"That was pretty low of her. Using her own children as a diversion to escape." Applejack remarked with an irritated snort, the pony holding one such child and eyeing it curiously.

"I don't know. So much of what she did makes no sense." Starlight Glimmer mused deep in thought. “Sorry again for missing all the action, Trixie wanted help with a trick.”

Twilight shook her head. “It's fine, we managed to fend her off before she did… whatever it was she was going to do.”

“Oh you’re a hungry one.” Pinkie Pie giggled, holding a bright pink grub with one hand and a bottle of viscous green liquid in the other.

“I just hope I have enough puree for all of them…” Fluttershy fretted nervously, the pegasus flitting from one grub to the next, watching closely as their pony handler fed them careful with an identical bottle of green liquid.

“That was some quick thinking darling.” Rarity commented, holding her own grub and bottle in her magic, and refusing to touch them. “I never would have suspected they would eat… whatever it is this stuff is made from.”

“Don't ask.” Rainbow Dash replied gruffly, her cheeks retaining a greenish tinge to them after just thinking of the stuff.

Around them nearly the entire population of Ponyville was out in the town’s square, each pony holding a colorful grub and green bottle of their own. Some nervously fed the grubs, watching them closely as if they would explode at any minute while others cooed and made baby talk at the colorful grubs. Still others were neutral, their expressions distant, some glancing over to Twilight as if waiting for judgement from the alicorn before they made their own decision.

Twilight Sparkle herself was busy staring off into space, her gaze increasingly distant as she continued to feed a bright purple grub. The small wiggly changeling reminded her of herself in some way, and that clue alone had been enough to guide her to the realization that she was indeed this changeling’s father. The realization itself wasn't exactly difficult, but it was hard to accept that she had inadvertently fathered a few thousand more children overnight.

Warring emotions raged in the alicorn’s mind, and she ruminated endlessly over her actions during the festival. Guilt dominated her thoughts, the alicorn mentally berating herself for having even let things get this far in the first place. Sentences like; How could you not notice? Why didn't you put in any kind of magical security? And others, raged through her mind, making her heart fall and her frown to deepen.

That wasn't the only emotion though, as she also felt a strange sense of pride knowing that these few thousand changelings were hers, in a way. The number itself wasn't particularly intimidating or made her feel strange though, as she had long since gotten over that, but rather the fact that she had fathered those children with Chrysalis of all beings.

The alicorn shuddered, only to stop herself when she noticed the grub had stopped and looked up at her with a worried expression in it's big eyes. “It's fine little one, just a chill.” Twilight explained, shaking the bottle slightly. “Go on now, drink up.”

The grub looked at her for another moment before going back to her bottle, occasionally shooting the alicorn a worried look.

With a sigh, Twilight looked up at the sky just in time to notice the small horde of flying, multicolored changelings that were flying directly at them. A second later and the deafening buzz of hundreds of wings filled the air, with Thorax at the front, a panicked look in his eye. Beside him flew Pharynx, who wore a more dour, worried expression, the second changeling looking around nervously, as if expecting Chrysalis to jump out of the crowd.

As they came closer, the rest of the swarm broke off and landed amidst Ponyville’s general populace, each one moving to assist one of the confused ponies. While this happened both Pharynx and Thorax continued forward, landing directly in front of the alicorn, with Thorax taking the lead. The changeling sprinted awkwardly up to the alicorn before coming to a stop a few feet away, his hands on his knees as he panted hard.

“You know if you actually did the exercises I laid out for you this wouldn't happen.” Pharynx remarked dryly.

Thorax raised a hand while he continued to pant. “There is. Too much. To do. In the hive.” He explained through labored breaths.

Rolling his eyes, the dark blue changeling tucked his bright pink gossamer wings into his back and pulled his long robe tight around his chest. “Greetings Twilight.” He declared, ducking into a respectful, if short, bow.

“Good Afternoon Pharynx. How goes the defences of your hive?” Twilight replied, slowly rocking the sleepy grub, it's bottle now resting on the ground, forgotten.

“Below acceptable levels, but getting better.” Pharynx replied.

A second later and Thorax trotted the rest of the way up to the alicorn, his flowing gold and green robe billowing out behind him. “Good Afternoon, Twilight Sparkle.”

The alicorn frowned. “So you really don't know what she was thinking?”

Thorax shook his head. “I’m afraid it's like my last correspondence said, we simply don't know what her intentions possibly could have been.”

“Chrysalis’ mind has never been an easy thing to understand.” Pharynx added with an irritated snort.

Twilight sighed and looked down at the grub. “She must have some sort of plan. Why go to all this trouble otherwise?”

Thorax frowned as well, sharing in the alicorn’s sadness. “If it makes you feel any better Twilight it sounds like she's lost what little hold she had on her sanity. Though it might very well be a trick, I can't for the life of me understand what she was intending to do.”

“Seems like she just made things worse for herself.” Pharynx pointed out, gesturing to the grub in Twilight’s hands.

“What do you mean? Is this one different somehow?” Twilight asked, gently turning the changeling grub to the side while trying to not wake it. “It's a little bigger, and shinier, but I don't know what that means.”

“She's not an it.” Pharynx hissed.

Twilight flushed. “I’m sorry, I didn't even know if changelings had a gender at this point in development, they certainly don't have any… well…” The alicorn coughed and nervously scratched the back of her neck.

Thorax sighed and placed a gentle hand on his brother’s shoulder. “She didn't mean any harm Pharynx, changeling young can be… confusing to ponies.”

Pharynx grumbled silently, and brushed off his brother’s hand. “Whatever, the point is that she's been fed royal jelly. She's a queen.”

“She's a queen?” Twilight echoed, examining the changeling in a new light.

“I’m afraid so.” Thorax replied. “A fact that further complicates things. A queen could challenge Chrysalis’ rule, why do that unless she has well and truly gone mad from loneliness?”

Twilight frowned, only for the grub’s eyes to open, and her attention to be gripped by the tiny creature now wriggling in her grasp. The grub wiggled it's nose and yawned, before closing her eyes once more and wiggling a little deeper into Twilight’s lap, chirping happily to itself.

“That's possible, loneliness has a way of damaging a person.” Twilight remarked sadly. “Either way she needs our help, and badly.”

Starlight trotted up to the trio, the unicorn rubbing her hands on her jeans as she did. “I wouldn't count on her taking you up on that offer anytime soon. She's the type of person that will only accept help when they are good and ready.”

“Something I hope will happen soon.” Thorax added sadly.

Above them, something stirred, an invisible shape dropping down the back of the house the royals were exchanging words in front of and disappearing into a side alley. Emerging from the other side was a nondescript pony clad in dark clothes, and a pair of sunglasses that hid her eyes. Her body looked calm, her expression was neutral, however, she was anything but.

The image of Twilight Sparkle cradling the brave grub sticking to the forefront of the creature’s mind, unwilling to move. Stupid ponies. She grumbled to herself. One day their acceptance of anything that looks sad and cute will come back to bite them in the flank.

Chrysalis grinned. In fact, that gives me an idea. A wonderful idea.

Smirking to herself, the creature slipped through the crowd and disappeared, unnoticed by all.

Author's Note

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