6. - Crystalling Pt. 2
* * ✹ * *
Spike, the Brave and Glorious, had been having the time of his life.
Marching around with the Crystal Corps ponies was a blast, and since there was no hint of a changeling in their search area, he had cheerfully filled the time regaling them with tales of his heroic deeds and his daring rescue of their beloved home.
But eventually, the stories had run out, and now the silence was growing increasingly uncomfortable. Even the icy, snow-covered wastes were eerily silent that day, leaving only the sound of hooves crunching across pristine snow.
“Spike the Brave and Glorious, you’ve faced evil changelings before. What can you tell us?” the lead guard asked.
It was at that moment that he realized that he didn’t know anything about them that they didn’t already know. Regardless, his reputation was on the line now, and he had to give them something.
“Oh, um… well, they are changelings, so they can… change?”
“Do you hear that? These monsters can look like any of us, so be on guard, Guards! Even more than normal.”
Emboldened, Spike smirked as he continued. “And, they could be anywhere! So we should cover as much ground as possible. You!” He pointed randomly to some of his escorts. “Search that way!”
The indicated ponies took off in a flash. “And you! Search that way!” Spike barked at the rest of the company. “And I’ll… just search here, I guess.” He finished timidly, as it dawned on him that he was now no longer protected. “There’s not many places to hide. Unless that rock is a changeling.”
Steeling up his courage, Spike approached the suspicious boulder, intent on exposing it as the changeling and proving himself a hero once again. “Okay, rock, how do I know you’re really a rock?”
He gave the mound his best death glare, but the ‘rock’ remained perfectly still. “Hmm, not talking, eh? Well you can’t fool me!”
In his head, Spike imagined that kicking the rock would force the changeling back into its natural form, and he could then tackle and hold it down while calling the guards for help.
In reality, the rock was actually a rock, so the kick not only injured his foot, it knocked off his balance and sent him sprawling backwards into the snow. Almost immediately, his landing spot gave way, and to his sudden horror, Spike found himself careening down a long tunnel, with the rock he’d kicked tumbling down right behind him.
On the positive side, the slide was rather short and soon opened up into an enormous cave filled with stalagmites and more snow, so his slide down the tunnel was almost at an end.
But on the negative side, his trajectory was taking him straight to a deep chasm, and he was still gaining momentum, so the end of this ride was going to be extremely uncomfortable.
Before he could consider the imminent experiment with gravitational pulls, Spike faceplanted into a stalagmite, and then held on for dear life as the pursuing boulder crashed by on his left before diving into the chasm with increasingly distant clanks.
With a sigh of relief, Spike took half a second to see how near his near-death experience had been. He kissed the mineral deposit that had saved his scaly self, and stood with some trepidation. “Okay, maybe it’s time Spike, the Brave and Glorious, went back to, uh… protect those guards!” He glanced around the cave and began to walk, unsure if he could go back the way he’d come in and worried that he might be stuck, since the Crystal Corps ponies had no idea he’d gone missing yet.
Movement in the corner of his eye made him gasp, but then he sighed when he turned to get a better look. “Oh! It’s just my reflection.”
It was a bit peculiar that such a clean sheet of ice could have formed all the way down here, but that was something to ponder another time. He moved towards his entry point, but stopped after a couple of steps.
He wasn’t sure now, but for a second, Spike could have sworn that the reflection had remained still while he moved. With a critical stare, he put his hands up, jumped to the left, walked back to the right, and jumped again while pulling a funny face. The reflective surface matched his every move perfectly, so he concluded with just a scratch of the back of his head. “Huh! Just my imagination, I guess.”
He turned and began to walk away, until he heard someone slip and crash into the snow. Turning in alarm, he found his reflection brushing the snow from himself, before noticing that the real Spike was watching his actions.
It only took Spike, the Brave and Glorious, half a second to realize why there would be another Spike in such a remote place. It was also the exact amount of time needed for the fake Spike to be engulfed in blue magic fire and reveal his true self.
“Ch-ch-ch-changeling!” Spike shouted and tripped, but he was back on his feet and making a break for the tunnel as fast as he possibly could. Sheer panic had overtaken his rational thoughts, and even though it sounded like the horrid creature was trying to say something, the drake was too concerned with saving himself to listen.
A quick glance back confirmed that the bug was not chasing him, but in so doing, Spike lost sight of the stalagmite that had previously saved him, and he bounced off of it with a grunt. He staggered back, lost his footing, and fell into the chasm, but after a moment of sheer panic—and a desperate wish to suddenly grow wings—Spike found his freefall halted, then reversed.
“This is unexpected,” he said as the changeling hoisted him up by the tail. Once they were over snow once more, Spike was dropped, and the surprise savior landed in front of him.
“The ice is pretty slippery,” he offered, his eyes downcast. “I wouldn’t want you to get hurt because of me.”
“You… you saved me?” Spike asked.
“It’s okay. I know you don’t want to be friends.” The changeling began to buzz away, but he stopped when Spike called out for him.
“I don’t understand.” Spike spoke his thoughts out loud, in the hopes that, in so doing, he could figure out what was going on. “Changelings are supposed to be evil, right?”
“Evil? Oh, not me.” The changeling touched down again. “All I’ve ever wanted was a friend, from the moment I first split my egg in the nursery hive.” He paused, as if he were remembering the moment, then went on. “I was part of the attack on Canterlot during the royal wedding, but I’d never seen true friendship like that! I couldn’t just steal it and feed on its love! I wanted to share it!”
“Wait a minute! You’re the changeling that helped Prince Baked Bean escape from the hive, aren’t you? Thorax, right?”
Thorax nodded. “I did, but after I helped him, I knew I couldn’t live with my kind anymore. I set off, looking for love to share, but…”
“But what?” Spike prompted.
“I’m starving!” Thorax blurted with an involuntary twitch. “And there’s so much love in the Crystal Empire right now! It’s what drew me here, and it’s driving me crazy!”
“That would be from the Royal Crystalling.” Spike gave a sympathetic pat on the changeling’s cheek. “It’s pretty much a giant outpouring of light and love for a new baby.”
Thorax hissed and snarled at this news, but then he stuffed a hoof in his mouth to stop himself. “Oo! Sorry! I’m just so hungry. If I had a friend, maybe the love we shared could sustain me, but I don’t think the crystal ponies want to be friends.”
Spike thought for a moment, but then brightened. “What if I told you there was somepony they respect and admire so much, he could convince them to give it a try?”
“If only that were true.”
“It is! I mean, I am! It’s me, Spike!”
The changeling’s confused look was not the response that Spike had expected, and he deflated slightly. “Spike? The Brave and Glorious? I’m sure you’ve heard of me.”
“Nope,” Thorax said. “But I was raised mostly in the hive. Canterlot was my first time outside, and I frightened so many ponies. I can’t believe that you want to help me.”
“Why? Hasn’t anypony ever just been nice to you?”
Thorax snarled again, then retreated in embarrassment. “Sorry! Kindness like that kinda brings it out. Do you still want to be my friend?”
“Of course! And I am one hundred percent sure I can get the whole Crystal Empire to be your friend, too!”
That sent Thorax into a foaming frenzy of hissing, and it took him a moment—and both of his front hooves shoved in his mouth—to stop himself once more.
“But maybe I should just talk to them first,” Spike offered sheepishly.
* * ✹ * *
“You know, Pokey-poo, it’s simply outrageous what I do for you and for all of ponykind.” Chrysalis twisted this way and that to take in her complete look in the vanity mirror, and she gave the reflection a smug smile. “I mean, just look at me! The very image of stunning elegance and reserved grace, called upon to make a public appearance before dignitaries and potentates once again.” A tube of black lip gloss was plucked from the selection of cosmetics on the table before her as she spoke, and in one smooth motion, she applied an even layer on her bottom lip, then pressed her lips together several times to ensure an even coating. “Perfect isn’t easy, but it certainly is me.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Chrysalis watched as Hokey Pokey rolled his eyes, but her smile grew when his gaze returned to her. Despite all of his professed annoyance at having to foalsit her during this visit, he certainly didn’t have any problems with enjoying the view, and that was a fact she was going to exploit to the fullest.
“Naturally, when one knows the world is watching, one does what one must,” she went on, snagging several bobby pins with her magic to pull her mane into a stunning updo. “Some minor adjustments, darling, but not for my vanity, of course.”
“Of course,” Pokey replied dryly. “How very thoughtful of you.”
“Aren’t I?” she coyly shot back. “But when all the world says ‘yes,’ then who am I to say ‘no?’ Clearly, the dignitaries that Sunbutt and that Bean have invited are positively starved for a Queen of the highest caliber, and just look how my breeding shows! Woof!” She threw a dramatic hoof to her forehead while using her magic to pluck a large green bottle from the table and remove the stopper. “Sometimes it’s too much for even me!”
“I very much doubt that.”
“Are you insinuating that I am doing this for my own benefit?” she asked in faux surprise. “My dear Pokey-poo! I thought you knew me better than that.” With a grin, she splashed a generous helping of the contents onto her left foreleg.
“Chrissy, everything you do is for your own benefit.” Pokey moved from his position, a confused look slowly coming over him as he approached her. “And what in Equestria are you doing to yourself?”
“What, this?” Chrysalis shook the bottle, placed it back on the vanity, and then grabbed a nearby fluffy towel. “This is me proving my point, my succulent snack. As I recall, you were rather smitten when you found me in your shower, covered with that horrid armor wax. This,” she paused as she briskly rubbed one leg with the towel, “is how I achieve the same look without all of those nasty waxy side-effects.”
The Queen couldn’t hold back a small laugh of delight when she pulled the towel away and admired the results. The all-natural and removable polishing agent she had found had brought her chitin to a glorious shine, and even she admired how the light of the room flared off of her leg. With a hummed note of glee, she quickly ran the towel through the holes in her leg, inspected her handiwork for any missed spots, and then snagged the bottle again to repeat the process on her other foreleg.
“The bigger question I have right now is why you’re doing this,” said Pokey. “We aren’t feeling a bit jealous that the crystal ponies sparkle more than a certain changeling queen, are we?”
Chrysalis stopped polishing for a moment, but resumed with a strained smile and intent concentration on the process “Of course not, although it is a pleasant side benefit. I’m doing this because of you.”
“Hey, don’t try to pin your bizzare motivations on me.”
“Oh?” Pokey had inadvertently walked right into her trap, and now it was time to snap him up. She stuck her nose in the air slightly, and licked the rim of her lips with her tongue. “Then why am I tasting so much delicious lust in the air right now, hmm?”
Pokey’s cheeks turned a bright red, and he stomped away from her with some grumbling, half-hearted denial that wasn’t going to fool anypony, especially himself.
Chrysalis had to laugh at his embarrassment, but she couldn’t help but notice that it was a warm, joyful laugh instead of her usual cackle.
Not that she minded how it sounded, or how much she enjoyed how it felt.
“C’mon, lovercolt.” Chrysalis floated the bottle in front of his nose and shook it back and forth a few times. “Since you like what you see so much, why don’t you help me out and start working on my back? Be gentle around my wings.”
* * ✹ * *
“Are you done admiring yourself yet?” Hokey Pokey asked as he donned his helmet. “It’s time to head down to dinner.”
“Must I?” Chrysalis said to her reflection in the mirror, and she twisted so she could flick her tail across Pokey’s nose. “I could just stand here and admire myself all evening long. Or better yet, I could stand here, let you admire me, and then lick up every last drop of love you have.”
“Don’t get any ideas.” Although Pokey could somewhat conceal his blushing under his handsome royal purple coloring when out of uniform, it was impossible to hide any hint of red when he was Royal Guard white, but Chrysalis hoped he’d still try to. He was cute when he was embarrassed. “Remember, if you’re not on schedule, Sergeant Stonewall and the Crystal Corps ponies will beat the door down and haul you away.”
Chrysalis sighed, but she stepped towards the mirror to inspect her mane for loose hairs one last time. “I suppose you’re right. Besides, I shouldn’t keep all of this fabulousness to myself! It simply demands to be shared with the world!”
“Shall we, then?” he asked with an exaggerated motion towards the door.
“So, what’s on the menu for this evening?” Chrysalis asked as she turned and moved to leave. “It doesn’t really matter, of course, since all of your pony food tastes the same to Changelings, but if it’s something extravagant, I can swipe some love from the guests as they enjoy the meal.”
“Curry,” Pokey said flatly, stepping into the hallway where the rest of Chrysalis’ escort detail was waiting. “Nothing but curry for as far as the eye can see.”
Chrysalis stuck her tongue out at him. “Look, if you don’t want to tell me, then—” She cut herself off when an unexpected taste tickled her taste buds, and she sniffed the air.
“Now what are you doing?” Pokey asked with exasperation.
“Shut up. There’s something…” She sniffed again, glanced down the hallway towards the source of the smell, and grinned. “Or, rather, there’s some buggy here that shouldn’t be.”
“The rogue? In the palace?” Pokey gripped his spear firmly as the other guards tensed and glanced around. “How’d it get in here?”
“We changelings have our ways, but don’t you fret, my Pokey-poo. If I expose the little miscreant and deal with him right now, I’ll be an even bigger hero than Spike, the Lackey to Pain in the Butt or whatever his dumb honorific is.” Chrysalis sniffed again, then nodded to a hallway that branched off to the right. “He’s down that way.”
“At least he’s moving away from the dining hall,” Pokey said with some relief. “When we do catch up to him, detain but do not injure. Captain Armor will want to perform a full interrogation.”
“Oh, fine,” she said dejectedly. “Suck all the fun out of my day, why don’t you. At least say I can be there to torture him.”
“How do you know it’s a he?” a Crystal Guard pony asked.
“Easy. He stinks,” she replied. “All males are rather pungent. Even you, Pokey-poo.”
“I do not stink,” Pokey huffed.
“Yes you do. Especially after you’ve worked up a sweat. I never said it was a bad stink, but it’s very distinct.”
Chrysalis suppressed her amusement as she caught Pokey trying to take a surreptitious sniff of his wing pit out of the corner of her eye. She quickly forced herself to focus on the trail. The damaged drone was close, getting closer, and possibly in company with another unidentifiable creature.
“...don’t worry!” A draconic voice carried down the hallway. “Just leave everything to me, and before you know it, you’ll have more friends than you’ll know what to do with!”
Chrysalis stopped, waited, and remained impassive as Spike and a crystal pony rounded the corner in front of her and ran into her chest. The pair stumbled back, but it was the pony who gasped louder, and he retreated behind the dragon with all possible haste.
“Spike?” Hokey Pokey stepped forward and glanced between the crystal pony and the Queen. “Forgive me, sir, but aren’t you supposed to be in the dining hall with the other guests by now?”
“Oh, I… um, I’m not all that… um, that hungry!” His words fumbled out in a most unconvincing manner, and he began to push his partner back slowly with an outstretched claw. “My friend Crystal Hoof here was… uh, was just getting ready to show me around the palace!”
“Show you around?” Chrysalis allowed one eyebrow to raise in suspicion, and she sniffed dismissively. “That will be rather difficult, don’t you think?”
“Wh-why do you say that?” the crystal pony asked with a nervous chuckle. “I’ve lived here my whole life.”
“I very much doubt that,” Chrysalis ripped the disguise away with a casual blast of magic. “Thorax.”
“Gah!” Thorax glanced himself over as the guard detail gasped and brandished their weapons. He then made the most logical decision that could possibly be made at that moment.
He buzzed away as fast as his wings could carry him.
“Thorax! Come back here, you little termite!” Chrysalis was quick to pursue, knocking over her guards and Hokey Pokey like bowling pins as she did so. “It’s your fault that my wonderful plan fell apart! You let that Bean escape!”
“Heeeeelp!” Thorax wailed, his speed increasing as Chrysalis started lobbing magical shots at him. “I just wanted to make a friend!”
“MAKE A FRIEND?!” Chrysalis roared as they both slid around a corner. “Changelings DO NOT make friends! When I catch you, I’m going to take your profit sharing plan and shove it so far up your backside that you’ll be sneezing dividends for a year, do you hear me?!”
Thorax tried to round another corner in a desperate effort to lose his furious Queen, but he mistimed the turn and ended up clipping the edge of the wall, ricocheting off the opposing wall, and hitting the ground with a hard whumpf. Chrysalis was quick to take advantage of his misstep, and with a furious snarl, she tackled him but kept sliding down the hallway, her finely polished chitin providing no friction to the crystal floor to stop her forward motion.
There was another force in the hallway that did bring her momentum to a halt, and she glanced up to see what had stopped her while putting Thorax in a chokehold.
She then swallowed hard as a particular odd male scent that she had discounted at first became horribly obvious.
“Changeling?!” Prince Rutherford bellowed. The half-dozen yaks that were with him all roared with rage at the same time. “YAK SMASH!
“Why me?” Chrysalis had to ask.
* * ✹ * *
“Did you just hear something, my love?” Bean flicked his ears and paused as his gaze moved to something past the hallway to the dining room. “I thought I heard the yaks.”
“I thought I heard something too.” Celestia glanced behind her, her horn lit with magic as the floor shuddered to a distant impact. “Something must have happened. Here, take Apollo, please. I can put up a shield faster if needed this way.”
“Do you think Chrysalis is up to something? It wouldn’t surprise me, but if she is that dumb, the yaks will stomp her flatter than your pancakes.”
“I would like to say that she is not the source of the disruption, but it is Chrysalis.”
“Help me, save me! Help me, save me!” Chrysalis’ desperate cry echoed up the hallway, and half a moment later, the buggy Queen launched herself into the hallway with enough speed to bounce off the opposite wall, with another changeling clamped tightly around her neck. As soon as she caught sight of Celestia and Bean, she made a mad dash in their direction, lept behind them, and repeated her desperate pleas while cowering behind the solar princess.
“Help me, save me!” she begged. “This is no way to treat your guests, Sunbutt!”
“What did you do this time?!” Bean demanded, twisting away from her with Apollo.
“YAK SMASH!”
“Help me, save me!” Chrysalis ducked under Celestia’s ethereal tail, but the Princess quickly moved to both stop the incoming yak stampede and expose the changeling Queen.
“Gentlecreatures!” she called out to the Yak delegation. “What seems to be the trouble here?”
“Yaks find Changeling!” Rutherford snarled. “Yak want to smash! Yak will protect Crystal Empire from evil bugs.”
“We really shouldn't get involved here, dear,” Bean dryly quipped. “We’ll be late for dinner if you hold them up.”
“Not so fast,” Celestia said with a slight glare for her husband. “Prince Rutherford, why exactly do you want to smash Queen Chrysalis?”
“Need reason to smash bug?” asked Rutherford with a puzzled expression.
“Here, yes,” said Celestia patiently. “Did she do anything to you today?”
“She invaded crystal palace with another changeling!” He spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Yes, but other than that, what has she done?”
“Well, she…” Rutherford trailed off, glanced at the other yaks around him, then to Horwitz. “Yaks stop Queen from doing it!” he said with a wide grin as the thought came to him. “Pony Blueblood tell Yaks all about how changelings steal love from anyone, even Yak. Can look like any yak, too. Blueblood say smash any Changelings we see, and now we see two!”
“Two?” Bean turned to face Chrysalis, who was still trying to cower behind Celestia. “I only saw Queen…” He paused when he noticed the smaller bug still clinging to Chrysalis’ neck, and he tilted his head slightly. “Wait. Thorax? Is that you?!”
“Prince Bean?” The terrified changeling slowly opened one eye, looked at the prince, then grinned and buzzed into the waiting friendly hug. “Bean! Hey, it’s good to see you again!”
“What in the name of my wife are you doing here?” Bean pulled back and glanced him over. “You're skinny as a twig. Have you seriously been on the run this whole time?”
“Pretty much. I never thought I’d see you again!”
“Neither did I!” Bean laughed, then threw a foreleg around his shoulders as he turned to the others. “Celly! Prince Rutherford! This is Thorax! This is the changeling who helped me escape from the hive! He’s one of my best friends!”
“Just stomp me already,” Chrysalis muttered under her breath.
“Friend?!” Yona blurted out with bright, excited eyes and a little hop that made the corridor shake. “Changeling save pony from other changelings?”
“Yeah! Thorax, you should come to dinner with us! We can tell them the whole story, and then we can get you set up with a room for the night. I wish I’d known it was you out there!”
“It’s okay, I haven’t been here for very long. Oh!” Thorax twisted and produced a small ream of haphazardly-stacked papers from his saddlebags. “I saved the story you were writing in the hive. I thought you might like to have it back.”
“You saved it?” Bean took the papers and glanced over the top page.
“Of course! I even did some proofreading. I hope you don’t mind. It’s a really good story; I hope you’ll publish it one day. You just need to work on using active voice instead of passive voice, and a few tiny continuity errors, and you use commas too much, and…”
Behind them, Queen Chrysalis began to slowly and deliberately beat her head against the wall. Everypony ignored her.
“I don’t think I want to know how badly I did with this,” Bean interrupted. Apollo had begun to reach for the crinkling paper, making hungry noises. “Anyway, Pollie is getting restless, and we’re running late for dinner. Why don’t we talk about my mistakes after that?”
“Sure! Wow, imagine running into you here, of all places!” Thorax gleefully said.
“So, little bug is good bug?” Rutherford asked.
“Yes,” Bean said. “You can smash the big one if you want to—”
“Hey!” protested Chrysalis.
“—but Thorax is my friend and, now, my special guest.”
“I’ve been on my best behavior,” huffed Chrysalis. “Doesn’t that count?”
“Best is relative,” said Bean. Celestia quietly shushed him.
“Queen Chrysalis was invited to come here as the official representative of the Changelings,” she added. “I would greatly appreciate it if you did not smash her.”
“Fine.” Rutherford said, the herd of yaks around him moaning in disappointment. “No smash.” He paused for a moment and gave Chrysalis an evaluating stare. “Unless Queen deserve it.”
“Now, shall we head to dinner?” Celestia motioned with a hoof, and every creature followed her gesture. Celestia put a hoof out in front of Chrysalis to hold her in place for a moment, and once the crowd had thinned, she gave the buggy Queen a sidelong glance.
“I do believe this means you owe me one,” Celestia quipped with a mischievous glint in her eye.
“Oh, I’ll pay you back. You don’t have to worry about that,” Chrysalis grumbled, her eyes on the ground. “I suppose I should say Th-th-th…”
“Thank you?”
“You’re welcome.” Chrysalis briskly pushed past her just as her honor guard reappeared in the hallway.
“Your Highness!” Sergeant Hokey Pokey leveled his spear at Chrysalis’ chest. “What happened? Are you all right, ma’am?”
“I’m just fine, Sergeant. Stand down, and escort Chrysalis to the dining room.”
“I hope there’s a full bar. I’m going to need something stiff to get through tonight,” Chrysalis muttered.
* * ✹ * *
“Oh, the indignity.”
Chrysalis sourly took in the sights before her, and once again, she bemoaned her fate. Sunbutt, that Bean, the little Bean, Moonbutt, Lovebutt, and Studly were seated at the head of the opulent dining hall, along with the visiting yaks, an ancient griffon and his granddaughter, most likely, Pain in the Butt and her friends, and a few other crystal pony dignitaries. As the Most Royal Queen of All Changelings, she should be seated with them, wining and dining without a care in the world, like royals tended to do.
Instead, she had been firmly escorted to the back of the hall to sit at the ‘little foal’s table,’ forced now to sit between a smelly yakling and a griffon who looked like he’d rather be anywhere in the world but where he was.
And where was Thorax? That little traitor had been given the center seat at the head table! Even now, the traitorous termite and that Bean were regaling the assemblage with the tale of how Chrysalis had cared for Baked Bean and his injured leg, and the miserable little bug was gleefully sharing how he had assisted with that Bean’s escape.
But the worst part? The worst part, by far, was that he was getting all of the love in the room, and he didn’t even have to steal it! It was just flowing to him from the guests, and the idiot probably didn’t even realize what was happening!
“This is cruel and unusual punishment,” she moaned, her tongue darting out for a second to taste the freely-given affection. “I should sue.”
But since lawyers were a type of parasite that even she didn’t want to interact with, Chrysalis was forced to glower, mope, and poke at her stuffed mushroom with a fork while imagining the fungi was really a despised minion of hers.
Or ex-minion, once she got away from the crowd and finished what she’d started.
Out of sheer boredom and desperation, Chrysalis glanced to her left, thinking that maybe she could strike up a conversation with the yakling and provoke some sort of emotional response out of it. The furry beast was giving her an intense death glare, and her eyes narrowed even more when they made contact with the Queen’s.
“Yak smash,” she said in a low, threatening voice while pounding one hoof into the other.
“Well, you’re quite the conversationalist, aren’t you?” Chrysalis turned to her right and glanced at the blue-plumed griffon who did the same to her. “How about you, Feathers? Are you as monosyllabic as your friend over here?”
“Yona’s not my friend, and I don’t have anything to discuss with you either, Highness,” he shot back with a huff.
“Majesty.”
“What?”
“I am a Queen, so the proper address is ‘Your Majesty,’ not ‘Highness.’”
“You’re not my Queen, so I’ll call you whatever I want, Bugbreath.”
His audacity should have angered her, but for some odd reason, Chrysalis found his unmitigated gall stimulating. “So what charming nickname do you have for Celestia and Luna, then?”
“Your Highness.”
“Oh? You’ll give them due deference, but not moi?” she said with faux surprise. “It’s almost like they dumped a pile of bits into your claws once, and now you feel obligated to respect them.”
“Sure, yeah. Let’s go with that.”
Chrysalis leaned back and smiled smugly as she evaluated her prey. Griffons were just too easy to read, and to manipulate. “But I bet you took them and stuffed them in your mattress back home, didn’t you? Just saving whatever bit of gold you can get so you can move away from Griffonstone and never look back, right?”
“What’s it to you?” he asked warily. “Or can you not mind your own business?”
“Oh, I mind my own business. I mind it quite well, actually.” She had him now. Hook, line and sinker. “For instance, did you know that each of my dear little changelings received a seven percent pay increase last year, and a profit sharing bonus that was well over two thousand bits per ‘ling?”
“What?” The griffon’s full attention was on her now. “Two thousand bits? Who’d you steal that from?”
“No stealing. Unless you count reading the markets exceptionally well,” Chrysalis replied with a wide, toothy grin. “I don’t just sit on my throne all day, eating caviar and drinking champagne, you know. As Queen, I am both duty-bound and pleased to do whatever I can to provide for my dear little hive, whether that be finding them love or helping them achieve their financial goals.”
“So, you use bits in the hive, too?”
“Of course. How else would we pay for things?”
“I thought you had some kind of collective thing going. Like a beehive or something.”
Chrysalis scoffed. “That would never work. Changelings are far too greedy. I’m sure you understand that, Mister…?”
“Gallus.”
“Gallus. Changelings, like griffons, are just looking to get ahead in life, to have enough to take care of their needs and maybe put away a little for retirement later. We’re really not all that different, if you think about it.”
“How do you even get bits?” Gallus asked. “It’s not like you bugs go out and work normal jobs.”
“Au contraire. My hive is a self-sustaining economy, with abundant employment and opportunity for all, with availability to education, healthcare, and resources that is second to none. We invest in foreign markets, we have venture capitalists who invest in research and development, and we have a robust legal system to ensure equity and fairness to all.” But mostly me.
“Right, sure.” Gallus rolled his eyes.
“Snicker all you like, but it’s all true. Lovey Dovey Smoochy Land is rich and dynamic, both things that can’t be said for Griffonstone, I’m sure.”
“Okay, then, Missus Know-it-All. What would you do to make Griffonstone better?”
Chrysalis smiled lecherously. “How long do you have?”
* * ✹ * *
“Interest can either be your best friend or your worst foe.” Chrysalis casually draped a foreleg over the back of her chair as she went on. “It never sleeps, never takes a vacation. It’s always there, ever-increasing, unyielding to demands or entreaties that might be made to it. You want to make those bits of yours multiply? Reduce the amount of interest you pay, and increase the amount of interest paid to you.”
Gallus studied the empty dinner plate in front of him for a moment, and then glanced back up. “So, what should I invest in?”
Griffons are such greedy little things. They’d almost make for good employees, if they weren’t so independent and stubborn, Chrysalis thought before going on. “It really just depends on how much risk you want to take. Stock markets can be prone to wild fluctuations, so you can both win big and lose big, and sometimes they both happen within minutes of each other. Pony banks offer certificates of deposit with guaranteed returns, but they’re low yield and can take years, sometimes, to mature fully. Since you’re young, taking a bigger risk isn’t as much of a problem, since you have time to recoup your losses. Griffonstone is an emerging market with many, many untapped resources. It would be exceedingly difficult for our investment group to know just where to put our money and influence to work without substantial research.”
Gallus nodded slowly, but with a frown. “I hate doing homework.”
“But investing in a broad-based collection of new griffon businesses allows us to take advantage of their growth potential without sacrificing everything on one or two failures. We call it—” Chrysalis allowed her teeth to show in a pleased grin “—diversification. That’s how we play the game. Win, lose, or draw, we win. If you don’t like the rules, then either go home or do something to change them.”
With that, a sudden thought came to the Queen, and she pondered over it for a moment. Changelings needed love. The Crystal Empire was chock full of the stuff. If she wanted access to this precious commodity, then she needed to play the game by pony rules, until she could change them herself.
Her eyes then drifted up to Thorax, still cheerfully chatting with the royals around him. Her lips curled up as her latest devious plan came together in her head.
“Attention, everycreature!” Chrysalis stood and spoke in an almost-shout, bringing all conversations in the room to an abrupt halt. “I, Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings, have an announcement to make.”
“What are you doing?!” Hokey Pokey hissed behind her. She ignored him and continued.
“First, I would like to offer, on behalf of all Changelings, my congratulations and well-wishes to Princess Celestia and Prince Bean for the birth of the young Prince Apollo. May you all be happy and receive nothing but the best as you begin this new adventure as a family.”
This pronouncement was met with some scattered applause, and Chrysalis forged ahead with her plan. “Secondly, I would like to formally announce that, at this time, I have selected Thorax to act as our Ambassador to the Kingdom of Equestria and the Crystal Empire.”
“What?” asked Hokey.
“What?!” cried Bean and Celestia.
“WHAT?!” screeched Thorax, who looked like he was about to faint out of sheer terror.
“When I asked to be invited to this Crystalling, I spoke of improved changeling-pony relations, for the good of both of our kingdoms. But this is only the start of what I hope will be a greater collaboration between us. With Thorax here, speaking on behalf and working towards a mutual understanding of Changelings, I am confident we can put any past incidents between us aside, and instead work towards a future that brings prosperity and opportunity for all.
“And so, may I offer a toast!” Chrysalis’ magic hoisted her wine glass into the air. “To Ambassador Thorax, and to the future of our Kingdoms!”
Most of the gathered dignitaries were quick to hoist up their own glasses and join in her toast, including the yaks and the griffons. To Chrysalis’ delight, however, the royal delegation received her announcement with mixed results. Studly hoisted his glass but did not drink. Lovebutt joined but then downed the whole glass in one regal gulp. Pain in the Butt and her friends just glanced at each other with worried expressions. Moonbutt simply mirrored the Queen’s moves without any hint of emotion.
That Bean looked furious, and he didn’t bother to do anything but glare, which was just fine with Chrysalis. But Sunbutt’s reaction was… inscrutable, annoyingly enough. Without even trying, the Princess of the Sun looked annoyed, intrigued, doubtful, hopeful, and playful all at the same time, but there was still the impression that there were a thousand more thoughts and emotions going on behind those magenta eyes that were locked on the buggy Queen.
No matter. Let her think whatever she wants to.
“And with that, I think it’s high time for dessert!” Chrysalis finished.
* * ✹ * *
“Princess Luna?” Corporal Larkspur knocked on the door to the guest chambers, then slowly nudged it open. “Princess?”
“Yes, Corporal?”
“Where are you?”
“Out here. What do you need?”
A soft breeze rustled the curtains over the balcony windows and revealed the nocturnal alicorn, who was framed perfectly in the middle of the recently risen full moon. Larkspur slowly crossed the room as he studied her sparkling, ethereal mane and her soft navy coat, which was reflecting a portion of the moonlight and giving a glowing, almost ethereal look to the Princess. Her penetrating cyan eyes remained on him as he made his way to her, and a soft smile awaited when he stopped and saluted.
“Princess Luna, Ma’am, I have been asked by Prince Bean and Captain Armor to check in on you and see if you are well. With Chrysalis’ troubling announcement at dinner, the Princes are on high alert for some sort of scheme.”
“I see.” Luna turned to look out over the crystal homes, each with small pinpricks of light coming from the windows as they settled comfortably into her eventide. “That was quite the shock, was it not?”
“I thought it was,” Larkspur said softly. “Ma’am.”
“At ease, Lark. You may report that I am well, and that I have seen no signs of disturbance. I shall be most vigilant tonight, if it will help to assuage their concerns.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Larkspur saluted again, made like he would leave, but then stalled and remained in place. Luna turned her attention back to him, and the corners of her mouth twitched up.
“Is there something else, Corporal?”
“No, ma’am. It’s just… Well, it’s a nice night, and I don’t have to report back immediately. Would you mind if I stayed here for a few minutes?”
“It would be delighted to have you stay, even if only briefly. Is there something on your mind?”
“Too much, I’m afraid.” The dutiful guard relaxed and removed his helm. “I don’t know what to think of what’s happened today.”
“Will you share your thoughts with me?” Luna sat next to him, and he huffed.
“I guess I’m just worried about what Chrysalis is up to. She’s caused so much trouble and pain in the past that it’s hard to believe that she’s appointing an ambassador to ‘improve relations’,’” he said while making air quotes with his free hoof. “I’d bet every last bit I have that she’s doing this as part of another invasion scheme.”
“I would not take that bet, if it were me,” Luna said calmly. “Yes, she has done terrible things in the past, but it is not difficult to see that she is not the same Queen that she once was. I do not believe her actions are part of some master plot.”
“You don’t?”
“Please, come sit with me,” Luna offered, and he did so. “I do not. Firstly, consider that everything you have said could be applied to me during my time as Nightmare Moon.”
Larkspur’s gaze went to his front hooves in embarrassment. “This is different.”
“Only because you say it is. Secondly, Chrysalis has been changed by her time among us ponies, and especially by Sergeant Hokey Pokey. She would not do anything that would bring harm to him, or that would ruin the life she now shares with him.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Love.” Luna’s radiant smile lit up the night, and her gaze went to the moon with his. “You know how powerful it is, how it can change our very natures. Chrysalis has felt true love, received from Pokey without coercement and without deceit. Now that she knows what she can have, she will not risk losing it again.”
“Forgive me,” he said as a breeze swept Luna’s long tail around his shoulders and over his back. “But my sister thought she had that kind of love, too. Being madly in love doesn’t magically solve all your problems.”
“I agree. To have a lasting love, both partners must be committed to each other, dedicated and unwavering. They must be willing to sacrifice, to compromise and to listen.”
“All things that Queen Chrysalis has a very hard time doing.”
“Perhaps, perhaps not.” Luna bobbed her eyebrows at him. “But from what I have seen, I am of the opinion that she, in fact, is doing those things. It is just not in the ways that we expect to see it.”
“If you say so,” Larkspur said with a small chuckle.
The two of them sat together in a comfortable silence for a few moments, each content to watch the moon as it slowly continued to ascend into the night sky. Luna’s words had given Larkspur something to ponder, yet he also found that he felt more at peace with what was going on after hearing them.
“Larkspur?” Luna’s tender word gently broke into his reverie. “May I ask you something personal?”
“Of course, Princess.”
“How did you propose to your wife?”
Larkspur inhaled sharply. “I haven’t thought about that since…”
“If the subject is too tender, I understand.”
“It is, but…” he thought for a moment. “I don’t mind telling you.” He paused, but went on when she nodded to him. “We’d been dating for about six months or so. I was still a cadet at the time, working my way through boot camp. I knew I wanted to do something special when I asked her, but I didn’t want it to be something normal. So, I started looking around for somewhere, but Captain Armor busted me snooping around a balcony one night.
“That was when I lost all control over the matter,” he said with an amused snort. “The Captain and all my squad mates hijacked the rest of it. Patience thought I’d been drummed out of the guard for some unknown reason, and Captain Armor had her come to the palace to do a whole interrogation thing, asking her what she knew about me, how long we’d known each other, what she thought of me. Once he was done with that, the rest of my squad escorted her in a parade march to the throne room in full formals, put her on Celestia’s throne, and then allowed me to enter. I proposed to her at the foot of the dais, but she leapt down, tackled me, and said ‘yes’ before I got through with ‘will you.’ Captain Armor then gave his blessing to the union, and we were married nine months later.”
Luna chuckled warmly with him. “A most inventive proposal, indeed. Was my sister aware of these things?”
“I don’t think so. Captain said not to mention it to her, since he was ‘borrowing’ the throne, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she was told beforehand. How about you? How did Star Struck propose?”
“Well, he clubbed me over the head and then dragged me back to his cave while grunting and picking his nose,” Luna replied with as straight a face as she could muster. “Marriages worked differently a thousand years ago.”
Larkspur gave her a playful look. “That can’t be true. I know you booped his nose at some point, just like Prince Bean and Princess Celestia.”
“Indeed. Now that I think about it, I may have a few details wrong.” She stood, and with a gentle tug, she pulled him up and led him towards the center of the balcony. “Let me see. If memory serves, we had been what you would now call dating for about two years. There was much opposition to our budding relationship, especially from my parents, but their efforts to separate us only pushed us closer together. We were here, in the Crystal Empire, celebrating the anniversary of the founding of Equestria. The Castle of the Two Sisters was still under construction, so this was the only location available that could hold such a large gathering. In a rather fitting bit of foreshadowing, I excused myself from the merriment at nightfall, filled with annoyance and jealousy towards my sister and to the ponies who were praising her, as the party seemed to be focused solely on Celestia and all of her work to keep our new Kingdom going.”
“He found me out here, pouting.” Luna paused, glanced around, then nudged Larkspur into a spot just to the side. “I believe he sat exactly upon that stone while I sat here.” She sat in the center. “And for several hours, he listened as I poured out my frustrations to him. Once I was done, he took my hoof in his, smiled, and said ‘Lass, all ponies see the light from where they stand. Celestia burns brightly now, but give it time, and they’ll see what I now behold.’”
“He saw your light,” Larkspur said reverently. Luna nodded.
“He was the first, and it was at that moment that I knew, beyond any doubt, that I loved him. He filled my soul with warmth and peace, and it was then that he told me, come Tartarus or high water, that he wanted to be with me for the rest of his life. We did not exchange rings in those days, so with his pronouncement, we were betrothed, since engagements did not exist, either. We were married three months later, and our first nose boop was shared just as we said our ‘I do’s.’”
“I think your story wins.”
Luna shook her head, but with a smile. “Nay. There is not and should not be winners with such things. Any marriage proposal, however elaborate or simple, is special. Had I been an earth pony like he was, we would have simply agreed to be married, paid the local lord the union tax, and then moved in together as husband and wife. Romance was added during my banishment, much to my confusion when I first returned.”
“Oh?”
“A citizen of Ponyville called out and said he loved me during the celebration that was held in the immediate aftermath of my redemption. I then asked my Sister how long I’d been betrothed to him, and if our wedding would be held on the morrow. It took her some time to explain things to me,” she finished with a light laugh.
“Understandable. I don’t know what I’d do if I suddenly found myself a thousand years in the future, with nothing or nopony familiar to me except for Mint.”
“I would not recommend it. It is very… disorienting.”
A quiet peace came over the pair, and Luna soaked in the serenity as she gazed into his pale gray eyes. Their color was nothing like the golden hue of her beloved Star’s, yet she could see the same devotion, the same tenderness, and the same compassion within their depths.
The similarity was astonishing, despite the vast time between then and now.
“Well, I should probably report back,” Larkspur said reluctantly, and the pair stood. “Once I do, I need to assist the detail assigned to Chrysalis.”
“Of course. Thank you for your time, Corporal. I enjoyed our conversation greatly.”
“I did too.” Larkspur slowly donned his helm, turned to face her, smiled, and saluted. “Good evening, Luna.”
“Fair eventide, Lark.”
* * ✹ * *
Celestia drew in a long, deep sigh as she laid her slumbering son in the bassinet. She took a moment to study his cherubic face. The day had been long, and tomorrow would probably be even longer, so she was pleased that he had gone to sleep so quickly.
“Your life is going to be quite the adventure, isn’t it?” she softly murmured, her hoof gently caressing his cheek. “Just look at what’s already happening, and you’re not even a month old yet. I hope, for your sake, that I can take Chrysalis’ statement at face value, and that Thorax will, somehow, bring about better relations between changelings and ponies. But come what may, I will always be here to protect you.”
Such a statement, however, held very little conviction in it. Instead of comfort, Celestia found that she felt… nothing.
There was no joy in her words, no happiness from her peaceful son. To her dismay, she felt rather disconnected from her newborn, almost like she was simply looking over someone else’s meal while they made use of the lavatory.
She shook her head and turned towards the light coming from outside the room. It had been a long day, and most likely, she was simply tired and needed to rest. A glass of water and a husband to snuggle was surely what she needed, and by the time of the Crystalling tomorrow, she would be back to her normal self.
Provided she could tear Bean away from his project, of course. As she entered the main area of the royal guest chambers, she glanced down and began to tiphoof her way across and around the scattered papers with great care, so as to not disturb Bean’s layout. The author himself was standing near the closed balcony doors, a large stack of papers still in hoof and an annoyed scowl on his face. His eyes flicked up to her as she picked her way over to him, and he huffed as she moved to his side.
“Any luck?” she asked.
“None whatsoever. I have no idea what I was trying to do with this. Most of what I wrote isn’t even coherent, and I can’t even blame Chrysalis. I wrote all this junk before she tried to melt my brain. I mean, look at this.” He grabbed a paper off the floor and began to read. “‘The sky was dark, and the air was cold, and he gripped the spear so tightly that his hooves felt like cheddar cheese.’ What is that even supposed to mean?”
Celestia thought it best to not answer that question.
“And it just keeps going on like that!” Bean swept a hoof over the sea of parchment and snorted. “I don’t think I can use any of this. I’m just going to let you incinerate every last paper here. Staring with these ones.” He shook the small ream he held.
“Why do those deserve to perish first?”
“In this stack is the start of a story where a boy meets a girl, falls in love with her, and marries her,” he began.
“Sounds familiar,” Celestia cut in with a smile.
“Just missing the nose boop.” He bobbed his eyebrows at her and gave her a kiss. “But then, once he’s declared that she is his one and only, the boy proclaims that he must go out into the world for the good of all, leaving his newlywed bride alone as he seeks out meaning and understanding in life. I can’t stand stories that use that plotline, and I refuse to ever write such garbage.”
“Why?”
“Because to me, if you love somepony, you stay with them,” Bean said with deep conviction. “Take us, for example. Once we got married, I could have said that I still needed to ‘find myself,’ and then left you here to run Equestria while I go tromping across the countryside in an effort to be a better chef. That’s stupid. I found myself when I met you, and if I truly and honestly love you, then I should be with you, at your side. If, for some reason, there is something for me to go find out in the wide world, then who better to help me look than my Immortal Beloved? I’ve been apart from you, and I hated every moment of it.” His voice cracked slightly, and the two nuzzled each other. “No. My life, now and forevermore, is with you.”
“I have no doubt about that. You have been at my side through the most severe of trials and tribulations, and I do not believe there is anything that would separate you from me, short of death itself. And,” she leaned in so close that her lips brushed against the fine hairs of his ear, “I will never abandon you, my beloved Bean. I admit I am a sentimental old fool when it comes to love, and I never tire of reading about how a boy met a girl, and especially how they met in a patch of sunflowers.”
“Perhaps that should be my next book, then.” Bean turned slightly, and for several blissful minutes, the pair expressed their love for each other with a passionate embrace.
“I look forward to reading it.”
* * ✹ * *
Queen Chrysalis was feeling rather pleased with herself.
Yes, the majority of this trip had been a washout at best, but things were beginning to look up. After her announcement at dinner, she had spent the rest of the time gorging herself on Hokey Pokey’s ill-hidden lust for her, which had proven to be both ample and satisfying. It was amusing that he had this kinky little part of him, but she was determined to exploit the fact for all it was worth.
It would be doubly rewarding since, to the rest of the world, he appeared to be a pious, conservative stick-in-the-mud who lived by routines. Chrysalis always enjoyed having blackmail material on others.
“Just this way, Ambassador,” Chrysalis called over her shoulder. “I promise this meeting won’t take long.”
“You’re not going to stuff my profit sharing plan… um, somewhere unpleasant, are you?” Thorax whimpered.
“Perish the thought! All is forgiven, my loyal subject. That was simply a momentary outburst, nothing more.”
“Some outburst,” a guard on her left grumbled.
Chrysalis chose to ignore him, and she stopped in front of her chamber door. “Now, then, I would like to have a few words with the Ambassador in private. Once we have concluded, I will release him and retire for the evening.”
“Sergeant Pokey?” Only one guard spoke, but his tone carried the unspoken concern that all of the honor guard felt.
“Set your watches outside the room,” Pokey ordered. “The Queen is entitled to privacy, if she desires it.”
“I’ll let my Pokey-poo in when I’m done, don’t worry,” Chrysalis purred. “Thorax?”
The two changelings entered her room, but Chrysalis took a few moments to barricade the door with a nearby chair for good measure. She then put a hoof on Thorax’s withers, and with a forceful tug, she pulled him towards the middle of the room.
“Listen up and listen well, you little maggot,” Chrysalis hissed in a low, dangerous tone. “I should terminate you with extreme prejudice, but luckily for you, I can’t under the circumstances.”
“And believe me, no one is more grateful about that than I am,” Thorax stammered.
“So here’s how this is going to work. Since I’m in Canterlot with Sergeant Pokey, you will remain here and learn everything you can about the Crystal Empire. I want you to find out how much love they produce, how the crystal heart works, and most importantly, how to get an infiltration crew in. The next time I see you, you had better have answers and a back door for me to use, or the location of your profit sharing plan will be the least of your concerns. Do I make myself clear?”
“Transparently, my Queen.” He gulped.
“Good. Glad to see we have an understanding. Save all the love you can, too. I’ll want your supply to feed the infiltrators when the time comes.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“Now get out.” Chrysalis turned away from her minion, but she called out to him over her shoulder when she heard him move the chair aside. “Oh, and Thorax?”
“Yes, my Queen?” he hesitantly asked.
“This is your last chance.”
Nothing more was said as he left. Chrysalis knew her words had frightened him, and that was exactly what she wanted. With a loyal lacky within the Empire, Chrysalis would soon have the keys to the kingdom, and more importantly, all of its love, too.
With that cheerful thought, Chrysalis moved into the bedroom, slunk onto the bed, and positioned herself for maximum allure. The only thing she needed now was a large helping of her sweet Babboo’s loving, and when Chrysalis wanted something, she got it.
After five minutes of waiting, Chrysalis twisted and turned in an effort to find the most sultry pose.
After fifteen minutes, she sat up and grumbled about his absence.
After forty-five minutes, she gave up on waiting completely and simply collapsed on the bed, irritated and frustrated that Pokey had not made his promised appearance. Part of her wanted to go out into the hallway, grab him by an ear, and drag him into the room, but the rest of her realized that such an action could be construed as an attack, and the antsy Crystal Corps ponies would react predictably.
Eventually, long after the moon had risen over the horizon, Chrysalis heard the door creak open. She did not react as he gently tiphoofed his way in, but to her mild surprise, he slid up next to her, wrapped his left leg and left wing over her, and pulled her into a comfortable spooning position.
“Sorry to keep you waiting. We had to find somewhere for Ambassador Thorax to stay.” His whispered words slid into her ears with a tingly delight. “Gotta admit, I’m kinda proud of you, Chrissy. You’ve been fairly well behaved, despite everything that’s happened, and I appreciate that. It’s nice to not have to worry about what you’re up to.”
“Really?” She whispered back, an oddly satisfying warmth building in her chest.
“Yeah. I think Thorax is really going to help both changelings and ponies understand each other better. He seems like a very open and honest individual and I can see that he really wants to make new friends. I can’t think of a better way to start a new relationship between our lands.”
“And here I thought you doubted my motives.”
“I’m working on that. I doubt you’ve totally reformed, but you’re getting there. See, I think you just need some motivation, that’s all.” He kissed the base of her neck, then slowly worked his way up over her involuntary squeaks of delight. “I know changelings aren’t supposed to be semi-gloss, but this polished look is very enticing. I wouldn’t object if you decided to do this more often.”
“And the truth comes out,” Chrysalis said with glee. “You have no idea how delicious your lust is, you know. I think I’ll take you up on your offer.”
“Oh, I bet I can guess.” His lips darted dangerously close to her jawline, making her ache for more. “You said, once, that I tasted like a decadent dark chocolate, with little almond bits sprinkled in it. I think that, right now, it’s like I just dumped you into a giant vat of the stuff, and you can’t help but be overwhelmed with desire…
“But if you want more from me, then you’ll need to mind your manners.” Hokey Pokey pulled back, and to the buggy Queen’s great dismay, it was like he had somehow just dumped a bucket of ice water on her. “I’ve been thinking, and the other day, it occurred to me that, as a Royal Guard, I’ve been drilled and disciplined on how to control my emotions. I’ve been working on keeping them away from you, and by your annoyed groan, I do believe I’ve just figured out how to keep them away from you.”
“Not fair.”
“All’s fair in love and war,” he said with a devious laugh. “The terms are easy enough: good behavior gets love. Bad behavior gets none.”
Chrysalis gasped as a rush of love and desire slammed back into her, and she threw her head back with a light moan as she quickly drank in the offering. “Oh, you wicked pony. Whatever will I do with you?”
“I think the better question is what am I going to do with you.” Pokey nibbled at her neck again, then moved up her jawline and over her cheek. “And it’s a question that you should give a great deal of thought to.”
“I intend to, my sweet Babboo.” The Queen of all Changelings rolled over and pulled her love supply into a tight embrace. “You haven’t won this battle just yet.”
* * ✹ * *
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I have a feeling this is building up for the season 6 finale since there isn’t much about how they took the Crystal Empire Princess, Prince, and child. Wait didn’t Thorax appear after Flurry Heart was born? Is she born yet?
11362949
No McFlurry yet. Cadence is still pregnant at this point.
11362952
Alright I guess things will be a little different from the show. Which isn’t bad thing this is a Bean story after all.
At this point Pokey could probably keep Chrissy in line by telling her he’ll make out with her.
I wonder who win this battle of love.
What a magnificent chapter of this story. One of the very best ♡ I really loved the part with Luna
Bugwaifu gets the most delicious Husbando
The humor and the juicy moment near the end was most entertaining ~♡
I am starting to think Cadence's Shipping Senses were tingling with the way Pokey and Chrysalis were making whoopee.
Hopefully, Thorax will get enough of a backbone to scuttle Chrysalis' plan.
Poor Spike, getting ejected out of the plot like that. I wonder if he was able to connect with Thorax later.
I do hope she’s just tired, and that Thorax didn’t accidentally drain too much love from her.
And of course she’s not anything close to reformed. Here she is planning another invasion of a kingdom that could supply her with all the love she needs.
Loved the chapter, looking forward to more when it comes, and I loved the Oliver and company reference put in there lol
Sounds like postpartum depression to me. It can hit long after a birth.
11363237
Wouldn’t surprise me if he did -- at the latest some time after he can be sure she’s left the Crystal Empire again and won’t immediately find out.
That said, I also wonder a bit how she’d feel about that plan herself if and when the time to hypothetically act on it actually came around. Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if she then found a compelling (if of course annoying, it’d be in the way of her glorious potential conquest after all!) excuse to not actually go through with it just in time.
Uh oh.
11363745 She realized it was time again... time to suck the soul out of a spawn of her own to power her immortality. "Huh, has it been 666 years already?"
11364004
As much as I like to be silly, not this.
I love Celestia too much.
11364146 At least she doesn't have to eat Twilight to remain immortal...
... which I have seen on here...
... at least twice....
11363343
Could also be excessive draining of love, albeit involuntarily. Thorax was basically starving, after all.
Wonderful chapter! Mmm and I wonder if I'm the only one who noticed the Disneys Oliver and Company song reference? I admit, the song does fit your version of Chrysalis VERY well!
Smash
Neat
She's learning
Oh there is a scheme, it's just not gonna go the way Chrysalis thinks
aww yes a bit of the old Chrysalis is showing in this chapter...
this chapter is just awesome.
Dear sweet mercy this chapter was so worth the wait!!
11364921
I can imagine thorax immediately turning around and telling the ponies lmao
Soooo much to unpack here!! Guess that's what 10,000+ words will do. Let's see...*ahem*
Chrysalis's almost-stomped-to-death scene was hilarious, though I feel very bad for poor lil' cinnabug Thorax, being dragged into her schemes. I'm glad he was reunited with Bean though, hopefully he can wiggle his way out of Chryssi's grasp with some help from Pokey in softening her up. Speaking of-Pokey and Chrysalis have been downright adorable together this chapter and it's so sweet!! I hope they get plenty more moments-same for Celestia and Bean too, of course, but they didn't get as much sweet scenes this chapter. Gallus, Yona, and Chrysalis was a fun interaction to see as well, even though Yona didn't speak much.
Finally, Larkspur and Luna are not only adorable, but also probably now one of my favorite slow-burn ships. They clearly both want each other but are holding back, and it's so beautifully written I can't even complain about it because for once a slow-burn isn't making me pull my hair out!
Since when did you turn the Changelings into the Ferengi?
11374208
Oh, they've been that way for a while now.
I'm loving this story
that is all I need to say
I hope Thorax is smart enough to blow the plan of Chrysalis up. After all she already accidentally told him the can't kill him at the current situation and the situation will eventually change.
This also make Thorax a firm friend and ally.
They just need to work out a system so no other Ling can pretend to be him.
Code phrases, keywords worked into sentences and maybe a magical Geas.
Just got caught up. Great story!
11383757
Your hope is misplaced. It would be more likely that Bean seeing his distress will make him confess and then they would threat Cryssy that they would tell this to Pokey.
I feel like I’ve said this before, but my favorite part of this series is Pokey and Chrissy. Watching her deny the slow, unwilling process of reformation is so hilarious and is some bizarre way, cute.
Okay
GeorgetteChrysalis.“And believe me, no one is more grateful about that than I am,” Thorax stammered.
Was... was that A Bugs Life reference right there?
Hopper: I swear, if I hadn't promised Mother on her deathbed that I wouldn't kill you, I would kill you.
Molt: And believe me, no one appreciates that more than I do.
COINCEDENCE? I THINK NOT!
11414622
You betcha.
Not gonna lie, you had us in the first half!
Well now she has an instantly trusted plant in the Empire, how convenient. She's going to be so disappointed.... 😅
11364879
Yes! I saw it too! I was so excited