Ponyville 7
Rose could only stare in horror, hooves over her mouth. Darter’s entire back from the base of his neck to the base of his tail was absolutely covered in scars. Deep scars, deep enough that Rose was all but sure once exposed the spine.
The thing that horrified her the most however was how the scars were laid out: These weren’t caused by claws or swords, as they were laid out in a criss-cross pattern.
The same pattern made from whips.
Soft sobs brought her back to reality as she noticed Darter crying as memories he had buried as deep in his mind as he could came back in full force. Rose was immediately next to him, embracing him with both her legs and wings as she nuzzled his tear-stained cheek.
“It’s alright Darter, I’m here.” She said gently, Darter shifting to better sink into her hug. They laid like that for a bit before Darter finally spoke.
“It was my old Royal,” He said as his voice croaked. “To say she was abusive would be an understatement; she was a sadistic monster. She demanded complete perfection and every single time we did something wrong, it didn’t matter what it was or how little it was, she would use her magic to pin the “wrong-doer” to the floor and whip them; hard… sometimes the hits were bad enough to reach the spine. More than a few Changelings I was friends with died that way.”
Darter’s sobbing became harder as he buried his head into Rose’s chest.
“Every time, those of us that remained would be forced to watch. I’m not sure how I survived it all, but in the end I was the only Changeling of that Hive to survive. The others… nothing could be done for them other than end their suffering. Emperor Saber slew my old Royal himself, Empress Nebula was beyond horrified at what my old Royal had done and started keeping a much closer eye on how the others treated their Changelings.”
As for me… it took months of therapy and even now I still relapse. I know full well that Dragonfly would never do anything like that to his Changelings, but I suffer from nightmares all the same.”
Rose gently turned his head to look her in the eye as she rubbed circles on his cheek.
“It’s okay Darter, I’m here. You’re not alone.” She held Darter close as he sobbed into her chest.
They lay there for a long time as Darter vented years of buried pain, Rose holding him the entire time in her wings as she rubbed his head and neck. Finally Darter spoke, his voice harsh and hiccuping from the release.
“Thank you Rose, I really need that.”
Rose nuzzled his head. “It was no problem Darter, I will admit I’m horrified by what your old Royal did to you and your friends. But at the same time I’m glad you found safety with Dragonfly.”
Darter nodded. “So am I.” He paused… before leaning into Rose. “You’re the first one I’ve ever told about this Rose, besides Nebula and Saber. I think Dragonfly knows, but he’s never brought it up. I… I think it’s time I tell the others, but I’ll need your support Rose.”
She gently cupped his cheeks and turned his head so they could look into each other’s eyes
“I’ll be right by your side Darter, I may be a Pegasus but I still have the Thestral blood and upbringing in me. I’ll be with you the whole time.”
Darter gave her a grateful smile, then kissed her on the lips. Rose gave a little squeak in surprise but quickly melted into the kiss, returning it as much as Darter gave. The two fell asleep entwined together, waking up the next morning very refreshed and satisfied.
Especially after their little cuddle session.
The next morning Darter showed his scars to the others; Dragonfly was off his throne and wrapping Darter in a tight hug in a heartbeat, Seeker was horrified, having known Royals could be cruel but not like that. Rhino gave Darter a look of deep sympathy, though Seeker, Belle, and Dancer noticed that he seemed to understand Darter’s pain. Darter also felt the other Changelings in the Hivemind giving him support and understanding, reassuring him he wasn’t alone.
As it turned out; Dragonfly had known about the scars, but never said anything because A: He felt it was Darter’s place to let it out. B: Dragonfly respected Darter’s privacy and C: Dragonfly had felt that it would have been a betrayal of trust.
Belle and Dancer also joined in on the hug, same as Spotter, holding Darter in a four-way hug as he let years of pain out against Dragonfly’s chest, the Royal nuzzling his head and whispering gentle words to him.
They sat like that for a long time, before Darter had finally run out of tears and let all his pain out. Spotter then pulled him aside, reassuring Darter that he’d always have his back even at the worst of times. Dragonfly smiled at that, knowing how close the two were.
Ponyville
Three Days Later
The sky above Ponyville was clear with only a few clouds, which a certain rainbow-maned Pegasus was napping in. It was around midday and there had been a heavy storm the night before, leaving a slight trace of ozone in the air. Around town the Ponies were doing their everyday routines, shopping, socializing and so forth. Among the Ponies was a newcomer; an attractive young unicorn mare with a soft pink coat, a wavy blonde mane and tail, and innocent blue eyes. Her cutie mark appeared to be an egg nestled in a nest on top of a small sapling tree, shaped almost like the symbol for a female. She had just arrived in town and was taking in the sights, as well as enjoying the nice atmosphere and welcoming locals. More than a few even checked her out, causing the mare to giggle. A really nice change of pace for her.
As the mare looked around her stomach let out a rumble and she started looking for a place to eat, before stopping at one of the shops and looking at the sign above the door.
‘The “Cozy Rest” Tea Shop? Sounds like a good place for a little midday snack.’
The mare opened the door and entered, the bell above signaling her entry, looking around she saw that the place wasn't very busy; only around six customers, not counting her. The mare soon spotted the unicorn stallion at the counter at the back of the shop and walked over to place an order. But when she got there and looked at the stallion, the two locked eyes and froze. Both realized they weren’t looking at ponies, but at changelings. And Royals at that.
The mare gave a small smile, trying to show she didn’t mean harm, before glancing around and giving her head a little tilt. Is there somewhere we can talk in private? Her body language conveyed.
The stallion gestured to the backroom and made his way over, the mare following right after. As she did she noticed a scarf around the Stallion’s neck, one that looked very familiar to her, yet she couldn’t quite place it.
Once in the backroom which was used for storage the stallion closed the door and turned to the mare. While his pose wasn’t hostile, the Mare knew he was on alert and ready to fight if he needed to.
His pose made the mare sad; whoever he was, she had the sense that she had known him. And in any case, fighting had always been so scary and dangerous for her. The sooner she could assuage his fears, the better.
“Who are you?” the stallion asked, his tone firm. “I know you’re a Royal and you know I am, but you’re also on my turf. Now I wouldn’t harm you as long as you don’t give me a reason to do so. Please drop the disguise.”
The mare gave a smile. “Of course.” She let out a breath as her disguise burned away revealing a jewel beetle changeling form; a carapace that shimmered like diamonds in shades of blue, pink and yellow. Her eyes remained their usual innocent blue, but her pink coat was dappled in spots of blue and gold all the way up to her horn. “Princess… er, Queen Antenna, at your service,” she said, her voice not quite as regal, but full of love and kindness.
The stallion’s eyes popped open in surprise as he recoiled back, before a huge smile appeared on his face. “Antenna? Well I’ll be…It’s been a long time.”
The stallion dropped his own disguise, revealing a Royal that had been Antenna’s first real friend and one she had thought to be dead. Antenna gasped in delight, fighting hard to not cheer and alert anyone outside.
“Dragonfly!” The two embraced each other tightly, enjoying each other’s company after so many years apart. Antenna was an old friend of Dragonfly’s, being one of the few Royals he was able to get along with and she was only a few years older than him. As Antenna was a Jewel Beetle Changeling she was often a target for bullying by other young Royals, and as Dragonfly hated bullying it was no surprise to anyone that she and Dragonfly bonded so well.
Antenna was also the youngest Royal to lead a Hive as her mother passed thanks to a series of unfortunate events, though Antenna had stepped up and did the best she could.
The two Royals sat there for several minutes before separating. “I thought... but the others said... It's so good to know you're okay.” Antenna managed to breathe out through her happy tears.
Dragonfly smiled softly. “Great to see you too, my old friend. I was very close that day, pretty much on death's door. Lost a lot of blood but thankfully Healing Cocoons were created for just that reason and I spent three years sleeping in one. And let me tell you: Having your backplate ripped off hurts like you wouldn't believe.”
Antenna winced. “I don’t even want to imagine it,” she mumbled. “How’d you survive?”
“It was Titan and Spartan, Mom’s bodyguards. They managed to reach me in time with mom and dad close behind. It's a good thing I was able to protect my softer underbelly or I would have been finished, and the fact that Changelings can recover from any injuries as long as they're alive and have the E-Energy. But enough of that depressing thought, how have you been? I'm happy to see you escaped Chrysalis after everything went down. Seeker told me he lost contact with you after that, what happened?”
Antenna let out a heavy pain-filled sigh, her eyes shining with tears. "It was terrible," she admitted. "I still don't understand what Chrysalis was hoping for, but it sent all of us on the run." She looked down in sorrow. "My entire Hive was nearly destroyed. And the things I had to do to keep what remained alive..."
She almost started sobbing, but before she could Dragonfly wrapped her in a tight hug. "Let it out Antenna, you really need it. From what I understand; Chrysalis never was mentally stable to begin with and only cared about power, plus her ego and other things happening all made a bad mix. My "death" was the one and only warning, if only most of the other Royals didn't have such egos."
Antenna nodded against his shoulder. “Pride is always highest before the fall.” She smiled at Dragonfly again. "I'm just glad to know what it wasn't all for nothing."
Dragonfly returned the smile. "As long as at least one of the good Royals is alive there is still hope, hope for a better tomorrow."
Antenna looked down with a humble smile. “I hope I qualify as a good royal. I can’t tell you how many times I felt like I should have stayed a Princess. But, when Nearctica Hive needed a new queen... I couldn't refuse. Not when everything was so chaotic and confused."
Dragonfly lifted her head so he could look her in the eye. "You stood up when your Hive needed you the most, Dad once told me that bravery isn't the absence of fear; it’s having that fear yet doing what’s right anyway." He chuckled. "I'm not sure if mom ever told you this; but she was very proud of you when you stepped out to become the new Queen."
Antenna smiled faintly. “I had hoped that I would do your mother and mine proud.” She choked back another sob. “Despite the… less than dignified method I took for survival.” Her head lowered. “My hive and I… we… served as ‘escorts’ to several different warrior tribes: minotaurs, diamond dogs, even a dragon who liked our jewel-like carapaces. They were brutal to their enemies… but at least somewhat gentle with us.” She shuddered. “Though… in a way, it’s a gift from the First Mother that I found you: the most recent war lord we were under the protection of was conquered. And his conqueror… well, let’s just say she wasn’t interested in our carapaces or abilities.” She shuddered. “I’ve spent so little time training my subjects how to fight; I fear we won’t last much longer out here without help.”
Dragonfly placed his hooves on her shoulders. “I’m glad too, Antenna, I know for a fact my own Changelings would be more than happy to accept you and your Hive. We good and free Changelings need to stick together… now more than ever”
Antenna nodded. “Now more than ever indeed,” she agreed, gazing down sadly. “I just wish all of my Hive understood that…”
Dragonfly blinked. “What’s going on?” His tone told Antenna he was ready to help her out.
“One of my sons grew tired of my pacifist means,” she said. “He left the Hive to strike out on his own. I don’t blame him, but I worry for his safety every day.” She looked up. “If you see him… he usually goes under the guise of an earth pony by the name of Cat Catcher. You’ll usually be able to spot him by his caramel brown eyes.” She managed a grin. “He’s quite a charming little tyke… just make sure you have a hoof on your wallet; he’s much too fond of stealing from those who can afford it just to see their reactions.”
Dragonfly nodded. “I’ll keep an eye out, but if he steals from Belle, Dancer, or their family we are going to have words.” He finished with a firm tone.
Antenna tilted her head. “Blue Belle and Diamond Dancer? Of the Blue family?” She chuckled. “Oh, you have nothing to worry about with them. He prefers the more… spoiled types.” She paused. “I’ll admit, I’m a little worried that Blue Belle’s brother Blueblood might be at risk, but Blue Belle and Diamond Dancer are at no risk from him.” She brightened. “So, if Blueblood throws a temper tantrum over losing something, we’ll know that Cat Catcher was around.”
Dragonfly chuckled. “Good to know, heck maybe I can introduce him to the girls’ father Gold Bar, he’d know a few nobles who would give great reactions.”
Antenna laughed. “Thank you. Of course, first we need to find him. He’s been kind enough to supply E-Energy to the Hive when he can, but I don’t know much about his whereabouts beyond that.”
Dragonfly nodded in agreement. “Makes sense; be the best in the business, not the most famous. Speaking of your Hive though: Any word on Ocellus? From what I heard she got separated and hasn’t been seen by Seeker, any of my Hive or really anyone, and we’ve been keeping a close eye out. From what Seeker told me she took my “death” very hard.”
Antenna nodded sadly. “She did. She’s been safe in my Hive; I’ve done what I can to keep her safe and whole; same as my own children.”
Dragonfly let out a sigh of relief. “Thank the First Mother, of all the young Changelings I know I think I had the most impact on her; considering every time I was laying down doing something and Ocellus came by she’d snuggle up to me. From what I remember she felt safe with me, and I can understand since most of the other Royals were… how to put it… flankholes. Pardon my language.”
Antenna chuckled. “You don’t need to worry about language with me, Dragonfly,” she assured him, “I’ve heard way worse from the war lords who hosted my hive and myself.”
Dragonfly returned the chuckle. “Yeah I can understand that, they tend to not have any filters.”
A small rumble startled the two, and they quickly found the source as Antenna’s belly. Antenna blushed, smiling sheepishly. Dragonfly chuckled.
“Hungry? Well what would you like? On the house.”
Antenna giggled. “You’re a life-saver, Dragonfly.” She perused the menu before settling on a sandwich and coffee. “I should let my Hive know you’re here. Too many of them were scared I wouldn’t come back. They’ll be overjoyed to know you and your Hive are okay.”
Dragonfly smiled. “I’ll have your order up in a minute, and I’ll let my own know as well. I’m also glad to know the Jewel beetle Changelings are still around; I was worried you’d gone extinct when the attack happened.”
Antenna nodded. “It was close, but…” she smiled at him. “Well, I was afraid I… er, we had lost you too.” She smiled up at him.
Dragonfly nodded with a smile. “And yet here we are, alive and our enemy is none the wiser. Speaking of that; our old friend Jewel is also around. After things went down she started gathering the Hybrids, giving them safety from the enemy. I’ve found a few in Ponyville as well, turns out they came here and saw it as the perfect place to hide.”
Antenna sighed. “I’m glad they found a place they can call home.” She looked down in sadness. “Those poor souls are so much more than what the Royals wanted to see them as.” She smiled. “Plenty of my children are hybrids, and if anything, I felt their heritage only made them stronger.”
Dragonfly nodded. “I get what you mean; my dad was a Thestral as one can tell by my eyes. Never was able to fix that glitch where my eyes wouldn’t change with the rest of me, but that’s a minor issue.”
“And hardly one to be concerned about,” Antenna assured him. “Your eyes are perfect the way they are.”
Dragonfly smiled. “Thank you Antenna, I should also mention; I have two mates now.”
Antenna nodded. “I thought I scented something new with your pheromones.” Her gaze grew slightly sad, but she retained her smile. “They make you happy?”
Dragonfly nodded happily. “They do.”
Her sadness faded, and her smile shined brightly. “Then I’m happy for you. You deserve some joy after everything.”
“Indeed,” Dragonfly agreed. ”I would introduce you to them but Dancer is out on tour and Belle is visiting her family in Canterlot and won't be back until tomorrow. However, I think my friends in the Hive will be happy to see you. Once you’re done with your order we’ll head down. Sounds good?”
Antenna nodded. “Sounds perfect.”
After Antenna was done, Dragonfly led her to the Cozy Rest’s master bedroom, explaining he rarely used it since he had one in the Hive and in a moment the two vanished from the room.
Down in the Hive Seeker was talking with Rhino about upgrades to the Hive when the teleporter activated and Dragonfly appeared. The two turned to greet him but froze upon seeing Antenna next to him, a little dizzy from the teleport.
“Sorry,” Dragonfly said sheepishly. “Should have warned you about that.”
“Well,” Antenna managed a smile. “I must say, it was fun in a way.” She turned to Seeker and Rhino. “Oh! Seeker! Rhino! It’s so good to see you again!”
Seeker smiled widely. “You as well, Antenna. When I lost contact all those years ago I feared the worst.”
Rhino gave his own smile. “Great to see you alive Antenna, I heard about the attack and the aftermath. Sorry to hear about your Hive but the fact that you and others survived is a victory all its own. And even small victories are a good thing here.”
“Always,” she agreed, before looking around. “Though I wouldn’t call the victory of creating this Hive small.” She spun around in amazement. “This is amazing!”
“Thanks, from what I’ve been told Mom and dad worked pretty hard on this Hive for when the war happened, giving us a place to retreat and regroup.” Dragonfly said as he gestured around. “It’s been a bit slow going but things are running smoothly. In fact… let me show you something.”
Antenna followed Dragonfly eagerly, watching as he led her into a certain chamber and before her was the Hive’s Heart, full of color and pulsing like it was supposed to, small tentacles of energy emerged from the crystal and gently flowed over Antenna like a calm wave, almost like they were embracing her.
Antenna gazed up in awe. “The Hive’s Heart…” she whispered. “My Hive was never able to create one…”
Dragonfly smiled. “And perhaps the only one still around, and from the energy flowing over you, I think it’s welcoming you to the Hive.”
Antenna leaned her head back, basking in the Heart’s glow. “I certainly feel welcome.”
At that moment Thorax entered the chamber and he spotted Antenna, frozen in surprise but it quickly changed to joy and he charged as his own eyes shined in joy.
“Queen Antenna!”
“Thorax?!” She raced right to him, and the two changelings embraced in mid-air, Antenna spinning Thorax around. “Oh, First Mother be praised; this day is full of miracles!”
Dragonfly smiled from below. “We encountered him during a mission in the Everfree alongside a group of Changelings who had broken free of Chrysalis' Hivemind. So we brought him and the others here. From what I’ve heard he’s been loving it.”
Antenna grinned at Thorax. “I believe it.”
Thorax nuzzled Antenna, who gladly returned it, before noticing something. “Where’s Pharynx? I know how he is, but I would think he’d be here with you.”
Thorax’s mood dropped and he leaned into her chest as tears started flowing. “He’s dead… Chrysalis killed him.”
Antenna’s smile dropped like an anchor. She held Thorax close. “Oh, Thorax,” she moaned. “I’m so sorry.”
Dragonfly nodded sadly, placing a hoof on Thorax’s back. “From what he told us Chrysalis saw Pharynx as a threat, despite being one of her most loyal Changelings, because he was “too good” at what he did. We always knew she wasn’t right in the head, but that bit caught us all off-guard.”
Antenna shook her head. “I always thought she was a monster… but part of me had hoped she’d at least have respect and love for those who served her well.”
“So did we, but I guess not. At least Thorax escaped and after hearing that there was no way any of us were going to let her take him back. We all know what would have happened without Pharynx to protect him.”
Antenna nodded grimly, before looking back. “Sounds like my people are even less safe out there than I’d hoped.” She looked to Dragonfly. “Can I please get them back here? They’re not the best warriors, but we know stealth and we know our way around diplomacy. We’ll serve you well.”
Dragonfly smiled warmly. “I’ll be waiting to greet them at the edge of the Everfree, some of my own Changelings will go with you as escort, just in case.”
She bowed her head. “Thank you, my Prince,” she said gratefully. “Thank you.”
Soon Antenna was on her way, accompanied by four Hive Guards. It didn’t take long for her to reach her people and bring them back, Dragonfly greeting them under disguise at the edge of the Everfree just like he said. Once the JB Changelings were gathered in the Throne Room Dragonfly revealed himself with a wide and cheerful smile.
“Guess who.”
The Jewel Beetle Changelings gasped; half of them sinking into bows. “Prince Dragonfly!” many more whispered. “Queen Antenna was right!”
A certain young JB Changeling stepped forward, shock in her eyes yet hope. “D…Dr…Dragonfly?” Said Royal couched down in front of her with a wide smile, tears threatening to fall.
“Hello Ocellus, it’s been a long time hasn’t it. Glad to see you alive and well.”
Ocellus stood there for a moment as her mind processed the sight in front of her, but then with tears flowing like a waterfall and a powerful happiness blasting out of her she zoomed into Dragonfly’s embrace, hugging him as tight as she could while she sobbed into his scarf. Dragonfly smiled as he nuzzled her head like he use to do before everything happened.
“I missed you too, little sugarbug.”
Antenna smiled at the sight, she knew her kind were safe now, that there was hope. Antenna knew that in the future they would have to defeat Chrysalis, but for now things were good and that was just fine for her.
Canterlot
Two Day Later
It had taken a bit for Antenna and her Hive to settle in with Dragonfly’s, but the process had been smooth thanks to how welcoming Dragonfly’s Changelings had been, along with how adaptable flitting from war lord to conqueror had made the Jewel Beetle changelings. Dragonfly’s changelings discovered that laying among the JB’s was bliss thanks to them emitting E-Energy, much to the amusement of both the JB’s and those watching as Dragonfly’s Changelings looked like cats going through a cat-nip high. During this time the JB’s also started helping around the Hive anywhere they could, as a way of thanks and to show they weren’t freeloading.
Antenna had met the Founders during this time and had been very surprised, after Dragonfly recapped the Everfree City mission she had said, “Quite the adventure,” before bowing to the Founders. “Consider it my honor.”
She had also met Belle and her friends, which in turn had led to the news that Grace was carrying and her and Dusk were engaged. Belle and Dancer (through letters, being out on tour after all) had been very happy for the two and so had Dragonfly.
Antenna had sent letters back to Belle and Dancer, sending them her sincerest congratulations and hopes that they were happy with Dragonfly. She had even infused the letters with some of her E-Energy, so merely reading her letters filled Belle and Dancer with a feeling of blissful warmth that matched her happy words.
Right now Dragonfly and Belle were walking beside each other in Canterlot, the latter showing the former the various sights and landmarks. Dragonfly had asked Seeker about some of the Equestrian Military Units that could be found in the city, which Seeker and Rhino supplied.
He learned that the Royal Guards one would see every day were the Light Infantry of Equestria’s Military though when not on the battlefield they served as a Police Force, which would explain why they were so common. Based on what Dragonfly had learned, the reason the guards all had the same coat, mane and tail colors was to protect their identities for possible enemies, though the white and blue were far from the only choices, just the most common alongside gray and white. The same was true for their armor.
Next was the Riot Royal Guard or just Riot Guard. While actual riots were a rare thing in a country as peaceful as Equestria they could still happen on occasion, so it fell to these guards to break them up peacefully and only use violence if left with no choice. They were also tasked with controlling panicked herds of Ponies and similar situations. Appearance wise the armor changed their coat color to white and the manes and tails to gray, the armor itself was similar to the Royal Guard’s but offered some better protection as the underside was armored along with heavier boots. The biggest difference was the two-filter gas mask they wore, likely to protect them from any gasses the rioters might have. From what Dragonfly had suddied in the Archive, there was a variant with full sealed armor for when it was required.
Next was the Soldier Royal Guard, Soldier Guard, or just Soldier. Unlike the Royal Guard these Ponies were the true frontline combat unit of the Equestrian Military. Covered nose to tail tip, hoof to ear tip in armor, these Ponies were only second in number to the Royal Guards but were fully trained and actually experienced in combat thanks to training with Kirin Warriors in their homeland. As a result of their training, and perhaps their diet, Soldiers tended to be larger than the average Pony; around Big Mac’s size with similar strength. This size, strength, experience combined with many hours of training with almost every melee weapon known to Ponykind made the Soldiers quite formidable, which was further increased thanks to their heavy plate armor that was also enchanted to increase its capabilities. In appearance the armor looked like the kind used by the Royal Guards only made of a heavier and stronger metal with no inch of the wearer’s body unarmored, even the eyes had specially made lenses crafted from a secret material that was transparent yet as strong as hardened steel. Dragonfly had even heard stories that the helmets had a Heads-up-Display of some kind.
Additions to the armor included a pair of white saddlebags with the Equestrian Icon as the buckle (similar to how saddlebags had the Cutie Mark of their owner) that hug from a saddle on the back, a larger backpack, and a pair of small kite shields with the icon on their flanks.
Next was the Sentinel. Sentinels were more of a specialized unit tasked with guarding locations of importance such as Celestia’s cake vault (yes that’s actually a serious thing), keeping watch from high places (including clouds), and serving as bodyguards for important, though based on what he’d heard the third job was rare as most Nobles actually looked down on the Guard, and others such as visiting Ambassadors preferred their own, though in the latter case the Sentinels held no ill will. Appearance wise their armor was silver and dark gray but wasn’t too different from the standard model other than having a fully armored chest, a cape that flowed from the base of their neck to over the flanks and down to just above the back hooves, and a helmet with special lenses that allowed them to zoom onto a target at up to (according to the Archive) five kilometers away, and apparently with enough detail to read the serial markings on a weapon at max range.
Not surprisingly, Sentinels were terrifying with bows and crossbows.
Finally there was the Knight, not to be confused with the Royal Knight, Knights were one of the Equestrian's top fighting forces. Originally formed out of the strongest and most experienced to take on threats like Ursa Majors, the Knights are effectively Super Soldiers having been enhanced medically, magically, and so-forth to be among the finest protectors of Equestria. When off duty these Ponies were required by law to wear a badge that showed they were Knights, from what Dragonfly knew there had been… “issues” in the past that lead up to this, but the Knights were free to wear the badge any way they wanted, with the most common being on hats, scarves, necklaces, and other easy-to-see items. Their armor was different to the standard model in that besides being full plate armor, it has the addition of chainmail covered with cloth colored white and dark blue that hangs to just above the hooves which is parted at the front so to not interfere with their speed and maneuvering and a large kite shield like the ones worn by the Soldiers on their flanks and on the right of their chest plate, like the cloth this front shield does not interfere with their movement. Finally there are two curved spikes behind the shoulders that extend to the half-way point on the neck with two trailing red ribbons and the Equestrian icon on the forehead of their helmet.
As the two approached the castle gates a Royal Guard ran up to them.
“Princess Bluebelle. Princess Celestia sent me; you’re due for the Ambassadors meeting.”
Belle’s eyes widened. “That was today?! Oh I’m late!”
Before the Guard or Dragonfly could stop her Belle had lit her horn and the three vanished in a flash, reappearing in a large room. Dragonfly was a bit dizzy from the sudden teleport while the Guard shook his head.
“I was going to say that the meeting wasn’t going to start for a few minutes and that you had time,” he said.
Belle blushed lightly. “Sorry.”
Dragonfly shook his head as he recovered. “Next time Belle, could you give a lit-”
As he turned to her he found himself looking at legs, but not Pony legs; these were spider legs! More specifically those of a tarantula! Now while Dragonfly had lost his fear of the Hive Spiders, he still had arachnophobia and it was still very strong. So he did what one would expect him to do:
He freaked the buck out!
Next thing anyone knew was that Dragonfly was up in the rafters of the no-so-short room clinging to the beam in a death grip. However he did get a better view and saw that the “spider” was actually a Dridder: A Pony/Spider Hybrid created by a mad Pony long ago, they had since then formed their own cultural identity as a species and were recognized as one of the Pony Races. In appearance Dridders were very large, most of their size being their spider-half with legs, at around the size of a small wagon. Their Pony-half matched that of an Earth Pony perfectly, except for a set of fangs sticking out from under their upper lips and past their waist was their spider-half, which could take the form of any known spider species. Unlike regular spiders, males and females were around the same size and the females did not eat the males after mating, though Dridder families could still have up to dozens of offspring.
This particular Dridder was brown thanks to his tarantula half, but his mane was black and his eyes were green. Around his neck was a red bandana and on his head was a pair of green goggles.
Now that Dragonfly had realized his mistake, he blushed in embarassment, but to his relief the Dridder took it in stride.
“Well I have to say, you’d give most Jumping Spider Dridders a run for their bits.” He said in good humor with a smile as Dragonfly lowered himself down via self-levitation. Once he landed the Dridder leaned down and placed a Pony foreleg around his shoulders. “No need to feel embarrassed; compared to reactions I’ve had in the past, yours is among the better ones. I take it you’re arachnophobic?”
Dragonfly nodded as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “Yeah I am; Badlands Spider.”
The Dridder winced. “That makes far too much sense, Badlands Spiders are no joke.” He then blinked. “Oh, excuse me, what’s your name?” He asked while offering a hoof.
“Dragonfly Wings.” Said disguised Changeling responded, shaking the Dridder’s hoof. ”Yours?”
“Name’s Spinner, Ambassador of the Dridders to Equestria.” He then smiled at Belle, who looked a little embarrassed for forgetting Dragonfly’s arachnophobia. “So Blue, you got yourself a mate?”
Belle nodded. ”Both Dancer and I, Dragonfly’s been our Special Somepony for a few years now. We’ve just been keeping on the down-low for now.”
Spinner chuckled. “I can understand that. It was quite some time before me and my mate announced our union. I wish you three a long and happy life.”
Belle and Dragonfly smiled and thanked him, then a second voice reached their ears, rather loudly and excitedly.
“DRAGONFLY!”
Next thing he knew he was on his back with a face-full of orange mane and the scent of autumn leaves as something, or rather someone, held him in a vice-grip hug.
‘Wait a minute! I know this scent!’
“Autumn Blaze?” Dragonfly’s voice came through muffled thanks to said Mountain Kirin’s mane.
“Yep it’s me!”
“Well let me have a turn.” Dragonfly reached up and gave Autumn his own vice-grip hug, causing her to let out a squeak but she didn’t let go. But they soon had to get up and let go.
“Great to see you again, Autumn.” Dragonfly said as he stood up. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been well. As you can see, I’m the ambassador for the Mountain Kirin.” Autumn happily showed him the pendant around her neck, which displayed the symbol the Mountain Kirin: a dagger with a curved blade like a claw in a quarter circle.
“Well Autumn, congrats on getting the job, I know you’ll do well. As you might have heard; Belle, Dancer and I are dating.” Dragonfly said, walking over to Belle.
“I did, and congrats to you,” Autumn replied with a beaming smile.
“Thanks,” they replied, before Belle got a curious look in her eyes.
“So… Dragonfly,” she asked. “How do you know Autumn?”
“Oh, me and Autumn go way back,” Dragonfly replied. “My father would often train with the four Kirin races. And since my mother was often busy ruling, we thought traveling would have been a good experience.” He smiled at Autumn. “I met Autumn during one of those visits, and we just… clicked.” He noticed Belle’s look. “Though we agreed staying friends was better.”
Autumn smiled. “Agreed.”
As they chatted, they noticed the diamond dog ambassador watching them patiently; a kind-looking Labrador with chocolate brown eyes and sunset-colored fur. In place of a vest, she wore a white poncho decorated with red trim.
She noticed them staring and her ears perked sheepishly. “Sorry,” she said. “You guys seemed to be having a great conversation; I didn’t wanna interrupt.” She bowed. “Celine Shiva-Son of the Outer Haven Pack. I’m here to represent the diamond dogs and demi-wolves.”
Dragonfly gave her a smile and offered a hoof. “Pleased to meet you Celine, name’s Dragonfly Wings.”
She smiled and shook his hoof. “Charmed.” She glanced at the others. “And, wait, let me guess, I was listening…” she pointed to Blue Belle. “Your lovely mate Blue Belle…” she pointed at Autumn. “And your best friend Autumn Blaze.”
Dragonfly nodded. “Yep, Diamond Dancer is also my mate but she’s on tour so she couldn’t join us today.”
Celine blinked in surprise. “You can have two mates?” she mused. “Interesting…” she scratched her chin in thought.
“It’s an old throwback to the early days,” Dragonfly explained. “You see Celine; at one time Mares outnumbered Stallions on a ten-to-one scale at best. As a result, herding became a thing to prevent a risk of things like extinction. Now things have improved over time but herding is still a thing and is perfectly legal as long as all those involved give their consent.”
“It’s true.” Belle added in. “And the three of us give each other our consent.”
Celine nodded in intrigue. “That’s right, I heard about that.” She chuckled. “Pardon my shock; the diamond dogs never went through such a crisis before. Additionally, our marriage traditions usually have us mate for life, so once we find the one we think we want to spend the rest of our lives with, well…” she shrugged with a grin. “We stay with them.” She looked back. “I do wonder how the other packs would react to getting to create multiple packs from different spouses; I daresay the packs that would be formed from such pairings would be far bigger than normal packs.”
Dragonfly and Belle nodded in agreement when out of the corner of the former’s eye he spotted another familiar face.
“Steel Claw?”
Said Western Kirin gave a large smile. “Hello Dragonfly, it's been quite a while since we last saw each other. Congrats on you, Blue and Diamond joining together.”
Steel stood a foot taller than most Western Kirin, who stood at around eight feet. He had a steel-gray coat, a black mane on his head, neck, and top length of his tail while his eyes were dark blue. His large wings showed his Pegasus parentage and his body was covered in scars from his days as a Hunter. Next to him was an Eastern Kirin with a sapphire blue coat, pearl-white fish-like scales on her cheeks, back, and the front of her legs along with cloven hooves. Plate scales of the same color on her nasal bridge and underbelly and a pair of deer-like antlers. Her orange hair, which besides her head had a line flowing down her back and a little down her tail, which was tipped with a large tuft of fur. Her eyes were also orange, but were a few shades darker, and finally her Cutie Mark was a white cup of steaming tea with a pair of crossed butterfly swords behind the cup.
The third and last Kirin, known as a Valley Kirin, stood out for her companions thanks to one fact: Her wings and forelegs were fused together, giving her the appearance of a Wyvern. Her coat was a dark leaf-green while her hair was lighter (to Dragonfly the color looked like acid or something similar) and her eyes were blue. Her Cutie Mark was a bow with an arrow loaded and drawn back.
Celine gave a formal bow to them. “Hello,” she greeted. “Celine Shiva-Son of the Diamond Dogs, at your service.”
The three gave Celine their greetings; Steel standing straight and crossing his arm over his chest in what Dragonfly recognized as the Western Kirin form of a salute, while the Eastern gave her own bow and the Valley dipped her head towards Celine.
After exchanging greetings, the Eastern turned to Dragonfly with a large smile. “Great to see you again, Dragonfly.” She said as she leaned down to give him a nuzzle, which he returned. After he pulled back he noticed Belle’s raised eyebrow.
“Eastern Kirin are very affectionate to their friends and family, and my family are old friends with Spirit Wind’s. Hence the nuzzle.” Dragonfly explained as Belle got a “oh” look on her face and nodded.
“Aw,” Celine noted. “It’s just like how pack mates interact with each other. Just as close.”
As Dragonfly turned back to Spirit he noticed something he’d missed before: Spirit’s belly was rather swollen, which he knew wasn’t the case when he last saw her. Mind, that was a few years ago. It then clicked in his head and he looked at her with wide eyes.
“Spirit… are you?”
Said Kirin smiled, giving him all the answers he needed.
“Indeed I am Dragonfly, five months now. Steel and I are really looking forward to being parents.”
“Well congrats to you two.” Dragonfly responded with a large smile of his own, he then turned to the Valley Kirin. “And hello to you too Venom Wing, sorry for taking this long.”
Venom merely waved it off. “No problem, I understand reconnecting with old friends and we Valley Kirin tend not to leave our homeland that often.” She gave him a smile. “I’ve been doing well since you last saw me.”
As the ambassadors caught up with each other, they were unaware of someone watching them from the shadows.
The pony in question was a unicorn, with dark fur and piercing - almost black eyes. He wore a suit studded with small stars, helping him to better blend into the shadows.
He scoffed at the sight of the non-ponies. “I’ll bet you all think you’re clever,” he muttered to himself. “Sitting there, acting like we don’t know what you’re all up to. Ponies are the dominant species of Equestria. Not Kirins, and certainly not diamond dogs.” He wished he could spit at them, but he was already risking it with his inner monologue. He adjusted to make sure they couldn’t hear him. “Mark my words, the lot of you; when the time comes, ponykind will show you where you really belong. Celestia did it once already… I know she can be convinced to do it again. If she could banish that worthless night spawn she called a sister, and all those associated with her, I know she’ll have no trouble with the likes of you.” He shifted himself again. “Just give us a reason. I, Lord Stars, dare you.”
However, with his focus on the ambassadors, he didn’t notice a familiar purple unicorn walk up behind him.
“Um… excuse me, sir?” she asked. “What are you doing?”
Lord Stars jumped, before fixing Twilight with a brief glare. “Ah, Princess Celestia’s prized pupil, Twilight Sparkle.” He straightened his collar. “You seem like a reasonable sort.” He nodded at where the ambassadors were talking. “Do you really think it’s proper to leave these beasts unguarded?”
Twilight blinked at him. “Beasts? These are our guests; ambassadors from many different parts of the world.”
“A guest is somepony of equal worth,” Lord Stars insisted. “Would you call that dragon pet of yours a ‘guest?’ Or would you refer to him by his proper title?”
Twilight’s eyes narrowed, before she rolled her eyes. “Great. You’re one of ‘those’ nobles, aren’t you? The kind that can’t even look at a pegasus without getting the shivers.” She sighed. “Well, listen; regardless of how ‘you’ feel about them, Princess Celestia trusts them. That should be good enough for you.”
Lord Stars huffed. “You don’t know the inner workings of Princess Celestia’s mind, child. To assume you know everything she has planned speaks to your naivete. Perhaps Princess Celestia would have been better off picking someone else.”
Twilight’s gaze widened, before flames teased the ends of her mane. “Say that… again,” she snarled, her horn already lighting up.
Lord Stars scoffed at her rage. “And what? Lay one hoof or spell on me, and being Princess Celestia’s prized pupil won’t save you from a visit to the dungeons,” he mocked. “You are nothing but a lowly little child. Naively thinking that friendship and harmony will…”
“Excuse me, what’s going on here?” Celine asked, having brought Dragonfly and the Kirin over as well.
“Nothing that concerns you…” Lord Stars stopped, noticing just how much manpower Celine had brought with her.
The diamond dog’s smile was gone. And judging by how her eyes flicked to Twilight, she got a very good sense of what was happening.
“If you have a problem with us, ‘sir,’” Celine said with firm politeness. “You can say it to our face. I assure you, we don’t bite.”
Lord Star laughed hollowly. “The dog that doesn’t bite? Do you think me naive like this child?” He waved a hoof at Twilight.
Dragonfly calmly snorted. “Naive, no. But perhaps too narrow minded. Since from what I know, things changed massively since the Great Famine so long ago.”
“War never changes,” Lord Stars shot back. “Only the field of battle does.” He gave a dark look to Celine and the Kirins. “If there is any threat to the Crown, you should know that Equestria’s finest will sniff it out and end it.”
“Indeed,” a new voice replied, as Celestia stepped into view. “So maybe, you should leave that sort of work to Equestria’s finest… my ‘Lord.’”
“Princess Celestia,” Lord Stars declared, bowing obsequiously. Twilight sneered, struggling not to gag as he kowtowed to her teacher. “I truly do apologize for the trouble these creatures put you through. Always having to wonder what secrets reside in their hearts…”
Dragonfly had to stop from snorting. ‘Apologize my tail!’
“Toffee-nosed snob,” a voice grumbled in Dragonfly’s mind, which startled him; that wasn’t any of his Changelings!. He looked over, and noticed Celine with her head held high, but he could also sense a darkness in her emotions. “‘These creatures?’ It’s talk like that that’s gonna get Myst down here to…” she paused, noticing the way Dragonfly was looking at her. Taking a breath, she looked away, and the voice did not speak in Dragonfly’s mind again.
‘Well, this is something I’m gonna need to look into later.’ Dragonfly thought as he turned back to the exchange.
Celestia flicked her hoof. “You would save me a lot of trouble by vacating this hall,” she said firmly. “The last thing I need is a misunderstanding turning into something far less pleasant.”
She had her normal “face” when dealing with things like this, but Dragonfly could easily sense a powerful anger in her, aimed at Lord Stars. One that he noticed seemed more personal in a way.
“Of course,” Lord Stars replied. “I trust in you, our Goddess of the Sun.”
Twilight seethed even further at his blatant hypocrisy - ‘Hadn’t he just talked about not knowing Celestia’s mind and how I was a foal to trust him?’ - but with a final simpering gaze that made Celine swallow like she was trying not to retch, Lord Stars slipped away, shooting them one last hateful glare before retreating out of sight.
Twilight took a slow breath, her horn still sparking with fury. Celestia noticed.
“Twilight,” she said gently. “Don’t let him get to you.”
“The nerve of him…” Twilight hissed. “After all the work I did… what I went through to become your student…” she looked up at Celestia, but calmed at the look of motherly sternness in her gaze.
“There will always be pampered snobs like that,” Celestia told Twilight. “You mustn’t let them drive you beyond reason. That’s how they win; by pulling you down to their level.”
Dragonfly voiced his agreement. “That’s why the Royal Knights hate the Nobles, while admittedly most of them aren’t that bad, you do have ones like that.”
Celine chuckled. “We don’t deal with nobles at all,” Celine mused. “Diamond Dog packs work together in pretty much everything. I may be here keeping the peace, but if I was needed to explore uncharted caves or mine valuable minerals, I’d be taking a pickaxe and heading down there just as any other diamond dog would.”
Steel turned to her. “Well Celine, I think after we’re done here we should have our own talks. I think the Kirin and your Pack could work something out.” He gave her a smile.
One she returned with a bow. “I’d be honored, Master Steel,” she said. “And I imagine my pack would be as well.”
As the others continued to chat, they were unaware of another watching them. This one seemed to be a guard, with white fur under silver armor. But his eyes were not blue like the other guards; they were a caramel brown. And they were watching Lord Stars as he sauntered away, flashing dangerously.
“Smug,” the ‘guard’ mused. “Arrogant. Thinks he’s some great hero when he’s really just a whining child.” The guard smiled. “Oh, yes… you’ll do quite well for what I have in mind.”
Slowly, carefully, he made his way after Lord Stars. But as Lord Stars’ path led through the Night Wing - where Princess Luna resided - the ‘guard’ noticed Luna perched on a balcony, overlooking the country.
Luna sighed. “Oh, my beloved Star…” she whispered. Yet, she wasn’t looking at the stars already dotting the sky.
And we have the Next Chapter. 
HUGE thank you to JNKing for helping write this chapter out and for allowing their OCs to join the cast, really looking forward to working on more with ya buddy.
So to recap: A bit of Darter's past (and what Rose saw at the end of the last chapter), two old friends finally met again after so long, We meet a few of the Ambassadors from the species that Equestria is allies with (and it turns out Dragonfly knows most of them) and we met the most hated Noble in Canterlot.
See you next time.
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Happy I was able to help, and looking forward to helping you write more of this, Silver.
Darter's past was horrifying to find out about, but at least he had the support of not just Rose, but Dragonfly and the entire Hive.
I'm really excited I was able to share Antenna, Celine and my other OCs in this venture; I feel they mixed in very well with the other characters (Definitely interested in seeing Celine and Steel's friendship develop, as well as seeing the kirin and diamond dogs interact).
And, of course, we've got Lord Stars to worry about now. I imagine he'll be causing plenty of trouble for our heroes to overcome. But, at the very least they won't be alone.
Definitely looking forward to developing more of what Luna was talking about and who exactly her 'Beloved Star' is.
Thanks again for sharing, Silver. This is always a lot of fun to read. 👍
11337718
Gives a little insight to why the Changelings preferred Nebula and Dragonfly.
So am I, I think we'll get some nice world building chapters from them. Can already see Shiva sitting with any of the Kirin Leaders having a drink and chatting.
out of curiosity, how would Shiva and Celine, being the most likely ones, react to a Kirin Leader who has seen the freedom of the Kirin, the Heatswarming, and other historic events up to the return and defeat of NMM?
Not sure how much screen he'll actually get, but I'm sure we'll figure the details out as we go. He might not effect our heroes too much out of Canterlot but I can see Celestia, along with certain individuals that she trusts, carefully countering everything he does to cause issues.
Thanks. Also King, I've had this question for awhile but I've been curious a second opinion to how much I've improved as a writer, so I was wondering if you could take a look at my first story Picking up the Pieces? I don't think it'll be as good as this but it was my first on the site after all.
11338201
Indeed.
Shiva would be intrigued, while Celine would be the most curious, wanting to know what those historical events were actually like.
I see. Well, then, it'll be interesting to see how she manages to play the game to keep him from being too much of a nuisance.
I can understand that. I've got quite a few projects going on, but I'll see what I can do.
11338217
In case you're curious; the reason Nebula was Empress was because none of the other Royals could actually challenge her, at least on their own, since Nebula has actually been around as long as Celestia and Luna, with all it comes with. Uniting against her never occurred to the other Royals, though since they were always at each others' throats it wasn't an issue.
At least until a certain one took out the others and added their Hives to her own, though those Hives did not go quietly.
Take your time, I can wait.
11338233
I can imagine Chrysalis had quite the battle, whipping them all into serving her.
Thanks.
11338253
Indeed she did, which reduced her numbers to the point where she had no choice but to rebuild, plus the facts that a good chunk of Changelings fled into the wilds (many of them fighting a guerrilla war while trying to free their fellows) and those she does have are fighting against the mind control. While most haven't been able to break free some, as we saw in the Everfree mission, have which in that case lead to them joining Dragonfly.
Those things combined are why she took as long as she did to make her move, not to mention the wedding was like a beacon to her.
11338883
Interesting.
Thanks for sharing.