ship sets sail
Ahahhhhh I want to scream at you so much!!! Stop fucking with me and give me my fucking chapter of just chrysalis being herself! I don't give a fuck if you throw in the little nymph! Just stop giving her the butt end of the chapter you fuck! I need more of that great talent that you have in my body!
Nice chapter
To paraphrase the words of Garfield, "The food is good, the company is great... but the floor show is amazing."
Chrissy's both a mad queen, power-hungry lunatic, honor bound ruler and doting granny. I simply love how you write her character and will anxiously await for the day she grows enough to get together with Mark and three herd.
Twilight's going to have a conniption when it happens
Those two will either bang, or kill each other. No other way.
10041215
I call banging and then killing each other, ala black widow.
that pic...:
10041035
Been a stick of Goldies for years.
Writes a main family that just steadily as things go, grows to be one hell of an act.
And Dang do they do it well
- before you notice you got a Griffon house Co ruled by a Magic-less Earth pony, two Alicorns, and a Changeling queen that'd rather be a male griffon... And don't get me started on the next generation.
I could mention an older one, but that'd take an way longer resumé.
10041095
"STICKY GLUE!!" Sorry. Have to say, I have seen people compare Crazy to Darla, what's with her expressions. There was a comment on one of videos, "Cozy Glow, your Darla Dimple is showing"... That was when she was shown to have disproportunate head from anger. Can't find it right now, sorry.
Magnificent chapter!
Very well done! Your storys are one of the finest works i had the pleasure to enjoy. 
I thank you for your fantastic entertainment 
I wonder just how much older than 20 Cozy Glow is. given the immense range of human sizes, ages and magic messes that up badly without even trying.
Its like if Troubleshoes is one example of the upper range, or is the Robert Pershing Wadlow of Ponies.
There is an actual medical condition that matches Cozy retty closely, Her appearence, manipulation, behaviour, intelligence etc. Higher Functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Williams Syndrome, varients.
For the nurture, nature debate, the advances in DNA sequenceing discovered Williams is based on a Massive deletion of sequence, well over a million base pairs, wich in computer terms is like loosing entire library functions, not just spelling mistakes. Nature can only compensate by enviroment and training to totally rebuild the missing neural hardware that normally handles socila interaction limiting.
If the enviroment and training doesnt occur, or even occurs in other directions.
Quite frankly, Cozys can be terrifying.
Mark is starting to play Chrysalis like a fiddle.
a grate chapter.
awesome righting team.
So, we will not see Cozy acting young just for laughs?
I thought that Cozy Glow is more likely a lot older then even that, maybe by a few centuries even she is way too wroughless and and calculating to be a regular pony. I wonder what sort of hybrid Mark and Chrysalis could create together?
Shouldn't that be 'his'?
10041770
You're right and I fixed it, but I'm amused that you missed the misspelling of tear-streaked in the same sentence.
She's curled up on the bed, stroking her tail and rocking back and forth. Manically, she repeats, "Queen Chrysalis x Mark Wells is real. It's totally real. Whoever says otherwise is a liar!" She laughs madly.
A prison guardpony just outside the cell looks on in disgust. "Yep, she's lost it."
Um hasnt the whole thing with the pony of shadows already happend...did the incident get burried or is this gaurd so not in the know as to not know that the shadow pony is dead and dusted....also since this is such a big deal im going to asume that shadow walking isnt a common nocturn/thestral/bat pony whichever of the various moniquers you prefer ability in this continuity, it is in alot of others (gift from luna to there kind)
10042649
Just because the Pony of Shadows is gone doesn't mean that the guard can't be afraid of somepony who can also shadow-walk.
And no, that is not an ability that have been ascribed to the thestrals in this storyline. Night vision and acute hearing are their traits.
So that makes... Yup, literally every changeling Queen has propositioned Mark.
We'll just have to see if inverted assimilation invasion will work here. Wonder if Cozy's "have all the friends" plan will work here?
Keep going! ;)
reminds me of this:
reminds me of several stories where changelings burped loudly after spying on bedroom play...
Kid being kid is adorable
Damien Thorn from The Omen perhaps?
This is a Great chapter.
10042019
...So I did. Dangit, brain!
I LOVE the direction that you went with Cozy Glow, make's ten times more sense now when she gets sent to pony hell. As to my thoughts in how things took place in cannon, I wish they'd punished her parents to for improper upbringing; it's the parents responsibility to ensure their child grows up with a healthy moral compass till they ((at least reach the age of consent or)) reach the age of adulthood, but considering what she did they "must" have ether been very hooves off with her or just very uncaring to try and teach her something.
*I call snob nose nobles/elites.
10045971
Or she has a neurological/mental disorder.
Than again she could be a sociopath.
Morals are for loser anyway...
Outside Equestria i could imagen she has very big chances for effectiveness over morals.
She would be better leading adult than youngling really
There are uses for characters like her. Just not around the elements...
10045323
Hey, I learned something new there.
I've confused dowser with a different meaning, cause I thought it was a specific Victorian household position (the wallet function)
Just goes to show I should dust off ye old dictionary more often
Quite clever play there for Trixi
10045323
Actually, not 33 chapters. 27 chapters. First time of nickname Dowser appears at the end of chapter 7, I believe.
Youngin Knows who Gramgram is.
Nice chapter, I love what you did with, uh. . . . The hybrid child, transport through the dark passages is no small feat. Let's hope he uses it for good.
And the change for Cozy is delicious, I wonder what her plot will be.
Chrysalis is always a mother first and a Queen second in my eyes. Love she get a bit more attention.
ooh, are they called chimicherry or cherrychanga? or chimicherrychanga?
should i? yes, i think i will:
Sister, not daughter.
Regis Novellus
Regis
Actually, the name swap occurs several times in this chapter, unless you intended his name to be this and messed up on the chapter showing his birth.
10885168
There was a change of the name done, but while I updated the master manuscript and the paperback novels are correct, I totally forgot to update this chapter. Regis Novellus is his official name and that has now been fixed. Thanks for pointing it out.
I wonder how regis got his Shadow Walking affinity.
I guess Twilight has a darker side like Luna has Nightmaremoin and Celestia has Daybreaker.
Cadance might have a alter ego like... Endless Desire!
10041095
Same, there was also a character from some old Batman cartoon named Baby Doll or something like that.
My main problem with canon Cozy Glow is simply how little we're given. Unless I am forgetting something she essentially popped out of nowhere all "Golly Gee Whiz and Wilickers" no background, no villainous monolog, and few if any hints.
Then there's the whole thing of how she became penpals with Tirek who was in Pony Alcatraz.
And finally, IIRC she's in the same season as Chancellor Neighsay. He would have been a better choice, especially in retrospect. His actions were easy to understand and they could have had some great world building/cultural exchange episodes.
Chrysalis is lucky Twilight didn't flambe her chitin in her protective mother mode. That said, perhaps she could talk with AJ about how to channel her overprotective instincts if for nothing more than a few chuckles.
10045971
10048111
...
Philistines