Pupa was sneaking glances back over her withers at Twilight and her unicorn friend, Rarity, as she trotted quickly to stay alongside her mother. She was wary of the alicorn who wanted to take away her playmate, and wished the troublesome pony could have just been sent away. Or perhaps even better, placed in a cocoon. There was no chance of that though, and she understood why. Outside of the hive the ponies greatly outnumbered changelings and for all of their safety, her mother had to make a deal with them.
At one point when the nymph peeked back at the interlopers, the alicorn gave her a smile. Pupa frowned in response, scampered up one of her parent’s legs and took a seat on Chrysalis’s back. While she wasn’t exactly frightened by the alicorn, mostly due to her mother being at her side, the nymph had taken Chrysalis’s earlier warning to heart. It also helped ease her mind that Odonate along with a few other changelings were following right behind the two ponies.
Along the way the unicorn let out a sudden shriek that caused every creature in the area to go on guard and more changelings to come swarming in from every direction. All it turned out to be was just a droplet of cold water that had landed on her back and Rarity sheepishly apologized for the sudden outburst. With a nod from her mother the gathered changelings dispersed afterwards.
“There’s no need for the dramatics Rarity,” her mother teased the unicorn, “not over a little water.”
“I was not being dramatic,” said the unicorn defensively, “I was only a little surprised.”
“One would think you should be used to the aspects of being underground,” Chrysalis smirked.
“I’m not sure I follow what you mean,” Rarity said with a quirked eyebrow.
“Your gem hunting excursions,” her mother clarified. “You go on them quite often. Well you use to, but I suppose you’re much busier now owning, what was it, three boutiques?”
“You, you know about all of my shops?” asked the unicorn, looking a little stricken.
“Of course,” Chrysalis chuckled, “I’ve even visited Carousel Boutique a few times in the past, personally.”
“Y-you have?” stammered Rarity.
“That’s right,” confirmed her mother in a sing song tone. “Anyway, here we are. The yak and dragoness are right ahead.
Chrysalis lead the procession of changelings and ponies into a dimly lit cavern where inside multiple dark green cells had been constructed from resin. Only one was occupied by a single large lone figure.
“Yona!” cried out Twilight, hastily trotting up to the transparent lime colored membrane that separated the yak from everyling else.
“Twilight!” resounded Yona who pressed her front hooves against the elastic like barrier. “Did changelings capture pony too?”
“No, no, we’re here to bring you back to the school,” said the alicorn as she started to look for something behind the yak. “Where’s Smolder?”
“I’m right here,” the dragon’s voice called out, sounding rather annoyed.
“I’m sorry, but we can’t see you, dear” said Rarity as she trotted up to stand next to the alicorn.
“Ugh, Yona, turn around,” said Smolder.
Frowning slightly, the yak turned halfway around and Rarity drew in a sharp breath at the sight. Large clumps of Yona’s fur remained matted together with leftover sticky mucus from the trap she fell into and something appeared to be stuck against her shaggy hide.
“Smolder!” gasped Twilight.
The unhappy looking dragoness was adhered to the yak’s side, stretched across her back in a pose reminiscent of a starfish.
“Can you just get me down,” grumbled Smolder, “Yona’s fur is itchy and it’s driving me crazy!”
“Why did you leave them like this?!” the alicorn shouted to her mother while she searched around the cell for a way to open it. “You said they were unharmed!”
“They are unharmed, Sparkle,” Chrysalis sighed and rolled her eyes. “We just didn’t have the time to fully separate the dragon from the yak.”
“How do we get them apart?” questioned Rarity.
“Shave the yak,” her mother said, causing Yona to turn around swiftly.
“No shave yak!” Yona said in terror, “Yona likes her fur!”
“Then you’ll have to soak them in something acidic,” shrugged Chrysalis, “try lemon juice.”
“Yona’s mother would use peanut butter to get sap out of fur,” the yak added.
“Smolder, Yona, we’ll get you two separated as soon as we get back to Ponyville,” promised Twilight.
“Oh great,” grumbled Smolder from out of sight, “every creature at the school will get to see me like this…”
During the exchange between the ponies and the creatures in the cell, a changeling had flown into the room with information for her mother. Once he had finished updating the queen, she waved him off and turned back to the alicorn.
“Right, so if we’re all finished here may we move on?” Chrysalis asked with a tinge of derision as she used her magic to part the membrane and free the prisoners. “The guards have already been placed outside and we still have one more stop to make…”
Pupa trotted in the front of everyone else now, her eyes narrowed in determination as she homed in on the cavern holding Sandbar, Gallus and Silverstream. She was sure Sandbar was going to choose to go with the hive and prove the alicorn wrong.
‘Why wouldn’t he want to stay?’ she thought, ‘He was in a pod and I let him out. Now he’s treated like any other member of the hive instead of just another meal. I share my food with him, I even gave him the juiciest grub.’
The nymph didn’t even slow down when she reached the threshold of the cavern and startled Weevil by walking right between her legs. Inside Sandbar was laying down on his belly, looking happy while chatting away with the griffin and hippogriff. Though his mane had returned back to its messy state and no longer resembled a frill, his fur was still dyed a vibrant black and he still wore the prosthetic wings and horn.
‘He would have removed them if he didn’t like being a changeling,’ she reassured herself as she made her way up to the colt.
“Oh,” Sandbar said as he and his two friends noticed her approach, “hey Pupa.”
Without a word Pupa climbed onto Sandbars back and rested her chin atop his head.
“We’re going to move into a new hive,” she said as she watched the rooms exit for her mother and the alicorn out of the corner of her eyes. “You’re going with us right?”
“Uh…” the colt began but paused, having turned his head to spot the new arrivals. “Princess Twilight, Professor Rarity?”
“Thank goodness you’re all okay,” Twilight breathed out, walking up to the students alongside Rarity and Chrysalis. “Everyponies been so worried.”
“Oh, my, gosh!” squawked Silverstream. “Did they get you too?”
“Dearie me, no,” the unicorn said, “we’re here to take you all back to the school.”
“Hehe!” giggled the hippogriff, throwing her talons into the air and spreading the digits out. “I can’t wait to get this stuff off my wings!”
“How do we know it’s really them and we’re not just being tricked?” Gallus asked dourly, moving his gaze from Twilight to Rarity.
“Darling, I can assure you I’m the real thing,” the unicorn said and used a hoof to adjust her violet mane. “Now let’s get you all out of here and get you cleaned up. Especially you sandbar, that cheap dye is going to ruin your fur.”
A hiss escaped from the nymph directed at the unicorn and she clung tightly to Sandbar causing him to let out a squeak. Slightly taken aback, Rarity flinched away and looked over to Twilight and Chrysalis.
“Colt,” her mother said to Sandbar, keeping her expression neutral, “if given the choice between returning to your kind and leaving with us; which would you prefer?”
Sandbar blinked, appearing slightly confused as he looked between the changeling queen and the two ponies. The amount of time the colt was taking to answer caused the nymph to fidget nervously but she was able to take some solace in the fact that it also seemed to cause the alicorn and unicorn an equal amount of stress.
“I would want to go back to the school,” he said as if it was obvious and causing the nymph to wince slightly.
The alicorn and unicorn both let out a sigh of relief that made Pupa just want to scream. She didn’t get the chance to do anything though as her mother levitated her off Sandbar’s back and placed her at her side. The nymph looked imploringly at her parent to intervene but Chrysalis only frowned and shook her head slightly.
‘I can’t believe this…’ Pupa hissed internally at Sandbar’s betrayal while glaring at the stupid purple alicorn.
Perhaps sensing her turmoil Twilight dared to move closer to the nymph. Chrysalis watched curiously as the alicorn lowered to her belly and held a hoof out to the nymph.
“Pupa,” the alicorn began, “I’m sorry this is so disappointing for you but maybe you could-“
Twilight never got to finish whatever she was going to say because Pupa sunk her fangs into the offending limb in front of her and released a potent dose of her venom into the alicorn’s bloodstream. Crying out in pain Twilight jumped away and pulled her injured leg up against her barrel. The angry nymph just licked the taste of copper from her teeth and watched as the pony staggered a few steps before collapsing onto her side.
“Twilight!” cried out every non-changeling in the room and even got the attention of the yak out in the tunnel causing her to peek in.
Rarity was at the alicorn’s side first, checking the two small wounds on her friend before placing her ear against the princess’s hide. The unicorn rose quickly to her hooves and glared at the changeling queen.
“Did you not just see that?!” the unicorn cried out. “What did she just do?!”
While looking indifferent, her mother stepped over to the fallen alicorn and studied her briefly.
“It’s only a little venom,” Chrysalis said, “she’ll be fine in a few hours but the headache she’ll have won’t be very pleasant.”
“Is that really all you have to say?” admonished Rarity.
“Young changelings don’t have as much control over the amount of venom they release,” her mother added after scanning over the alicorn again. “There might be some nausea too.”
Rarity, now standing on her hind legs motioned back and forth with her front hooves between Chrysalis and the alicorn. The unicorn had a look of complete bafflement and her jaw hung open but it looked like she was unable to make any sound.
Sitting on her parent’s back and looking down from the hive’s main entrance, Pupa watched as the group of creatures below made preparations to return back to their town. The injured pegasus and recently freed guards, groggy and having trouble keeping their balance, were all being loaded into a wooden wagon that was hitched to the back of an orange mare.
Twilight, still asleep, was draped over the back of a pink earth pony, since the wagon was full. A yellow pegasus, that the nymph recognized as Fluttershy, along with Rarity fussed over the alicorn to make sure she was as comfortable as possible. Another pegasus, this one blue with a multicolored mane, would glare up at Pupa and her mother quite often.
“Did I mess everything up?” the nymph asked, her voice a little shaky.
“No,” said her mother.
“I probably shouldn’t have bitten the alicorn…” the nymph whispered.
“It’s not a big deal,” said Chrysalis with a slight hint of amusement.
“You were right…” admitted Pupa.
“About what?” asked her mother, looking back over her withers at her daughter.
“About ponies, and changelings,” the nymph answered as she watched the group below heading off.
1. shave the yak, funny
2. Venom which give headaches and nausea, interesting.
3. Pupa losing her emotions, not good.
Also, I think Pupa got dumped😬
And irrational childish thought and skipping communication on subjects one doesn't fully understand smashes the idea of figuring out cohabitation yet again... Oh what fun. Great story, even if it's going with personally annoying plot threads to move forward.
Chrysalis manipulating even her own child to further her own goals, how unsurprising.
Lol Pupa biting Twilight was both hilarious and horrifying. Nice chapter.
Ouch that's gonna smart
9667523
Yeah is just so sad that a little one doesn't know what is all about chryssalis is being manipulatif also for her she need open her eyes i know she love her daughter but doesn't have to do it world probably cruel but doesn't have to be like this
Oh great, here we go. Nothing is going to get better.
I won't lie, the story is starting to wear on me too. I began reading this story because it was about a cute changeling nymph. However, now the story is so filled with tension that nothing feels good to read. I don't see anything getting better. At this point I'm expecting that you will kill off somebody. yummy downvotes here I come
No, you are just being selfish and not considering that he has friends and family that will miss him and that he will also miss
Nice one Twilight... You take the only friend Pupa had since her hatching and expect her not to be absolutely livid about it... Twilight didnt had a choice in the matter to take everyone back but still... I guess her lack of young children/foals in her life makes her unable to think in that dimension. If not for the children from my brothers i guess i would done exacly the same mistake as Twilight
9667523
Its called parenting. You cant expect Chrysalis not to let her ONLY REMAINING nymph take any chances! Thanks to the rivel hive and leech murderspree Pupa will have a strikt and carefully controlled nymphhood. No happy childhood for Pupa
I just realised... Twilight probably ruined Ponykind for Pupa With all her behavior in the Hive. Its funny that Twilight actions try to archiv friendship and archiv exacly the opposent effect
oh, pupa well, who says that pupa can only be friends with ponies? there plenty of non-pony things not even liked well by ponies as them to try with and the little new nymphs who can't quite talk yet im more worried about the lack of food if they do a crackdown on changelings maybe they can get a few outlaws?
9667566
Indeed but she is only days old. So far had multible traumatic experiences AND got her only friend taken away from her. Try to do that to a human child and minus the poisen fangs you have a crying mess infront of you... I guess the only hope for Pupa is that when she reached her teen years she might understand Twilight being selffish but not out of spite or evil character
Poor Pupa. She doesn't quite get friendship, but this might have soured her to the entire experience. It all played into Chrysalis' hooves, and she didn't even have to do a thing!
What Sandbar should have done, or tried, is setup a way to visit Pupa for play-dates every now and then. You know, for the good of Equestria!
9667587
Indeed. To bad they cant take Equestria Prisoners and Orphans as food source. Prisoners would have a chance to appreciatea there freedome ones there imprisoned time is over and give feedback about Changelings. Orphans could learn to see changelings as more than 'love stealing monsters' . But to be fair... Not more than 2-3 unless we know for a fact that the Changelings can and are rising em with a more open minded but less naive way.😅
9667594
Exactly my thinking. To be fair... I guess Twilight tried that but handeld it very poorly thanks to no experiences with young children
9667579
Explaining to your child that "no he doesn't hate you, he just has a life outside the hive" is called parenting? Some bad parenting then. Chrysalis is willfully holding back information and explanations so Pupa grows up to hate anything not changeling. You can spin it anyway you want, it is still manipulation. And she's doing it to protect Pupa? Yeah right, pull the other one.
We do remember a few chapters ago where Chrysallis hypnotized Sandbar right? Pretty sure he would’ve been a lot more nice about it...
9667591
Yep... The best way to get Pupa to dislike ponys is to let her experience how selfish and unaccepting they are. Twilight managed it in one meeting without even realising it. Well played Chrysalis, didnt have do anything
9667620
When? Also Chrysalis didnt need to lift a hoove to archiv that outcome from the start. The environment was less than ideal for Sandbar and Pupa is to young to understand it. Plus Twilight horrible negation and Chrysalis just needed to wait for it to happen on itself.
9667607
Oh, you mean like a changeling village-like community? more different residents more opportunities for love collecting kind of idea? sound neat I wonder if some changeling actually studies the crystal heart?
9667618
Of course she is not explaining the situation to Pupa. She let the Ponys ruin there own image in the young eyes and reinforced it with her own belives. That how you control the developments of a young mind. Chrysalis imprint the viewpoint needed for her heir to act like she would. When she becomes to old for the leading position Pupa needs to take over afterall. If Thorax hive fails Chrysalis hive leading will be the only 'successful proven' methods to lead the hive. If Thorax successful leads than Pupa will have a rival that she can compare her leading style to improve it.
9667558
Chrysalis had leaded the hive for centuries successful. If Thorax dont successful leads his hive its the only proven way to lead. If Thorax management is not failing Pupa will see 1 alternativ. Otherwise everything else is just gambeling with everylings life...
9667559
I can give you alternativ storys that are similiar but like this one still in work
9667647
Yep. I got the idea from some storys i readed. Basicly the same setting 'minus Pupa' and a experiment friendly Chrysalis
9667620
I checked the chapter from his abduction. Were did she change his mind?
Awww poor pupa...
9667674
I'm wondering if the so-called "failed hives" was just a case of the past reformed changelings becoming mortal with normal lifespans and breeding cycles, but it was that other factors what killed them off--perhaps combos of diseases, wars, and maybe sabotage from Chrysalis and other unreformed hives.
But we're not going to have that long before the story resolves one way or another to see if Throax's hive could ever prosper in Pony society.
9667661
How did the ponies ruin their own image? They're just being themselves, which, surprise surprise, Chrysalis is manipulating for her own goals. It all comes back to Chrysalis and her manipulating.
Yeah, I kind of predicted that Sandbar would go back to the School.
9666270
I just wish it could have been explained to Pupa why.
Lets make a littel recap.
1. Twilight dont make acceptebel deals. ( if not for the trouble other nations could make Chrysalis she didnt need to give her Prisoners free ). Twilight basicly forces to get a kingdome/empire worth in prisoners worth for only 'we let you run away and catch you next time we find you'.
2. Twilight takes Pupa only positiv influence from her (she had not a choice in this and tried to smooth it over but got in Pupas personal space to soon). Never piss someone of and get in there face imidiate afterwards...
3. Twilight acting like a stuck up moraly suppiorior invividual. ( Chrysalis explained in detail her dilema and Twilight ignored it because she dont like it... ).
4. Chrysalis just had to sit back and let everything run her way without lifting a hoof. Not explain to Pupa why Sandbar staying was never a real thing aaannndd BINGO! In Pupas eyes: Ponys are selfish/evil and Thorax methods are unhealthy / deadly. We have everything set up to created a second Chrysalis in the making ... Minus human Influenza that cant be determind yet
I wonder if Pupa will get another memory from her past life that will explain why Sandbar had to leave and thus cause her to try to make amends.
9667709
That is exacly it. Maybe others had better ways but without any 'living exampels' only Chrysalis is left to tell a story. I still hope for a hive coming from the shadows to prove a alternativ for Hive Chrysalis/Pupa
9667736
On one side i like that. But that would be 'to convinient' more like she get to know ponys in her teen years more and or speaks years later with Sandbar about it there for giving enlightenment to her
9667747
Here is a compromise between our ideas: She gets a memory from her past life that makes her willing to give talking with Sandbar a try.
9667718
I made some specifically detail examples. As you read em you might see that Twilight accidently ruined thing by not relying on Celestia making the negations. She had the authority to grant the first thing Chrysalis ask for and probably could even work out a non aggression pact. One does not simply lead a Kingdome and is as cunning or even slyer than Chrysalis witch only infiltrate and works from the shadows.
9667765
And you think Chrysalis would have accepted negotiations with Celestia? Of course not, Chrysalis knows Celestia won't be manipulated so easily, and in worse case scenario can easily overpower Chrysalis and her guards.
Funny idea... Remember how Celestia had a spell watching Twilight every moment before her accention to Princesshood? Who would bet the get angry or at least gets dissapointed at her shortcomings? Probably the perfect time to give her lessons in responsibilitys, security management, Negotiation tactics and forsight
Well, I definitely enjoyed this chapter X)
Could be a good chapter. Celestia gives her a stern lecture about everything, helps her growing as princess and individual AND reminds her that she is always there if he needs help. Twilight might asked for military support but Celestia leadership would be one Tarterus of a exampel to observ. Just think about it. Twilight on Celestias side. Asking why she did what and when it needed to be done. Timing can be sometimes everything.
9667674
So if there a ritual to create a crystal heart but it tree of love Will chryssalis think again not to stealing someone love cause love come from all equestria
9667797
In biology if the host is harmed, even minutely, and doesn't get anything in return for what is taken then the relationship is parasitic.
9667618
It's honestly difficult to tell how much is manipulating her daughter and how much is just teaching her the screwed up stuff she actually believes to be true, but I suspect it's more the latter. All things considered, for a queen-to-be who also happens to be the only surviving hatchling of a murdered clutch in what's essentially a rogue micro-nation on the run, Pupa's had a remarkably hooves-off upbringing.
9667813
The only difference between parasitism and other forms of symbiosis is whether they give something -- anything -- back. Thorax stopped being a parasite by any sense of the word the moment he came forward, long before he transformed.
9667878
You're wrong about one thing, there is another form of symbiosis where one organism doesn't get anything and that's commensalism, with the difference between commensalism and parasitism being that in parasitism one organism is harmed while in commensalism neither organism is harmed.
I love this fic and i get so excited when it is updated keep up the good work.
9667812
the only problem I think about those kinds of things is it a boon and bane like what happens when the love tree is destroyed? or love is poisoned and gone from the land? etc how do you get back up from a disaster it better to have versatile resources than one thing to rely on for survival so is kind of a doomed but long lasting bandaid at best for the changelings maybe depending on fate itself to be kind is so nerve racking
9667926
So on other world need to find a source it self
Wtf?! I mean, how?!
It’s a hoof! How would you bite it?
There even no blood in it!
BTW,
Well, yeah.
You just acted like a dick, and now you complaining about them not liking you, geez.
9667699
Was implied when he fell asleep. She was thinking of doing something to permanently bias Pupa against ponies