To outsiders, the noise of the hive would be absolutely abysmal, a mishmash of echoes and bug-like noise, but to its residents, it's home. The link between hivemates, the changelings' natural spacial awareness, they all form what is experienced every day by these creatures. They know exactly what goes on throughout the hive.
Every once in a while, the Queen herself will take the time to tour this organized madness, her hive, making sure everything is in working order, and giving those in glassworks her seal of proper quality when needed. This was to insure that no faulty effects got past her watchful eye, therefore keeping her hive up to her highest standards, and giving her a good idea of what could be changed, who could be moved, or when plans could best be carried out.
However, to her changelings, today's tour seemed... different. Her gait was not its usual, regal stride, but a slow, almost depressing saunter. Her eyes looked drained of life and character, even though, hours before, they made a lowly quarry worker run in fear. This just wasn't right, and the hivelings most definitely took notice.
"M-My Queen? What path are you taking for today's quality check? This seems most out of character..." grumbles the changeling that had decided to accompany her when he caught wind of her sudden indifference. "Your opinion is needed in glassworks, post-haste!"
"Whatever it is, surely it can wait." Chrysalis finally speaks up, hushing the drone with her attitude.
The little nuisance begins by slurring his speech, so he stops himself by pressing his tongue to the back of his teeth. The Queen seems to be going where very few go in and return without a mark, if they even return at all. The medical ward.
"M-My Queen. You may catch cold if you visit medical. It is the season after all. Please allow me to fetch you a mask."
She arches back with a hiss.
"Keep that flabby jaw shut or I'll do it myself, you hear?"
Her gaze lingers until the drone becomes uncomfortable, clears his throat, and urges her on with a...
"Yes, of course. My apologies. Please continue..."
The medical ward has slowed down substantially since the Canterlot incident. All they ever see now are cracked shells and stubbed hooves, but there's one patient in particular she'd like to see. Three times she knocks at the metal door, and she's answered by the head doctor. She's a curious, crazy eyed drone. Chrysalis tends to find her somewhat amusing as she zips around the ward and down its hallways on her medical cart. She's even caused quite a few injuries herself.
"Aha! Your Royal Loveliness! To what, daresay, do I owe the honor of getting to see you today?"
She's sitting on her rolling stool, back arched and hooves shakily circling each other. They let this jitterbug perform surgery on the drones? Chrysalis's accompanying changeling shivers at the thought of his last physical.
"Is he in here?"
"Is who in where?"
"You know who I'm referring to, Doc."
The "good" doctor squints her brow, flutters her wings, then pops up with an...
"Ah! Yes... of course he is."
Her speech becomes solemn, nervous even.
"He wouldn't be going anywhere else now, would he?"
She tries to break up the tension with a few fake laughs. The Queen is less than amused, and gives Doc a look that demands what she came for. The doctor's laughter fades, and she scoots behind the door to allow the Queen to enter. Her hooves land upon the cold, resin tile and she scans the occupied beds. A few ponies have colds, the flu, one poor sap even looks like he has a nasty case of unrequited love poisoning. The coughs and sneezes of the few conscious podridden drones echo through the ward and vibrate her eardrums.
"Disgusting..." She mumbles under her breath.
The drone at her side stays nearby, swatting away any ill changelings who may get too close. At last, she approaches the patient she's looking for. An old, gray changeling whose exoskeleton hardly fits what meat is left within. The eyes that shift to meet his Queen's are full compounded cataracts, but this nearly blind elder shows the glint of his fangs in a slow, wobbly smile.
"Mother."
Chrysalis's breath hitches as she inhales, but she does her best to give a smile back.
"Hello, my dear..."
She raises a shaking hoof to pet down the tattered remains of the old drone's back fin and the drones eyes relax at her touch. The younger drone stands by, fiddling with his clipboard to fill out his own awkward hole in the situation, but he looks up when he hears that the Queen's voice is now obviously shaking as well.
"You've done well."
She tells the elder, softly, as to not startle.
"I saw you as a nymph... watched you grow... and now you're here."
"Impressed I made it to the finish line, Mother?"
He laughs, but it's more of a weak exhale. He can hardly even lift his head anymore.
"Merely-"
She halts to fight back the tears forming in her eyes and the throbbing pain in the back of her throat.
"Merely upset that you must go before me. That I must watch all of my children fade away far before I do."
"But that is life. We know... that our lives will end before our Queen's, but only a foolish changeling wouldn't put his all into... into the time he has. Expecially for a Queen that loves us as much as you do."
She isn't sure what emotion her wobbling mouth should depict, but she leans over the pod, giving the drone, her once loyal right hand, a loving kiss to his horn. As his eyes drift shut for the last time, she cannot contain the one sharp cry that emanates from her, but she quickly recomposes herself, wiping the tears from her eyes and picking herself back up into her perfect posture.
"I do believe it's time for you to... escort me to glassworks."
