Day 3 - Storm: 2/11
“Oof,” 65536 limps through the cruise ship, a heavy-looking backpack completely covering its back, “That was some proper pumping. Totally like a warrior!” it beams, stops, flexes its foreleg, and as it steps forward again, it winces, “Ouch ouch ouch, hoofsies hurt now. I shouldn’t go that hard on that sandbag next time, but that minotaur kept yelling and yelling super inspiring things...”
65536 pauses for a moment.
“He sure did a lot of yelling and not that much lifting, come to think of it. No matter, someone with such a cool name like Iron Will is bound to know his stuff. Hmm, that is similar to what Commander Sharp Biscuit used to say about willpower and perseverance being the key to everything, the first step. Willpower, willpower, willp-” 65536 stops, sensing a presence in front of it before noticing the looming shadow on the carpet, “Oh, hello, Your Cupholderness!” it looks up at Chrysalis staring at the exhausted drone from her height, and salutes.
“And what are you doing up this late?” asks Chrysalis in a pleasant tone. 65536 senses a tingle behind its left temple which makes its ear twitch.
“It’s not that late for me. I usually work at this time of night anyway,” it shakes its head, “This is supposed to be a vacation, but I can’t get all lazy, so I was at the gym. Pumping iron in the fortress of swolitude, as Iron Will called it,” 65536 grins, sits down, and raises both forelegs to flex them and show Chrysalis, “Don’t worry, I keep myself in shape so that I represent us changelings in the best light possible. I even heard that the Royal Guard is looking for a changeling as a test run, so it must be working. I mean, if even the Paladins accepted Ten, and those guys were extra mean about the time when Grandmaster Beacon got crushed under a mountain, then the Royal Guard was just a matter of time.”
“Ah… Ten, sure,” Chrysalis sneers, “I’ll have to pay him a visit later. Now, believe it or not, I was looking for you specifically.”
“Neat,” 65536’s eyes light up, “You want a hug? Luna says I’m the best hugger! I even have my own Nightguard rank - Cuddler First Class, but officially I’m a private. I work in public, though, so that means I’m a double agent, or that it’s my secret identity,” 65536 rubs its head, “I’m still not sure about that. Those spy movies Miss Gloom likes get confusing sometimes.”
Chrysalis’ eye twitches almost imperceptibly.
“This is about you being close to the dream alicorn, yes,” she says in a controlled tone, “I need to look inside your head, 65536.”
“No can do, Your Majesty,” 65536 puffs out its chest officially, “Luna said to not let you do that specifically, and she was all princessy at the time, so it’s an official order. You can just ask, though. I’ll be happy to help.”
“That’s the problem. You’d have no idea what I’m even asking or looking for. Even I’m not sure myself- you didn’t hear me say that, understood?”
“Say what?” 65536 slams its hooves against its ears, “Is anyone talking? I’m aaaaall alone here.”
“Enough!” Chrysalis rolls her eyes, “Let me look inside your head. I can sense barriers there that can’t be your doing, and the only reason I haven’t broken through yet is because I don’t want… a diplomatic incident.”
“As I said, no can do,” 65536 shakes its head, “The orderiest of orders.”
“If you don’t let me, I won’t let you into the hive this winter to give presents to the drones.”
65536 gasps in pure horror.
“THAT WOULD BE SO MEAN!” it wibbles at her.
Chrysalis’ suddenly finds it difficult to breathe under that most unholy of drone powers, and backs off.
“I… guess it would be too much,” she admits, “See? I’m not evil anymore. Now let me in!” she leans close, fangs bared and growling.
“I can’t,” pleads 65536, “You were right, I didn’t make any protection thingies in my head, that’s standard guard stuff these days. I can only show you my memories from, umm, an hour ago at most, I think.”
Surprisingly, Chrysalis smiles.
“Alright, let’s do that.”
“Then go ahead,” 65536 nods, “I think it’ll work. As far as I know I don’t need to do anything extra.”
Even before it’s done talking, it can feel a presence inside its head. Its mental skills would never be good enough to identify or much less repel an intruder like her, but with proper training 65536 learned how to at least tell that something is happening even when attacked by a vastly superior enemy. So far, there’s only been one changeling whom 65536 couldn’t sense no matter what, and Chrysalis is certainly not the next one.
Chrysalis, however, has no intention of stopping at or even checking 65536 last hour at the gym. She pushes further.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” 65536 warns her.
“Don’t you dare tell me what I can-”
The lights of the hallway flicker and die out, which is followed by something akin to crackling of electricity filling the air and, without any visual clue, Chrysalis getting punted into the ceiling and falling down.
A see-through image of Princess Luna lights up the darkness, rising up from a boiling black cloud suddenly bursting into existence in front of Chrysalis.
“I was expecting that you wouldn’t keep your hooves to yourself, cockroach,” hisses Luna’s simulacrum, watching Chrysalis twitch on the floor, “65536, kick her so that we know she’s conscious,” 65536 walks over and lightly pats Chrysalis behind her ears. The Queen shakes her head and unsteadily gets up on all fours, eyes crossed, “Good. Now let me make myself clear here - this was the warning setting. If you try this again, it will hurt you. And if you are stupid enough to try for the third time…” Luna pauses, “I invite you to consider the following - I’ve lived for thousands of your lifetimes. I’ve seen the rise and fall of species whose minds you can’t imitate or even imagine. Finally, I am in the top three of living magic users and I don’t particularly concern myself with political consequences. Let that sink in.”
Luna fades and lights turn back on.
65536 sighs, approaches Chrysalis, and hugs her leg.
“I can feel that you need some love after that,” it says, letting warmth flow from itself into the Queen who...
…chuckles.
“Silly pony,” she croaks next, “She didn’t even… realize I already… stripped her… protection… heh heh heh.”
“Your Chitinousness, come on…” 65536 lets go of her leg and backs off, “You just said you weren’t evil anymore.”
“I’m not evil, I’m just unstoppably curious!” Chrysalis rises up to her full, haughty and powerful height, and 65536 feels her presence inside its mind again.
There’s no warning this time, no noise, and no smell of ozone. Chrysalis’ mental presence simply disappears as the Queen seizes up, her eyes roll back so far that only the whites are visible, and she keels over to the side, solid as a rock.
65536 pokes the now completely motionless Queen pile on the carpet.
“Queen?” it asks again, “I know you’re not okay, I can see that, but you didn’t somehow trigger the really bad protection, did you? Uhhh…”
“Step away from her!” says an extremely dangerous voice from the staircase behind the drone. 65536 turns around and sighs.
“Hi, 387,” it says in that higher-pitched, tired voice one uses when they know they’ll have to explain something again, “Could you please carry the Queen off before anyone sees her and starts some weird rumor?”
“Explain, now!” 387 approaches quickly but carefully, his eyes never leaving 65536.
It’s a drone, but a drone who knows combat to a degree, which means it can ‘dig’ and fight. Chrysalis’ body looks physically okay, so the attack was purely mental, which also means it might not even be 65536 but someone controlling it.
“Princess Luna put a protective spell into my head which makes terrible things happen to anyone trying to read it,” summarizes 65536, “I can willingly show you past hour and you won’t get hurt if you want.”
387 senses an open hive link, harmless and unprotected, hoping that his unique mind will let him disconnect if he senses danger. As he almost instantly lives through the recent minutes, he reaches the mental equivalent of an electrified fence overlooking a moat with alligators somehow armed with cannons on their backs which blocks his progress further into 65536’s mind.
Oh… I see…
Chrysalis definitely KNEW what she was getting into.
387 disconnects and facehoofs.
“She just couldn’t control herself around you, did she?” he asks.
“Luna suspected that,” 65563 nods sadly, “I wish she at least told me what she wanted to know,” the drone waves its forelegs, “This way I have no idea if I even know what she thought I knew.”
387 loads the second changeling bag of potatoes tonight on his back, although this one is significantly heavier.
“65536, I know I have no authority over you anymore, but can you do me, and the whole hive, a favor?”
“It depends, but sure if I can.”
“Don’t tell anyone about this,” 387 hangs his head low with a drawn out sigh, “You know best how ponies still see us, and if any rumor about Chrysalis assaulting a Nightguard spreads…” he lets the sentence hang.
“I gotta tell Miss Gem, and Luna already knows because her spell triggered.”
“Holes damn it!” growls 387.
“But Miss Gem is super nice, and I can ask Luna to let it go. I’m okay and that’s all that matters. I’ll promise her a good massage if she does so, and that always works. Since I don’t have to write a report because I’m off-duty, no one else will know, right?” 65536 tilts its head with a peaceful smile.
“Thanks,” 387 pats 65536’s head, “Can I give you some love or something as an apology for Her Dumbfuckness here?”
“Nah, I’m fine,” 65536 shakes its head, “I’m physically exhausted rather than empty because I did all my pushies, pullies, bendies, and curlies. I’m trying to get my body to adapt naturally. Miss Gem said it worked for changelings too and that I would need less love later to do all that.”
“Are you coming the same way?” asks 387 after nodding towards the stairs, “93 and I have the hoofmaiden suite next to hers.”
“Yup,” 65536 nods, lifting up its heavy gym bag again and starting to stroll next to 387, “I’m in ours with Miss Gem.”
“Who is she anyway? Some Canterlot dignitary?”
“She’s just a zebra alchemist.”
“You’re lying,” says 387 with absolute certainty. 65536 might be a Nightguard drone, but it’s still a drone, and goodie-two-horseshoes one at that.
“All I’m allowed to say is that she’s just a zebra alchemist,” 65536 corrects itself, “And please don’t try to get into my head, I don’t think I’ve been lifting enough to carry both you and Her Majesty at the same time.”
“...why can’t this really just be a vacation…?” moans 387, “You know, just some relaxation, hot tubs, beaches, sun.”
“Umm,” 65536 rubs its head, “Is it not? I’m not supposed to be doing anything guardy. I’m not even sure if doing all my gym stuff is allowed, but I don’t want to be all out of practice when we get back. And there’s supposed to be a whole bunch of beaches in the resort where we’ll land. I heard you’re allowed to make huge holes there and build whole castles! Can you imagine how much of a beach there has to be?” it finishes, wide-eyed.
387 walks the final short stretch towards Chrysalis’ suite before testing the handle which gives in and the door opens.
She must have sensed 65536 nearby and rushed out… which is exactly the level of planning I learned to expect from her, so why am I having so much trouble figuring out her real goal?!
The warrior doesn’t let his frustration show this time, and simply scratches 65536 behind the ear, smiling as the drone leans into the touch.
“Have a good night, 65536. You’re making the hive proud.”
The drone beams.
“Good night to you too, 387. From what I heard, you’re making all drones safer and happier and… that’s hard to find down in the tunnels.”
They each go their own way, 65536 heading further down the hall to its cabin, and 387 into Chrysalis’ royal suite.
Chrysalis doesn’t wake up when 387 lobs her on the bed with a mix of anger and irritation. About to leave immediately after, the warrior pauses with his hoof on the handle.
I’m not supposed to be here. Even 93 was here only on Chrysalis’ orders.
It could be just because of Chrysalis’ need to feel superior, or it could be because she’s hiding something.
What did she bring with her? I doubt she had a contact here on the ship who would bring her something crucial to her plan. Can’t rule it out, though.
Books, and a rather eclectic collection of those on top.
“Ancient Civilizations”, “Native Cults and Myths”, “Disappearance of the Dwarves”-
387 raises an eyebrow as he looks at the final book of the stack.
-”Daring Do and the Heart of Fire”. What in all holes? Do these have something in common? There’s no world in which her main reason for leaving the hive was to get some uninterrupted reading time.
The next bag contains rolled-up issues of various Crystal Empire newspapers, the newest quite recent and the oldest from almost two years ago, but without any clear indication of what else could be connecting them. Eventually, Chrysalis shifts on the bed, which is 387’s cue to leave before she regains consciousness, no smarter than before.
***
Once again, 387 finds himself about to open the door of a drone cabin, when he hears hoofsteps. To a changeling with mission experience, hoofsteps are a language in themselves, and these don’t say “I’m a security pony and I have full right to be here.”, they say “I don’t want to alert any security pony who has the full right to be here.”, and that’s enough to pique 387’s curiosity. Still, it could be a cruise guest unwilling to make noise this late at night, but in that case they probably wouldn’t be going down to the staff deck. It could be a staff member, although from what 387 observed so far, they need to wake up early, so now, at nearly three in the morning, wouldn’t be the best time to be awake.
387 follows.
There could be so many innocent reasons…
…so why did the exact steps have to keep going down to the maintenance deck?
387 catches the view of a round, striped butt for a brief second from the top of the stairs before it disappears into the maintenance tunnels.
That wasn’t a warrior’s butt, so it’s not 1313’s bodyguard. That was a butt an infiltrator would grow to attract prey, and the only one I saw over the past two days who fits that description was this… Gem. Holes damn it, 65536! You’re making it really hard to trust you with your alicorn magic mind block and secret zebra alchemist sneaking into a restricted area at night.
In absolute silence, 387 enters the narrow and pitch black corridor filled with groaning pipes and hissing hydraulics.
He freezes. There is absolute silence if one filters out the mechanical noises.
Checking his recent memories, he realizes he didn’t hear her open the maintenance door, she didn’t close the door behind her, and he can’t hear her hoofsteps anymore.
She knows about him. Does she know he can see just fine in the darkness? Can she? Zebra potions can do crazy things, he heard.
387 enhances his hearing, and his reward is hearing only the faintest breathing in an alcove a short distance away. He starts recording his memories into the hive mind. No matter what happens to him, even if someone gets into his own head, it won’t matter.
He starts walking again, ready to fight, and pounces towards the alcove.
He hears a quiet-
“...boop…!”
-followed by a complete loss of control over his body as the smiling zebra pokes his muzzle with her strangely sweet-smelling hoof and he collapses on the floor, eyes closing.
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So...would that make the saying "curiosity killed the changeling" a thing then?
...well, I suppose that WOULD include the drones, wouldn't it?
Yeah, good ol' Chrysalis, forever doomed to be rather short-sighted with her planning.
I suppose she's still been getting a little better about that though.
Taking pro-tips from the drones, Gem? Because that seemed like a very drone-like thing to do.
The only way Gems behind could get more changelings falling for it is if she was wearing gold lame pants?
All the shineys?
387:. All my years of training wasted because I fell for a boop attack
Yay go Gem go!
I’m kind of suspicious of Gem now considering she is sneaking around and because I’ve learned from reading a few of your earlier stories that other than the drones(and Blinding Light) none of the characters you have created are “good guys” it’s probably more complicated than that but a lot of your characters tend to act for their own self interests
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Also, why do I imagine Torgue from borderlands saying this line...
Yeah, I'm convinced Crysie's whole evil plan is just figuring out the drones. She's an infiltrator Queen (Knowledge-is-power type) who has no idea what a drone is really is. What makes them tick, what are their skills, strength's/weakness's. And how come they keep being accepted so readily by ponies. So take a bunch of 'em onto a cruiseship (Where they're forced into close proximity with ponies, and can't wander off), and told to just do whatever they want, so she can watch. It's why she wants 65536's memories.
That, and have a vacation.
Downvote number 3, oh no! If it keeps going on like that, Chrysalis won't let 65536 give the drones presents dressed as Santa Hooves next winter!
11238274
- Unlike Chrysalis, drones know that curiosity comes second to running away from anything new and even remotely dangerous.
- She either overplans incredibly hard or doesn't plan at all, and she does that always in exactly the wrong situation.
- I'm 100% sure that if she tried to punch 387 out instead, she would break her own leg. At this point, Gem is still naturally fragile despite having had Comfort with her for a while.
11238296
Shinies are secondary to hugs and headpats. Gem could easily have a small crowd of drones following her after only a brief cuddling session. No need to pull out the big guns... or big buns.
11238358
It's Gem. 387 might have the experience, but she has da skillz to pay da billz.
11238479
Go, Gem, Go! Be the bad guy!
11238603
Everyone acts in their own self interest. What they choose their self interest to be is the important part.
11238719
John Oliver had a few fantastic "gym bro" tirades full of these sayings. Highly recommend. Ooooh, someone made a compilation!
11238768
Good thinking.
11238274
Curiosity killed the cat because the cat was sloppy. Unlike the smartest and cleverest Changeling Queen that ever lived. Or so says the narcissistic voices in her head.
65536 wants swoll? He should meet these guys https://youtu.be/25ZvvprhWZo (12:50 )
11239046
The old queens in the hive mind have been replaced by clones of Chrysalis screaming nonsensical facebook motivational quotes on repeat.
11240783
Good old Adeptus Gymbrodes! Damn I miss TTS. Hunter: The Parenting has been okay so far but I've never considered Masquerade particularly deep.
11241090
Somehow missed that being a thing. Not dug very deep into WoD, Just played VtM and heard a bit from my friend who is into allllll sorts of PnP games.