Knowledge Brings Change

by hydra30

3 Love and murder

Many joyful tears were shared between Twilight and the betrothed, her friends and the princesses all feeling happy as the beloved ceremony that was interrupted by so many out of control forces could finally be rebuilt upon again. There was planning to do, invitations to send, and a party to set up. With, of course, a wedding planner who would hopefully not have such a problematic scenario to deal with, and would get the credit she deserves.

But all that was for later, business had to come before pleasure. So, reluctantly, Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armour had to break up their hug and return to their seats.

"What is it that Hermaeus Mora requires of you?" asked Celestia, her tone changing to serious and a slight bit of unease. "I do not care much for the 'Daedra,' as he is called, but he sent you back to us, though temporarily it would seem. I would like to help in any way I can."

Cadance, Luna, and Shining Armour all said the same.

Twilight and her friends shared an uneasy look. What Hermaeus Mora had told them before sending them home one of the most disturbing subjects they had ever had the misfortune of learning about, especially since it actually originated here in Equestria, right here in Canterlot even. Twilight especially knew the princesses would not like what they were about to hear.

But they needed their help, and regarding the situation, they weren't the only ones.

"The Changelings," said Twilight, the princesses and Shining Armour gasping in surprise at the mention of the horrible bug monsters that had not only ruined the wedding, but forced Twilight to make a pact with an interdimensional being that had now had free reign of their world. "Hermaeus Mora wants us my friends and I to offer them servitude to him."

The four royal ponies could only stare in bewilderment.

They had expected a number of things, demand of forbidden tomes, information of Equestrian's structural system, Luna and Celestia even had a brief suspicion Hermaeus Mora might want them to relinquish their magic and titles to him. The last thing they expected would be brought up were those heartless monsters.

"Why, Twily?" asked Shining Armour, a slight scowl on his face. "The survivors of the storm you summoned to Canterlot's defense have not been seen since you let them go. Not only that, but Hermaeus Mora killed their leader himself, what further use could he have for them?"

"We thought the same thing, Captain," said Rainbow, looking at Shining Armour with an uneasy look. "Until he told us what they really are."

"What do you mean?" asked Cadance, looking at Twilight and her friends and noting the repulsed look they all had. "Aren't they just a parasitic race of sub-Equestrians that feed off love?"

"That is the basic description of what they are," stated Twilight, closing her eyes in what appeared to be pitty. "But... the truth is, they didn't start out like that."

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour grew uneasy looks of their own.

"And...what was their beginning, my student?" asked Celestia, knowing she was probably going to regret it when she heard the answer.

Twilight cast a look to her friends sitting on either side of her, who gestured in the princesses' direction with their heads reassuringly.

"Do you remember the homicide case involving the entomologist, Pheromone Signal?" asked Twilight, practically forcing the question out as the details bouncing around in her mind nearly made her lock up.

Luna cast Cadance, Shining Armour, and her sister a look of confusion as they all gasped in shock.

"Twily, why would you bring up a subject like that?" asked Shining Armour, a disapproving scowl on his face.

"And what could it possibly have to do with this?" asked Celestia with a disturbed expression.

"I don't understand, sister," said Luna, drawing the taller alicorn's attention. "Who is 'Pheromone Signal'?"

It occurred to Celestia that Luna would not know what they were talking about, since the circumstances involved happened within her millennium of banishment. The details were monstrous and to this day they gave her the chills. The protective older sister in her wished to keep Luna free of them.

But instead, she gave Twilight a questioning look.

"It's best if you tell her," she said with a supportive smile, "She needs to know."

Celestia did not argue.

"Luna, around fifty years ago there was a unicorn entomologist that lived right here in Canterlot," began Celestia, Luna hanging on to her every word. "Her name was Pheromone Signal, and she was probably the most accomplished pony of her practice, even to this day. It was her that discovered that bees communicate with certain pheromones."

"Yes, I remember learning about that during my rehabilitation," said Luna, "Truly fascinating, that such small simple insects could utilize such a complex system."

"And Aunty Celestia here even awarded her a noble prize for the discovery," said Cadance, Celestia nodding in confirmation, "For since then, artificial bee pheromone have become a valuable commodity for beekeepers and for bee repellent."

"This is all very fascinating, but it doesn't explain your reactions," said Luna, slight confusion and irritation in her tone. "Homicide, does not that mean...murder?"

Celestia gave a sad nod before continuing. "After she made her pheromone discovery, I gave Pheromone Signal a very generous grant to forward her research. With it, she traveled Equestria far and wide, studying the different species of bees, and what the difference between them was.

"During her traveling, she met a young stallion named Quizzical, and at first she only hired him as an intern. But after a few years working together, their relationship became something else. Upon her return to Canterlot, she announced that she and Quizzical were engaged."

Luna froze up.

This sounded like a happy story. A scientist makes the discovery of the millennium, and finds love along the way. But she had not forgotten the morbidity of this subject.

"You wondering how murder could fit into a story like this," said Celestia sadly, reading her sister's look. "Its because a week after Pheromone Signal made the announcement, her younger sister Lily Bloom, and her fiance Quizzical... were found in Quizzical's hotel room...with their throats cut..."

Luna actually looked like she might faint.

Crime had its occurrences in any civilization, even a peaceful one like Equestria, but murder, especially such graphic murders, were unheard of. It was one of the few crimes whose punishment had not been reduced over the years. Execution.

Twilight and her friends looked on in sympathy at Luna's look, having felt like that when they learned this grueling detail.

"Who would do something like that?" asked Luna in a mortified whisper.

"Pheromone was, and still is, the prime suspect," said Shining Armour, Celestia nodding to him with approval that he should be the one to continue.

Luna grew even more mortified. "How do you know it was her?"

"The investigation was before my time, but I studied the old files very thoroughly," replied Shining. "From what the reports say, Pheromone Signal introduced Quizzical to her little sister when she arrived home in Canterlot, and together they were going to plan the wedding. But in doing so, Quizzical and Lily Bloom... began sneaking around behind Pheromone Signal's back."

"How revolting!" exclaimed Luna, an angry sneer on her face. "She loved him, and he repays her with adultery? I know its no excuse for murder, but I can see how that makes sense."

"It wasn't just that," continued Shining Armour, "It was later discovered that the murder weapon was a scalpel, identical to what entomologists use to dissect specimens."

Luna's mouth dropped open at that. If the perfect motive wasn't proof enough, that definitely was.

"What happened?" asked Luna eagerly. "Did they catch that murderous demon?"

Luna was surprised again when the three sitting with her only shook their heads.

"I sent the authorities after her once I learned of the murders, but by then she had already had a three day head start," said Celestia, disappointed in herself. "Eventually, her trail went cold near the borders of the Badlands, where we found a bloody scalpel and lab coat lying in the sand. I continued an investigation for years afterwards, but no trace of Pheromone Signal was ever found or seen again."

"Not entirely true, your majesty, she was seen three years ago here in Canterlot," said Rainbow Dash, reminding the royal ponies of their guests, as well as shocking them. "You see, bug pony Chrysalis, and bug pony Pheromone Signal were one in the same."

Again, they met this with a look of disbelief.

"How could that be true?" asked Cadance, trembling slightly. "As despicable as her crimes were, Pheromone Signal was still a pony. How could she and Queen Chrysalis be the same person? Chrysalis was a changeling."

Twilight's friends nudged her slightly forward, the purple unicorn nodding and began regaling them what Hermaeus Mora had told them.

---

Pheromone Signal threw the blood soaked labcoat to the ground, followed by a bloody scalpel.

It had been several days since she found Quizzical spooning with her own sister and the immense rage she had felt was only now starting to fade, after three days of nonstop running. Now that she could think clearer, the image of the scalpel levitated in her unicorn magic slashing across the sleeping throats of her traitorous loved ones was foremost in her mind, them thrashing in pain for a only a second before going still. It had felt so relieving...

...until now.

Now she could not suppress the love she had always held for those two before now, and it sent a spike of pain straight to her heart. What had she done? Her own sister... her own fiance... both had lost their lives by her own hooves.

A great wail echoed through the empty landscape.

Pheromone Signal fell to the ground as guilt, shame, and regret spread throughout her heart. Pain the likes of which she had never experienced (and she had been stung by every bee known) erupted in her chest and ate through her conscience like acid. It was too much... she could not live with it.

Instinctively, her unicorn magic flared to life, illuminating the surrounding area with all her emotions.

And then she felt the source of all her emotional distress become entangled in her magic. She pulled without hesitation, every fiber of her being dedicated to pulling the horrible sensation from her being. She could feel it, it was almost to the surface.

She let out a gasp as her magic pulled something from her body, panting in exertion and relief.

Until a deep burning sensation whipped through her whole body. Looking down, she saw her Cutie Mark depicting a bumblebee following a trail 'melt' into a black spot on her flank. She watched in horror as it spread over her like water, moving up her coat.

Holes appeared in her legs as it the black spread over them. Insect like wings sprouted from her back. Her horn grew long and crooked atop her head.

Then everything she knew became an intense hunger that appeared inside her body.

She looked to the pink orb floating before her in her green magic. She cared not where it came from, or that it had once been a critical part of her. She looked at the slightly glowing orb, pink light reflecting in her eyes as her pupils became snake like, licking her new fangs with a barbed tongue.

This ball of light... it smelled delicious.

---

Cadance looked like she might be sick. "She... she must have torn out her own love."

"Yes," confirmed Twilight, a look of pity on her face. "And as you all know, when a unicorn uses their magic for something so extreme that isn't compatible with their special talent, the results can be disastrous."

Of course the princesses and Shining Armour knew that.

It was called unstable magic feedback. When a unicorn has this problem, it floods the body with unstable magic, with unfortunately painful results. Swelling horn, severe pain and several other symptoms had been documented, though nothing like this.

But there had never been a documented case of unstable magic feedback occuring during such a powerful spell. Only extremely high level spells can interfere with emotions to the extent Pheromone Signal's did and for her to have cast it instinctively like that was almost unheard of. The result, her Cutie Mark must have (for lack of a better term) ruptured, her passion for insects mutating her body.

"Wait," said Celestia, a look of pure horror on her face. "If Chrysalis herself was originally a pony... then... her minions..."

Twilight gave a sad nod. "The disappearing ponies."

Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Shining Armour all locked up in horror.

Over the course of the last few decades, small settlements throughout Equestria were turning up deserted. Settlements even smaller than Ponyville, one day relatives of the townsfolk would come to visit, but find it abandoned. No ponies whatsoever.

It had been happening so few and far between though that it was usually dismissed as timberwolf attacks or some other creature, despite the fact no bodies were ever discovered.

"How was she doing it?" Asked Shining Armour shakily.

"She may have been mutated beyond recognition, but Chrysalis still had Pheromone Signal's instincts as a scientist," explained Twilight. "At first she just fed on the random travelers she happened across, but over time, she began to experiment with her new ability. Before long she not only figured out how to rip out another pony's love, but to also replicate the process that made her who she was."

That would explain a great deal for Cadance. She had been the Princess of Love all her life, and so she made it her responsibility to learn everything about the changelings. And she could never find any references to them existing for any further back than the last few decades.

This explained why.

"How can we trust this is true?" asked Shining Armour, a horrified expression on his muzzle. "Hermaeus Mora has only been here for three years, how does he know any of this?"

"Don't you remember, Shining Armour?" inquired Pinkie, smiling as she pulled a squishy black ball covered in little tendrils from her mane. "I am Hermaeus Mora, Daedric Prince of Knowledge, and I have come to read your books," said Pinkie in a low pitched voice, waving the ball around as she pulled up another doll in her other hoof, the little figure bearing a resemblance to Chrysalis. "Hey, I was here first," squeaked Pinkie, squeezing the Chrysalis doll, whose horn shot forward like a dart and bounced off the wiggly ball.

"HO, you'll pay for that," said Pinkie in the overly deep voice, flicking the ball so one of the tendrils scraped on Chrysalis's head. "Ahahahah, pbbbt," said Pinkie, making the Chrysalis doll fall backward.

Everypony just gave Pinkie a flabbergasted look.

"Ugh, despite her colorful description, Pinkie is right," said Twilight, arching an eyebrow as Pinkie put the toys back in her mane. "Hermaeus Mora drained Chrysalis of her knowledge. Her wisdom, her memories, everything."

Though the memory gave them the chills, they did recall that.

"Twilight?" asked Celestia, her face awash with tears on hearing what had become of those missing ponies. "Is there any way to reverse what has been done to the ponies who are now changelings? Can... can we bring them back?"

"I am sorry," said Twilight, deep sadness in her eyes. "It is irreversible. The ponies who became changelings are lost, forever.

Celestia clenched her eyes shut as more tears spilled from them, Luna stroking her back comfortingly.

"But that is why I believe letting Hermaeus Mora take them into his care is the best thing that we can do for them," said Twilight, getting surprised looks from the princesses and her brother. "They may not be the ponies they once were, but they are still living creatures. And without their queen, they are dying."

That made Cadance, Luna, Shining Armour, and Celestia snap out of their distress at hearing what had happened to so many ponies.

"What do you mean?" asked Luna.

"When Chrysalis turned them into her minions... she left out the ability to feed," explained Rarity, taking up the spotlight as Twilight seemed in need of a break. "That is how she ensured their loyalty, unless she fed them love herself, they would starve."

Cadance gasped, " So... now that she's dead...?"

"They have been starving," confirmed Twilight. "For three years."

Comments

[Alfaridwan Setiabudi]

Omg more please i want to know the fate of changeling Will thorax be a king of changeling

[Sarraceno]

"When Chrysalis turned them into her minions... she left out the ability to feed," explained Rarity, taking up the spotlight as Twilight seemed in need of a break. "That is how she ensured their loyalty, unless she fed them love herself, they would starve."

Nasty AF

[Asolem2]

"They have been starving," confirmed Twilight. "For three years."

Yikes

[ChazMLPFIM]

So the changelings are starving, Yikes!

[The Monoceros]

"When Chrysalis turned them into her minions... she left out the ability to feed," explained Rarity, taking up the spotlight as Twilight seemed in need of a break. "That is how she ensured their loyalty, unless she fed them love herself, they would starve."

This is so much better than the currently canon Changeling cannibalism in the show after Chrysalis was dethroned

[Alfaridwan Setiabudi]

Ok can't everyone please stop dislike me for once i know you'll pissed of about my comment but doesn't mean have to dislike comment of you tell me why

[Greenhorn]

This is an interesting spin on the origina of the changelings. But it raises a question to why Hermaeus Mora want to save them? They aren't, by no mean, scholars. Therefore, I don't see them could offer knowledge to him whatsoever.

[hydra30]

9629958
You will

[not-so-anonymous]

9629958
their shapeshifting would be invaluable for seeking any information without anyone being the wiser.

[Sarraceno]

9630160
Thinking the same here. Maybe can give them the possibility to feed again and turn it from love to knowledge.....taasty, juuiccy kknowledge..... such a thing wouldn't be too outlandish for a Daedric Prince

[random reader]

The Alternate Universe tag is definitely the most justified by this chapter alone.

[qazse]

So they're literally being starved into extinction, brutal

[xonxt]

Probably my only gripe with this chapter would be the word "homicide". These are ponies, not humans. So... equicide, maybe?

[Vigriff]

Holy shit!

[Zavex Capricious]

9631332
I don't see how, we are never given ANY background on Chrysalis or the changelings AT ALL, only how their culture works after they were reformed. So I don't see how this chapter would justify the alternate universe tag the most :/