Queen

As Celestia was being escorted out of the hive by an uneasy-looking changeling, her baffled mind was racing, having completely been caught off guard by the character that Chrysalis now wielded. 'Her personality was all over the place. She spoke like a scholar. She was seemingly only interested in peace, yet there was an unspoken edge to her words, as if she was ready to attack at a moment's notice, or more accurately, retaliate. And she was aggressively diplomatic. Not to mention very unaware of the danger she had been in, or possibly just ignorant.'

As they were walked out and the changeling quickly returned into the hive, Luna spoke up. "Didst we just get escorted away from our rightful retaliation by being baffled to silence? And do we feel less certain of just who this Chrysalis is?"

"I... believe that is what happened, sister dearest. What I am unsure of is if Chrysalis was being genuine or if her words were just silver-tongued lies to get us to trust her. But, why the massive personality change? She was ready to subjugate all of Equestria to further her agenda when she defeated me. This is highly uncharacteristic of the ambitious soul I remember Chrysalis being."

"Were... Were we possibly tricked to be so easily escorted out? My mind was... a little fuzzy in there..." Luna asked, sounding unsure and a little bit anxious.

"I... am not sure, Luna." Celestia replied, realizing that she had felt the same. The sensation was still there, as well. Just muted and far away now.

"As much as my princesses would like to get to the bottom of this mystery, I suggest that we return to Canterlot to ensure that the families of the deceased ponies get their bodies back." The pony squad's captain spoke up, breaking the concerned silence.

"Is there something on my face?" I asked. I sat down and used a hoof to wipe off my muzzle. It came back with flecks of bug guts and bits of flesh. "Ah, I guess there is. Hoo... I feel tired... Can someone lead me back to my room so I could take a bath? And a nap?" I chuckle lightly, feeling woozy. A changeling I recognize steps forward. "Ah, its you. Y'know, I still haven't gotten your name."

"Follow me, my Queen. I will assist you in returning to your chambers to recover." The familiar drone asserted. "A healing pod will be prepped and our stores cracked open to assist in your recovery."

"... Alright, but I still want your name... And why am I so exhausted all of a sudden?" I stumble slightly, following the drone. My voice felt thick, and my head was starting to ache.

"You... really don't know, do you?... You really aren't the same Chrysalis. Chrysalis wouldn't allow herself to experience such extreme mana fatigue, plus she knows all our names through the Aetheria."

"Aetheria?" I repeat, my mind growing fuzzier by the minute. "Mana fatigue? I still have plenty of mana. Watc-" I light my horn to cast a spell, but my thoughts are interrupted with a pounding headache. "Mmmh... Message received, then. Ouch. Lesson learned today... What I wouldn't give for some ibuprofen right now."

"I-bee-what?" My drone asked, sparing me a glance.

"N-nothing... Memories I no longer need." I reply, starting to think of how I remembered these random things from what I believe was my old life. 'Stress reaction? Adrenaline response?... God forbid, comedic timing?'

"Man, this is gonna eat me up until I either figure it out or get too irritated to keep trying to figure it out." I think aloud.

"What is that, My Queen?"

"How the fuck did I end up remembering these random things from what I think might have been my past life...Nothing for my loyal underlings to worry about, though. That place was hell." I rack my brain some more, but nothing becomes obvious or apparent. The rest of the walk was spent in silence.

As we approached my chamber doors, a few thoughts I deemed important occurred to me. "The pod will not be necessary. If I am to be a fair, just, well-rounded, and intelligent leader, I must learn from my mistakes. I will allow myself to suffer through my recovery. Any 'lings injured in today's skirmish will be permitted time in a healing pod, dependent on the severity of their injuries. Instead, I shall meditate on today and see if I can remember anything about the Megaspider."

"Megarachnid," The drone corrects me. I roll my eyes and sigh in slight irritation.

"Yeah, whatever floats his now-sunken boat." I settle on my bed and lay in the most comfortable position my body allowed me. "You're dismissed. Thank you."

The drone bows and exits the room, the door closing with an unpleasantly loud booming sound, which caused me to wince.

"Gawd, that was too loud for this fuggen headache..." I complain to nopony in particular as I lay my head down. "A nap should suffice for now. I'll meditate when I wake up... No, wait. I still need a bath. Eugh, blood and bug guts."

I quickly hop off the bed and almost casted magic to clean the bed before I remembered that I didn't want to do that right now. "Alright, shower. Shower, shower, shower... Where's the shower?" I wander through an open arch to a connected room, which appeared to have a smooth basin in it.

"That's not-... Is it?" I think aloud, before realizing I'm talking to myself and mentally kicking myself for it. "Is there some kind of spigot somewhere? Or would it be a faucet? Hm... A thought for later."

I felt around 4 presences approaching me from the other side of a closed door I spot. 'Strange, my 'lings don't give me these sensations.' The door swings open, and in walk three pony mares and a stallion, causing my eyes to widen slightly in surprise. 'Hm! Ponies.' I idly make a mental note.

"Greetings, My Queen" A mare steps forward, addressing me in a way I wasn't fully prepared to hear. I watch them carefully, raising an eyebrow at them. "We were already briefed on your... Ahem, new identity, and wished to meet this new you, as well as swear fealty to your service. We were subservient under... Well, you, before the recent wedding incident. If you'll allow us, we will service you however you see fit."

"Hm... Well... For now, all I'd like is a nice, long soak in a bath of some sort. Maybe a massage later. Oh, and I accept your fealty. Welcome back." I give them a small smile, then look back at the basin. "Would you help me figure this out? I'm just about as knowledgeable as a newborn drone, but hopefully smarter."

The stallion stamps a hoof twice, and a spigot pops out of the ground at the edge of the basin, ejecting water into it.

"Ah, flush-fit appliances, with color-matching. Fancy, but sometimes it can run into issues if not installed properly. Whatever. Thank you again. For now, all I ask is that you stick around and keep me from drowning if I fall asleep." I ramble.

The first mare, who appears to be a higher rank than the others and the one in command of my four-pony troupe, nods and steps closer to the basin. "Understood, your highness. We will not fail you."

I wanted to put a stop to their extreme level of seriousness in such matters, but I was lacking the drive to do so, my bath calling to me.

Not long after I had settled into the basin and found a comfortable spot to lounge, the three mares stepped in as well. Two of the mares positioned themselves so that I could lean against them and not submerge myself if I fell asleep. The third mare had begun to tenderly wash the parts of myself that I wouldn't have been surprised to be unable to reach on my own due to my new hooves.

"Damn, first day and I've already cried over the death of changelings I never knew, killed at least two intelligent beings, started negotiations for peace, and killed a bunch of monsters. Now I'm getting bathed by ponies that swore fealty to me, as they had to Old Chrysalis." I mused quietly to myself. "I really need to stop talking to myself..."

'Chrysalis. That name left a bad taste in a lot of beings mouths, and mine isn't so happy to say it either, considering her track record before me... I should consider taking up a new one. I'm not the same changeling queen, I'm better. Evolved, so to speak. Or maybe even... 'Emerged from my Chrysalis'' I chuckled for a moment, before I realized how terrible that sounded and cringed.

"... Are you well, My Queen? You pulled away," The mare cleaning me said submissively, backing away. "Have I dissatisfied you or caused you pain?"

"Er, d-don't worry. Just thought something dumb. Nothing you have done to wrong me." I responded. Jeez, I need to get used to lording over what's essentially a whole army. I thought of something else and leaned my head back, looking at the stallion outside the basin, who was standing stiffly just outside the rim.

"Hey, dude pony. Could you, like, fetch my advisor? I'm not of a fully sound mind right now and would like to discuss a few things for his input on them."

"I am always close enough to respond immediately to your calling, My Queen." I hear from the doorway to my room. I turn my head around to spot the changeling in question. He got closer to the side of the basin I was in so that we wouldn't have to speak more loudly than necessary.

"Ah, good. I've been thinking of... rebranding, in a sense. And a thought that occurred to me was... I'm probably due for a name change."

"Oh? Why is that, My Queen? Does your name not instill fear into our enemies?" The changeling responded confidently, and somewhat ignorantly, though I couldn't blame him.

"Yes, but that's sort of the problem. I'm very much not who I used to be. And being tied to this name will not do my image any good if I am to be successful in... let's say, 'long term integration'. Make sense?"

The changeling looked contemplative for a second. "Hrm... yes... yes, I can see how that might become problematic... If you desire to deceive our enemies to get into their good graces, a new name would surely help."

"I... never said anything about deceiving... Anyway, have any of our infiltrators arrived from being recalled yet?"

"The infiltrators were... never sent out after our defeat. So, you never made such an order, though they are here."

"Bring a few here, would you? I have some questions I'd like to ask them."