My little Twilight

My name is Chrysalis, and I am the proud queen of a hive of changelings. Some time ago, my hive was slowly starving from a lack of love energy. I decided to invade the pony capital of Canterlot and secure a healthy supply of love energy. Unfortunately, all that was ruined by one Twilight Sparkle.

As I sat in my chamber, contemplating more ways to squash the pest, I got a message over the hive mind informing me of a strange basket outside with my name on it. Why my name was on a basket, I still have no idea, but I figured it was worth a look. I told the drone who found the basket to bring it to me, and he did.
Gotta love the undying loyalty of drones. Anyway, when the basket appeared in front of me, I looked it over very carefully. It looked like an innocent little picnic basket, but what was inside was what mattered... and it would change my life forever.

As I lifted the little white blanket off the top of the basket, a little lifeform came into view. Surprised, I fell backwards onto my rump and let out a little yelp. I woke the little thing up. When I regained my royal composure, I looked back at the tiny creature, and saw what it was. Someone had the bright idea to deliver to me a pony nymph... or do Equestrians call them foals? Anyway, doesn't matter. The little pony in front of me had a lovely lavender coat, a dark purple mane and tail with a lightly colored purple streak alongside a pink one. It's eyes were a nice of purple as well. And it had a horn. After seeing the horn, it clicked... I wasn't just looking at a baby, I was... the baby was none other than Twilight Sparkle, the pest I'd come to hate with more than a small fiery passion.

I had so many questions run through my head. Why was she at my hive? Why was she disguised as a baby? As impressive as it was, I wondered if it was some trick. I lit up my horn, ready to finally end this life of hers. She'd no longer be a problem for me, and I could take over Canterlot for sure. All it would've taken was letting loose with my spell. It would just be so easy... so why couldn't I do it? I couldn't cast the spell. I couldn't bring myself to kill the very pony who had brought destruction to my hive. Perhaps it was that look in her eyes. It was the unmistakable look of a baby who needs its mother. She wanted me to pick her up and cradle her. Another trick? No... too much innocence. And then she started to cry.

I don't think a child could have a healthier set of lungs than this young pony. My horn went dark and I covered my poor ears as the vocal assault began. I was quickly getting a headache, and I had to do something. So, what did I do? A simple blow would've ended everything. She was so fragile, even one of my weakest hits would do the trick. But no... I couldn't do that... not to a child. Instead, I scooped her up and held her close, attempting to soothe her. And it worked. Her cries turned into sobs, which turned into baby babble as I continued to cradle the young pony.

When I looked down at the bundle of fur in my forelegs, I realized something. This pony wasn't Twilight Sparkle. Well, she was, but she was different. It was like her life had been reset. I didn't even have to look in her eyes to tell you that she looked upon me as her mother. No, the love rolling off of this child was enough to tell me that. As I continued to look down at the young pony, I couldn't help but smile. She was so small, so young, so cute... I knew who it was I was holding. I was not holding the mare that brought certain doom to my hive. I wasn't holding a pony that I thought of ways to dispose of for the past year. I was holding my newest daughter. I don't exactly know why, but I kept her original name. She seemed to like it, so it stuck.

"Welcome to the hive, Twilight," I said softly as I nuzzled her.

She giggled adorably at my touch, and my rock hard heart started to melt. I called over the hive mind for some nursery furniture to be brought to my chamber. I still wonder how badly I confused my drones with at that odd request. No matter. I got the furniture within half an hour, and finished setting in place not long after. I attempted to lay Twilight down in the cradle, she got THAT look. I've raised three hundred and ten thousand, eight hundred and forty four changelings in my life, so I know all the looks of an infant. She didn't want to lay down, she wanted to be held. I pulled her in close and placed her back into my forelegs. She seemed to like that because her little smile came back.

That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm an insectoid, not a mammal. I tried once to give a lost foal some milk by becoming a mare... but it did not work. Unfortunately, the foal did not survive. That was the first pony I ever cried for the loss of. It would be so easy to leave Twilight to that fate. Just leave her outside the hive, let her wither away into nothing. But I can't do that. She's a real foal, and she needs to be cared for. I ordered one of my drones to fly to the nearest pony village and grab some milk for foals. He did, and claimed he didn't even have to pay for it. He's a master thief, what can I say? Anyway, little Twilight was very upset before the drone got back, and she wasted no time in letting me know. I'd have gone deaf if not for one of the caretakers casting a mute shield around Twilight. When I finally got her a bottle fixed up, I cracked the shield and stepped inside. She no sooner had the nipple on the bottle touched her lips had Twilight calmed down, satisfied with the sustenance.

My name is Chrysalis, and I am now the adoptive mother of my most hated enemy.