Queen Chrysalis was a patient pony. Extremely patient. Enough so that she could wait several long years studying her enemy and seeking untapped sources of power in order to exact her revenge against not only the ponies of the Crystal Empire but against all of Equestria and their princesses. These were thoughts the changeling queen mulled over as she flicked her fibrous mane out of her eyes, her deathly green eyes fixed with slit pupils. It was a strong magic that kept her decrepit body strong, but it had its limits.
Strong magic needed a strong source, and she had to admit that in all of its forms, love was a strong force. Strong enough to banish an entire Changeling army beyond the Badlands in the south. Now, as before, the changelings took refuge in darkness, building a kingdom of nightmares far below the surface above. Years. It had taken years for Chrysalis and her changelings to carve out the tunnels they now lived in, waiting for the day they could take over Equestria and harvest its love from every single pony.
Yet, even now, Chrysalis could feel her power, the power that kept the changelings thriving without a constant source of love, growing weak. Desperation was accelerating her plans as she was forced to place more and more of her changelings into hibernation to keep them from dying. Even now, as their queen, Chrysalis could feel the subconscious thoughts flowing from them. If nothing else, she was a commander to be feared, capable of communicating telepathically with her warriors, even from a continent away.
This was how she knew that her desperate plan was growing close to fruition. Three days ago, she had felt the teams she'd sent out after the thing she needed contacting her, reporting that their mission was accomplished and they were coming back. Queen Chrysalis was an extremely patient pony, but right now, she could only grit her sharp teeth and paw the rock in her hands impatiently.
They would have met up at the border of the Badlands yesterday and be returning today; she had sent them with enough of her power to make sure they could fly nonstop as soon as they retrieved the items. This plan would be their last chance for Equestria. If it failed, the changelings would be forced to move on and attempt to find a continent with enough love to sustain their race... or face extinction.
Chrysalis moved through the dark tunnels, lit only by a series of glowing stones set into the wall, making her way to a special chamber she had been preparing for a long time now. Even now, a few of her changelings were making a few finishing touches as they filled in ancient runes with a softly glowing blue paint made from the phosphorescent fungi that grew deeper in the caves.
It was mostly dominated by a large circle, the inner side of its line bearing arcane runes. At the crown of the circle, as well as along the lower left and right in a triangle, curving lines had been drawn, leading toward a much smaller circle at the center. Moving outside the circle, the lines traces to three more small circles that were encircled by more runes. Chrysalis smiled. The spell would be ready by the time her scouts returned. Her eyes moved toward the center of the spell circle, where her last hope for Equestria lay.
It was the last egg she would have the power to lay without taking Equestria and careful tending had prepared the young changeling within for his destiny. Chrysalis slowly ran her hand over the egg with a mockery of motherly love. This changeling would be unlike any other. None of the preemptive spells that Cadence or Celestia could conjure up would catch wind of his true nature and he would be powerful. She had molded him to be able to wield power even beyond her own. Before desperation had turned her toward a crazy plan, Chrysalis would have said that such a changeling would die upon hatching... but with a crazy plan comes a crazy chance.
And it came on the buzzing of wings as her scouts returned. The leader of the group sent to the Crystal Empire and the female she had sent into the Everfree Forest. The two approached her, bowing their heads respectfully as they produced their prize with a flourish of magic. A vial of blood which Chrysalis grasped with her dark magic.
"Now we can begin the process." Chrysalis spoke as she reared back her head to let out a maniacal laughter as she lit up her horn, tapping into the ancient runes around her. The runes began to glow brighter while Chrysalis simply uncorked vial and began to pour it to the ground where the runes began to absorb it transferring it to the egg. Chrysalis smiled the whole time as she watched the egg absorbing the egg then the runes finally lost their glow.
Chrysalis waited and waited, but nothing happened as the room was silent as all the changelings watched the egg, but it showed no sign of movement. "AHHH!" Chrysalis yelled while tossing the vial against a wall shattering it causing her subjects to back away in fear. Chrysalis prepared to simply storm off but stopped as she heard a cracking sound. Turning she saw the egg cracked loudly, a single line appearing in its smooth surface. It appeared to be ready to burst but suddenly stopped.
Chrysalis glanced over towards one changeling barking an order. "Go help your brother."
The changeling flew over towards the egg that had a single opening on the top. The changeling moved towards the egg when a hand suddenly reached through the opening grabbing the changeling by its neck. The egg completely broke revealing a giant changeling who let out a roar while choking the unfortunate changeling. Two changelings that stood behind Chrysalis rushed to help but were stopped by her raising her hands. The two changeling stared at the giant changeling with fear. The changeling tossed the changeling to the ground then stood up easily towering over every changeling in the room. It was covered in goo and stared at itself before finally looking up towards Chrysalis.
Chrysalis smiled before chuckling which then turned into full blown laughter.