Chrysalis looked down at the Changeling hive, seeing all the activity that was going on. Her former subjects were milling about, going about their daily work, as always. The difference was that they had smiles on their faces. They were almost.... cordial with one another.
Ever since she had been ousted she stayed close by. Partially because she still felt connected to the hive and its inhabitants. Partially because she had nowhere else to go. The badlands had been her home for all of her considerable life. There were no niceties there! The place was savage, not tamed by Pony or Changeling hooves. That was the way she liked it, damn it!
But that had changed too.
If a threat came up, her former subjects would deal with it together, easily overpowering it. Anything that would be a major threat if not dealt with was -as her spell-enhanced sight told her- usually turned into a replete; a repository for the Love that they now shared amongst themselves. No matter how many times they filled those, they never seemed to run dry of it. Every Changeling there took their turn filling the stores, but never lost enough to weaken them. It was almost as if they had more love just by being around each other.
Chrysalis begrudgingly admitted to herself that she had been... wrong. It almost made her spit up bile with disgust when she thought that. Even in their garish colours, disgustingly friendly manners and complete lack of antipathy, it seemed, Chrysalis almost... ENVIED them.
Well, not quite, but very close.
A voice sounded behind her. “Now do you see? What changes your people have gone through?”
This immediately snapped the fallen queen out of her spell-trance. She wheeled around quickly and fired a bolt of green energy, which was knocked away almost casually with a hoof. Standing before her was none other than Princess Celestia.
“Celestia.” Chrysalis growled in greeting.
Shortly thereafter, Luna landed next to her sister.
“Luna.” the former queen seethed on.
“I imagine you're quite hungry.” the white Alicorn said, tossing a pinkish canteen at the former queen's hooves.
Begrudging, but grateful (not that she'd admit it), Chrysalis uncorked the canteen using her magic and drank eagerly. Suddenly she felt the sensation of pure, true Love flooding her system. It had been a long enough time since she had anything to eat that she had to bite back a moan of satisfaction. Never had she tasted Love so pure!
“That,” Celestia explained, “was from the Love that your people have for each other. Kinship.”
“How...” Chrysalis began, recovering her dignity, “did you find me?”
“Do you take us for fools?” Luna asked.
Chrysalis bit back a snarky comment.
“We had a tracking spell on you shortly before you got out of range. Knew where you were the whole time.” the white demigod explained.
“You KNEW?!” the former queen screeched.
“Why did you think nopony followed you?” Luna asked smugly.
“I thought that you were still recovering from being in the pods!”
“Pfft!” Celestia scoffed. “I've risen and lowered the sun and moon for a thousand years, before my sister's return. What is coming out of suspended animation compared to strain like that?”
Chrysalis facehoofed before saying, “So. Are you here to capture me?”
“No. Not unless that's what we must do.” Celestia answered.
“Then what would you have me do? My former subjects have ousted me and are without a queen. And I can't just go back there as it is. If I did either they'd try to kill or capture me on sight, let me back in power -very unlikely- which would like as not cause them to backslide into the age we just passed through, or they'd force me to become as they are - which, by the way, I do not want. What would you have me do?!” Chrysalis shrieked. She was distraught, tired and feeling extremely lonely.
“If you ask me, I think you should embrace the change.” another familiar voice said, matter-of-factly.
“What?” Chrysalis queried, surprised.
Starlight Glimmer walked to stand by the two Alicorns, counting on their protection, just in case. “Look, we all go through our phases, and believe me, I've been where you are. You're feeling angry, unfulfilled, wondering if you even have a purpose anymore and if you should just drink some bleach, or just put a bag over your head, that would work too-”
“You're projecting REALLY hard, right now.” Chrysalis growled.
“Sorry. The point is that you're likely to either kill yourself or stop being a horrible cunt.”
Celestia and Luna briefly coloured at Starlight's use of language.
Starlight continued, “And, now that you've had time to think, if there's even a chance that you'll do the second, you should do it Now. Because the longer you wait, the more crippling your self-hatred will be when you do.” she finished, extending a foreleg to Chrysalis.
The deposed queen closed her eyes and thought long and hard. At length, she opened her eyes, with a smirk. She reached toward Starlight's outstretched hoof, leaning forward slightly....
And then promptly bit her, sinking her fangs in deeply.
Starlight screamed in pain as the royal sisters came to her defence. Even after Chrysalis was knocked to the ground, Starlight continued to writhe in agony.
“What did you do, Chrysalis?” Celestia growled.
“I picked a third option.” Chrysalis said proudly, chuckling. “Now I've left behind a legacy, the Changelings shall have their new queen -who isn't averse to joining them- I have my revenge and I'll forever be out of your manes. All... are... satisfied.” she said, before falling on her side and turning to dust, which blew away on the wind.
The sisters exchanged glances before seeing to Starlight, who was still groaning in agony. It was obvious that nothing could be done at present, so the sisters begrudgingly stood aside, at least making sure that Starlight wouldn't hurt herself..
Starlight cringed as changes started to occur. Firstly her body started turning black, its hairs falling out, only to be replaced by hard chitin, part of it forming a large bulge on either side of her. She also gasped when part of her opened up and revealed insect-like wings, which fluttered briefly, shining in the harsh sunlight, before snapping to Starlight's sides again. Her horn started to develop cracks, magical energy in a liquid form beginning to seep from it. Also, her body was beginning to stretch, increasing her effective height
As more and more changes occurred across Starlight's body, Celestia and Luna noticed that, in the distance, the Changelings were stirred up about something. What that was, they could only guess.
Starlight herself, however, then had an extreme headache as she was suddenly being connected to thousands of minds, thousands of Changelings. As more and more connected to her, she could feel them comforting her, calming her, welcoming her.
Giving their Love to her, even at a distance.
Willingly, she gave back.
Suddenly her black chitin turned a vibrant -yet muted- purple, much like her old coat. Any cracks that were appearing in her horn before started to seal up. When she finally opened her eyes, they too were a royal purple. Her wings snapped open, becoming a pearlescent violet colour in short order. Her underbelly and chest changed to a teal blue (like the highlight in her still attached mane). Lastly, a purple protrusion with teal, gem-like beads on the top sprouted from Starlight's head.
All in all, she looked every part the Changeling queen. As if compelled, she opened her wings instinctively and flew back to the hive.
The royal sisters exchanged another glance before following.
When they arrived, they saw many Changelings welcoming the transformed Starlight Glimmer.
Thorax himself had a few questions, which were answered readily. But one kind of threw Starlight off.
“So. Will you honour her wish -and mine- and be our queen?”
Starlight paused for a moment. Then she figured, “Why not? Maybe this will blow over, maybe it won't. There's no changing it now.”
Accepting Thorax's proffered hoof, they went further into the hive proper.
Celestia and Luna shared a knowing smirk, then left, knowing that there was little more they could do.