Accepting Change

by drFraud

CH 39 (entering the maw)

Patchwork

“I wish to apologise,” Dicty caught me in the middle of breakfast. Very early breakfast. Other than the two guards patrolling I haven’t seen anyone else awake.

I was sitting at one of four resin tables that were set up in a large room deeper in the cave, with a bag of various berries opened up in front of me. Dicty stood next to me looking at a point in the wall.

“About yesterday?” She nodded, “There is nothing to apologise for, Dicty. It’s not your fault for what queen Bitch-bug did to them.”

“Maybe,” she shrugged sitting down and turning her head to look at me, “but I should have warned/prepared them better for your arrival… Did you even sleep?”

I shook my head, popping another berry into my mouth, “Tried but couldn’t. Kept thinking about that mare.”

“Good morning, miss Dicty… Your Highness,” I turned my head around and raised an eyebrow at Incus. He walked around the resin table I was sitting at and sat down. In his magic was a pink, wobbly sphere of diluted liquid love. He separated the thing into three smaller balls and offered one to each of us.

Igniting my own horn I took a tiny piece of my sphere and pushed the rest back to Incus. He took it with a surprised look on his face and Dicty took her own with a nod and a ‘thank you’.

“Your highness?” I questioned.

He rubbed his hooves anxiously before answering, “After you left yesterday I felt bad for not helping you with the situation… And after you asked to be left alone I thought I should do something,” With his magic, he took a small blob of love and brought it to his mouth.

“And that something meant calling me…” Incus raised his hoof and I stopped waiting for him to swallow.

“I gathered up a bunch of us and we all had a chat… Chrysalis was our leader for a long, LONG time, but she… well… let’s just say that she left a lot to be desired…” Taking another ‘bite’ of his meal he continued, “Then you show up out of nowhere and immediately offer us food, severely draining your magic. You comforted Shelter, organised more guards to come and help keep us fed and safe while at the same time you are on your way to confront Chrysalis in order to make a better future for us.”

I was feeling slightly embarrassed about someone else listing things off like that, I just did what was right. Turning to Dicty I noted that she was looking at me while literally slurping on her own love ball.

“You could have stayed in Canterlot,” I turned back to Incus, “you could have fled Equestria, you could have gone and killed the queen without even bothering with us…” He shook his head sadly, “Any way you did more for us than you had any right to, we just thought that… well… if you will be our prince or king in the future, we may as well accept you now.”

…

I left for Badlands in a better mood after a quick chat with a few more lings that found me while I waited for Mantis and Drop to wake up. Even Shelter came to say a fearful but genuine ‘thank you’ and I got to boop the two nymphs on the nose before we left.

Just before our small team left Celestia sent us a note that a few more guards will arrive in three days, so that was another weight off my shoulders.

The weather was nice and sunny, the sky was clear, and all three of us were flying over the rock formations that made the barrier protecting the Badlands from the worst of the desert’s elements. Thanks to that shield of mountains, canyons, cliffs, and hills, the area once just as green as the rest of Equestria didn’t turn into the desert like San Palomino.

We didn’t chat much as I spent most of the time zipping around and exploring the crevices, finding goats (they didn’t talk), sheep (some talked, AND we got directions) and various other types of animals that I eagerly practised my shapeshifting on.

After four hours of straight-up flying, we took a break, ate, and chat about the work Mantis and Drop did, I was curious.

I reminded myself that there was an easier way to enter Badlands but with the detour… oh well.

“You know…” I poked one of the sheep we were passing by while walking up the mountain, “I could have shifted into a big bird again and carried us over.”

“We agreed that you need to save your energy,” Silent said after gliding over next to me, “now stop poking the sheep, we are almost at the edge.”

It took us six hours altogether to reach an area from which we could enter the barrier. Raising my head I looked behind me at the tip of the mountain looming over us while Mantis buzzed above me.

Blinking twice and cursing myself for not knowing the names of these locations as well as I probably should I shook my head and ran after my two comrades. We would have to walk another hour but soon we would…

‘Damn… I think I’m actually getting scared now.’

…

Looking over the entirety of Badlands from our vantage point was both depressing and exhilarating. It reminded me of the first time I look upon Equestria from the Canterhorn mountain.

The landscape itself had its own jagged beauty, but it was obvious that almost nothing in terms of vegetation grew there. Or at least, nothing immediately visible.

There were some splotches of green near the border with Equestria and a line where the Badlands began, almost like a border where suddenly green wasn’t allowed. And there, still visible even from where we are, is the hive castle of the changelings.

Black spires stretched into the sky, with black plates, corridors that looked like tubes, and strange hole-like segments, the whole thing looked like something H. R. Giger made up and it sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t spot any changelings flying around it, even with temporarily improved eyesight.

“The no-magic barrier should be a bit further in,” Mantis landed next to me and Drop, “I suggest we fly a bit closer and walk the rest of the way. We don’t want Silent to, well, drop midway there.”

“I’d like not to fall to my death as well,” She snorted pulling up the enchanted parchment and writing something on it.

I just nodded my head feeling the dread and nerves building up inside me.

Shaking my head and pursing my lips I opened my elytra and jumped with a grunt forcing myself forwards.

“Let’s get to it then,” I heard their wings buzz/flap, “the sooner we get there the sooner we can put this behind us.”

Spine

“He entered the Badlands,” Scurry and I sat down in a small room underground. It took a few weeks to find and set up a place from which the resistance could work from.

A small dome house at the very edge of the residence section was chosen and a deep branching underground system was made. Someling originally picked out a dome house near the castle with the idea that there was no way someling would be that stupid to put the resistance so close to her, but then again noling was.

So far the complex of rooms served for two things, meetings and storage of weapons, armour, food, and other things.

“He? I’m assuming you mean the ascended,” I could hear noise from outside the room, but that was lings picking up and moving things.

I told my brother a few days ago that Chrysalis is closing in on them so the whole operation was being moved to a safer location. Noling is happy about it, especially since they have finally settled in, but it is slowly becoming obvious to most of us that fear of her is greater than our devotion or patriotism.

I couldn’t do anything to slow her down anymore either as she has begun to suspect me, to the point where I have hardly any power as the captain left. My influence was slowly and strategically stripped and I had to either take it or fully reveal myself as an instigator.

“Yeah. He and two more; Mantis and a thestral,” both of our ears perked up when several pings of someling’s magic passed us, but it didn’t feel like it was meant for us so we decided to ignore it.

“A thestral? Do they know about the field surrounding us?”

“I sent one of my faster lings to help them, but they should know about it, both Celestia and I have talked about the field previously and, as I said, Mantis is with them.”

In the silence that followed I listened to the noises outside, occasionally sending short pings to check on the lings around me. Ever since I left the castle I felt like I was being followed but couldn’t find any evidence of it. At least we made some good progress with crystal destruction (we did a few other things, but those crystals were imperative).

Of course, the destruction of the hate crystals has enraged Chrysalis to the point where was foaming at the mouth, and I enjoyed myself immensely watching it, but it became apparent that the nymph gloves were off. Hence, the relocation, for everyling’s safety.

Suddenly my brother stood up, ears perked, head tilted to the side and a deep frown on his face. I tried to follow whatever he was focused on but I was interrupted by a ling entering our room panting heavily.

“Scurry, problem,” She rasped, “two groups of armoured lings are closing in on us. They are definitely coming here!”

“Spine, get out. If they found you here your head will roll,” Both of them ran out of the room leaving me alone.

Taking a deep breath I ignited my horn and opened a portal next to me stepping through and appearing in a closed alley just outside the castle.

The queen wasn’t the only one who could do portal magic, but it wasn’t easy to learn and I'm limited to doing it once a day due to mana requirements. Biting my lower lip I shook off the illusion making my armour visible again and I made my way to the throne room. I need to find out how she found them… was I actually followed? Why didn’t I notice it?

…

“Who told you to make thAT DECISION!?” She screeched at the top of her lungs. The ling she was yelling at was one of ‘my’ lieutenants, Rhinos.

He was a bit of an idiot but with an excellent combat sense, but the only reason he became a lieutenant was his absolute blind loyalty to Chrysalis.

His bright red elytra opened up with a loud buzz as he jumped back in obvious fear, “But, but… I thought that you wanted them captured?” he chittered with a scratchy voice.

“Yes I wanted them captured, but that was AFTER we confirmed their identity and ESPECIALLY AFTER the traitor upstart has arrived!” Chrysalis’s mane billowed and her horn crackled ominously. I was sitting close to the throne so I had to shuffle a bit back to not get hit by a stray discharge.

‘Arrived? Oh-oh.’ I had to let Scurry know as soon as possible. I suspected that she kept an eye on Patchwork, but how did she find out that he was coming so soon? I frowned with my eyes jumping between Rhinos and her.

‘Wait, does she even know that he is in Badlands right now? We may still be ahead here.’

“Now you ruined it, made them retreat, did we even capture their leader? Do we know where their next location is!? Did you accomplish ANYTHING!?” I could feel my chitin vibrate with her power and I swallowed thickly pulling back further away.

Keratin, who was also next to the throne, on the opposite side of me, looked at her with wide eyes.

“W-we… umm… we did capture two of their cohorts… My Queen.”

There was a loud and ominous crack and Rhinos crumpled to the ground, his head twisted at a… disturbing angle and her horn blazing with power.

I looked at the queen with wide eyes and a deep, terrifying pit in my stomach. She never killed. Well that’s a lie, she killed plenty, but those lings were proved traitors that tried to endanger us or foolish challenges to her power. In over forty years that I have served her she never flat out executed a ling for incompetence, she always much rather strip them of power and shoved them somewhere, like digging the tunnels for resources. After all, incompetence in one thing did not mean the lings weren't useful somewhere else… even if ‘somewhere else’ I lethally dangerous.

The guards around the throne room haven’t moved at all but I could see their muzzles scrunch up in fear. A few lings along with Keratin that were in the room with us were also looking at her with mouths open wide.

Noling spoke or moved other than her.

“Weeks of setting things up, almost gone up in smoke,” she sat down casually muttering just loud enough to be heard.

“Spine, bring me those two that were captured, I wish to interrogate them,” there was an air of indifference around her as she casually ignited her horn and with a flash of magic Rhinos’ body started turning to ash.

“My Queen, should I organise some trained interrogators for….” I stopped speaking the moment she turned to look at me.

“What part of ‘I wish to interrogate them’ did you not understand Spine?” She lazily waved her right hoof in the air. “Mind you, my captain, you are already on thin ice as it is because of your failure with dealing with this resistance and now you even failed at stopping this idiot for nearly ruining my plans.”

“My apologies, my Queen, but I wasn’t in the castle when he…”

“And why weren’t you here, hmm?” She raised a left brow ridge questioningly, “No matter, bring me the two captured lings, and Keratin, do make sure he does it.”

“Y-y-y-yes, your Highness,” Keratin stuttered after shaking off his fear-induced shock.

Snorting in frustration I followed behind him leaving the throne room, ‘I have to do something now, too many things have gone in her favour. But what?’

Comments

[KV2 king of the derp]

Great chapter

[tsaukpaetra]

Let's hope some of that shock shook loose the blinders of blind loyalty some have been stuck with.

[Teraunce]

well these have been some nice updates and it will be interesting reading about how a half-changeling Twilight Sparkle will change things later on.

[A.P.O.N.I.]

11310717
At this point, I think it's less loyalty, and more fear.

[GeneraLeeDiscord]

Yep that's a great way to shake up one's loyalty. At this point I'm expecting Chrysalis to get her hoovies on Velvet by the time Pitch even show's up. Even if chronically that shouldn't be possible

[Mister Morden]

Chrysalis has gone full evil tyrant now. Hopefully it affects the loyalty of the changelings.

[Black--Soul]

When fear keeps them following, than they jump to the next opportunity they get. Loyalty is earned and need occational maintenance.
Chrysalis killed infront of a lot of witnesses.
At this point it can be argued that not srchiving the impossible is incompetet by default...
Parasite finaly gone of the deep end openly.

[paladinwolf]

I can almost imagine when they 1st meet...
Chrysalis stops talking and looks up, "I sense a disturbance in the weave... The ascended, he is here." She turns to the throne door with expectation, "Show yourself, pretender!"

The door opens slowly, mist billowing in...
64.media.tumblr.com/5e99338367b2f8de40694ce5ea5859ff/eadf16625d6a798f-0e/s540x810/e9f642f02c0594515290d5e7481c5fd9ee2b4a57.gifv
In a hissing voice, "Hi..."

[Yo Mommy so fat]

Good stuff.

Page-turners be awesome... so long as there are pages to turn.
Why am I doing this to myself? Really should wait for a few chapters to read them all at once.

[Yo Mommy so fat]

11313192
That.

'The Perfect Organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.'

There is only one Xenomorph worth referencing, and it has nothing to do with WarHammer.

[KittyrinnAiko]

“We agreed that you need to save your energy,” Silent said after gliding over next to me, “now stop poking the sheep, we are almost at the edge.”

Poking sheep... must be a Scott.