Act II ~ Chapter 15
“Spindle? Is everything okay?” Firefly sniffled as she leaned out of Spindle’s embrace. For the briefest of moments, she saw a thousand meter stare and felt flecks of some kind of distress slip from her.
A tiny gasp broke the moment as Spindle’s eyes refocused on Firefly. “Oh! Yes, I’m sorry. I just—I realized that if both you and Roast are here, what’s happened to the cafe? I know I wasn’t there for long, but even I loved visiting it. And you, of course. Since, you know, you’re kinda the reason I’d go at all.”
Firefly took a deep, shaky breath. She clenched her eyes and tried to compose herself. “I, uh… I don’t really… know? I guess if I’m being honest, I’m more than a little afraid for it.” She wiped her snout with her unchained hoof. Her mind chose again to remind her of the endless, terrible possibilities for the beloved building. “It’s not like the cleanup crews have a reason to care what happens to it. As long as it doesn’t hurt anypony or reveal us, they could have burned it down, for all I know.”
“Hey, now!” Spindle set her hoof onto Firefly’s restrained foreleg. “I very much doubt they’d do that. It would draw too much attention. And besides, I’m sure once the queen hears your story, you’ll be able to go back.”
Firefly rolled her eyes and snorted, but merely managed to blow a glob of mucus out. “Ugh, yuck.” She reached up a hoof to cover her now-very-unsightly muzzle.
“Here, hold on.” Spindle opened one side of her saddlebags, then the other. Her face lit up as she magicked out a few dining napkins.
“Thanks.” Firefly wiped her face and blew her nose before tossing the napkins aside. She looked back to Spindle and huffed. “See, the thing is, I’m not stupid. I have no doubt the queen’s already heard my story. She's already heard of Roast and Aura and why my crystals are so dense. She’s probably heard it a dozen times.
“And I get it,” she continued. “I broke changeling code and told a pony, my source and husband, who already knew his wife wasn’t what she seemed. But I also don’t get it! Why does she need to hear it another time from you cronies?!”
Firefly glared out to the two guards beyond the bars. “Maybe I’m not as cunning and clever as an infiltrator, but I was trained well. No other caretaker had more than one extra guard nor got locked in the cell with me.” She jerked a head to the nearby guard. “Now we get three when, coincidentally, a friend of mine shows up? Five if you count those out in the hall? Barring the one other pony that figured out who I was, why am I still in here instead of harvesting the best bucking love the hive has ever seen?!”
Firefly nearly snarled across the table to the unflinching guards outside. She couldn’t keep the tremble from her jaw and felt the tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. She drew another deep breath, the habit from training doing nothing to calm her utter helplessness.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Spindle moving closer. Firefly let out a huff and turned back to her friend, a hoof held up. “No. It’s—it’s okay. I’m sorry.”
“Oh. Alright. I thought you might want…” Spindle trailed off.
“I know. And thank you. It’s just that the days have kinda blurred together. A week here? Maybe two since I left Hoofington?” She took another equally-useless deep inhale, held, then released a few seconds later. “One minute I’m wondering when the collector meeting is going to end so I can get back to Roast for a walk through the park and then shopping for… bread and—and cheese! The next minute, I’m being shipped off back to the hive with the only term of endearment being ‘traitor.’”
Spindle bowed her head. “I’m sorry to hear that. That was wrong of them to say.”
“Yeah.” Firefly huffed. “And the changeling who led me back? Clypeus? Coxa? Capitate? I don’t remember, but I really hope I never see him again. I don’t particularly appreciate getting a hoof to the face for not wanting to be paraded around like a housebroken mutt.”
“What?!” Spindle drew back, her eyes growing wide. “He hit you?”
Firefly reached up and tapped her cheek. “Yep, right there. Knocked me straight to the ground. After I finally gave in, he nearly choked me with the leash more than once.”
“Have you told anyling about this?” Spindle’s eyes darted all across Firefly’s face and neck. “There’s no way that’s okay, even with a supposed traitor!”
“And who’s going to care? The guards? An advisor?” Firefly snorted. “The stars-damned queen herself? If she actually gave a buck, she’d have—”
“That is enough!” A deep growl came from beyond the bars and one of the guards stepped closer. "I will not tolerate you speaking of Queen Chrysalis that way.” He turned to Spindle. “I believe you have a job to do. The other cell is waiting.” Keys were levitated out and into the door, before he pulled it open.
“Uh, sure.” Spindle stood and gave Firefly a little smile. “Things are going to be alright. I’m sure of it. We’ll talk after you’re out of here, okay?”
Firefly faced the table and stared down at her meal. “Yeah. Sure.”
“It was really good seeing you again, and it—” the guard cleared his throat and tapped a hoof on the floor. Spindle began her way to the door. “—and it won’t be the last time. I promise.”
Firefly looked up at her friend and managed a tiny smile through her frustration. “Yeah,” she repeated. “I’ll see you later.”
As she magicked up the spoon and toyed with her cold oatmeal, the cell door clanged shut. She glanced up and caught sight of the angry guard and Spindle’s tails retreating around the corner.
The other guard outside, however, caught her eye. They’d kept a cool, expressionless face the entire conversation, but now it was… softer? Their eyes didn’t quite hold the chill they once did and the corners of their mouth seemed to be turned up the tiniest bit. Firefly scrunched her eyeridges and locked eyes. Was it pity? Sadness? Understanding?
Firefly couldn’t tell. She broke from the gaze at the sound of hoofsteps coming back. Her eyes went back to her still-surprisingly lavish meal.
Bringing up a spoonful of oatmeal, she hummed a tiny hum at the sweet food and wondered if the extraordinary meal was some sort of tactic. Her first thought was that they’d set Spindle up with a nice meal to give her. Except they had to know Spindle had no idea she was even here. Either that or Spindle was an exceptional actress and a true mastermind.
Firefly snorted. As mean as it sounded, Spindle wasn’t even close to either of those things.
Her second thought, as she maneuvered some cheese toast around her fangs and chomped, was that they were buttering her up. Trying to make her think they were on her side and had her best interests at heart. But that was silly as well. What would it gain? A dropping of her guard? The only thing Firefly was waiting for was to try and convince the queen. Guarding herself was pointless, as there were but two outcomes.
Either Her Majesty allowed the relationship or… she didn’t. And there would be no convincing Firefly that Fine Roast wasn’t the right option. Queen Chrysalis had to know that.
She huffed. A small, wry smile grew across her face as a morbid thought crept into her mind. Perhaps she was overthinking. Maybe this was a prisoner’s last meal. She’d heard of those who were so far gone, so irredeemable, that death was the only choice. In Equestria, it was a myth. A legend among the Land of Second Chances.
In the hive? There was always a first for everything.
Shaking the thought free of her head, she popped the last bite of toast into her mouth and chewed it down. Firefly swallowed and turned her eyes to the love crystal. With the leftovers from her time with Roast nearly dried up, the fresh hunger she hadn’t felt in several long years was a stark reminder of how little the hive changelings got now. These weren’t even half of a normal meal from before she’d graduated training.
A sigh escaped her at the meager share and she apathetically took in a nibbling wisp.
And her world came to a tumbling halt.
She barely heard her own gasp. The rich, wonderful, familiar flavor flowed through her and her mind was instantly filled with thoughts of him. The love was muted, dulled, but it was unmistakably his and tasted far better than any other crystal she’d ever had.
After a long moment, she broke her gaze with the emptied crystal and looked past the bars. “This—this was one of…”
“What?” the guard that had scolded her asked. “You’ve never had one of your own before?”
She shook her head. “I’ve never needed it. Roast was always… enough. I knew they were different, but I had no idea they tasted like—like this.”
“Wait a second,” the guard within the cell butted in. “Your source was the reason those exist?”
Firefly glanced over at her bewildered look. “Uhh, yes? Were you not paying attention to the conversation?”
The changeling next to her pursed her lips and furrowed an eyeridge at the ceiling. “Uhm… I don’t think I zoned out. I don’t remember that part. But damn. I’d give the queen my inert left ovary if it meant we could get more.”
A deep inhale came from outside the cell and Firefly looked to see the first guard deadpanning at the other. Just as deep an exhale followed. “Vertex?”
“Yes, sir?” The nearby guard responded.
“For your own sake, please be quiet.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Firefly laid back in the cell bed and traced her eyes along the lines of anti-magic runes. Or rather, that’s what she presumed they were. As harrowing a day that it was, she longed for Hoofington’s cells. At least there she’d only had to suffer half a day of boredom after the mind-numbing anxiety of being detained.
Here, she had no such luxury. Night after night, morning after morning, her only companion was the growing nothingness of the hive’s bureaucracy. Spindle’s obviously-staged visit was a wonderful detractor from the monotony of waiting for the queen’s decision. Except that had been hours ago. She considered asking if the guards had heard back about her request for a book, but with the last two responses of ‘we’ll look into it,’ Firefly doubted she’d get anything besides being labeled as an annoyance.
Halfway through tracing the center rune's incomprehensible squiggles, the faint clopping of hooves on carved stone reached her. She kept an ear pointed to the hall, but she couldn’t keep a tiny sigh from escaping. She hadn’t taken notice that day, but figured the prison must’ve been quite out of the way. Few and far between were the sounds of hoofsteps, and they’d usually pass by to some other destination.
The hoofsteps grew louder and her ears perked up as they seemed to resonate down the prison’s little corridor.
“Good afternoon, ma’am!” Firefly heard a guard say, along with the sound of shuffling armor.
“Afternoon. Open the door, please,” the apparently-important changeling replied. Keys jingling and a lock thunking followed a few seconds later. “Thank you.”
Firefly sat up and looked over to the two posted guards just as another walked into sight and faced her. A familiar scent of pheromones passed through her nose and she noticed the visitor had the same insignia as the high-ranked guard who led her down that first night. Firefly still appreciated them standing up for her and sparing her the indignity of being led to the prison on a leash.
“Hello, Firefly,” the familiar-yet-unknown guard said, “I trust your lunch was satisfactory?”
Firefly stood and shuffled in front of her. “Erm, hello.” Firefly rarely bothered much beyond a glance at whomever would address her, but most hardly did more than grunt at her about meal time. This changeling had at least earned a bit more respect. “Do you mean breakfast? Because I did appreciate the company this morning.”
The guard narrowed her eyes at Firefly for a short second before turning to another. “Are you serious? No caretaker has been down to provide a mid-day meal? That should have happened an hour ago!”
“Erm, no ma’am.” A posted guard shook his head. “Noling has been down since the fill-in cleaned the cell earlier.”
A few twitches graced the visitor’s eyes. “I… see. I’ll have to have a conversation with a particular advisor.” She turned back to Firefly. “I apologize. I would send someone to track down why your lunch has been delayed, but I’m afraid there’s little time for that. The queen is ready to see you.”
A heavy heat settled into her stomach. “I see. Should I, uhh, face the wall?”
“No. We will be escorting you as is. I trust you’ll behave yourself.” She stepped back and looked to another guard. “Unlock the cell.”
“Yes, ma’am.” The guard magicked a key into the door. A clunk and it swung open.
“Vespa, Vertex,” The high rank turned to each of the guards posted outside the cell, “take up the rear.” She faced Firefly again as they took their places. “Step out of the cell between myself and the other two.”
Firefly swallowed the lump rising in her throat and did as she was told. The guard walked towards the entrance and stopped at the barred door.
“Lieutenant Labrum,” Firefly’s escort called and the guard posted outside the prison turned. “Please open the door again. And, Labrum,” she said as the lieutenant began to do so. “Remain behind and wait for the caretaker. Instruct them to perform a full cleaning. After they’re finished, lock up everything and report back to your captain for further assignment.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Without another word, they continued out and down the main corridor. Despite the relatively slow trot, Firefly fought a losing battle to keep her heart calm. It had been so long since she’d been arrested and branded a traitor. So long since she’d been told the queen would decide her fate. So long had she been waiting for the chance to reunite with her love.
But what if Her Majesty said no? What would she do? What could she do?
The questions had been whispering, cloying, horrifying thoughts from that very first day. Even as she walked on to that final moment, she had no idea if there even was an answer. The very idea of losing everything terrified her and sent spike after spike of dread from the tip of her horn down to the pit of her stomach.
What if Queen Chrysalis refused? How could Firefly be expected to just move on to another source after this? Would they even let her? Or would they shove her into some corner to eke out a meager use from her broken heart?
Firefly tried to breathe deep, but she found the air wouldn’t stay inside.
What if she couldn’t even manage that? Everyling had to be productive. They couldn’t afford to support useless changelings. Would they send her away? They couldn’t. It would be too risky. And if she couldn’t be useful and she couldn’t be sent away, what options were there? The queen had to know. She had to know that Firefly wouldn’t—couldn’t—live without him. She had to. And if she knew…
They were going to kill her.
She was going to die. Her eyes squeezed shut as tears built. Breaths came faster and faster. They wouldn’t stop.
She couldn’t die. Not yet. What would that do to Roast? What about their cafe? Or Spindle? Or Aura? No. No no no. No! She couldn’t die! She—
“Firefly!”
Firefly’s eyes snapped open and flicked to so many others. A dozen, two dozen eyes all focused on her. Changelings from nearby tunnels crowded around, staring, waiting for their chance.
“Firefly.” The lead guard gently cupped Firefly’s cheeks and turned Firefly to meet her eyes. “Breathe. You’re having a panic attack. It’s going to be okay, but you need to breathe.”
She managed a tiny shake of her head. Her tongue was made of lead. She felt her legs move back and away, but her rear hooves clacked against something hard, solid, immovable.
They were here for her. They were going to take her! She couldn’t!
The guard followed Firefly’s eyeline behind her. “Dammit. Everyone who isn’t one of my guards, leave.” Noling seemed to listen. “Get the buck out! Now!”
She had to get out. She had to. But she couldn’t. If she fled like the others, they’d get her. They’d kill her. But she had to get—
“Firefly.” She found the leader looking at her again. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay. Here. Sit down.” They turned to the four armored changelings. Weren’t there two? Why are they here? “Make sure noling else comes down this way. Direct them to another hall.”
Only then had Firefly noticed the hot tears spilling down her cheek. “P-puh… plea—”
“Hush now. You’re going to be okay.” She took Firefly’s hoof in her own and gently stroked it. “Focus on breathing. In… and out. In…” The hoof trailed up her fetlock, “and out.” And trailed back down.
Firefly tried, but her body didn’t want to listen. She shut her eyes tight. Her chest wouldn’t let her breathe right. It heaved and shuddered. “Please. Please… I don’t want to die.”
“Shhh.” The hoof holding hers gave a soft squeeze. “You’re not going to die. That’s not why you’re here.”
She shook her head and looked at the blurry changeling in front of her. “You’re going to take him. I can’t. I need him. He needs me.”
“Things are going to be okay. You have no idea how much time your queen has spent on you. You have no idea how much she cares for each of us. For you. She understands. You need to trust her.”
“How? H-how do you know?”
The guard sat back with a little grin and snorted. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”
Firefly shook her head.
“Collectors…” she rolled her eyes with a smile and a low, calm voice. “I swear, once you lot leave the hive, you forget everything about it.” She tapped her guard insignia. “This is a special rank. There’s only one of them.”
Firefly barely managed to stifle her gasp. “General?”
She nodded. “General Elytra, specifically. It’s alright, you’re not the first Equestria-based ‘ling to forget, and you won’t be the last. After all, it’s not as if there’s a grueling, multi-year training occupying your all’s minds before you’re thrown to another nation.
“As for how I know how much effort Queen Chrysalis has put into you?” she chuckled. “Well, the queen’s military and guard advisor usually likes to be kept up to date with those in her prison.”
“How, um, how much has she…?” Firefly felt her hoof be set back down.
“That’s something I imagine you can ask her.” General Elytra stood. “Do you think you’re ready?”
Firefly began to nod, but paused halfway through and shook her head. “Could I, maybe, have a couple more minutes?”
“Of course. I’ll be right here.” She trotted a meter away and stood against the same wall.
After a few seconds, Firefly said, “Um, General Elytra?”
“Hm?” She hummed with a gentle smile.
“Thank you.” Firefly bowed her head and gave what she hoped was a grateful look.
Elytra stepped closer and set a hoof on Firefly’s shoulder. “I can imagine what you’re going through. After all,” she put her hoof down and her voice lowered ever so slightly, “there’s a reason I was put in the guard.”
Firefly scrunched her brow. “What? What do you mean?”
“Perhaps I’ll tell you another time. This isn’t really the place for a history lesson.”
Firefly nodded and looked back to the floor. With a few more of her signature deep, calming breaths, she began to feel the anxiety drain from a roaring river to a trickling stream.
“I think I’m ready.” Firefly swallowed, before she shakily got to her hooves.
“Excellent. Guards! Return and take your positions.” General Elytra trotted back to the center of the hall and faced Firefly. “We’ll take it slow. If you need to stop, just speak up. Though, contrary to popular belief, the queen does actually have a schedule, and it’s not as empty as one might expect. Don’t feel bad, though.” A smirk spread across her face. “Her great majesty’s agenda could use a bit of a shakeup every now and then.”
Firefly smiled what felt like a weak little smile as the general began her slow walk. She tried her best to hide her emotions before taking her place behind the general. The group moved on with her in the middle and she tried to process what happened.
She’d never met General Elytra before, nor any other general, and this was not exactly what she would have expected. Rough, scarred, hardass, and scowling were more adjectives she’d instinctively thought a general would be. But gentle, caring, and compassionate? Those were far from her vision of a changeling military leader.
Thinking back to her pre-collector days, she’d only seen or heard Elytra’s name mentioned offhoofed a dozen or so times. Firefly couldn’t help but think there had been another general when she was in primary education, learning about the different castes and their leaders. How new was she? Advisors served for as long as they were useful and often were sent to be an educator after their time was up.
Or they were relegated to the short life of an elderly ‘ling if they’d reached that age.
As they turned downward into a vertical tunnel, Firefly’s mind began sifting through the last… she hummed quietly at the realization that she had no idea how long her panic had lasted.
Panic.
In the kitchen on that rainy day, the evening of her release, she learned that anxiety was an every-day thing for Aura. The poor mare was no stranger to panic attacks. They were something she had no control over. Now, Firefly had more sympathy for her than ever before.
No. Firefly gave a small shake of her head. I think I can call it empathy now. At least a tiny slice of it.
She did not envy her friend. Not at all. And as she thought about exactly who she was heading to see, she couldn’t help but hope that Aura was far, far away from her and the hive. As they exited onto the lowest level, the royal level, Firefly resolved to fight for Refined Aura as much as she would for Fine Roast. That wonderful mare didn’t deserve this fate.
Firefly began to wonder how many of the ponies in cocoons mere hundreds of meters away really did.
Before she could entertain what was certainly a slippery slope to actual treason and existential dread, a single set of doors emerged into view.
The throne room.
Firefly took a deep breath and only barely finished exhaling by the time they stopped in front of those looming double doors.
“Ma’am!” The pair of guards flanking either side saluted.
“Afternoon.” She returned the salute. “The queen is still inside?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s been silent since you left.”
General Elytra nodded. “Very good.” She turned to Firefly. “Wait here for a moment.” Without waiting for a response, she pulled open the doors and passed through. A brief glimpse of columns and torches were all Firefly could make out before her sight was cut off.
Firefly closed her eyes and breathed. She could only hope what the general had told her was true. She had to believe it. It was the only thing keeping her afloat.
Fine Roast crossed her mind. She tried to entertain thoughts of him, of what she’d say to convince the queen. Convince her of the virtue of their relationship, but they were all blurry and indistinct. All the arguments she’d prepared since leaving Hoofington had drifted well beyond her grasp.
The doors opened again and out stepped General Elytra. She closed them and faced Firefly. “Do you remember your royal etiquette?”
“I think so? Though, it has been a while.”
“Right. It’s simple.” Elytra nodded. “Walk to the dais, give a single bow, and wait for her to address you. She’s a little particular about being called ‘your majesty’ too much, so try to limit the honorifics a bit. Use ma’am if you feel you must.” Elytra began to turn before she paused and glanced back. “Oh, and please don’t make the nymphish mistake of calling her ‘highness.’ She’s not a princess.”
“I at least know that one. But, thank you.”
“Right.” Elytra nodded again and reached a hoof to one of the doors. “A guard inside will tell you to enter shortly.”
Firefly watched her enter and managed a single more calming breath before the throne room reopened a few moments later.
“Firefly?” A guard’s eyes landed on her. “The queen will see you now.”
She steeled herself as best as she could, then entered through the held door.
It had been many years since she’d been in the throne room; not since she was a nymph on what ponies might have called a ‘field trip.’ It was as bright as she remembered, a far cry from the prison or its halls. Along the floor, leading directly to the dais, were intricate grooves.
Her eyes drew further along and alighted on the throne. Seated on it was Queen Chrysalis, the royal gaze reflected back on Firefly. She averted her eyes and looked to the queen’s right. One step down the dais stood General Elytra. Firefly nearly sent a smile to her, but caught it before she could make a fool of herself.
Along the wall further left was a changeling at a small desk with a quill and paper. The scribe, Firefly assumed. Trailing her eyes to the queen’s left found another changeling, similarly a single step down.
Firefly’s nose nearly crinkled as she realized the queen’s pheromones were the only ones she could smell. She felt a bout of self-consciousness flush over her at her own active glands. Should I have shut them? General Elytra didn’t say anything, so I hope not?
Finally, her musings were cut short as she reached the dais’s bottom step. Firefly bowed low, and raised back up to meet her queen’s gaze.
“Firefly,” Queen Chrysalis began. “Before we begin, I understand there was a small issue on the way here.”
“Yes, your majesty. I apologize for the—”
“I am not concerned with what scene may have been caused, nor any ‘disturbance’ to others in the hive. Firefly,” Chrysalis said, her voice taking a far softer tone than Firefly would have ever expected, “are you okay?”
Firefly stood and stared. During the visit to the throne room as a nymph, she and many other nymphs had met the queen. It was the last and only time she’d been in direct company of the royal changeling and she distinctly remembered it as what she envisioned a stereotypical royal interaction as. The queen had given a summary of her duties and answered a few questions.
Never had Firefly thought of her as ‘motherly.’
“Firefly?”
“Oh! Uh, yes, your majesty. General Elytra was very kind and allowed me to recover.” Half a second later she remembered her manners. “And, uhm, thank you for asking.” Firefly gave a bow of her head.
“I’m glad. If there is something I care about above all else, it is the wellbeing of my changelings. There will come a point where I will have to return you to your duties and be unable to offer you much. Until then, for today, please do not feel afraid to take a moment should such a thing occur again.”
Firefly nodded and tried desperately to keep confusion from leaking out of her heart. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Queen Chrysalis nodded and stayed silent for a few, long seconds. “Now, to begin with, these are… quite the set of circumstances that have led you before me. Some of these have irked me greatly. I shall let my advisor, Odonata, say his piece before I continue.”
“Thank you, your Majesty,” the changeling to the queen’s left said as he stepped forward. “Firefly, my name is Odonata, and I am the queen’s infiltrator advisor.”
It took a great deal of effort to keep the worry from painting Firefly’s face.
“It had come to my attention that parts of this situation were… mishandled. I’d like to first apologize for the way one of my infiltrators behaved and I would like to thank you for mentioning it this morning. The changeling by the name of ‘Coxa’ is currently out on a mission, but is being recalled due to his exceptionally inappropriate treatment and use of force against you.”
“Odonata,” Queen Chrysalis said. “Do not mince words.”
A tiny huff escaped the advisor and he offered a small bow of his head to Queen Chrysalis. “Of course, my queen. Apologies. What I mean to say, Firefly, is I apologize that he hit you—punched you—in your cheek. He had no authority nor reason to do so, nor did he have any right to treat you as a common pony pet on your travels here. When he returns, he will be given appropriate punishment and reeducation. Again, I apologize for what you’ve been subjected to.”
Silence reigned for several seconds before the queen spoke again, “Thank you, Odonata. You may leave.”
“Of course, majesty.” Odonata turned to Queen Chrysalis, bowed, and stepped away from the throne to a door near the back.
Firefly was unsure what to feel. The queen forcing an apology to her felt… off. Why was she being treated so well? There was nothing to gain from a young collector’s favor. Why the show if she was going to have her husband returned to her? Why the mercy if she wasn’t? Her eyes wanted to narrow, her brow offered twitches into a furrow, but as the door clicked behind Odonata and the queen’s gaze alighted on her once more, she stuffed the feelings deep and away.
“We are too few and spread far too thin to allow that kind of nonsense infighting,” The queen puffed a great lungful from her nostrils. Firefly couldn’t help but notice as her tail twitched back and forth on the throne before settling. “I hold my advisors to a higher standard and they ought to know to keep their changelings from committing such ridiculousness.”
Queen Chrysalis’s face softened as she continued, “Discounting what you have done for the moment, right or wrong, I do apologize for what you went through as you were brought back. Odonata and my other advisors have been informed with no uncertainty that acts such as this are to be reserved for escalation of force, not simple disagreements.”
Firefly felt there was little to do but nod. “Um, thank you, your majesty.”
Queen Chrysalis offered a nod in return. “Now, to return to the beginning, and why we are here at all, it is quite the set of circumstances that led you to my throne today. Your name has been traded a great deal between myself and my advisors. There were many calls for action, but when I heard the first report from the infiltrator team assigned to you, I knew there was something… off. That something didn’t quite fit. Though, you already know what it was, as it was you who lived it.”
A breath forced its way down Firefly’s throat as she tried to stay calm and under control. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Except… even after the survey finished and I was given the full report, I wasn’t satisfied. For a ruler of a species such as us, do you know what the most important resource is?”
Firefly’s eyeridges did furrow this time and she thought. Immediately one pony, a friend, came to mind. “Secrecy?”
A small smile came to the queen’s face and she shook her head. “Not quite, though that is important, to a degree. No, for a changeling queen, information is key. Or rather, accurate information.”
Firefly couldn’t help but wonder if that was why everything went to tartarus in Canterlot all those months back. If she were a more bold and brash ‘ling, perhaps she would have asked. But her focus had to be kept on one thing, and one thing only.
“By the way, did you enjoy your breakfast this morning?”
“Erm, yes, I did. Thank you?” Firefly winced at her own awkwardness.
Chrysalis gave a short laugh. “You’re welcome. I thought you may appreciate it after the last eight days stuck in that cell. I have to say, it was quite interesting to see such camaraderie between collectors. It’s very clear that Spindle cares for you a great deal.”
Firefly nodded. “Yes, your majesty, she and I were quite close back… in…” Firefly fought to keep her eyes from growing wide. See? She could only stare and begin to blush as a small smirk formed on Chrysalis’s lips. Oh, buck me.
“Indeed, as you’ve likely come to the conclusion. Information is key. I wanted to see and hear for myself, though I didn’t quite expect it would bear the fruit it did. This morning was more than enough confirmation for the ‘crony’ that I am. And thus here you are.”
A chill went through Firefly’s back and into her legs. She couldn’t decide if apologizing was expected. She forced her hooves still and decided to instead ask, “Confirmation, your majesty?”
“Before I inherited this hive from my mother, would you care to guess what my very first profession, my first caste, was?
Firefly fought down the frustration at the lack of answer and constant run-around. Why does it matter?! Am I going to receive a judgment, or my husband?! She settled for a single grind of her teeth.
“I’m… not sure. Infiltrator?”
The queen huffed with a wry smile. “While I did later become an infiltrator to even out my skillset, no. It was not my first.”
She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly. “You were a collector?”
Chrysalis nodded. “Indeed I was. Over a century and a half ago, I stepped my first hoof into Equestria. I believe you’d find this amusing. Nearly seven years ago, in Manehatten, you replaced your very first source’s wife, did you not?”
“I did, yes.”
Chrysalis nodded. “As did I. We were both quite the foolish collectors, thinking we could take on the world.”
Firefly nearly shook her head. She may have been a little too cocky, but she never thought she could do any such thing. Young and stupid is what she thought of her old self, but not self-aggrandizing.
“Technology may have been different then,” Chrysalis continued, “but ponies remained much the same. Changelings, too, though our tactics did change and improve over the years. Similarly, my source held little difference from ponies today. She was a beautiful mare and a very talented musician, as was her wife. It was truly a shame the day she never got to play again.”
Chrysalis paused and stared beyond Firefly for a long moment. Right as Firefly was tempted to check what was behind her, the queen’s eyes drifted to Firefly’s again.
“As collectors,” Chrysalis’s voice became shockingly somber and Firefly reared her head back the barest centimeter, “there is one difference between you and I. Do you know what it was?”
Firefly could only shake her head.
“There is a pony saying that dates back as far as the first waxing poet: you never forget your first love.”
Silence filled the room and no amount of restraint could have kept Firefly’s eyes from shooting wide before narrowing at the mare seated above her. It couldn’t be. Queen Chrysalis knew what it was like! She knew! And yet she still had Firefly put through Tartarus and back. “Wait. How is that any different? If you were there this morning, then you know how I feel towards Fine Roast.”
A frown formed on the queen’s face. Firefly’s eyes were drawn to the queen’s right as General Elytra adjusted her hooves. Firefly found an eyeridge raised in disappointment and yet couldn’t bring herself to care.
“Firefly,” Chrysalis hardened her voice, “only with the circumstances we find ourselves in do I allow your tone to pass. Do not forget your place.”
A huff and a grinding of teeth was held back before Firefly stoppered her emotions. “Yes, your majesty. I apologize.”
“We are different not because we both fell in love.” Chrysalis nearly growled. “We are different because of what happened after. My mother, my queen at the time, had yet to add the lesson you collectors now laugh and scoff at. It was taken for granted at the time, and for many centuries before, that changelings did not lay with ponies. Ponies were beneath us. They were food. We thought our hearts needed no guarding. Yet, much like ponies, we can do little when, unguarded, they are stolen.
“We are different not because we both hid how we felt nor because we had our hearts taken. We are different because when I revealed myself to Crystal Viola, she had the good sense to hate me. When she tried to flee, I subdued her. I placed her into a cocoon and she lived the rest of her days feeding the hive.”
Firefly couldn’t keep the scowl off her face. Hateful words flew through her mind and threatened to spill from her. She tried. She tried so very hard to stay silent, but her wounded heart refused.
“So since you couldn’t have yours, I can’t have mine either.”
“This is who we are, Firefly!” Chrysalis growled out and slammed a hoof down. “This is who we are forced to be, the way it must be!”
Firefly took the first step up to the throne. “It’s only that way because you decided it would be! I earned my love! I earned his love! And it is the best love this whole damn hive has ever seen! How bucking selfish are you to dare throw—”
“Yes,” Chrysalis stood and stomped down the platform, step by step, “I do dare. I dare, not because of the incredible love, but because you so naively return it.” She lowered her neck and looked straight into Firefly’s eyes. “You have no idea of the dangers you’re playing with.” Her horn lit, “Get off my dais.”
Firefly fell backwards and landed hard on her flanks. She shot to her hooves and tried to speak, but found her mouth wouldn’t open.
Chrysalis stood tall, her horn still lit. “Guards. Leave. Except for Elytra.” After a moment of shuffling and the throne room door closing behind Firefly, pity slowly won over the anger on Chrysalis’s face. “What I am about to say to you does not leave this room.” She glanced over her right shoulder. “The same for you, General Elytra. And Alary—” the changeling at the writing desk looked up “—this is not to be recorded.”
Firefly felt the pressure on her jaw release. Chrysalis huffed and seated herself back on the throne. “Long ago, the gryphons made themselves enemies of the ponies. Changelings remained hidden throughout the conflict, both in the hive and in plain sight. War, though…” The corner of Chrysalis’ mouth curved upward. “it has an amusing way of drawing a species together. It’s no longer about what pony might steal your crop or hijack a wagon, it’s about keeping those clawed bastards from doing the exact same.”
Firefly felt the anger diffuse to a simmer. In the back of her mind, she wondered why Chrysalis thought she could trust her.
“Ponies were far more lonely then, their relationships far less stable. Thus, those relations developed far faster. Those days made for easy pickings. Love flowed in the hive and hunger was a mere memory. The changeling species thrived.”
Chrysalis’s face turned dark. “But that made us just as complacent.
“It is unknown what sparked the disaster that followed. What is known is that the condition is… contagious. It spreads not through virus or bacteria, but through desire. It promises happiness and prosperity and other changelings hardly need convincing to join.”
Firefly’s eyeridges furrowed and her head pulled back in incredulity. How had she never heard of this? If it was such a big deal, why wasn’t it covered in training?
“Collectors began to love their ponies. They gave the love they’d collected back to those from whom they had taken. The records say it happened quickly. Across Equestria, within a week, over half its collectors succumbed. Within two weeks, half of the hive. Then three quarters. Their natural forms suddenly changed. No longer were their shells black and their eyes blue.
“No. They became a rainbow of chitin and ocelli and wings. Every one of them unique, just like the ponies they preyed upon. Except… they no longer hungered. Love was no longer necessary nor even an option. They could change into ponies and be among them without consequence. Without need of theft. For the first time since changelings were created, prosperity seemed to be on the horizon.”
Chrysalis’s darkness turned into a deep frown. “And they all died of starvation within a month.”
“What?” Firefly took a step back. “How? How have none of us heard this?”
“The ones dubbed ‘The Loveless’ were buried along with the very idea. Those who survived knew better and the queen recorded and preserved. Each passed it down from queen to princess, much like my mother did for me. Much like I shall do for my own.
"Ponies were no wiser and mourned. They watched their friends and loved ones grow progressively weaker, before one day dropping dead. The disease is contagious and spreads before it can be contained. Its promise of a hunger free life is too alluring for so many. Were the lesson to be kept, and its meaning ever twisted or forgotten, our hive may end as we know it."
Chrysalis's head rose, regal and imposing. “And so changelings changed once again. No longer could we be allowed to love. Love, for us, is nothing but a meal, to be consumed, but not experienced. Our cursed creators made sure of that.”
She stood from her throne. “You and I are different not because Crystal Viola hated me and Fine Roast loved you, but because I was lucky and you… were not.”
Not… not lucky? What does she— Ice ran down her back. She was. She really was going to— Firefly took a step back, then another. As she turned to flee, she felt her hooves seize as Chrysalis’s horn lit. “No!” Firefly shook her head and willed with all her might to leave the ground. “I can’t believe that! I’ve loved Roast for months. Nothing happened! I didn’t change, I still produce and need love!”
Chrysalis slowly stepped down each step. “I do not know how or why you have yet to trigger the transformation, nor why I did not. But for the sake of the hive, you cannot be allowed what you desire.” She came to a stop in front of Firefly and knelt down. “None of us can.”
Tears poured down Firefly’s cheeks. She looked away, to the general she had so trusted. The general that had betrayed her. But on the other mare’s face, Firefly found only confusion and concern.
“I do this, Firefly,” Chrysalis said, “not because I hate you, nor because you have what I could not, but because I love you. A changeling queen is nothing without her children and any queen that does not do all she can to protect them does not deserve the title.” She leaned down and rubbed her cheek along Firefly’s.
“Please. Don’t take him! Please!”
Chrysalis drew back and closed her eyes. “I know your pain… and I am truly sorry.” Eyes still shut, she tilted her head forward and Firefly felt the clack of the queen’s horn against hers.
A flash of green filled her vision and everything went dark.
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NEW CHAPTER!
...
Okay, now time to read it.
cliffhanger agggggggggghhhhhh
guess that's one more thing to look forwards to!
this is great!
Gotta love the lies told to keep control. I honestly doubt they all starved to death, those changelings who loved ponies back.
But, we'll see! Honestly, I am just excited to see a new chapter :D
Welp.... That was ominous...
We'll see if Chrysalis is lying...
Yeah, I believe maybe half of what Chrysalis is saying there. Even if we didn't know her to be, well, her? There's some stuff that just doesn't jive quite right. Though it's very interesting she knows about the Changedling transformation at this point in the timeline.
Woo!
11777085
Cliffhanger! Oh no!
I'm really glad you like the chapter, though! The next will be up soonish... ish!
11777091
11777122
We shall see indeed.
11777153
Changedling reveal! And other stuff.
I'm v curious, though. What were all the things that didn't jive? Chryssi is Chryssi, so obviously there's going to seem like some things, but what set off your red flags?
Does Thorax appear in this story?
I'm finding myself hoping that Crysalis is lying about changelings dying. I'd be more inclined to think, hope, that they'd no longer need the hive and the Queen would become redundant.
11777187
One thing that struck me was that if she truly loved that pony she wouldn't have so readily drug them back to be used as some kind of living love battery.
Her personality is that of someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. In other words, she's no ordinary narcissist. She'll say anything to get what she wants.
As for the idea that Lings have learned to love before, I can see that happening. And I can see the Queen quelling the uprising by killing all who dared.
11777187
For starters, the "I've been through what you're going through" is very, very suspect. It's not impossible but it screams as suspicious.
Yay another chapter!
Interesting that Chrysalis already knew about the rainbowification process; I wonder if the deaths from starvation were lies, or if there was some other factor that allowed them to live later.
I swear that I read this concept in a other fic somewhere on the site... either that or I am having Hella creepy Deja Vu...
I do hope Firefly and the others don't become rainbow changelings. I like my changelings how I like my coffee: black.
"Spindle’s tails" -> "Spindle's tail"
"she longed for the Hoofington’s cells" This reads a little odd to me. I know the article "the" is for "cells", but it reads as "the Hoofington's". Perhaps there's a better way to reword this?
Just a minor nitpick; in all official show material, the spelling "griffon" is used. https://mlp.fandom.com/wiki/Griffons
My thoughts: Queen Chrysalis could be lying, or if she's not lying and those changedlings really did die in the way she described, maybe something went wrong, and the way we saw Thorax and crew do it in the show was somehow different; done the right way.
11777228
Remember, we're just after the beginning of Season 2 at this point in the timeline. Thorax doesn't appear until Season 6.
11777446
I'm also wondering if the ponies have any record in the history books of this happening (in Azure's AU). At least Celestia would know about it, right? So she might be trying to lead things toward getting the "changedling reformation" to happen again by the time of Season 6.
11777446
You would indeed be correct that I'm not the first to have such an idea. I don't remember the name, but there was a short fic about this very thing several years ago.
11777469
Don't worry. Magical moose beetle crayons mean certain death. Chrysalis herself said so.
11777383
Of course they're lies. Chrysalis is a tyrant that hungers for conquest. She needs an army to do that, and she's twisted the old addage about an army running on its stomach. By keeping the changelings perpetually starved, she further removes any sense of morality because she artificially creates an "ends justifying the means situation". The minute changelings catch wind that they don't have to conquer or deceive to get the sustenance they need. She doesn't have an army to fight for her.
Aaaaah yes! New chapter!
Kinda expecting Firefly to revolt and rescue Fine Roast soon. The lovebirds deserve to be together and live a happy life!
Can't help but suspect that Chrysalis is also attempting to drive Spindle (will she still be Bobby Pin?) and Firefly apart. Those guards could've overheard the conversation too.
ouch. This is about what i was expecting to happen but i wasn't expecting it to hit that hard. Glad you don't pull your punches still.
I'm glad to hear we'll get more frequent updates at least for a little while.
Less then three!
"She couldn’t keep the tremble from jaw and felt"
"She couldn’t keep the tremble from her jaw and felt"?
"A legend among the Land of Second Chances."
"A legend among the ponies of the Land of Second Chances."?
"Firefly laid back in the cell bed"
"Firefly lay back in the cell bed"?
"As harrowing a day that it was, she longed for the Hoofington’s cells."
"As harrowing a day as it was, she longed for Hoofington’s cells."?
"a far cry from the prison or its halls"
"a far cry from the prison or the hive's halls"?
"It had come to my attention"
"It has come to my attention"?
"Firefly eyeridges did furrow"
"Firefly's eyeridges did furrow"?
"I thought you may appreciate"
"I thought you might appreciate"?
"to see such comradery between collectors"
"to see such camaraderie between collectors"?
"for the ‘cronie’ that I am"
"for the ‘crony’ that I am"?
"Were the lesson to be kept, and its meaning ever twisted or forgotten, our hive may end as we know it."
"Were the lesson to be lost, or its meaning ever twisted or forgotten, our hive as we know it might end."?
Well, some interesting developments/revelations there! Thank you for writing!
(And aye, the chapter art was nice, I thought. :))
Ah, congratulations on meeting the NaNoWriMo goal!
And I hope you also have a wonderful holiday or non-holiday of your choice. :)
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You might have a point, but it seems to be in conflict with the vibe this story is going for.
11778234
Unless the author wants us to view Chrysalis more favorably, and then yank the rug out from under us.
11778234
11778278
The only thing I shall say is that chapters are narrated from and colored by the character’s point of view. Including chapter 10.
11778290
One of the characteristics (benefits? drawbacks? I'll keep the noun neutral) of third-person limited subjective POV.
I wouldn't have it any other way for this story.
11778168
Thank you for the corrections and suggestions! There were definitely some oversights there along with a few word uses that could have been better phrased.
I'm glad you found the chapter interesting. A lot of work went into making this what it is. There were a lot of subtleties and nuance that had to be juuust right, especially for the lore spoken between the lines.
11778089
There were no punches to be pulled here! In my opinion, this was one of the most important chapters, which meant it had to be very impactful. It's the one that sets the true conflict into motion, and only 140K words in!
Less than three to you too!
Chrysalis is spreading lies I see
11780142
I'm going to try to slowly start to get artwork of the new pony characters in Unending Love. It started when I initially wanted to commission StellarDusk to create some artwork related to Them's Fightin' Herds, but that didn't shake out, so I decided to start on Unending Love characters instead. Once I have enough, I'll post a group of them on Derpibooru.
11778653
Thanks. :)
"I'm glad you found the chapter interesting. A lot of work went into making this what it is. There were a lot of subtleties and nuance that had to be juuust right, especially for the lore spoken between the lines."
I'm not sure just what's going on, but something clearly is, aye! At least one something.
Interesting. Wonder if the rainbowfied can't intake in disguise anymore. Chrysalis did emphasize that they remained hidden. We as readers have meta-knowledge of Thorax's hive being fine, but they're in the open.
Interesting. So the question: Is Chrsyalis lying, or does she genuinely care for her hive and is just working off bad information? Or maybe it's a different author canon, but that doesn't seem like what's going to happen here. Or maybe it's that the rainbowlings were transformed instead of going about revealed like in canon? Maybe they can't feed while transformed, or the transformation saps their lifeforce in that form and they couldn't transform back to recover? or something like that. Either way, I'm excited to see where this story goes
I started writing this comment like last week, but I didn't finish it in time for the next chapter, so since I figured some of the theories I'd write would end up being proven wrong immediately I'm holding off on reading it before posting this. Thank you so much, I've rarely been this invested about an ongoing story before
Lots of interesting things here! Before I theorize, I gotta say, way to pull the rug from under our hooves with the progression of the chapter, with Firefly feeling more and more hopeful up until the confrontation with Chrysalis, where it all comes crashing down. It was previsible, yet somehow it took me by surprise. Really felt my heart sinking with Firefly's there. Dreadful. I love it.
Not gonna lie, I didn't expect the skittlebugs to get involved- I figured we'd keep with the old bugs, since it seemed this story was keeping with the themes and spirit of the pre-2017 ling fics. We'll see where this goes. There isn't a lot of information on the subject yet, anyways.
I also have to disagree with a lot of the other comments about Chrysalis there- while I agree she's hiding or keeping some of the information, I don't believe she's being nearly as nefarious as other comments would suggest. Withholding information, certainly; but I don't believe she's doing it for her own personal gain or influence over the Hive. Chrysalis has previously shown to be concerned with the well-being of her subjects (to a degree) and foals (be they nymphs or pony foals, and her POV chapter didn't seem to imply she was particularly self-absorbed. The way I see it, either Chyrsalis is purposefully lying to Firefly in order to manipulate her into action, or she has herself been lied to. I don't think the skittlebugs have 'died from illness', but I could certainly see her predecessor, who I believe has been implied to be more reclusive and less concerned with the wellbeing of her subjects, to deal with a perceived threat to their rule by killing the skittlebugs, or forcing them to flee out of Hive control (in which case there may be a rogue Hive of skittlebugs who have rejected Hive authority; Firefly mentionned in an earlier chapter that a new Queen is chosen upon death of the previous one, but I wonder if the same could happen if the Queen and her authority were rejected by a group of changeling; could that group form a separate hive?)
(As an aparte, perhaps this is what triggered the change: changelings rejected the authority of their Queen and a new Queen was chosen among their ranks; but since Firefly has never forsaken her hive, her family, then she hasn't changed colors.)
Speaking of Chrysalis, and I fear this could also be due to a skewing of our POV characters having sympathetic views on ponies, but I feel like there is some kind of generational divide between her attitudes towards ponies and that of her children. Spindle doesn't understand why the Queen would detain a pony that would let themselves be fed on willingly, Elytra is confident in Firefly's chances to convince the Queen after hearing her story (despite likely never having met a pony outside of a cocoon), Skitter is more hurt that Firefly lied to her at all than about her having commited treason. Chrysalis sees ponies as a natural, inevitable, threat, to her and her children, in a way that nothing and no one can affect. If her dialogue with Roast is to be taken into account, it seems she's resigned to this inevitability, to the tragedy of it all.
That's why I believe she's not being deceitful here, too; her 'explaination' makes too much sense with her monologue to Roast. She believes what she's saying, that cohabitation would kill every changeling that tried it, and that is why ponies and changelings cannot be allowed to live together, for her own good.
This is also causing me to believe that at least some of the stuff implied in Unchanging Love is no longer canon, but this might be me reading too much into some UC lines and confusing the thoughts of a lovestruck Firefly with a glimpse into the larger changeling opinions towards ponies.
Some closing thoughts on that last scene:
Since Chrysalis is letting (a confused) Elytra witness this scene, then she's likely training her to be her successor (especially since she mentioned knowledge of the Skittlebugs had been given to her by the previous Queen in confidence).
That, or she's trying to get Elytra to betray her, but I don't see how that could help her right now.
Maybe there's a third reason to keep her her there even as she dismissed the other advisor and everyling else.
11799199
Let me first say that I very much appreciate these long, thoughtful comments. There's a ton of meat in them and I rue the fact that I can't even respond to most of it lest spoilers get involved.
This is the thing I've been waiting for someone to recognize since chapter 15 went up. POV chapters are always narrated in line with how the character thinks and what they know. Just because the show made her a megalomaniac in later seasons doesn't mean my Chrysalis is already on the same path.
Not to be that author, but it was actually implied the opposite. Her mother was more reclusive in the sense that she didn't want to disturb the status quo. However, Chrysalis lamented the fact that her mother had little trouble relating to her children, whereas Chrysalis struggles quite a lot.
There is a tiny nugget in this chapter that sheds a little light on this. Chrysalis: "My mother, my queen at the time, had yet to add the lesson you collectors now laugh and scoff at. It was taken for granted at the time, and for many centuries before, that changelings did not lay with ponies."
As much as I want to deny it... this has a small amount of truth to it. Unchanging Love was written as an exercise rather than a multi-book lore-fest. Unending Love was written as close to the lore in Unchanging Love as it could be, but there are definitely a few things I've kind of hoped readers forget happened. Some, like yourself, won't and I have to accept that. So I guess I'll go ahead and say that the lines
from Chapter 6 of Unchanging Love were more... Firefly making things up to scare Roast off. There's kernels of truth in it, but it's more or less just her bristling.
I've read through your comment three times to find anything else I can reply to without spoilering in one way or another, yet I have found nothing. There's so many interesting theories you've got. Some may be correct, some may be far off. But ain't gonna tell which or how many.
I hate you Azure. 😭