Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest

Prompt #446: Mutual Trust

It wasn’t that she was doing it consciously. That was actually what was bothering Queen Cocoon of the changelings. She wasn’t actively trying to make Princess Twilight Sparkle fall in love with her, but she still was. The instinct was hardwired into the young queen, and she couldn’t quite stop the little voice at the back of her mind, urging her that if she just pushed a little harder, she could soon claim a Princess of Equestria as her own, and that she could then make sure that nopony would object if she decided to start bringing in more of her hive. That everyone would just assume that Twilight wanted them there for some reason.

But queen Cocoon was not her progenitor. Or was at least trying not to be Chrysalis. A proper alliance, built on trust between her hive and Equestria was the best bet for survival for the hive, not an organised infiltration and takeover, let alone a full-scale invasion.

And it was because of this desire to not be at all like the former Queen Chrysalis that Queen Cocoon brought Twilight Sparkle to the outskirts of Ponyville one night, and confessed her fears.

Twilight Sparkle giggled.

“Cocoon, this is exactly why I like you,” said Twilight, “You’re honest. Any other changeling queen would have just probably put me under their spell, and used me to take over Equestria.”

“You don’t understand, Twilight Sparkle. It would not take much. I could have you fawning over my every desire if I wanted, and it wouldn’t even be difficult. Even with my restraint, I have been influencing you, unconsciously. Sending out all the right signals for you to like me, even love me.”

“Cocoon,” said Twilight, wrapping one hoof around the changeling, “have you considered the possibility that I fell in love with you all by myself?”

“What?” asked Cocoon.

“I may not be the expert in love that Princess Cadence is, but I still know a couple of things,” said Twilight, a smile crossing her face, “And I know that love, real love, isn’t something that you can force. And I may not know exactly what you have or haven’t done, but I do like spending time with you, Cocoon, and that if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend a lot more with you.”

“We are taught in the cocoon,” began Cocoon at length, “that love is just a food for us. That we should use any and all means to get it. None of the changeling queens have ever had love directed at us, always at the pony that we were imitating, and we drained them of their love to fuel our own lives.”

Twilight began to speak, but Cocoon cut the princess off with a raised hoof.

“Changelings, especially changeling queens, are unaccustomed to how your pony relationships work. I enjoy your company, Twilight Sparkle. I would like to keep spending time with you, but I do not know how long I can restrain my natural instincts to make you mine, to use you to help me to take over Equestria.”

Twilight smiled.

“The fact that you’re worrying about it tells me that you’re a better person than the last Changeling Queen I encountered, Cocoon,” said Twilight, “I don’t know much about things like this, but maybe we could just stay here and look at the stars for a while?”

Cocoon looked up at the feild of stars arrayed above her and Twilight, and smiled.

“I think I’d like that.”

Author's Note:

Written for Prompt #446: "Everyone Loves"

The prompt: Ship one of the mane six with someone who isn’t a pony.

Special rule: No Rarity/Spike, Rainbow/Gilda, or Twilight/Flash.

Special rule: The non-pony partner must be a sapient adult.

Special Rule: A changeling only counts if their partner knows they’re a changeling.