Author's Note
Takes place sometime before Season 4.
The Crowning
The voices were quieter. The babble that accompanied every waking moment had dropped to a murmur. Queen Chrysalis opened her eyes, looking around the green-tinged room. The Hive was shrinking, and she had herself to blame.
Twice, she had gone against Equestria. Twice, she had failed. Twice, she had risked everything, and lost so much in the doing. Her changelings, of course, followed her every order, and would continue to do so. Such was the way of the Hive. Drones served the Queen, and a certain amount of loss was to be expected. The amount of loss, however, was not. The question was: Why? What had gone so drastically wrong in her plans, that her defeat was so complete?
It wasn't a question, for Chrysalis knew. Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's prize, protector of Equestria. She had accounted for the unicorn in her plans. Her latest had even centered around taking the power Twilight wielded for herself. Yet, every time, Twilight Sparkle had exceeded every estimate Chrysalis had made. She was too powerful, too determined, and too intelligent.
That intelligence...that had to be the key. Perhaps Chrysalis was approaching the problem the wrong way. That was to be expected for one as old as she was. But she was a Changeling-nay, the Queen Changeling, and adaptation was her forte. If one approach didn't work, she can always find another.
It was a beautiful day, the kind of day that was excellent for spending with your friends.
This was why, when Fluttershy had come to Princess Twilight Sparkle, and invited her on a walk, Twilight had happily left behind her books and headed out with her friend. The Twilight Sparkle who had first come to Ponyville never would have done that, but she had learned a lot over the past years, and one of those things was when to leave her studies alone for a moment.
Though, it was odd. While Fluttershy had never shown the same fear of the Everfree Forest as she did just about everything else, her pegasus friend still respected it. Yet, for the past several minutes, they had been venturing deeper and deeper into a darker part of the woods, and the trail underneath them was becoming fainter. "Fluttershy, are you sure that this is a good place to be?" Twilight asked, and Fluttershy came to a stop.
"I'm certain, Twilight." she said, with an odd tone to her voice. "In fact, I think we've come far enough..." there was a green flash, and several shadows descended on Twilight Sparkle, her vision fading out.
Queen Chrysalis stood by as the drones lifted the body of Twilight Sparkle from the ground. As she had expected, the yellow one had been the best pick for this deception. Quiet, innocent, the Princess never suspected a thing. Her horn alit, and the gathered changelings sank into a circle of fire, along with their prisoner.
The Hive ran underneath the forest, largely empty given how few Changelings there were left. Chrysalis had picked out this wing for her purposes, and the changelings carried Twilight along the corridor to the chamber that had been prepared. Chrysalis nodded as Twilight was laid down on a small outcropping. Already, the Alicorn (it shouldn't surprise Chrysalis that Twilight had become an Alicorn, though it had, again, complicated her plans) showed signs of awakening.
The drones stepped back, as Chrysalis cast her spell. Green tendrils grew up from the ground, wrapping around the prone body before her. Around and around, lifting Twilight up as they grew and thickened, hardening into a translucent green cocoon. The magic it contained kept Twilight Sparkle in a slumber as it began to work. Chrysalis stepped back, admiring the cocoon that held her once hated foe, soon to be her greatest asset. With her plan in motion, she retired to her chambers.
Twilight Sparkle slept, wrapped up in a warm, soothing embrace. This was the embrace of her Queen; the gift given all her subjects. All that was asked in return was obedience, to follow and to serve. A buzzing filled her mind, a pleasant, soothing one that urged her to rest. Everything was in place, she was doing exactly what she was supposed to be doing. All she had to do was to listen, and become one with the Hive-
Her eyes snapped open all at once. She was surrounded by green, and she could make out shapes. Familiar shapes. Changelings! Twilight remembered now what had happened, how she had been tricked by the Changeling Queen. Whatever the reason she had been put in this...this chrysalis, it could not be good.
Though he was weakened, she was still able to summon up a burst of magic, directing it at the green in front of her. There was a flaw in her vision now; a crack in her prison. Another blast, followed by another, and the world snapped into focus as the green wall broke. Twilight pushed herself free, landing among some very surprised looking changelings. Fortunately, she had enough magic left to send them flying, knocking them out as she escaped.
She was lost, and weak. Teleporting out wasn't an option, so she had to rely on her wits to find the exit. It was a good thing she had a lot of those. Even though all the cave walls looked the same, she was able to follow one, avoiding a lot of dead ends. The corridors were widening, which meant she had to be close to an exit. However, when she passed by one side tunnel, she came to a stop, moving back. It led to a small, wide cave, and inside, protected by four more changelings, was her crown. How had they even gotten it? That didn't matter; with her crown, she was sure to escape.
Charging into the room, Twilight knocked aside two of the changelings with a single spell; the third one rushed her, and got two hind hooves for the effort. The fourth didn't seem interested in a fight after that, and left the path to her crown clear. Lifting it from the rock it rested on, Twilight set the crown on her head.
Instantly, she knew something was wrong. Instead of the rush of power she expected, she felt a strange chill, and the buzzing from her dreams returned. Now, however, Twilight could hear it more clearly; it was dozens of whispered voices. Dozens, and yet, it all seemed to be a single voice.
"Listen to them, Twilight." a familiar voice cooed from behind her. "Listen, and let the voice of the Hive into your thoughts."
Twilight turned around slowly, knowing who she would see. "Chrysalis..." she said, the Queen sauntering into the room. "What have you done?"
Chrysalis shook her head slowly. "Don't ask questions when the answer is in your reach." she remarked, looking at the Princess. "Listen."
There was that emphasis again, more than hearing it, Twilight could feel that last word. It was a command, a compulsion. She reached out for the voices, for the Hive, and they responded. The voice of the Hive filled her thoughts, filled her very being. It was the entire Changeling Hive; Queen Chrysalis had linked her mind into the Hive...for a moment, Twilight wondered if she would become a mindless drone, but her fear was allayed a moment after. She knew, somehow, that wasn't her fate.
Now you're beginning to understand. This time, Chrysalis spoke directly to her thoughts. There's so much more there, though.
Twilight could sense it; the connection was weak, the voices still muted, confused. She could hear more, if she just listened a little more intently...she probed deeper into the Hive. As she did so, the voices became even clearer, and for a moment, she could see herself; she had been transformed into a changeling, and her expression was vacant. Sitting on her head was a crown, yes, but it was similar to the one on Chrysalis head, having only three points. This only lasted a moment, though, before Twilight felt a force wash over her. The boundaries between her mind and the Hive were breaking down.
Fall into our embrace. Become of the Hive.
Was it Chrysalis, or was it the Hive Mind itself? There was no way to be sure. The voices were all around her, washing over her and filling her...they were her, and she was they. Many voices, yet one being...
Chrysalis could feel the moment. The second that Twilight's mind joined with the Hive. She had planned for this moment, watched with bated breath as the Princess had escaped her prison, had found the Changeling crown, disguised as her own. The crown connected her to the Hive, and as she fell into that connection, the Hive changed her. The magic that had soaked into her body had transformed it into a changeling, but more than a drone, so much more. This mind deserved more. Twilight's thoughts, memories, her very being was even now filling the Hive, enriching it.
The Hive, in turn, was filling Twilight. Chrysalis shaped her mind, breaking her connection to her friends, turning her loyalty to the Hive. Twilight Sparkle was a part of the Hive now, and those memories could never be truly lost. However, Twilight Sparkle, as she was, had perished. Chrysalis gave her new identity, new purpose, a new home and family. Twilight belonged to her now, tied with bonds that no magic could break.
Awaken, Princess Glimmer. Awaken and serve the Hive.
The voices were quiet, awaiting. It wouldn't do to disappoint them. There had recently been a great feast, a celebration of the crowning of the new Changeling Princess. Princess Glimmer reached out to them, first, and then to her Queen. She got approval on both sides. She was accepted as Princess of the Hive.
Her Queen stood before her, brushing a hoof through her mane, feeling her hard chitin body, lifting her chin. Fed, prepared by the drones, Glimmer was ready to fufil her duty. Flames rushed over her, as she took the shape of a Purple Alicorn.
"Dear Princess Celestia...
I've learned a lot today...I can't wait to share it with you..."
A coy smile crossed the muzzle of her stolen form. This was going to be perfect.