Chapter 81 - Learning Their Place
Twilight arrived a little late for lunch at the Royal Dining Hall in Canterlot Castle. Because she had the afternoon session this day, I asked if she had been delayed by her preparations. She brought Trixie and me up to speed in between spoonfuls of vegetable medley soup. “In between” meaning I got to see the soup in her mouth as she talked. Trixie and I had given up on the alicorn’s table manners whenever she got enthusiastic about one thing or another.
“No,” she cheerfully informed me. “The Cutie Map summoned Applejack and Fluttershy for a Friendship Quest this morning. I wanted to prepare them as much as I could, so I did some research before they arrived.”
“Where are they going this time?” Trixie asked.
“A place called the Peaks of Peril.”
I raised an eyebrow. “For such an ominous name, you seem quite happy to dispatch them there.”
Twilight waved a dismissive hoof while the other dunked her spoon down into the bowl quickly. Today Twilight was using her hoof instead of her magic as part of a regimen to improve her dexterity. She had a long way to go. If this continued, Twilight would have to cast a cleaning spell on the table when she was done… and her dress… and Trixie… and me. “It’s just a name. Besides, it’s what Fluttershy tells me is there that is so fascinating.”
“Wait! You just said you had to research that place but Flutters already knows?” I asked.
Twilight blushed. “Remember when you joined us in Ponyville to get through your first heat? She told us then. Discord had taken Fluttershy to their village to foalsit for the mythical creatures. But because she made extraordinary claims without extraordinary evidence, I thought I knew better. When I zoomed in with the Map Table, Fluttershy recognized it right away.”
Twilight’s ears lowered onto her head. “Honestly, I should have put more trust in my friend. I apologized to Fluttershy for not believing her. I’ll do the same when I talk to Discord next.”
“Apology accepted!” yelled Twilight’s spoon a moment before it reached her mouth. The alicorn screamed and toppled backward onto the floor, her forelegs flailing. The silvery spoon hovered in place. It rotated towards me and folded onto itself, looking uncannily like a wink. With a flash, it disappeared.
I came over to help Twilight back onto her hooves. In her thrashing around, the rest of the soup ended up on her dress and the bowl on her head. I had to chuckle. “Twilight, you do realize that having that kind of comic reaction is just going to encourage him.”
My friend’s eyes went wide and she said “Shhhh!” with a hoof vertically across her lips.
“Too late, I heard!” said her suddenly animated bowl before dropping to the floor with a clatter.
Twilight actually growled at me and narrowed her eyes. I beat a hasty retreat back to my side of the table. My wife said, “Anyway, you were talking about this village that Applejack and Fluttershy are going to visit?”
I got a long glare before the alicorn continued. She took a moment to cast a cleaning spell on herself and the surroundings before taking her seat again. “A race called the kirin make that area their home.” Twilight’s bright smile returned. Nothing like the prospect of learning something new to raise her spirits. “That’s why I’m so excited! Applejack and Fluttershy will be interacting with a species that has long been regarded as a myth. Not only will we get to learn more about them, but it’s also possible that we’ll be able to add them to the many others that Equestria has allied with over the last year.”
“Hmmm…” I knitted my brow. “From what I can remember of the myths back where I come from, the kirin are powerful magic-users that look like a cross between a dragon and a horse. Naturally, what they look like here may be completely different. After all, we didn’t have green ponies with wings back there but we did have the legend of Pegasus, the winged horse.”
“The progenitor of the pegasus race after which they were named, you mean?” Twilight asked.
I gave the alicorn a sharp look. “You’re telling me that you know of a first? A mutant perhaps?”
Twilight shook her head. “Only legends passed down by song before the invention of writing.”
“I see. Still, my point stands.”
“Have you heard of nirik also?”
“No. What are they, besides kirin spelled backwards?”
Twilight’s eyes widened. “Huh? So it is. I hadn’t noticed that. Anyway, they are supposed to be a dangerous race of beings of fire.”
“And Fluttershy still wants to go there without Discord to protect her?” Trixie asked pointedly.
“Well… the Cutie Map paired her with Applejack and I presume it knows what it’s doing.”
“I’m looking forward to hearing the results of this quest,” I said before Twilight’s replacement soup arrived and put a halt to the discussion. Because of her bad habit of talking with her mouth full, I wasn’t going to encourage it any further!
A few days later, we had a surprise visitor. Not only did Fluttershy and Applejack have a successful Friendship Mission, but they also brought along an informal ambassador of the kirin. As I suspected, she was a lot different from my memories of the legendary race while still retaining the basics. Autumn Blaze was about average pony size, had bifurcated hooves, green scales on her back and leathery nose ridge, leonine mane, and a slim tufted tail. She also had an intriguing branched horn with chevrons that glowed when she used her magic. Her stand-out feature though was her buoyant personality. She was exuberant almost to Pinkie Pie levels, entranced by every new thing she encountered.
It took a while but we eventually got the whole story about how our friends had encountered the kirin race hidden in a valley within the Peaks of Peril. Oh, and while the mountains had gotten their name due to the completely understandable danger of trying to cross over them, they had done an excellent job of protecting the kirin and their village from the hazards of the outside world. It was obvious why they were basically unknown away from their home too. However, Autumn Blaze was fascinated by the stories told by our friends and wanted to explore the world outside of her safe haven. Applejack and Fluttershy had been happy to oblige her.
So, Canterlot was currently host to its first kirin ever. We all got to hear about the problem that had taken our friends there and the successful resolution of it. Autumn Blaze demonstrated how she could turn into a nirik – really just an alternate form rather than another species – at will by manifesting her anger. If she wasn’t such an amiable being, I could see her being a formidable foe. No wonder her whole village had resorted to imposing speech and emotion dampening upon everyone. Any kirin that refused was shunned as a social outcast. Not really an ideal solution, especially when it came to kirin like Autumn Blaze.
A visit to the School of Friendship was especially eye-opening for her. She had never seen so many species all in one place. The journey to Ponyville had revealed a few to her, but the sheer variety among the students awed the kirin. I asked Cozy Glow to give Autumn a tour of the school facilities. The tiny mare agreed, but it seemed to me that her helpful manner was a trifle forced, barely hiding her impatience to get back to her other tasks. Weird. None of her letters to me had indicated that she wasn’t coping with her work. Now that I thought about it, she hadn’t sent me a letter for a couple of weeks now. Anyway, after the tour, Autumn was determined that there would be a kirin foal attending soon if she could persuade her village chief to agree. The Crusaders were disappointed to learn that kirin did not get cutie marks despite their resemblance to ponies. Can’t win ’em all, guys.
“Mark – can you do something about that greedy dragon?” Gallus grumbled.
I put down the document that I had been working on and stared at the young griffon with surprise. Not only was this the first time that Gallus had actively complained about something, but this was also the first occasion that he had come to my office other than when I was showing him around Canterlot castle. He knew better than to interrupt me while I was attending to my duties. Something must have been really bothering him.
“I assume we’re talking about Spike’s father?” Twilight had informed Trixie and me about the recent turn of events back at her castle. According to the dragon, he had lost Spike’s mother years ago and had only now tracked down his son. I figured that Spike would be busy catching up with a lifetime of events and I could indulge my curiosity on the weekend, so I had yet to meet the reptile in question.
“Yeah. I thought he was going to be cool like Smolder. And Spike.” I didn’t miss that hasty addition. My ward definitely had one dragon uppermost in his thoughts. I kept my face straight though as he continued. “Instead, he’s lazy and greedy. He took all the cupcakes that were supposed to be for me and my friends. He took the pillows out of my room. He’s always lying around doing nothing which wouldn’t bother me too much except he’s doing it in the throne room and hogging the living room. He’s got Spike waiting on him all the time. And I think he’s stealing stuff.”
“That’s a pretty serious accusation. Have you any proof?”
“No,” he admitted. “Twilight won’t let me check out his room. Something about valuing his privacy in these emotional times.”
I considered what Gallus said. I had to balance out what I knew of dragons in general versus the impressions of a teenager. I had promised myself that I would not be dismissive of my ward’s grievances though, and this demanded a bit of investigation. Fortunately, my paperwork wasn’t especially pressing. I got up and said, “Let’s go meet this dragon. What was his name again?”
“Sludge.”
I grimaced. Not the most inspiring of names. As we exited the office, I glanced at Penumbra who was standing at her usual spot outside and she raised an eyebrow questioningly. “We’re going to Ponyville to check out Twilight’s latest guest.”
The bat-pony smirked. “I figured that would happen sooner or later.”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked as we headed to the daggerscale portal room.
“Just the scuttlebutt that I’ve heard from the Royal Guards stationed at Twilight’s castle.”
Hmm. Correlation in favor of Gallus already. I hoped we weren’t going to cause a shit-storm when we arrived.
I sighed. If anything, Gallus had been generous in his restraint. Frankly, if this was my castle, I likely would have trusted what my friends and guards told me and booted Sludge out on his rump ages ago, Spike’s dad or not. However, I was also beginning to doubt that relationship. Still, I couldn’t just start interrogating the dragon. He obviously had Twilight and Spike fooled and my suspicions would not be welcome. Nevertheless, there was something that I could do.
“So – you reckon that this isn’t typical dragon behavior, Smolder?”
“Nah. Dragons are rude and rebellious, but they aren’t lazy slobs who take advantage of their offspring.”
I nodded. “That’s what I figured. You and Gallus keep an eye on Sludge. I’m going to fetch our secret weapon.”
Gallus gave me a puzzled look. “Secret weapon?”
“You’ll see,” I replied with a grin.
Penny and I headed out. We took flight and made a beeline for Sweet Apple Acres. I figured that Applejack would be working the orchards at this time and I soon spotted her among the trees. I called out to her as I came in for a landing.
The mare gave me a mildly curious look. “Howdy, Mark. What brings y’all out here in the middle o’ the afternoon?”
“Looking for a favor, Applejack. Twi’s got a guest who has outstayed his welcome. Problem is – I need to convince Spike and Twilight of that.”
Applejack grimaced. “Ah’ve been hearing tales about that there dragon. Reckon it weren’t none of my business though. You got a problem with him?”
“Yeah, a big one. I don’t believe he’s really Spike’s father.”
The earth pony frowned. “Now that’s just plum wrong. Spike don’t deserve that.”
I nodded. “That’s why I want you to come and judge his veracity for yourself.”
“If those fancy words mean you want me to tell if he’s being honest, then Ah’m your mare. When do you wanna do this?”
“Can you spare a few minutes right now?”
“If’n you can take time from your royal duties for Spike, Ah reckon I can spare some too. Let’s go!”
She took off at a gallop that I could not hope to match, so Penny and I spread our wings to follow. We got to Twilight’s castle in next to no time. Despite not slowing a bit, Applejack wasn’t even breathing hard. I led her to the room where Sludge was still lounging on the sofa. We were just in time to see the glutton scoff down a huge pile of pastries that Spike had brought. I waited until the dragon’s mouth was empty before addressing him.
“Hey, Sludge. I’m Prince Mark Wells. Let me extend my welcome to Equestria.” Before he had the chance to do more than grin at me, I barreled on. “I’ve got somepony I’d like you to meet. This is Applejack. She’s a friend of mine who places a lot of store in family and she would love to hear your tale of your lost love and how you spent years searching for Spike’s egg.”
Sludge gave Applejack a smarmy grin. “The little lady likes that kind of story, hey? Well, settle down and I’ll tell you about the tragedy and loss of my wife and son. But first – Spike! Bring me another pitcher of cider!”
Eventually, Sludge started retelling his tale of how his wife went searching for treasure, leaving Spike’s egg in his care, and when she failed to return, he went searching for his lost love, only to be captured and have their egg stolen in the Land of the Scale Collectors. When he managed to escape a long time later, he went in search of his egg, only to find that it had been hatched and raised by ponies. When he was done, Applejack nodded thoughtfully.
“Well, Sludge, Ah gotta admit Ah’m impressed.”
The dragon beamed with satisfaction and I was startled. Was I mistaken?
Applejack continued. “In all mah life, Ah’ve never heard such a load of malarkey. Not a single word you spoke was the truth.”
“Told ya,” Smolder said smugly.
Spike looked devastated. “No! Why would he lie? You have to be wrong, Applejack.”
The mare shook her head. “Sorry, Spike. ’Fraid not.”
The young dragon was definitely in denial though and Sludge wasn’t about to give up.
“Don’t listen to them, son. They don’t know what dragons are really like.”
I snorted. Maybe not, but there was one who did. “Smolder – how about you educate Spike on how real dragon parents treat their children?”
“Anything to get this jerk outta here,” she agreed. She walked over to Spike and put an arm around his shoulder to lead him away. “Come with me, kiddo. I taught you to fly like a proper dragon – now let me tell you how a proper dragon values their family. And, believe me, it ain’t like him.”
As the bewildered young drake left with Smolder, I turned to frown at Sludge. “I’d suggest that you start packing your things but I suspect that none of them are yours. You better go before Twilight finds out how you’ve been lying to her little brother and mistreating him. You might escape with your tail intact.”
“You gonna make me, puny pony?” he growled.
Penny was by my side instantly but I switched to Marklestia and summoned all my magic. “On second thought, I’ll do it myself.”
Sludge was startled by my transformation and blinked in the glare of my burning horn and glowing eyes. For extra added effect, I arced bolts of lightning between my horn and both extended wingtips. He snarled and then dived for the open window.
I drew back my magic and resumed my normal form. I noticed Gallus gaping at me and I grinned. “Mission accomplished.”
“Wow! That was awesome.”
“Thanks, but you’re the real hero today.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Because you saw a problem and made sure that something was done about it. Most youths your age would not have asked for help, either unwisely trying to tackle the issue themselves or just getting angry about it. Heaven knows how long that farce would have continued if Sludge hadn’t been confronted.”
“Mark’s right,” Applejack agreed. “Spike could have been seriously hurt if this had gone on too long. The little fella so badly wants to know who he is and he was plumb blind to what Sludge was doin’ to him. T’was a good thing that ya done caught it early.”
I nodded. “And I would not have known until I visited next weekend, so you alerting me helped a lot.”
Gallus blushed. “Nah – I just thought he was being a jerk.”
I ruffled his head feathers and grinned. “Whatever works. Anyhow, I have got to get back to the office. I’ll see you tonight for dinner. I’ll ask the chef to make something special for you. Bring Smolder along too. She’s been a big help.”
He grinned happily. “Sure thing, Mark.”
I thanked Applejack for helping expose Sludge and then headed off with Penny who grinned at me.
“You’re really on board with Smolder being Gallus’ marefriend now.”
I smirked. “Hey, I might be a bit dense sometimes, but I like the young dragoness and I think she and Gallus go well together. They’re a bit young yet to be too serious, but I won’t stand in their way if it becomes more.”
“Stand in their way? A moment ago, you invited her to come to dinner with Gallus. You’re actively shipping them!” she scoffed.
I poked out my tongue at her. “Just being a good father to my foster son is all.”
“S-u-u-re,” she drawled.
I hastily changed the subject. “So, when are you and Lightning Strike going to tie the knot?”
Penny promptly clammed up.
“Well?” I prompted.
“When she accepts my proposal,” she muttered.
I blinked and then grinned. I hadn’t thought that their relationship had gotten that far. “You’ve actually proposed? Why haven’t I heard about this yet?”
“Because we can’t agree on who is going to have a foal first and we don’t intend to make it official until we can.”
“Umm… since you’re both mares, who would you get to be the sire anyway?”
“That’s another thing we can’t agree on.”
“Well, you’ve got me curious. Do you want to go first or will Lightning be the mother? I can see your dedication to your job getting in the way.”
“I want a foal. It wouldn’t slow me down at all until a few weeks before it’s due. And thanks to all my friends in Canterlot, I’ll have no trouble getting foalsitters so I won’t be out of commission for long.”
“I see. You’ve been planning this for a while, haven’t you?”
“Since before I became your bodyguard. Finding the right partner has been the problem.”
“And Lightning disagrees?”
“She thinks I should concentrate on my duty to the Crown and she should have our foal.”
I shook my head. “Tell her to leave the Crown out of this. Being my bodyguard is a job, not a never-ending obligation. You have the right to live your own life and make your own choices regardless of my needs. Besides, you’re more than just my bodyguard; you are my friend. I’d never come between you two.”
She snorted. “As if I’d let you.”
“Fair point. Now, seeing as I’m your nosy friend – got a stallion in mind as a stud?”
She nodded. “Yes – a very good friend of mine.”
“That’s great. I’d like to—” My mind screeched to a halt, as did my hooves. I stared at her and she raised an eyebrow expectantly. “You don’t mean…?”
She nodded.
“Me?”
“You.”
“Why me?”
“Because no stallion has ever earned as much respect from me as you have. Because you put your heart and soul into everything you do. Because you are passionate about protecting Equestria and the ones whom you love. What more could I ask for in the future sire of my foal?”
I sat down hard on the cool crystal floor. “Trixie will have a fit.”
“Nah, Princess Trixie will be fine with the idea. You’ll see.”
“But… mating between us… you don’t care about the different status levels?”
She gave me a hard stare. “You of all ponies want to bring up those noble horse-apples and their attitudes?”
She was right. I might understand those elitist practices but I never agreed with them. However, the right of mares to ask any stallion to be their stud was a practical necessity. Be that as it may, I rarely thought about how it applied to me. Just when I thought I had gone completely pony, something like this came along and slapped me in the face to remind me that I was a human for many more years. And that was a potential sticking point.
“Penny – you do have the right to ask, but I can’t not be a part of the life of any foal that I sire. By law, I cannot demand that but, as your friend, I would expect nothing less.”
“I know. If it makes you feel better, when you took Gallus as your ward, I was thrilled. You showed that you could be a part-time father and today you demonstrated that you would be there when needed. I promise that if I ask you to sire a foal in me, you will have a part in their life.”
“And how does Lightning Strike feel about that?”
Penumbra chuckled. “She wouldn’t dare to ask one of the Triarchs to give us stud service.” She pulled a lollipop from her saddlebag and offered it to me. Having no idea if there was a deeper cultural meaning to accepting it, I shook my head. The thestral shrugged and put it in her mouth. Probably not then.
I snorted. “Tell her I’m just another stallion and she should be a big brave Royal Guard.” My conscience started to nag at me. Before Penny went through with this, there was a secret I had to reveal.
I cast an opaque privacy bubble around us. She raised both eyebrows and smiled. “What? Right here? Right now?”
I blinked. “No, no. Penny, there’s something—”
“Well, drat. So much for ‘Practice makes perfect’.” She waved a hoof. “Go on. Disappoint me further.” Her amused smile told me she was anything but crushed.
I rolled my eyes. “You’re not even on heat at the moment!” I started again. “Look – there’s something you should know about me. You’ve been my bodyguard for over a year and placed your life on the line for me more times than I can count. It’s only right that I trust you with—”
Penny pulled the lollipop out of her mouth with a pop. I got the hint of mango wafting in the air. “Oh, you mean how your amnesia about your former life is a load of cow dung and you used to be a hee-you-mane?”
I must have stammered for a few seconds before my brain got back in gear. “Uh… It’s human, and how did you know?”
She snorted. “You’re not exactly subtle about recalling detailed information about your past. ‘The Legend of Pegasus’? ‘Kirin are powerful magic users’? And that’s just today. Add to that incautious comments from your friends, especially Rainbow Dash. I’d have to be deaf to not figure it out by now.”
I let out a breath. How many other guardsponies knew?
Penumbra grinned. “Nope. I’m good with how irreparably weird you are. It’s how you treat ponies and everybeing else that matters to me.” Her expression turned serious. “So – you’ll agree to being my stud when I ask? I promise it won’t be life-threatening, but not Pinkie Promise.”
I had to process that for a second. “Yes, on one condition. You have to ask in front of Trixie and she has to consent.”
“Deal!” She then startled me by leaning forward and kissing me. “If you’d been a mare, I would have married you.”
“Like when I’m Marklestia?”
She rolled her eyes. “You have no idea how tempting you were when roleplaying as Celestia. Still are.”
I decided to quit while I was ahead and dropped the privacy bubble. “Time to get back to work, Lieutenant Penumbra.”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
However, despite the formalities, I knew things were never going to be quite the same between us ever again.
Twilight convinced Trixie and me that Friendship Castle was the perfect location for the Council of Changeling Queens. The forewarned citizens of Ponyville didn’t spook at the sight of groups of bugponies flying overhead… with the possible exception of the Flower Sisters. Royal Guards kept the townsponies and occasional protester away. An unfortunate miscommunication resulted in paparazzi not being allowed to leave the train station. The Triarchy prepared a statement of apology along with the promise that the next regularly scheduled Council would be far more accommodating to the press. I was not certain if they knew that changeling queens met every twenty years.
Trixie and I joined Twilight and Thorax just outside the Map Room. All of us were wearing our best royal finery. From her bearing, I saw that Trixie was in full showpony-mode. For the meeting with two unknown dignitaries, she chose her midnight-black cloak and largest platinum crown. Twilight wore a sparkling translucent dress that shifted between green, red, and orange. That was a clever touch to emphasize her position as Hive Mother of the Crystal Hive. She wore the Element of Magic tiara, though with a replacement jewel since the original was back with the Tree of Harmony. Thorax got by with the jewelry gifted to him by Carpacia.
Only yesterday, Rarity finished a cloak for me to wear at the Council. As Marklestia, it reached down below my knees and hocks. If I changed to my stallion form, it would reach my fetlocks so it would always fit stylishly. The fashionista dyed the silk herself as evidenced by stains on her forehooves. The body of the garment showed two shades of royal purple with gold braiding accenting the edges. My emerald circlet crown rounded out the look and was a good reminder of the ties we had already forged with our allied changeling hives.
“Ready?” I asked.
Trixie answered by starting forward for the door. I put out a hoof to stop her. “Dear, this is Twilight and Thorax’s meeting. They have to enter first.”
My wife stopped. “Ah, quite right, Dowser. Well, to answer your question, Trixie is most anxious to begin the performance of a lifetime!”
I glanced over to see Twilight dancing on her tippy-hooves. “Oh, yes! Yes, yes, yes!” The chance to establish friendships with two more hives and further cement the bonds with two others? In hindsight, I should have expected this level of enthusiasm.
Thorax fidgeted a bit. He took a deep breath and raised his head proudly. He nodded. Too bad his limbs were still shaking enough to be noticed. I fervently hoped he would hold together. Regardless, I knew all three of us would stand by him.
The Element of Magic trotted forward, Thorax hustling to get to his wife’s side before her magic opened the doors fully. As we stepped into the Map Room, all conversation stopped. The four changeling queens had seated themselves at four of the thrones around the Map Table, leaving Twilight’s seat open and the Stone chair directly across from her which belonged to Pinkie Pie. Queen Apicula jerked her muzzle upwards slightly in a friendly greeting. Carpacia may have cracked a small smile, but it was difficult to tell with her. After nodding in acknowledgment to both rulers, my eyes were drawn to the newcomers.
Carpacia had refused to tell me anything useful about the other queens beyond a brief physical description so I could recognize them. Like all other unevolved changelings, Queen Polistae had the same deep-charcoal colored chitin as Chrysalis, but her mane was a vibrant blue done up in a bun and accented by her green crystalline crown. Rounded blue gems filled every void in her horn, neck, and legs, doubtless the work of years of crafting. This gave the effect of glowing eggs emerging from her body. To my eyes, at least, the look was striking and not at all creepy. She stared directly at me, ignoring the rest of the Equestrian royalty and the first Changeling King in existence. Her look made me wonder exactly how many ways she was judging me. I was now curious about the age of the Blue Hive sovereign and how much she knew about me.
Queen Sanguine Dreams was the perfect antipode. Her narrowed eyes and sparse armor glowed yellow, along with the stones of her necklace. She had a red mane and tail along with fins on the back of her head and ears of the same color. Spikes on her horn and belligerent frown made me guess hers was a changeling hive that emphasized combat much like Carpacia’s.
Twilight stood in front of her throne with her husband in front of Spike’s stone chair to her right. Trixie and I positioned ourselves to her left. The purple alicorn said, “Greetings, fellow Hive Mothers! On behalf of Princess Trixie and Prince Mark Wells, thank you for agreeing to meet with us. Before we begin the actual business of the Council of Queens, Equestria has a gift for all of you.” Her horn lit and four square, flat boxes levitated from her saddlebags and settled down in front of each queen. “Thanks to the knowledge shared with us by Apicula, my hive created these communication plates which can be used whenever you wish to contact us. I will assign a drone to monitor them at all times. While I could not determine a way to trace the location of the companion of the original plate design, that didn’t mean it would be impossible! These prototypes include magic storage and several layers of masking spells. The first configures a—”
Before Twilight could launch into full lecture-mode, my wife interrupted. “We know that the protection of your hive is every queen’s first responsibility. The Triarchs of Equestria hope these tokens will assure you of our willingness to help you should you ever find yourself in a time of need.”
I watched Carpacia lift the lid off of her box and levitate out a square plate the color of Trixie’s coat. The queen then lifted out a black metal stand and arranged for the plate to face her.
Twilight said, “The support framework grips onto the plate until it is manually removed. The stand also creates a protective field when anything approaches at a moderate or high speed. It will protect the communication plate from nearly all hazards.”
Queen Polistae said, “Thank you, Hive Mother. I will treasure this generous boon from your hive.” I noticed that she had not opened her package but her smile appeared to be genuine. Turning to me, she said, “If I could make a request, would you mind taking your natural form, Prince Mark Wells?”
Sanguine Dreams said, “Yes. The queens are in their native forms. Is it too much to expect the same of the Triarchs?”
Trixie frowned for a moment then said, “An excellent suggestion. Please do so, my dear.” Making the best of the situation, I suppose.
I shifted to my stallion form then said, “Of course. I meant no offense.”
“And none was taken,” said Apicula. She looked at Sanguine Dreams. “If you are satisfied now, may we start with the meeting proper?”
“No. We are missing one member of the Council, even if she is an embarrassment to all changelings.”
I turned to the door and called out, “Buried Spear, have the prisoner brought here.”
Less than a minute later, Crimson Boulder and Penumbra escorted Chrysalis into the Map Room. For her part, the deposed changeling queen positively beamed at her four counterparts as she sauntered over to the lone remaining throne. “Ahhh! My fellow rulers! Thank you for inviting the only queen with the ambition and confidence to break away from the old traditions. So good to see most of you again.”
Sanguine Dreams snorted. “You mean the only one to be stripped of her hive by the changes rocking Equestria.”
Chrysalis ignored her, instead nodding to Queen Apicula after she had settled into Pinkie’s throne. “My deepest condolences to you and your hive, Queen Apicula. Your mother was everything a changeling queen could hope to be. She was also my only friend. Thank you for taking your revenge on the cur that slew her.”
Apicula simply nodded, though I thought I saw some tears in her eyes.
Sanguine Dreams broke the uncomfortable silence. “Hive Mother Twilight Sparkle – the two guards will not be required. They have no place overhearing the business of the Council.”
I said, “The safety of the Councilmembers and Queen Chrysalis is my responsibility. As the hosts of this meeting, the Triarchs of Equestria have decided they will stay.” That earned me a stare from the red-maned queen but no further comment. Chrysalis smirked and lounged into her throne a bit more.
“I second the motion,” said Thorax.
“You have no business speaking here among queens,” snapped Sanguine Dreams. “Mind your place.”
“Don’t mind him,” said Chrysalis. “He’s always been a bit slow and unworthy of his responsibilities, even as a drone. For example, he doesn’t understand that until the meeting officially opens, no motions can be seconded.”
Thorax’s eyes opened wider. Before he could respond, my wife jumped into the conversation. “Hive Mother Twilight, would you call the Council to order?”
Twilight’s horn had been glowing slightly but that cut out when Trixie distracted her. After a deep breath, the alicorn cleared her throat. “Yes, thank you, Princess Trixie.” She looked over the table again. “This session of the Council of Changeling Queens is hereby called to order. As the first order of business, the Crystal Hive has an announcement to make.” She looked pointedly at her husband then shot a warning glare at Sanguine Dreams.
Thorax blinked. “Oh, yes. Umm… We’ve… The Crystal Hive received a request from the Crystal Hive of an alternate world. They have requested that Princess Trochanter of their realm immigrate to this world with a cadre of drones. They will take possession of the long-abandoned hive in the Crystal Empire.”
Queen Sanguine Dreams narrowed her eyes. “Not without the Council’s approval. This queen must petition us directly for permission to enter Equestrian territory.”
Polistae said, “I must reluctantly agree. Such decisions have always been under the authority of the Council.”
Thorax stood up straighter. “I’m sorry for the miscommunication.” Sanguine Dreams smiled until Thorax said his next words. “I was not asking for permission, I was simply informing all of you.”
“First of all, the Crystal Empire is not in Equestria. Second, the Crystal Hive never renounced its claim on its hive in the Crystal Empire. Lastly, we will deal with our territory however we see fit.
“Enough!” roared Sanguine Dreams. “It’s bad enough the Council is forced to accept this aberration of a Hive Mother among their ranks. I will no longer stand by as something that was never meant to exist defiles the sanctity of this Council!” I noticed Chrysalis was smiling openly as she watched the drama unfold.
Thorax’s legs stopped shivering. “Well then. Perhaps I was hasty in my judgment. I’ll tell you what.” He climbed up onto the Map Table. “If you can remove me from this table, then I will reverse my decision and allow the assembled queens to rule on this immigration.” He paused. “Or are you willing to back down and accept my authority?”
Trixie glanced at me and I nodded. Thorax was deliberately goading the changeling queen by not specifying exactly how much authority. If Sanguine Dreams capitulated, she could be seen as acknowledging his rule in all matters.
The changeling queen scoffed and flew up onto the opposite side of the table as her answer.
“Oh, and one more thing.” Thorax waved a hoof at Crimson and Penumbra. “There will be no magic used in this contest.”
Nullstone tracking bands flew over Chrysalis and wrapped around the horns of the two combatants. The improved design could be set to target and track a single individual, even in a roomful of horns.
Sanguine Dreams raised a hoof to the band and opened her mouth, perhaps to make a protest. Thorax was already moving towards the center of the table. “Begin when you are ready.”
With a snarl, the changeling queen trotted forward. At the same time, I heard my wife say, “I’ll take that bet.” I glanced over to see Carpacia and my wife nodding to each other.
Both combatants met at the center of the table and reared. Thorax easily blocked every kick of Sanguine Dreams forelegs. Occasionally, he got in a slap of a hoof across her muzzle.
The queen dropped to all fours and feinted a charge with her horn. Thorax likewise put all his hooves down and dodged a bit to his right. Sanguine Dreams spun quickly and lashed out with a powerful buck with both hind legs. However, the changeling king had already reversed direction to the left, and the blow whooshed by close to his side, passing through the space where he had been a moment earlier.
Thorax brought up his right foreleg, capturing a rear leg before it could hit the floor. When Sanguine Dreams instinctively brought her head up to view her trapped leg, Thorax smashed the base of her horn with his other forehoof.
In the second or so that the queen was stunned, Thorax ducked his head under her barrel and got his left foreleg over the queen’s neck and under her chin. Slowly, he bent the queen further and further backward until finally, with a curse, her legs left the table and her three remaining legs flailed in the air. Despite the queen’s struggles, the changeling king continued to pull her leg and head downwards until they met under his barrel. Very calmly, he said, “Do you yield?” At her continued attempts to get free, he said, “I don’t mind keeping you here all day.”
Sanguine Dreams’ curses turned into something like coughs and her movements slowed. After a short while, I realized she was laughing, or at least as much as someone can when they are being choked. “Ye… Yes, I yield.”
Thorax set her back on her hooves and she laughed freely in between grimaces. “Ah, fantastic! My back will be complaining for weeks!” She waved down to Carpacia. “Did you teach him all that? I never had a chance, did I?”
The other red changeling queen raised an eyebrow. “More than I gave you credit for. I bet Princess Trixie that you wouldn’t last thirty seconds. To answer your other question, the blocks and leg trap were taught by my hive. The horn strike and submission hold are pony techniques; I suspect learned from the earth pony stallion.” She nodded towards Crimson Boulder.
Sanguine Dreams smiled again. “Is that so? Splendid!” She clapped Thorax on a shoulder with a hoof. “My apologies to you, your wife, and your glorious hive. I simply had to find out what these new, evolved changelings were made of. I will speak to your Hive Mother about a convenient time for your services.”
I couldn’t tell if Thorax’s stunned expression came from her words and change of attitude or the fact that she flicked her tail in his face as she turned to climb off the table. It seemed some acts of flirtation crossed between species.
After Thorax had returned to his place next to his wife, he studiously ignored her penetrating stare.
Across the table, Sanguine Dreams chuckled as she looked at Chrysalis. “You are truly astonishing in your own way. Wrong to invade Canterlot, not once but twice. Wrong about ponies. Wrong about how to achieve and keep power. You are even wrong about your spawn. I can’t think of a single matter where you proved to be correct. You truly are a failure in every possible way.”
“We will see,” growled the deposed queen.
“Yes, we have,” said Sanguine Dreams, turning away.
Chrysalis seethed and ground her teeth for the remainder of the Council, but didn’t have much to say.
Tuesday mornings were reserved for magic lessons with Twilight. Despite everything that had happened since I had gained a useable horn, Trixie and I rarely missed a day. And I have to admit that it was paying off. I already knew more spells than the average unicorn and, while I’d never be anywhere near as good as Twilight, I took pride in the fact that once I mastered a spell, it became second-nature to me. My teacher was delighted with my progress and probably would have had me doing magic lessons all day if I didn’t gently but firmly remind her that we had other duties.
Trixie had been improving too. While she had once been a student at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns before dropping out, it was easy to see how she had qualified in the first place. However, although she’d had the talent, she did not have the dedication of her peers and succumbed to the lure of the road and showbiz. Twilight managed to keep her focused, unlike her original teachers, and my wife had to admit that it was benefitting her. She had already figured out several new ways to adapt spells to her shows. Oh well, you could take Trixie out of showbiz, but you couldn’t take showbiz out of her. She didn’t much like the homework though, but I could empathize with her there. I had more fun things to do with my wife in the evening.
However, Trixie was getting off easy today. She was assigned practice in transmutation and we were getting quite a collection of teacups. Each one varied in some way or another: size, color, texture, material, etc. Meanwhile, Twilight wanted me to try to learn a particularly tricky spell which, if I could master, might indicate if I was capable of learning how to teleport. Actually, that’s not quite accurate. She reckoned that I could learn that now. Doing it safely was an entirely different matter. After hearing some of the horror stories on ’ports that had gone wrong, I was quite prepared to postpone that lesson until I had the basics thoroughly drilled into me.
Earth ponies and pegasi probably think that complex spells involve a lot of mathematics and they would not be entirely wrong. However, an aptitude for languages was even more important. Why? Because a spell is basically an instruction for how you want mana to be focused and executed as magic. If you cannot properly phrase it, the spell is just so much garbage. Exactly like writing software, my previous profession. Sure – all the parameters and rules were different, but once I learned those, I was able to quickly comprehend how a spell was supposed to work. Executing it was another problem, but one that could normally be overcome through practice. A lot of practice. Oh, and just because I knew the rules didn’t mean that I was capable of doing every spell now. While keeping up the software analogy, just try to quickly comprehend a program that took many thousands of man-hours to write and debug! So, while many spells are a few lines of verse written into a book, they are only the trigger for the actual mechanics of the magic.
Today’s lesson was translocation – basically teleporting objects rather than oneself. It involved visualization of the target in four dimensions, adjusting for inertia, and calculating the energy requirements before executing the spell. Simple, right? Get one of those wrong and you could, for example, embed the object in another, have it shoot off like a bullet, or expend excess mana as an explosive burst. Tricky. You might think it was too difficult but, once again, it came down to talent and practice. Rainbow Dash pulled off extraordinary aerial maneuvers and sonic rainbooms because of her intimate understanding of how her flight magic worked, but she hadn’t gotten to that level of expertise without a ton of practice. And if you wanted to be good at magic, you had to keep working at it. While I could only spare one morning a week for magic school, I nevertheless took the opportunity in my spare time to practice new spells until I had them down pat. That was going to take a while with this one.
I frowned and poked my tongue out of the side of my mouth as I concentrated on the ball that I was holding up by levitation. The golden glow of my magic was rock-steady as I pictured the coordinates that I wished to send it to – the desk across the room. I visualized the structure of the translocation spell, applied the mana, and then executed.
The ball fell to the ground.
I blinked and wondered what went wrong.
“It’s okay, Mark,” Twilight said. “You built the spell correctly but failed to give it enough power.”
“I could have sworn I had. In fact, I was erring on the side of a little extra, if anything.”
The alicorn shrugged. “The results speak for themselves. Watch me once more and then you can try again.” She picked up the ball in her magic and cast her spell.
The ball fell to the ground.
We both stared at it and then at each other.
“Something is very wrong,” Twilight said with a frown.
“You can say that again,” Trixie said.
We looked over to where my wife had been working and beheld half a dozen things that only a pre-school foal would generously call a teacup. Or an ashtray. Or… something.
Now the alicorn looked worried. “Let me test something.” She picked up a top with her magic and set it spinning in midair. We used it for practice in applying rotational forces. Right now, Twilight was pushing it to spin faster and faster. Suddenly it dropped to the floor where it spun like any ordinary toy, oblivious to Twilight’s efforts to pick it up again with her magic.
She looked up at us. “This is a disaster. The ambient mana is virtually gone.”
“What about our inner mana stores?” Trixie asked. “We should still be able to cast our spells properly.”
“No, something is draining that too even as we use it. That’s what is making our spells fail.”
“What could be causing it?” I asked.
Twilight sat down hard on her rump and stared off into space. “I… haven’t the slightest idea.”
# # # # # # # # #
Queen Polistae art and OC used with permission of Blissey1.
Art: https://derpibooru.org/images/1828223
Artist: Silfoe
Art and OC used with permission of Queen Sanguine Dreams
Art: https://derpibooru.org/images/1360689
Artist: The Minuscule Task/
Autumn Blaze art by JoeMasterPencil.
As always, if you would like to show your support of this story, you can send me a tip via Ko-Fi, or buy our books (see blog), or even just give us a thumbs-up and fave!
Oh! And "Off The Mark" the novel is a contender for the 2019 Ursa Major Award for Best Anthropomorphic Novel as well its cover art in the Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration category. We would appreciate a vote. 
And while you're there, MLP: FiM is a contender for the the Best Anthropomorphic Dramatic Series or Short Work.
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I can only assume it's Cozy Glow up to her canon shenanigans again. If it's not, I will be surprised.
Ah, so you are here then in the seasons.
Cozy strikes! Dun Dun Duuuuuun!
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I like to call those shecanigans.
Not really, but I felt like making the pun and I had the same thought.
interesting chapter looks like Cozy Glow finally acted on her plan, I wonder what those artifacts she used had anything to do with the magic draining and where was all that magic being sent, they didn't had anything to do with one another?
Also I think it would help for Mark, and the reader to show how it is like for native stallions to stud for foals from outside marriages and how their relationship goes?
Also, if Studding is really a thing in Equestria Mark can't turn down the nobles forever on this as much as he might dislike them, his power is still dependent on their willingness on cooperating with the crown in their administration of their lands, sense this is still a feudal system (unless it is all a centralized government) they have, especially sense he seems to have been very stingy in rewarding loyalty from the sound of things. If he wants the government to keep on working smoothly as it has been, sense he took power, then studding for them is a small price to pay even if it will allow them to sink their hooves into him further by tugging on his hearth strings with manipulating his foals that they will raise away from him. Spurning them continually and allowing to stud for others that have nothing to do with them, and with nothing to compensate for it.
good lord mark at this rate your going to be equestria's gengas kahn (the man sired so many children during his westward march that well over half the planet or more can claim to have genetic ties to him)
10127309
I honestly think her character is a bit different this time around...shes a perfectionist, not a power hungry despot
she despise when things do not go as she expects them, this version of her is true to her cutie mark to a faulty degree, shes overstressing her role as a chessmaster, a manipulator and a strategist, the world isn't cooperating with her plans...her oponent (reality) is makeing moves that make no sense, its like shes playing chess with discord, and she doesnt like it oooonnne bit
will she do something as drastic as in the show...posibly, but if she does shes likely to get caught alot sooner and punished far more harshly...
edit: i stand corrected having reached the end of the chapter
also, i would so bone Queen Polistae...sexy queen is sexy.
So, Tirek will soon have a roomie. Dun-dun DUNNN!
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no she is the same. she has always been about power.
in other news I didn't expect the Council to be so short.
While it was amazing to see the art and meeting of the Changeling Queens and the kirin, as well as Sluge here in this chapter. My main question is this.
Will Penumbra still call her foal Hey Dumbass if Mark sires her a foal?
I am in shock to learn that this story has a paper back novel to it, best part is it's sold on amazon(easier to buy that way for me), now I just need to set some mons aside
... some day.
Something, something, Cozy Glow joke. Paging Dr. Discord...
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nor did i, after all it was built up i expected it to be a more prominent part of the story....i feel slightly let down, bit like the equestria games in the actual show...all that build up...not much payoff
10127527
kindle direct publishing, amazon if you pay for the service, will publish books for you thru there various contacts
amazing chapter with grate artwork.
Well, sh*t. Cozy made her move. Hopefully Mark will not let the matter slide, with how he trusted her...
Hey, hey! It's best not-pony/my waifu.
Ah, she did the thing.
10127615
Goldfur is usually better then that.
After all...
Seems kinda... Draconic.
Ooooh. I sense a tinge of heat there.
The divine lights are blazing.
I sense the need for some aloe vera.
Sounds like a Conjuration school spell.
Well, Cozy is supposed to be good, right? Unless it was all to make us think that... But then maybe the author want us to think that he made us to think that so that he could do that and... You can guess
Wizards Wheel?
Only Twilight would use the ultimate magical weapon banned in pretty much every reality its been discovered in that survived its use, as a basic sensor.
I wonder if Sludge got kicked out of his Manehatten sewer pad by a bunch of mutant reptiles?
The fact that chrysalis only got a few lines out if that whole meeting makes me angry beyond all fuck. But other than that
Nice
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Cadance has taught him well
Well, I mean, since it's probably him you're gonna ask to stud for you, won't he technically be in between you two
Not true, several of the Queens at that table have already broken away from tradition, they just did it the smart way
10128371
wait on what. the council is over and Cozy is still the power hungry pony we have always known. She hasn't change from canon in that respect.
10127950
she was never good. she is all about power. you saw that from introducition
When it was mentioned she hadn't reported back in weeks suspicious rose. Just what has the diminutive mare got herself into?
The Council was short and sweet. We've forgotten most of the issues surrounding changelings here, especially that emigration...
Mark's family soon grows yet again!
Keep going! ;)
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Unless like I said, that is what the author want us to think.
10127461
What about the storm king. He isn't dead in this
I finally caught up.. It took me a few days, but I got caught up.
HOLY fucking shit. That is only how I can describe the roller coaster that has been Mark's adventures through Equestria and different dimensions and realities.
To start with, well the start. The introduction to Mark and how he gets to Equestria is well explained and thought out, cudos on that, very well done as well in given a reason for the why.
Mark goes into Equestria, I have to admit that I was so relieved to see how you made it believable on how new he was to his form, and how not only awkward, but weird and odd his body felt to him, not to mention all the norms and social cues were completely alien to him and how through the story he has still remained himself more or less, but simply adapting to the area around him slowly but surely. He still has that certain suspicion that comes with someone from the human world. His way of thinking has been very beneficial to himself and others and it has not only shocked many, but made him valuable in many other ways.
Having Celestia and Luna disappear from the start? I have to admit, that was a interesting take on things. Having also Trixie (by accident more or less) the resident Princess? (Or should I say Empress? :P) Rather genius as its not a plot point one could see taken, but you not only made it work, but it has progressed far and quite well. She stumbled at first yes, she was barely holding things together and things got to her ego but thanks to Mark it was manageable and then corralled. Also his rather blunt way of speaking to her probably helped a lot too.
There are a lot of things I know I am skipping over, or forgetting, but there is just so much to unpack. Three books worth of unpacking mind you, I can't go through everything, but I'll go by further points I found interesting.
We see from start to finish on how the relationship for Mark to his friend has progressed, and the events that happen. He turns into Celestia, which I was iffy on for a few minutes when I read but you gave it a plausible explanation and also showed the fact that he wasn't an Alicorn but a Pegacorn which made it all that sweeter and then to add, at the start he had absolutely no magic. No he had to earn that through the fact he fought Tirek and got puked on with what I can only politely describe as magic gunk. (Poor guy though!)
His adventures have been one weird oddity to another but its also shows that he has had trials and has done his damnest to solve them all in the best way he thought could work. Not all of his ideas were good ideas but he sometimes gave good comments, and sometimes couldn't say anything because of his lack of information. His skepticism also helped a lot. He wasn't a know it all braniac, but a simple dude that simply had a different approach to things which made the story enjoyable. Even when he was out of his own depth, like with the Storm King, he tried his best because he took responsibility for the fact he was a part of a Triarchy, which by the way. I loved to see. They have to fit in to rule somehow. Anyway, he took responsibility and tried his best to do what he thought was right, even if it meant life and limb. In that instance he managed to buy enough time to give the others, specifically the other main six and his guards to come in for the rescue. It was a team effort and they put their all into it.
I have a few gripes, mainly the chapters with Starlight, and I know its been discussed a lot, but mainly for me it just got dragged on a lot, simple as that. The chase took its sweet time, but they managed to somehow get back at her and capture her to see the error of her ways. Also Mark and Twilight had tangible proof to smack her in the face too. A world where she succeeded but then probably killed herself, yeah I could have seen that happen.
The last part though, I have no idea if that was a reference to Fallout Equestria, but good job there!
Then came the second invasion, ballsy move on Chrysalis's perspective. Very ballsy, it failed too thanks to Moon Dancer being a Changeling, damn I didn't expect that plot twist! Damn it was believable though the way you wrote it, full props on that and how she managed to defy Chrysalis and get away from her clutches, though one point remains which I can't remember if it was ever mentioned, but wasn't she supposed to be connected to the Hive all that time? And what about Thorax in the same context? Eh just questions on my end I figured to ask but they may already be answered and I didn't see it.
Speaking of Thorax though, how he got transformed and the explanation with the Crystal Changelings. I have to admit this was new to me. Unexpected and new, I liked it and it made a lot of interest. You've thought this through and the plot simply keeps developing.
There are so many things I want to go on further, but I am pretty much just putting up a wall of text so I will end with a few questions.
1. Is there a chance to see the return of their Celestia and Luna? I would hope so at least, because I would think their roles aren't done if what has been given so far is correct.
2. With how things have turned out, will we see the potential of Mark becoming the next Alicorn? I know he's still a Pegacorn but let's admit it, he's just one tribe shy away from becoming one, and we have no idea what "Harmony" has planned for him thus far. I would think though Trixie has well and truly earned the right by now because she's done a stellar job, with help of course, but she proved her prowess and the fact she cared about her subjects. Being an Alicorn takes more than just magical might, it also takes the necessity to be able to rule well in this case, be responsible, and to do the hard choices. This is just my point of view though.
I guess these two questions have been the only ones the most pressing so far. Where this story goes, well. Who knows! But I can say this, you've got me hooked!
Line, sinker and all!
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Thank you for your kind words. Airy Words and I are trying our best to make this story both logically consistent even while adding interesting twists and turns and we have more planned. As for Celestia and Luna, well, we never said that it's absolutely impossible for them to find a way back so that remains open. And whether alicornhood is on the cards for Mark and/or Trixie... Hmmm...
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Gotta love how people get impatient and just jump to conclusions and toss around accusations like that, right? It's almost as if they've never seen Goldie pull one of his trademark fast ones and surprise everyone, or simply elaborate on a particular scene or happening later on because it would either make more sense, would have given away a surprise in another scene, or simple 'feels' better talking about it later in past tense.
Wish I had found this at some later point, I dislike waiting for the next
chapter, I want the world, the beginning, the end, everything in between.
All the stories on this site that will never be finished, so sad.
When I found Chakat's Den there were several weeks of reading, that was great.
And story sites like Elf Sternberg | The Journal Entries, apparently can't post a link
it tremendous reading, well over a million words.. very furry but more serious
and erotic.
As to XanderK31 words
"Gotta love how people get impatient and just jump to conclusions and toss around accusations like that"
Without a finished world story, what else can we do ?
are there going to be any more house path/chakat universe things?
I certanly would like to see relations with the stellar federation and equis continue to grow.
maybe more cosmic lotus adventures? could have a star trek: enterprise vibw with the ponies getting their taste of exploration?
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While there are no current plans for any of those, if a good story idea occurs to me, I will certainly write it. I can't seem to help myself!
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This book will definitely have a conclusion so you don't have to worry about that. Unfortunately, writing is a hobby and must take its place behind our actual work and other real-life commitments. At least the chapters still come out pretty frequently and with more than just a token amount of words.
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Nyah, he’s got a long way to go before he reaches that level...wait until Ember and Gilda demand his stud services before worrying about that
Kinda funny..
This kirin. Autumn Blaze has been rule 34'd
-
Guess her image is a bit over a year old, best I can tell.
Is it me or was the Council thing kinda skipped over? There was a big build up and then it took up like, what, 3 paragraphs at most? And what's with Thorax? He was a total wimp but suddenly he has the balls to stand up to the entire council, and then whip the ass of a Queen who specializes in combat? Even with training from both the other Queen and Mark's body guards he shouldn't have the ability to just wreck her shit like that. It was like a toddler, not an several dozen years if not several century his senior Changeling Queen who has mastered the art of combat, fought him. And then Chyrsalis was there, but all's she did was throw shade at Thorax and pout. Then it was all brushed away, nothing on what they really discussed beyond the changelings from another universe. Were there no extra arguments? No discussions? Just "Thorax beat one of us therefore what he says goes"? And even if this is some sort of ploy by the changelings to lie and pretend they're beaten, it should still be expanded upon. We could have got hints about they're plans or where their loyalties actually lay in subtle dialogue and back handed compliments. Changelings are supposed to be this super secretive race that excels at infiltration and yada yada yada, yet Thorax literally settled the whole thing with what amounted to an arm wrestling contest.
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Rather than writing a long (and probably dull) section solely about the Queens' Council, we'll be writing about the consequences of that meeting in subsequent chapters.
As for Thorax, training him up so he wouldn't be such a wimp was one of our goals. He won mostly because of that but partly because Sanguine Dreams was contemptuously careless.
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No, she hasn't. Look again.
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I found pictures that look very much like the one in your story.
Some of these images are over a year old.
"look again" where, what for and why ?
I was doing a re-read of some chapters today, and I just noticed this. I think you intended to use the word antipode here, not antidote.