CH 56 (board set anew)
Celestia
I let a powerful yawn escape my lips, followed by a shudder as a cool breeze ran over my fur. Decorum wasn’t anywhere near my mind since the courtroom was currently empty of ponies… well, ponies that weren’t part of my castle staff anyway.
Spring is the season that made court work manageable, substituting four grueling hours (five days a week (barring Restday and Sunnyday)), for an hour or two a day. Most ponies like to indulge themselves during estrus season and that includes nobles.
This means less time arguing nonsense proposals with uppity nobles, and more time dealing with work that actually matters. There are other days, or weeks that could be used the same way, but estrus season is something that is assured. I don’t have to guess about that.
I giggled at a brief memory when I was discussing the topic of ‘heat’ with Patchwork. There wasn’t any innocent stuttering on his part, but he had this ridiculous notion that the entire country froze during springtime. Not the first time he had such silly ideas.
‘I wonder how changelings go through it? Dicty never mentioned it in the first place.’
Shaking off stray thoughts I refocused back on the parchmentwork in my magic, using the free time I have to sort out as much as possible while still being available for those that needed me.
“Hmm… One more of these…” Smiling I separated the parchment in front of me and set it with several others on the side, “Patchwork will be glad.”
While there are plenty of nobles that looked at the changeling situation as a means to quick bits, the majority of them have, thankfully, seen a potential ally that needed a helping hoof. Even fewer of them, however, showed just how generous our kind can be with notable philanthropists like lord Silky Pants providing donations in various ways.
The large interview he did months ago (along with several smaller ones I managed to convince him into) managed to paint changelings in a much grander light than I was hoping for, pulling on the heartstrings of ponies with fantastic success.
“And another one,” I sighed putting a parchment onto a small pile next to me that will be addressed as soon as possible, either by myself, Shield, or one of my advisors.
Just because many saw changelings as an abused race that needed help, there are always going to be outliers.
Some of the old noble houses, ones that are aware of changelings and their misdemeanor, have made it abundantly clear that the race of bug ponies is not to be trusted, even with Patch leading the charge. Thankfully, their number barely rose above five, but two of those houses (house Platinum and house Hurricane) are the ones leading the other smaller houses into a prospecting frenzy.
So far I have managed to keep them at bay until changelings settle into something resembling a functional society, but I will need to make a move on that chessboard sooner rather than later.
“Maybe I SHOULD schedule a meeting with Chrysalis…” I gently tapped the side of my chin with the writing feather I held in my magic. Frowning I took a small piece of parchment that I kept next to me for personal notes and wrote down a memo, “If I contact Patch I’ll be able to sort it out much faster,” I whispered mostly to myself.
Opening and closing of a door, along with a soft clop of hooves on my left got my ears to twitch.
A quick glance revealed a tired-looking Shadow Step making her way toward me while barely keeping her eyes open. Ever since her promotion a couple of months ago, she had a bit of a hard time adjusting to the amount of work. Shaded Wing made sure to help her out as much as possible, but he left Canterlot last week for Hollow Shades. According to him, his successor was ready to fully take over on her own.
“I take it there is a message that requires your own touch, Captain?” I smirked at her disheveled state. Her ‘shift’ did not start for another six hours, noon being a time of day I rarely saw her awake for.
She isn’t in her armor which allowed her dark blue, almost black fur to stand out even more against the white marble surrounding her. Her mane was a lighter shade of blue, along with her short tail, and while normally she wore her mane in a tight bun this time she had it held together by a band.
Her lithe frame is a complete contrast to my wife’s bulk, with taut muscles barely visible under the fur due to the colour of it, and mostly obscured by her membranous wings.
Without the armor her cutie mark is visible, but only a part of it; a single, large, bright blue thestral wing. Underneath the wing, hidden by her own fur is a barely detectable silhouette of a pony, sitting under the protection of the wing.
“I’m afraid so, your Highness,” She sat down at the bottom of the stairs leading up to my dais. She tried and failed to stifle a yawn before shaking herself awake, “It’s not particularly bad, but I would like to discuss it with you before I do something stupid.”
Raising my head from my parchments and catching the eye of the guards at the main door I gave them a quick sign with the wave of my wing to make sure we aren’t disturbed for a few minutes.
“Right then, Shadow, what is on your mind?”
It took her a second to realize I asked her a question.
“Yes… Well… What do I do about Patchwork’s security? I have pulled Silent Drop due to illness, and I haven’t assigned anypony, as per your request,” She straightened up slightly, finally waking up enough to keep herself from looking like a… what do they call it? A zombie?
“And, more importantly, your Highness, I got a notice from my shadows that several other races are starting to send their feelers into the changeling territory.”
Sighing I started to rub at my forehead with a hoof, “It was just a matter of time. I’m surprised they didn’t do so already. Do you have anypony that can work with changelings while providing protection for Patch?”
“I’m afraid I do not,” She shook her head, “Silent was on short notice as it was the first time around. Anypony else we send would be new, for the lack of a better word.”
Chewing on my lips I ran over the options in my head.
The other races looking at the happenings in the Badlands were expected. It was precisely why I requested Shadow to keep an eye on them so we could know when to act. Hopefully Patch and Doctor White Light have made some reasonable progress into the pods. If we could start returning creatures to their homes it would be a good step for changelings on the world stage.
‘Guess I will definitely have to meet Chrysalis.’
“Let’s see…” I put the parchments I still held in my magic to the side and lifted up my little note list, “Abyssinians, Minotaurs… Ambassador Hightalon should still be in Canterlot so that takes care of the North Provinces… Queen Novo usually doesn’t care about happenings outside but I doubt Husk never took any of them. Kirins? They almost never leave their little village. Deer? Even worse, they won’t even care...
“Thank you for the notice, Captain Shadow. Please ensure that your shadows keep an eye on the situation in the Badlands,” Step nodded her head in confirmation and I paused with my notes. Patch would look for a friend and not a guard.
“As far as Patch and his protection are concerned, well, for now, we will leave things as they are,” I shrugged with my wings. If what he told me of Chrysalis is true, she won’t let any harm come to him, “I will visit the changelings soon enough and we will look into things then.”
It took her a few seconds to process what I said, but after that, she looked wide awake.
“Are you sure that is a good idea, your Highness? Going there so soon?”
“Do not worry, Shadow. I am not leaving without preparation,” I sighed looking at the long list of meetings I have to look forward to.
“Why don’t you go and get proper rest, Captain? We can start sorting things out once you are rested.”
I watched as Shadow rummaged through her thoughts for a minute before she stood up, nodded, gave me a quick salute, and left the courtroom letting out a yawn on her way out.
“Now then,” I sighed again picking up the parchments with my magic, “Steel Feather?” I called out for one of the two pegasus guards in the room with me. He perked up and took two steps forward, “Would you please find out where Ambassador Hightalon is? Once you find him, and if he’s in the castle, please ask him if he’s willing to meet with me for a chat?”
I received a quick salute as a confirmation and he was out a moment later through the main door. It is just me now and five guard ponies (two of each race being the protocol).
The next document immediately caught my attention before I even picked up the feather.
“Funding request for a project…” I muttered, “By Shield?”
She wants to look into the mega-mana syndrome… I’ll talk to her about it later but for now… Granted.
Patchwork
Letting out a jaw-splitting yawn the moment I opened my eyes meant that, as far as sleep is concerned, I could use more sleep. Not that I needed much in the first place, but when I need it, I NEED it. However there is work to be done, so it’s time to get up.
Hopping out of the resin bed I stretched until a few satisfying pops in my back got me to shudder in relief and delight. My abilities could make stretching a non-issue; however, I like the motion of it too much.
Looking out the green-tinted window I confirmed that it is too early in the morning… like five or six o’clock.
Two weeks now since the incident in the castle and I have managed to pick up a few things from Chrysalis, but also I got to correct several of her issues. Like her habit of trying to deal with everything directly, stretching herself thin.
It took a while for her to accept that she doesn’t need to be present for everything, and that work can and sometimes should be delegated. Something Celestia told me she needed to learn in the early days.
I kind of expected the other lings I worked with to say something about it, but… I kind of did the same thing in the beginning (or similar), with the situation being slightly different. I guess they just like her presence enough not to mention anything.
Thankfully, Spine has been a great help in keeping both an eye on Chrysalis and letting me know when problems try to go around him.
Unlike Keratin, who (while helpful) will fold like a wet towel to a pleading look or a stern request/order Spine is a brick wall. He has asked me on several occasions now to either help his Queen or to stop further issues from springing up (particularly when she starts panicking if a changeling is hurt).
I felt a smile spring up on my face, ‘Two days without her freezing up. Hope it stays that way.’
The smile then just as swiftly left when I looked around the bedroom, making me sigh explosively.
Had to move out today.
The mother and father of the dead changeling would be moving back into their home today and I’ll be moving into a new ‘royal’ room set up in the castle. All of the homes have been fixed and rebuilt and it was time for me to stop avoiding the castle itself. I haven’t spoken to their parents at all though, or even met them directly, opting to send a changeling runner with a letter of thanks and an apology for all the pain I caused them… I probably shouldn’t blame myself for the death of their child, or any of the deaths caused by Husk, but I still feel guilty regardless. And I’ll probably carry that guilt for a while yet.
Snorting and looking around the room I picked up the modified saddlebag I left next to the bed last night.
Inside is everything I own in the Badlands (the parchments containing my notes and reports have already been moved), which did not amount to much in the first place: the phone, books, the a-m ring that I forgot to return, Luna’s bracelet (ditto on that one as well) and a resin jar containing the still wiggling chunk of castle that I turned into resin during the fight with Husk.
I was, and still am, surprised that they gave the thing back to me in the first place instead of studying or experimenting with it. If nothing else I expected them to return the chunk back to the castle and fix the hole that’s probably there but nope; it’s mine and mine alone.
Scurry is the one that ‘returned’ it to me about a week ago, so at least that tells me that something was done with it during that time, but since I don’t want to bother the bug about it, I don’t care. I’m of course not stupid enough to just start using the resin blob again without testing it… which I will do at a later date. There are a few experiments that I want to run on my body with it and I need a place where I can do it in secret.
Leaving the dome and closing the door behind me I made my way towards the castle on foot. I could fly, but looking above all I can see is a swarm of lings buzzing about.
Celestia is coming for a meeting in two days with myself and the Queen; mostly Chrysalis, but if I’m not present when she arrives I’ll be fairly miffed.
Due to that, everything is sent into overdrive… again, in order to get the place ready for a Royal delegation of ponies. Supposedly some ambassadors from other races would be coming as well. I have made myself abundantly clear how bad of an idea that is, but I was shut down by an overly enthusiastic Chrysalis.
‘Yup… start of the day, start of a headache,’ I frowned. The pods are, thankfully, sorted out and the ponies that have helped us with them will stay until Celestia comes. Then… I don’t know what the other nations will do. Hopefully, they will just take their people back without raking us over the coals or attacking us outright. I am fully expecting that they will request compensation, Tartarus I would be surprised if they didn’t, and I have told Chrysalis as much.
She refuses to drop her optimistic attitude, however, and while I think bursting that bubble would probably be better I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Whatever the case may be, the royal visit would be a test for everyone, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. I did NOT study for this test and I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to be grilled by strangers.
Taking a deep breath I let it out slowly through my mouth. I just need to push through just a little while longer and then I’ll, hopefully, be able to go back to something resembling a normal life, even for a little bit. I fully intend to spoil Velvet rotten when we both get older as a prince of changelings, but until then I want to have a normal house, a normal job, and a normal family… or at least a close approximation of it.
Coming under the shade of the castle’s ground entrance I sped up only taking the time to recognize the four salutes I was given with a nod. All three main entrances are continuously in use by changelings preparing the town for the visit, there is no need to linger any more than necessary.
The moment I stepped through into the castle I spotted Mantis, sitting near the entrance, who waved me down with a buzz of his wings.
“Patch!” He raised his voice, waving his head towards the small tunnel a few meters on his left, “This way.”
“Hey, Mantis… You my guide for today?” I smiled at him but he did not return it. He has been rather dour lately; probably due to his sister leaving a couple of days ago.
“Yeap. Since you rarely used this castle we thought you might not know where to go,” He twitched his ears twice up and down in a form of a shrug.
“Yeah, sorry, but I’m still not comfortable with this whole prince thing. I would be perfectly fine just, living in a house, you know.”
“I know. The Queen said that you may leave sometime in the future to live your life out in normalcy,” I walked slightly behind him, allowing him to lead me to the location of my room.
“I’m guessing you don’t approve? I’m not leaving forever you know?” We turned right, heading deeper into the castle.
“A few of us don’t approve. I really don’t see what’s so special living the life of a normal ling, so I’m guessing you are doing it for Velvet, or something similar.”
“You forgot I wasn’t always a royal or a changeling?” I raised an eye ridge even though he couldn’t see it. A brief pause in his walk told me that he has, indeed, forgotten.
“There are plenty of lings out there that would give their very core for the life you could lead here, Patch,” He looked at me out of the corner of his eyes and I couldn’t help but agree.
“I know. And I am fairly sure that most of them would have given up that position when they see the amount of work that needs to go into it,” I chuckled and I could just barely see his mouth quirk upwards from my vantage point.
“True, true…”
We walked in a silence that bordered on awkwardness for about a minute until we reached a fairly large single door with two changelings sitting on either side of it.
“Here we are, Patch,” Mantis sat down not far from the door, pointing at it with a hoof twirl in a very theatrical fashion that made me smile.
“I know the castle itself may be a bit confusing at first, but you’ll get used to it quickly, I promise,” he went very quiet after that, lowering his head and looking at the floor as if it had the answers he needed.
Deciding to give him a bit of space to think I walked to the door, opened it with my magic, and dropped the saddlebag inside without even looking. I’ll have plenty of time to look it over later.
“So what’s on your mind?” I asked once I approached him.
Raising his head he looked at me like he just saw me for the first time, and with a small twitch, he returned back from his mental journey. Looking at the floor again I saw him whisper something before looking back at me again.
“Would…” He looked down and then up at me one more time, “Would you be okay if I left for Equestria for a while?”
“Why… would I not be?” I asked with a decent amount of confusion tinting my words, “I am guessing it has something to do with Dicty leaving, right?”
By his wide-eyed stare, I assumed he expected a negative answer. Why would I say no to his, sort of, request, I have no idea.
“Yeah, kind of,” He got very quiet again for a few seconds before speaking again. I had to perk my ears really hard to hear him, “She… did not take the whole… she…” He took a deep breath and spoke up, “She told me that I am always welcome in her home. I don’t think she is ever coming back here again, especially after the last incident.
“I want to fix our relationship. I said some horrible things to her when she left the first time and this time… I didn’t say anything.”
“You want to make it right. That’s perfectly okay, Mantis,” I nodded my head for emphasis. Craning my neck and looking over to the right I could just barely see the corridor we used to get here. If I were to turn left when leaving the small hallway leading to my room I would be able to reach Mother’s room in less than ten seconds, “I am sure that mom would have no issues with it either. When do you plan to leave?”
I could see the gears turn in his head, “Next week? I’m not sure actually. It feels like I would be intruding on her.”
“Well, if what you told me is true then from where I’m standing it sounds like she is hoping for you to come over. I say, go for it Mantis. Family is important…” This time I looked down, hoping to see some answers that I knew I wouldn’t receive. My chance to say some things was taken and replaced with regret. I met Velvet, Celestia, Shield, and Night Light… but…
I could feel a small hoof being placed on my right shoulder causing me to look at the changeling next to me. The light frown he had on his face for the last couple of days has changed into a worried look and his eyes showed compassion.
Raising my left claw I gently pat his hoof before I straightened my saggy posture. I didn’t even notice how low I slumped.
“I’ll be fine, my friend. But you shouldn’t waste the chance. That’s my expert opinion,” I smirked at him.
…
Entering my room after saying goodbye to Mantis the first thing that I noticed was that it is of similar size to Chrysalis’s, with the only difference being a divider wall on the left keeping my bed hidden from sight.
Other than the bed there is a wardrobe across from it, with a small nightstand right next to the bed. The rest of the room contained a low square table with three pillows under it hugging the divider wall, and a desk with a decently sized chest next to it on the far right. The entire room is lit by several glow crystals hanging from the ceiling with a soft white light (something lings were confused with, they thought I would use green light for some unknown reason), and on the walls themselves there are several rows of empty shelves. One day I’ll fill them all with books and memories.
Other than the pillows the rest of the furniture was resin based and if I ever brought Velvet over for a visit I would imagine she would go to town with a paintbrush and I wouldn’t blame her. Green is a nice color, but there is too much of it here, even with the off-white walls of the new castle replacing the grey, black, and green of the old one… mostly black though.
Taking a few minutes to look the room over and check that everything is in place (including the parchments that have been placed in the chest) I unpacked the saddlebags and threw myself at the bed hoping for a nice nap without a damn alarm clock waking me up.
I had a meeting later in the day with Spine in regards to training and security reports but until then I had plenty of time.
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Somewhat quiet chapter
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A calm before a new storm if I were a betting type.
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I mean, Celestia is coming, and there's a good chance that ambassador will tag along
Looks like we are missing a 'p'.
Restoration of a King/Queendom and the civilization of a entire race will take time. Lets hope others don't do to stupid things, until they can archiving stability by themself or help of Sunbutt.
Estrius season? Would it no be slowly time conceive a certain shield bearing unicorn colt?
Patchwork really needs more protection, there is always a retarded overfunded idiot trying to pull something.
I wonder if you'll make Patch's non-changeling origins common knowledge among the changeling populous. It'd be neat seeing changelings gawking at his weird psychology like 60 years down the line, or something.
Wait, Celestia is bringing all the ambassadors at once? Oh dear, the chaos will flow!
Eyyy, we forgot about the resin giblet! Such untapped potential to someone who has science and technology on the brain.
Still think that a changeling can be a potentially better alleviation to what's-her-face condition. It may not even need an attendant ling, if the tech can be invented for it, come to think of it.
Restday and Sunnyday? What is the full Equestrian week?
I am so hoping for some Chrysalis and Celestia shenanigans at Patch's expance. Very nice chapter and looking forward to the next one. 😁
This meeting may shake things up crazy. What if some of the captured creatures were really important?
Poor Patch. He doesn’t want this job.
I’m glad Chrysalis is doing better. Hope Celestia’s wife will be able to make use of the Changeling medical practices.
Great chapter
Thanks for the updates!
Apparently, Celly has a wig instead of a wing. Also, enjoy the new Royal Math, where 2 of each type of pony adds up to 7.
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I need to do a better job when it comes to comments. Typos fixed, thank you.
It's Celestia's fault for not paying the royal scribe enough.
...Is this the quiet, calm chapter before the everything is on fire chapter? Is this the calm before the storm!?