The Corrupted Queen

Today is the day.  The entire hive of changelings where bustling about, they have been spending the last few days stuffing themselves to gather their strength, collecting some things that they would like to bring to the Crystal Empire, paintings, bedding, and some solid food if they needed it when they were there.  The female changelings where rounding up the larvae and doing miscellaneous work like crafting.  Everypony was in running and flying, triple-checking they didn't leave anything behind to burn.  Princess Chrysalis didn't need to pack, she wasn't bringing anything, she had already returned the bed and other things to Princess Celestia.  However she did carry one thing in a small saddlebag, the mirror.  She had no idea why she wanted to bring it, it's useless if nopony is in the Crystal Caverns, but it was very pretty, and it was a gift, it would be a shame to burn it.  Her green eyes scanned the area, the blue blurs constantly running about gave her a headache, she remembered the advice Luna gave her and rubbed her horn, the pain dulled, but it was still annoying.  Chrysalis flicked her ear, she was becoming impatient, the sooner they got to the Crystal Empire the better.

“THIRTY MINUTES UNTIL TAKE OFF, HEAD TO IVORY CLIFF!” she screamed, some of her changelings jumped in surprise, and so, approximately 400 changelings where running to Ivory Cliff at the same time.  Even though her subjects didn't like it, yelling was an excellent stress reliever.

Ivory Cliff wasn't very popular due to the many sharp rocks that could easily be stepped on, however because so few ponies ever went there is was perfect for the changelings to departure to their new home.  The sky was clear and the air was warm for a fall day, so it was chosen that today was the day that they left.  Many ponies gathered to the streets of Canterlot to say goodbye to their changeling friends as they journeyed to the cliff.  The noise was deafening, so many changelings flying all at once was enough to drive a pony mad.  Not to mention the chit chat of the creatures was quite loud.  Princess Chrysalis was in the lead, head high as usual, her eyes darting back and forth, she never really liked the ponies, the celebrated everything!  She took a deep breath, they where exiting Canterlot now, the ponies voices dimming finally.

It was a short walk, and when they arrived, they saw Princess Celestia and Starswirl the Bearded standing at the cliff, waiting for them.  Chrysalis stopped at Celestia,

“Where's your sister?” she asked,

“Not feeling well, I'm afraid.”

“Sick?”

“I...I'm not sure, to be honest.”

“Keep and eye on her, I like her, you know.” she said, and nodded to Starswirl, he was the quiet type, always writing down something.  He eyed Chrysalis, and spoke to the two princesses surprise

“I wish you good luck on your journey.” he said

“Thank you.” Chrysalis replied, walking forward, the changelings where silent now, their hoofsteps the only sound they made along with the occasional whisper.  The changeling princess eyed all of her subjects saddlebags and worried that they will weigh them down.  Chrysalis gulped, said farewell to Celestia, and stood at the edge of the cliff, looking out upon the terrain in front of them, far in the distance she could see the Crystal Mountains with snowy tops.  The changelings weren’t a huge fan of cold, but they could handle when underground.  Finally,  Chrysalis opened her butterfly wings and rose in to the air, as did the rest of her hive.

She floated off the cliff, and started moving forward, her neck leaned forward as she picked up speed.  Her subjects a few yards behind her, buzzing loudly with their much smaller wings.  She looked down below her, seeing a wide expanse of open hills and fields, some farmer ponies looking up in awe of hundreds of changelings and their leader migrating.  A strong wind from behind blew them faster through the countryside.  They where following a wild churning river north, staying at a high altitude to avoid being noticed, but who wouldn't notice a noisy black cloud flying across the countryside?   Only a couple of hours later, Chrysalis was surprised of how soon the air started to chill, some of the changelings where already complaining, how could they survive the north if they couldn't even handle this.

“Shush now!  We aren't even halfway there and you're already complaining?” she yelled to the others, shutting them up.  The princess rubbed her eyes, did they have bags under them?  She could look at her mirror but that would slow them down.  The noise of her subjects was really getting on er nerves now, so she flattened her ears down to the side of her head, making the noise less loud to her.  She sighed, how long would it take to get there?  She never really liked traveling.

After many long hours they where all witnessing the natural beauty of Neighagra Falls, the creator of the river they where following.  The awe inspired whispers of her kind flooded her ears as she continued to go onward, a young changeling buzzed towards her, head low and not looking at her princess,

“P-princess...do you think...that maybe...?” she squeaked, keeping her tail between her legs.

“No.” she replied, there was no time for sightseeing, we have one purpose on this journey, and that is to get to their new home, and nothing will get in her way!  When Chrysalis had her mind set on something, nothing would stop her from doing it.  The little changeling then flew back to her mother who whispered something in her ear.  The bright sun that shone high in the sky hit her usually bland clear wings, but the light made them gleam in all the colors of the rainbow, then passing through them and resting on the ground below.  Chrysalis closed her eyes, enjoying the warm sun and the roar of the falls, and as time went on, it became distant, a sweet memory of tranquility on this stressful journey.  The wind was gone now, the changelings now had only their own wings to guide them through their migration.  Celestias sun went strait through her, the air was dry and chilling, the most unpleasant climate a changeling can be in.  How will they cope in the great Crystal Mountains?  A cold wind hit the front, nipping them.

The mountains where close now, pine forests dotted the landscape, a thin layer of snow was visible.  A shiver ran down her spine, and she began to see her breath in front of her.  A dark cloud loomed ahead, a snowstorm.

“Just great,  those damn crystal ponies just had too cook up a storm, didn't they?  It isn't even supposed to be snowy up here!” she scowled, grumbling too herself, her changlings quiet as they went on.  They only sound was of the changelings wings and the wind that was pushing against them, straining them.  The princess's breaths where shudders, the freezing air flowing through her with every breath she took.  The clouds where almost upon the now, the mountains were in full view, how long has the journey been now?  Seven hours?  Her mind was blurry, she couldn't tell.  The dark clouds where here now, looming above them, threatening to turn their lives into hell.  Deep breaths, deep breaths where the answer.  Let all of the stresses of today slip away as the gentle snowflakes start to fall...

Then changelings started to drop from the sky.

Chrysalis's head whipped to the side when she heard the screams of her ponies, two young changelings fell, their bodies limp as they plummeted into the sharp rocks below.  Chrysalis gasped, how could that have happened?!  She felt a twinge of pain in her side that came from the young ponies being skewered.  Chrysalis cringed, natural selection, that's all it is, she reassured herself.  Sometimes she felt that she was being a bad princess, and this was definitely one of those moments, she sighed.  This was no time to dwell over petty insecurities, we had to get to the kingdom before the storm became a serious problem.

“ONWARD!” she yelled, going as fast a she could through the steady snow, her subjects closely following.  They where in the mountains now, the city was visible.  It was magnificent!  Crystals shone through the snowfall, elegant structures and a humungous castle that erupted from the ground, crystal ponies shimmering, they seemed to be celebrating their arrival!  This made Chrysalis quite happy, it was good that their soon-to-be food source was willing.  The Canterlot ponies took a few months to get used to the changelings residing in their kingdom, causing some misunderstandings.  Chrysalis could tell that this would be much easier to handle.  Yes, the cold was annoying, but at least it was beautiful.  A row of illuminating unicorn horns guided their path down to the ground to the city.  Cheers of the changelings where clearly heard as they reached their destination, Chrysalis let out a breath in relief, only two changelings where lost, it will be alright.  The changeling princess dipped downward towards the pathway of unicorn lights.  The ponies shimmered in the light reflecting from the snow, their heads held high even though they where shivering.  It's not like it was a very heavy snow, it was very calm and steady.  However it seemed that the ponies seemed disturbed by the slightest touch of the icy precipitation, as if it was hurting them, Chrysalis smirked at the thought of tiny ice daggers falling from the sky.

She glided down the ground, her wings slowing the fall, the buzz of her subjects wings came to a stop as they all landed.  The newly fallen snow crunched under her hooves, only about seven inches of it.  The unicorns bowed, their horns still luminous, and their chins brushing the cold ground.  The crystal ponies where lined up on both sides of the princess, making a road that led to the city.  Chrysalis trotted silently forward without even looking at the crystal ponies. Her changelings were chattering behind her nervously.  Even though it was not night, the sky was...dark. Usually a snowstorm was bright, but the heavy clouds above seemed to drain the light.

Barely visible through the darkness sort of gate that led to the city stood before them.  Two guards stood at either side of it.  What puzzled Chrysalis was that there was no walls, and this was the only place where there was guards.  She brushed the thought aside as she looked onward to the Empire that stood before her.  It was enormous, houses and streets that seemed to go on forever filled her view.  The castle rose up in its center, a beacon in the shadows of the storm that was slowly growing in force.  The princess stood in front of the gate, and peered through it, the city didn't seem...right.  Where were the ponies?  Why weren’t the houses and streets covered with snow?  She cocked her head the right in confusion.

“You may enter, Your Majesty.” a guard said quickly, gulping when Chrysalis peered at him curiously.  Looking away, she stepped forward only to stop when she felt something strange on her hoof.  Bright colors spread from where her hoof touched the thing, a force field.  She raised and eyebrow.  Why would an isolated place such need a force field?  She nervously stepped through it, and her jaw dropped.  No longer was there snow, cold, and wind, warmth spread through her as sunshine found her coat.  Of course when the changelings saw their awe-stricken princess the didn't hesitate to push and shove through the gate to understand what she was so surprised at.  The creatures jumped for joy as they saw the green grass and heard the chirp of birds singing happy songs.  Many collapsed on the ground from exhaustion, and others immediately started to talk with their friends about the joyful place.

“Oh, it's so sunny!  How do they do it?”

“I can't wait to see the ponies, do you think they have lots of love?”

“I hear they have a crystal heart!”  However Chrysalis did not speak, she looked onward, to the city where bustling ponies and shimmering buildings were almost glowing in the sweet sunlight.  She had never heard and much less seen a force field that can keep weather in or out.  There must be a strong magical source to do that...was the crystal heart that powerful?  Maybe, she let out a deep breath, and relaxed her body, the stress was overwhelming.  She turned to the general direction of her subjects, and they all immediately turned to her.

“We must move to the castle now, I do not know where you will live, but for now, you all will reside in the castle with me.”  Chrysalis said, the changelings were surprised, they were going to live in the same place as their princess?  It was unheard of!  Murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd, and Chrysalis turned around to face the crystal empire.  She began to walk forwards, the long soft grass cushioning her hoof.  Her many subjects clumped together, each group holding around fifty changelings.  Oh how the population has grown from its once meager numbers!  The princess thought for a moment, and concluded that there were about one hundred changelings when she first arrived in Canterlot.  The crystal caverns seemed more that enough then, and she realized that if they had stayed in Canterlot for much longer than there would be no more space for her changelings to live!  Chrysalis hoped that there would be a place for her kingdom to stay in other than the castle.  More and more questions and thoughts buzzed in her head wildly, her stress levels skyrocketing.  Her legs felt weak as she approached the buildings. The ponies were scampering to get a glimpse of her, and to welcome her to her new home, the Crystal Empire.