Rainbow is Magic S2: Love Hearts and Bug Eyes

by aceotaku

Chapter 5: Forever Hold Your Peace

A few years ago

Location Undisclosed

Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen, trotted through the halls of the dark caves her kind called home. She had spent some time among the ponies gathering intel, and now had returned to share what she had learned.

As she walked she saw her fellow changelings standing to attention in a small rounded room of the caves, the changelings gathered around a single figure who stood over them on a makeshift throne.

For while Chrysalis was Queen, she wasn’t actually the one who ruled her kind. No, that honour belonged to this figure, a being that while the originator of their kind was on the whole very different from your standard Drone or even Queen.

She was their Mother. She was the Tyrant Monarch. And she gazed down imperiously at Chrysalis as the Queen approached.

“You have returned at last, Queen Chrysalis.” The Tyrant Monarch said, her voice without emotion, her expression unapproachable. “And how fares your mission?”

“Oh very well, Tyrant Monarch!” Chrysalis said cheerfully. “I have learned much during my time in Canterlot and I think there is a lot I can tell you that can help us!”

Tyrant Monarch tilted her head, quirking a brow. “Indeed? So tell me...what have you learned that is so helpful?”

“Well I can’t say I know too much about your experience with them, oh wise and venerable one, but I have learned the ponies are much friendlier and open to helping others now!”Chrysalis smiled widely. “Why, I think if we can just ask, we might be able to get their help and friendship! We won’t need to starve and hide! Isn’t that WONDERFUL, mother!?”

Chrysalis yelped in pain and was knocked back to her hoofs as Tyrant Monarch clawed at her, leaving three nasty looking scratches that bled bright green blood from the injury. Chrysalis winced and pressed a hoof to her cheer, staring up at her mother in shock.

“It matters not how the ponies act, nor how they ‘treat others’.” Tyrant Monarch spoke icily, trotting towards Chrysalis. “I sent you out to learn their weaknesses, their strengths, their strategies. You are to prove you are a useful Queen...and merely suggesting what you did is making me doubt.”

“I-I’m sorry mother but, I-I don’t understand!” Chrysalis said desperately, only to choke as her mother’s tail wrapped tightly around her neck.

“You will address me as TYRANT. MONARCH. NOTHING. ELSE.” Tyrant Monarch hissed coldly, gazing daggers into Chrysalis eyes. “Those ponies are our ENEMIES. They took what should have been mine. They are unfit to even CALL themselves ponies. Their Princess is unworthy of her role. They are vile. They are disgusting. They are only worth anything for the love that empowers us. THEY. ARE. TRASH.” She tossed Chrysalis to floor as two changelings that flanked her giggle and chuckled at the Queen. “Go back to Canterlot and remember that no matter their smiles, their pleasantries, what have you, they will destroy us all if given a chance. The Tyrant Monarch knows best. NOT. YOU.”

Chrysalis got up to her hooves, nodding slowly. “Y-Yes...yes, My Monarch. I understand. I shouldn’t have spoken so thoughtlessly. I-I will prove myself to you.”

“And so you shall.” The Tyrant Monarch turned away to step back to her throne. “I have high hopes for you, Queen Chrysalis. Do not disappoint me again.”

Chrysalis nodded and trotted off, looking behind her to see her mother’s two most trusted and loyal subordinates sneer mockingly at the Queen, making rude faces.

Chrysalis tried to ignore the pain that still stung at her face.

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Present Day

Canterlot

Chrysalis frowned sadly at the memory, lifting a hoof up to her chin. As she did so Cadance pressed close to the Changeling, the pair holed in their room alone, the ponies who had sneaked inside having now left to work on their own wedding preparations.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Cadance asked, looking concerned.

Chrysalis brightened up as she turned to the unicorn. “Oh nothing to worry about, Cady!”

“Chryssi...” Cadance sighed and gently stroked a hoof through the Changeling Queen’s long, green hair. “You know you can tell me what’s on your mind...”

“it’s nothing, I promise!” Chrysalis smiled wider. “Anyway, it’s sure is nice we got so many ponies willing to help us!”

“Not that they can really do much, but yes having somepony on our side is a boon.” Cadance leaned her head against Chrysalis’ shoulder. “Still, I wish we could’ve been able to enjoy this day as it should be without all this skulduggery...”

“Oh but isn’t it exciting?” Chrysalis replied giddily. “Soon we’ll be married and no one can stop us!”

“Well, TECHNICALLY as far as the law is concerned I’ll be married to Blueblood...”

“Pish posh, we both know that in reality it’ll be me!” Chrysalis grinned wide. “I just wish you could wear that dress that Rarity girl made! It was SO COLOURFUL AND PRETTY!”

Cadance giggled. “Sadly it’s not quite to my taste....I’m more of a simple girl myself, but if you wanted you could wear it one day...”

The Changelign turned to her with bright, sparkling eyes. “REALLY!? CAN I!? OOOOH I would be ever so happy to try it on!”

Cadance smiled and gently nuzzled Crysalis’ cheek. “Still so bright and full of joy, even after all this time...”

“Oh Cadance you know I’ll NEVER stop enjoying life...” Chrysalis smiled warmly, kissing the Princess’ ear. “Not after you shown me how WONDERFUL it can be.”

Cadance chuckled lightly, looking forward to the future, hoping that things went as well as Chrysalis was hoping...

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Rainbow had trotted around Canterlot, alone with her thoughts, unable to understand just why her friends had acted as they had. Cadance was a amazing, how could they say she was mean?

Rainbow Dash knew Cadance wasn’t like that because if it wasn’t for her she wouldn’t even have been able to learn magic, Cadance had helped her get in through the front door and thus attend classes. And after Rainbow had performed true, proper magic for the first time to hatch a dragon egg, Cadance took her on as her personal student to directly teach her the practicalities of magic and how to perform various spells, and even allowed Rainbow to keep Spike when in reality Spike would’ve technically legally belonged to the school.

Rainbow had a lot to thank Cadance for, so she knew that the girls were wrong about what they were saying.

She found herself trotting towards Canterlot Castle, her sight greeted by a smiling, waving Fluttershy. Rainbow frowned and trotted past her with a huff.

“Hey Dashie!” Fluttershy called out, running to her side. “You didn’t see me but I was waving at you and everything!”

“I did see you, I was just ignoring you.” Rainbow replied.

“Awww don’t be like that!” Fluttershy smiled widely. “We realised we were way wrong about Cadance and thought we could help her out during the wedding! We just need your help too!”

Rainbow blinked, looking at the yellow Pegasus. “Wait, really? You guys just up and changed your minds, just like that?”

“Oh not that easily!” Fluttershy giggled. “We had a good long talk with the Princess and she apologised for her behaviour and asked us to help her out with her wedding to make up for it! And were hoping you can help us!”

“Of course, I’d do ANYTHING for Cadance!” Rainbow said, then turned her head away huffily. “I’m still mad at you guys, though. You weren’t being fair to Cadance!”

“Well anyway Cadance wants you to talk to you anyway!” Fluttershy rushed over, placing her hooves on Rainbow’s flank and hurriedly pushing her inside. “Come on, come on, time’s a wasting!”

“Ah!? Hey! W-what are you doing!” Rainbow cried out in puzzlement. “S-stop shoving me, Fluttershy!”

“Nope!” The yellow Pegasus denied. “We’re in a hurry!”

Rainbow squirmed as she was pushed inside.

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Within a Canterlot bar, a pair of ponies trotted past several others to step the bar counter. Bar owner blinked in surprise as he leaned over the counter, allowing one of the two customers to whisper in his ear.

“The Tyrant Monarch had arrived. Get ready to move at the signal.”

He frowned seriously, nodding obediently as he leaned back up and continued on with his business, serving the pair some mugs of cider as he waited.

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The chefs in the Canterlot Castle’s kitchens set to work making various food as well as adding the finishing touches to the grand wedding cake as Flitter jumped down into view.

“The Tyrant Monarch has arrived. I hope you are ready.”

The chefs turned to the jester, smirking evilly together as the head chef nodded. “We are just making some final touches and we’ll be ready. Do not worry, we will not disappoint the Tyrant Monarch.”

“Excellent. She will be very pleased.”

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All throughout Canterlot, ponies passed by others, whispering the same phrase among themselves such that others couldn’t hear.

“The Tyrant Monarch has Arrived. Await the signal.”

Changelings waited for the signal, hiding in plain sight all over the city, acting in place of several ponies with their friends, families, co-workers and lovers none the wiser.

The Tyrant Monarch herself briskly walked into the Castle, smiling inwardly to herself.

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Luna and Celestia walked down the halls of Canterlot together, Celestia smiling widely.

“Someone is in a good mood.” Luna noted.

“well of course, weddings are wonderful times.” Celestia replied. “I still remember the stories mother told us about when she and father got married.”

Luna chuckled. “And I remember Uncle Puddinghead’s additions to those tales...”

Celestia sighed wistfully. “Cadance has worked hard for our kingdom...it’s only just that she gets some reward for that...though I am surprised she decided to choose Blueblood of all ponies...”

Luna shrugged. “I am not. From what I’ve seen of him, he is a perfect gentleman and a real example for the Royal Guard to follow. He is strong, dedicated, loyal, honest and incredibly well-mannered.”

Celestia laughed aloud at that. “Maybe now, but you didn’t see him before he...he was NOT what anypony would’ve called ‘gentlemanly’.” Celestia shook her head. “But, that’s a story for another time. I have to get ready for my own role in the wedding.”

“Do you REALLY have to officiate the event yourself?” Luna asked. “Didn’t we used to have ponies whose job was to do just that?”

“That was a long time ago, things changed. Now the resident ruler of the town/city/province oversees a wedding personally unless otherwise indisposed, and technically since I rule over the city of Canterlot I must officiate...” She smiled widely. “Now then, let’s not keep everypony waiting. Today is a big day.”

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Prince Blueblood shook his head, easily managing to pick the rather weak lock to his cage before stepping out to stretch his legs.

As he rolled his neck his lip thinned. “Now then...The wedding should be starting up shortly. Let’s see if I can at least help in some damage control, assuming everything has gone wrong...as it usually does.” He chuckles sardonically and trots up the stairs, horn glowing as he prepares an impromptu outfit for the occasion, just in case.

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Princess Cadance walked side by side with Queen Chrysalis, the latter in her guise of Prince Blueblood. The pair gave each other warm smiles as they trotted, opening the large door before them as they stepped into the main hall for the wedding. Princess Celestia stood at the front of the congregation, ready to greet the couple and officiate the occasion. Sitting in pews flanking the carpeted path the soon-to-be-wed couple were to walk were several ponies sitting in attendance. Among them, on the left side were Rainbow Dash who grinned wide as the couple entered, a giddy looking Fluttershy, a nervous looking Rarity and Princess Luna herself; and on the right side were a bored Pinkamena, Twilight who was looking around in paranoia, a frowning Applejack and Spike who sat beside Pinkamena. Among them all were various ponies who lived in Canterlot or attended the magic school Cadance ran.

“Hey,” Pinkamena whispered to Spike, “Where have YOU been all day?”

“Walking around Canterlot.” Spike shrugged. “I used to live around here, wanted to check out some places like the donut shop and the book store for old times sake. What have YOU guys been up to? Didn’t you and Rainbow have a huge fight?”

“We’re over it now.” Pinkamena said. “We have bigger things to worry about.”

Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy. “So, what exactly was I supposed to help with.”

“Oh you’ll see, if we’re unlucky.” Fluttershy beamed. “If we’re LUCKY you shouldn’t need to do anything.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, looking confused. “Whhhhhaaaaaa.....?” She shook her head. “You’re so confusing...”

Cadance smiled as she walked along, ‘Blueblood’ trotting at her side until the pair stepped in front of Celestia who smiled down beatifically down at them.

“We are gathered here today,” The monarch began, “to witness the joining of two ponies who wish to live a life of love and happiness together. To share their lives and their love and to show that love for all to see. Now then, do you, Cadance, take this Stallion to be you lawfully wedded husband till the end of your days?”

Cadance nodded, smiling underneath the determination hidden in her eyes. “I do.”

Celestia turned to the groom. “And do you Blueblood desire to take this mare as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold and to protect with your life and your love till the end of your days?”

The stallion looked towards Cadance, who nodded in confirmation. ‘Blueblood’ nodded and turned to Celestia. “I...I do...But first...there is something...something I must reveal to all, now that we have said our vows. This needs to be said now, you need to be shown the truth.”

Celestia blinked, numerous ponies chatting amongst each other in confusion. The monarch lifted her wing to silence the rabble before speaking. “Whatever do you mean, Blueblood?”

The ‘stallion’ sighed. “The truth is...”

‘He’ suddenly froze, stopping mid sentence. Green flame surrounded the form completely making many ponies gasp and scream in shock and terror, Rainbow Dash rapidly rising from her seat to rush over and help...only for the Pegasus to stop as the flames dissipated and revealed the monstrous form of Chrysalis.

“W-what the!?” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“Wh-who are you!?” Celestia cried. “WHAT are you!?”

Luna got up, her horn glowing. “What did you do to our nephew!? Speak!”

Cadance rushed to stand between Luna and Chrysalis. “Don’t hurt her! We can explain everything!”

“oh my, my. You got her WELL under your control, Chrysalis.” A mare’s voice spoke out over the room. “For once I am impressed.”

Chrysalis froze, turning, along with everyone else, to look at a mare who was walking confidently from the seated attendees, Flitter and Chase leaping down from above to flank the mare’s sides as she trotted down with a commanding smirk.

“No...” Chrysalis quavered, shivering fearfully. “Y-you weren’t supposed to come...not yet...”

“And leave everything to YOU? Someone who was supposed to be my greatest weapon only to disappoint me time and time and TIME again?” The mare’s smirk fell, giving way to a cold frown. “No, I could not take another risk for failure. But now, look at what you’ve done for me. Both Princesses right where we want them....”

Rainbow leapt over the mare to charge at Crysalis. “What did you do to Cadance, you imposter!?” She yelped as Fluttershy fly up to grab her in a tight bear hug. “Hey! Let me go!”

“You have to trust us, Rainbow!” Fluttershy cried out desperately.

The anonymous mare chuckled humourlessly, giving a glance towards Celestia. “Typical. Even your greatest warriors bicker amongst themselves. But what else should I have expected from THAT mare’s children? You lacked the strength and will to lead anyone, unlike HER. SHE wouldn’t be caught at SUCH a disadvantage!”

“W-what are you talking about?” Celestia asked. “Who ARE you? What is your connection to this creature?”

The mare chuckled, her toothy grin growing wider. “Oh? You have absolutely no idea...fine, let me show you, not much point in hiding NOW.” As she spoke green flames burst over her form, engulfing her completely and, before anyone could comment on it, the flames dissipated revealing a black insectoid equine-like creature, similar to Chrysalis but much different. Rather than pure black her chitin had hints of red highlights along the edges of her body, large spikes decorated her shoulders and she had large, bright red monarch butterfly wings. In place of hooves she had a set of four sharp, beastly claws of sharpened chitin and her mouth was filled with large fangs, her eyes bright purple in colour and a ‘crown’ of five large horns sprouted from her head, framing the purple and pink hair that hung limply from the back of her head. She stood a foot taller than Chrysalis as she smirked. “Behold, you foolish creatures, I am Tyrant Monarch, the mother of the Changelings and all that is left of the true vestiges of Ponykind!”

Celestia stared at the creature incomprehensively only for Luna to gasp, eyes wide in recognition. “It can’t be...”

“Sister?” Celestia asked in concern.

“You...you disappeared, many of us thought you died...” Luna continued, trotting closer to Tyrant Monarch. “But..it IS you isn’t...Auntie Clover....?”

Celestia’s eyes widened as she too stared at the intruder. “Clover...Clover the Clever...?”

Tyrant Monarch snarled angrily. “You DARE call me that!? Once I may have been Clover the Clever, but that was a lifetime ago. Now I have a new name, a NEW purpose, one dedicated to your destruction!”

Luna stared in disbelief. “What....? but you were our mother’s student, her most loyal and trusted ally!”

“Indeed I was!” Tyrant Monarch sneered. “She was the most beautiful and regal pony in the world and taught me much. Nopony loved her more than I! But some FILTHY, PEGASUS BARBARIAN stole her away and caused her to give birth to you....DISGUSTING PIECES OF FILTH! And now ponykind has been reduced to halfbreeds intermingling with each other and ruining the purity of the unicorn race! I am the only pure unicorn left, even if I had to change myself heavily to last.” She clenched her eyes shut as tears started to flow. “This was supposed to be for her, immortality and eternal youth but she died before I could perfect, and all I could do was use what I had to for myself so that SOEMTHING of hers would go on and remember her as she truly was...and she died because of you, because of that PEGASUS! If it hadn’t been for HER my Queen would still be alive!”

Celestia could only stare, tears falling at seeing the face of someone she had regarded as a trusted family member made ugly with malice and hatred, while Luna simply steeled herself and glared as she spoke. “You...you are a MONSTER. If mother could see you now she would WEEP and be DISGUSTED.”

“Don’t presume to speak for her behalf, only I knew her best! Only I loved her! Only I was WORTHY of her love!” Tyrant Monarch screeched angrily her tail unfurling from behind herself, revealing it resembled a scorpion’s tail complete with a stinger, which flew faster than the eeye could blink and buried itself into Luna’s neck before pulling back.

Luna paled, staring at where she had been struck, before her eyes rolled back as she collapsed, unconscious.

“Sister!” Celestia cried out fearfully, turning to Tyrant Monarch with anger in her eyes. “You...!”

Tyrant Monarch smirked, licking her lips. “Oh don’t worry, she’s not DEAD...I still have some use for BOTH of you. My full revenge will not be so PAINLESS.” She started trotting forward.

“Girls get off me!” Rainbow cried out. “We need to stop this!”

Fluttershy shook her head. “n-no! We...we need to let them work this out!”

“What are you talking about!?” Rainbow shouted angrily. “Spike, get over here and help!”

“I’m trying Rainbow!” Spike called out, held tightly between Pinkamena’s hooves as he squirmed fruitlessly. “Pinkie’s got me!” He yelped as he was squeezed a little tighter. “She’s..Ah!...m-much stronger than she looks!”

“My. Name. Is. Pink. A. Me. Na.” The mare uttered through clenched teeth. “We promised we would help but we wouldn’t interfere, and that includes making sure you two didn’t either.”

“Promised who!?” Spike and Rainbow called out.

Tyrant Monarch and Celestia ignored the arguement as they trotted towards each other...only for Chrysalis to dive between them, holding her hooves out wards as she faced her mother.

“What...is the meaning of THIS?” Tyrant Monarch growled warning. “Step out of the way, let me handle this.”

“no matter there is another way!” Chrysalis exclaimed. “We don’t have to be at each other’s throats! We can get along! We changelings don’t need to deceive the ponies to feed on their love! We can come to an understanding!”

“That’s right!” Cadance said as she trotted to Chrysalis’ side, pressing her face close to the changeling’s neck. “Love isn’t something you can just take, ponies and changelings can love each other and share that love! You don’t need to go to these lengths to feed your people.”

Tyrant Monarch, Celestia and Rainbow and Spike stared wide eyed at the exchange in disbelief...the silence broken as Tyrant Monarch started to laugh mockingly.

“h-huh...?” Chrysalis said in confusion.

“Are you telling me you’re not only incompetent, not just STUPID, you’re actively plotting TREASON? Against ME!?” Tyrant Monarch snarled, her tail suddenly wrapping tightly around chrysalis’ neck as the changeling queen was pulled closer to her mother.

“Chryssi!” Cadance cried out.

“M-mother...” Chrysalis choked out before her mother pressed close, eyes drilling daggers into Chrysalis’.

“Now listen here, you little troglodyte, and listen well.” Tyrant Monarch said coldly. “This is about FOOD. Changelings don’t feed on love to SURVIVE. It’s not LITERAL nutrition for us.”

“I-it’s not...?” Chrysalis asked, confused, gagging as the tail tightened for a moment around her neck before loosening a bit.

“You will speak when I say you can.” The Mother of All Changelings said venomously. “Now, if we fed exclusively on something intangible, why would we have MOUTHS? To TALK? ONLY? You STUPID little THING! No, Changelings feed on love because it’s how we power our magic, it’s how we gain strength and the ability to fight! When a drone, or Queen in your case, absorbs love, that emotion is converted to magical energy, as all magic is powered by emotional energy. We just happen to be able to take the emotional energy of others to fuel our magic, and every ounce of love a single drone devours is broadcast back to me to increase my power! THAT is what all Changelings exist for, to help ME become powerful, to maintain my life and beauty with my magic and the magic of love! THAT’s ALL YOU ARE GOOD FOR!”

Chrysalis, stared wide eyed, shaking her head. “No..that’s...that can’t be...”

“And you especially were made to be more than a drone. You were to be my weapon to finally stroke down Celestia. But you failed my expectations time an again. And now, when I came here expecting to be disappointed by your stupid, thoughtless plan to defeat Celestia, but now I find it was WORSE than I thought!”

“S-stupid...?”

“Yes. Stupid.” The Tyrant Monarch tossed Chrysalis to the floor, glaring down at her. “Pretending to be the bride at a wedding, using brute force to overwhelm the ponies. With the groom under your control such tactics would be unnecessary, as you could control everything through THEM. And now I find that wasn’t even your plan at all, and instead it was to...what, convince us to NEGOTIATE? What with the ‘power of twue wuuuv’?” She chuckled as she said that last part in a mocking childish tone. “It’s a good thing I decided that enough was enough, and I’d use your plan for a much better one.”

Cadance rushed to check on Chrysalis’ state before gazing up at Tyrant Monarch, horn glowing. “You...she is your own DAUGHTER, how DARE you...!?” Before she could blink something shot out from the Monarch’s tail, the pink Princess soon engulfed by thick viscuous green slime, which was also slowly growing over Luna’s body.

“L-Luna! Cadance!” Celestia called out.

Tyrant Monarch’s claw suddenly grabbed Celestia by the neck while she was distracted, the changeling Mother Grinning toothily. “No, my plan was far more intelligent. Surreptitiously replace numerous ponies in Canterlot with my agents, attend the wedding myself and, knowing the two rulers of Equestria would attend, capture them. Once my changelings managed to clear the area and capture everypony, I would publicly reveal that everything was fine, the wedding went off without a hitch, and I would absorb all the love Equestria held...for one pony.”

Green flames surrounded the Monarch’s body and Celestia’s eyes widened before closing as the Monarch’s stinger filled her body with the powerful sleeping venom, the last thing she saw before unconsciousness overtook her was the sight of her own face smirking cruelly at her.

Tyrant Monarch smirked as she stood in the form of Princess Celestia. “I shall rule as the most beloved pony in Equestria and thus I will begin fixing everything YOU ruined. I shall ensure that my beloved’s kingdom flourished once more.”

She blinked and looked behind her at the six mares, well a Pegasus struggling against two other mares as they held her tight, one mare holding a baby dragon and another pony carefully pulling Chrysalis over her back.

“And what are you going to do?” Tyrant Monarch asked.

Twilight Sparkle frowned as she pulled Chrysalis’ body over her back, the poor changeling having fainted from being choked so badly. “We...we are the Elements of Harmony. We will top you.”

“Oh?” The Tyrant Monarch sneered and chuckled. “With what army? The...five, six, seven of you? Against...several thousands?”

“Wait what?” Twilight’s eyes widened and she and her friends looked back, paling.

Every other pony in the room stood at attention, the wedding guests, the royal chefs, and even some Royal Guard, stood calmly and resolutely, blocking the exits. Each and every one was engulfed by green flames, revealing the forms of an entire arm of Changelings.

“You are alone.” Tyrant Monarch said. “While I? I have my children. And they outnumber you a hundred to one.”

Author's Note:

Hey all! Sorry for the wait!

So...yeah. A big part of this was me commenting on how...stupid Chrysalis’ wedding plan was in canon, as well as me wanting to make a more interesting origin for the Changelings, and for why they ffeed on love.

Originally Tyrant Monarch was going to be a stallion, and in fact may have even be implied to be Starswirl the Bearded. I changed him into a mare due to realising I needed more female villains in my setting, and over time developed her into being a transformed Clover the Clever.

Hope you all enjoyed and please comment.