Where Do Changelings Come From?

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3

Chapter 1

“Thank you for coming to see me.”

The three guests in the room nodded their heads. It was odd seeing the four of them together like this, but during times like these, collaboration was necessary to solve large-scale issues.

“So, uhh… what did you need me here for?” asked the blue dragon, who folded her arms and kicked her legs onto the conference room table.

“Yeah, I’m a little confused myself,” the changeling chimed in. “This is kinda my problem, so I don’t see why you invited them along too.”

“Come on, guys! Four heads are better than two! Unless you’re chimera, in which case trust me, the fewer the better.” The kirin laughed at her own joke, which only made the dragon roll her eyes in annoyance.

“For this assignment, I’ll need all three of you here,” the princess said calmly. “Dragon Lord Ember, Ambassador Autumn Blaze, we’re going to need your help in coming up with a solution regarding the changeling population.”

Ember raised an eyebrow. “OoooooK? Why, though?”

“King Thorax,” Twilight began, turning towards the fourth guest in the room, “perhaps you would like to fill them in?”

The changeling flinched at the dragon’s fierce gaze and instead faced the kirin with the much more approachable expression. “Right. You see, the changelings have gone on for centuries under several different queens, all of which have had their hives feed on love in order to survive.”

“Ooooooo! Changeling history! You know, we never get to hear about that much over in my village! Where did it all start for you guys? Does your kind have like a Beejesus that created changelings in the first place?”

Once again, Thorax cringed, deciding that maybe it would be easier to face Ember’s fierce gaze after all. “Well, the problem is that ever since we’ve evolved to a more cohabitative way of surviving, it means that I’ve been the acting monarch for our kind. I’m the first king the species has ever had, so things have gotten a little… complicated since Chrysalis disappeared.”

“Complicated how?” the dragon retorted.

“It’s… uh… you know how things are different with you being the first female dragon lord?”

“Not really. Dragons feared me before. They fear me now. I don’t get your point.”

The changeling blinked. “Er… Twilight? I might need you to explain the rest after all.”

Once everyone’s eyes travelled back to her, however, Twilight rubbed her foreleg nervously, giggling awkwardly as a bead of sweat trailed down her forehead. “Well... Autumn Blaze! Let’s talk about why you’re here first!”

“Oh, I already know why I’m here,” the kirin responded, making Twilight lift an eyebrow.

“You do?”

“Yup! I’m just here for comic relief so that these two don’t kill each other when you bring up the fact that we need Ember to teach Thorax how to lay eggs.” Ember’s jaw dropped, Thorax winced, and Twilight put her hoof to her face, shaking her head in discomfort, and suddenly, Autumn Blaze realized what she did wrong. “I should have just let you say that, shouldn’t I?”

“I’m outta here.”

The dragon didn’t hesitate for a moment, but luckily, Twilight had reflexes that were just as quick. Just as Ember had taken off into the air, flying towards the exit, the princess zoomed in front of her, holding out her hooves to block the dragon lord from leaving.

“Hang on a second! I promise it’s not as weird as it sounds.”

Ember folded her arms with a scowl. “So you don’t want me to teach bugbrain over there how to lay eggs?”

“Well… uhh… It’s not like we’re asking for a demonstration or anything, but--”

“Oo! Oo! I want to see a demonstration!”

“Autumn Blaze!! Not helping!”

Thorax could see how quickly things were going to go south if he didn’t intervene, and with a heavy sigh, he flew into the air beside the dragon, who seemed annoyed just looking at him. “Listen, Dragon Lord Ember,” he said sorrowfully. “I know how you’ll probably feel about this, but my species is in danger. Queen Chrysalis was the one who laid all of the eggs that kept our hive going, but now that she’s gone, it’s my responsibility to prevent our extinction.”

“Alright, look,” the dragon said in annoyance, slowly falling back to the ground. “Let’s just get the obvious point out of the way first. Are you a girl?”

The changeling rubbed his foreleg bashfully. “No, I’m not.”

“OK. I don’t know how your species makes babies, but with us, only the girls can lay eggs. I mean, you’re the king, aren’t you? Aren’t there loads of chicks back at your hive who can--”

“No, it doesn’t work like that, I’m afraid. The females in my hive are worker changelings, and they never got the jelly that queens get that allows them to lay fertile eggs.”

Finally, placing her claw to her face, Ember let out an exhausted sigh before putting both of her claws to her hips. “Look, I hate to break it to you, but there’s really nothing you can do. Basically any of the girl dragons can lay eggs. If the queen is really the only one who can keep your species going, then you really don’t have a choice.”

Twilight nodded her head in agreement until the message Ember was implying finally sunk in, making the alicorn gasp. “Wait! You can’t mean--”

“You’re gonna have to bring back Chrysalis and get her to lay some more eggs. That’s the only way I can think of to keep your species from going extinct.”

Twilight chuckled nervously, grinning at the dragon whose face remained stoic. “You’re joking… right, Ember?”

“You got any better ideas?”

There had to be more options! She knew what would happen if she ever tried bringing Chrysalis back! There was once a time when she was offered the chance to reform, to accept friendship and a new way of life, but instead, she chose the other path, one that led her to her stone prison in the first place. If she was ever released, what would stop her from doing it again? Someone like her could never be reformed…

...But the changelings. They would all die out if she didn’t…

As Twilight continued running through all the possibilities in her head, however, Thorax placed a hoof onto her back, making her nearly get whiplash from how quickly she turned her neck. “It’s OK, Princess Twilight,” he said with a small smile. “We can think of another way.”

“But how? None of the other changelings can reproduce, can they?”

Thorax cringed in doubt. “Well… Maybe we could try reproducing with other species. I’m sure there have to be ponies who would--”

“No. It’s not that I don’t want you to mix with ponies or anything, but changelings need to keep existing how they are, even if it means trying one last time to reform Chrysalis.”

“But… do you really think that’ll work?”

The alicorn princess turned towards Autumn Blaze, who nodded her head vigorously, then towards Ember, who simply shrugged her shoulders. Of course, it was going to be a long shot, and there were no guarantees, but the one saving grace that Twilight could look back on was the fact that they’d already taken care of her three times already, so it wasn’t like they couldn’t do it again. If they didn’t at least try, then the changelings would almost definitely go extinct.

Then, lifting her head with confidence, Twilight finally said, “Yes, I do. If you help me, then I’m sure that the two of us will be able to get her to change her ways. Somehow.”

“Hey, it worked with Discord!” Autumn Blaze shouted. “And I gotta tell you, that guy is a hoot! You should see his impersonation of Applejack. Hi-Larious. No offense, but he’s probably got her character down even more than a changeling!”

Twilight and Thorax then looked at each other and laughed, shaking their heads with newfound confidence.

“Alright, Twilight,” Thorax said, lifting his head higher than it had been this whole time. “Let’s do it. Let’s save my hive.”

It was difficult enough just trying to separate Chrysalis’s body from the other two imprisoned in stone, but the real challenge was getting it back to the changeling hive without the other changelings seeing. If they knew what the two monarchs were trying to do, the hive would undoubtedly be in an uproar, so rather than dragging her statue through the middle of the colony, the two of them snuck her in through a back entrance that only Thorax knew about. They would be underground for the time being, but that was still better than revealing their former queen to those who had tried so hard to change from what she wanted them to be in the first place.

“Actually,” the king began, his face contorted in anxiety, “maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all.”

“We have no choice, Thorax. Are all the exits sealed?”

“I think so, but--”

“Good. You might wanna stand back for a second.”

Twilight could see Thorax flinching from the corner of her eyes, but if she didn’t take care of this now, she knew that she’d just let Thorax talk her out of it. This would be the first time she’d ever released anything from stone without her friends’ help, but if they knew what she was doing, they’d never agree to be part of it in the first place. She just had to concentrate her mind for the time being and let everything else go.

Then, focusing her magic to the tip of her horn, the princess began to levitate from the ground as a magical aura enveloped her body. She could see Thorax beginning to slowly back himself away, leaving her target clear. Finally, closing her eyes, she allowed the magical energy to course through her body, following her veins up to her horn until it cascaded down towards the statue in a path of magic.

Light filled the room. Thorax held up his hoof to block out the overwhelming brightness. After a few moments of blinding magic piercing into the statue, however, it finally began to crack along the contours, which shone as if light were emanating from the inside. Then, with smoke billowing up around it, the statue exploded, filling the surrounding area with a giant dust cloud as Twilight finished her spell, descending to the ground and examining the aftermath.

Did it not work? Had she screwed up somewhere?

Just when she was about to worry, however, she heard a low, feminine voice begin to cackle from inside the smoke, and that worry quickly turned to anxiety.

“Ahahahaha. Ahhhhahahahahaha! GAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAH!”

One hoof stepped in front of the other, making a loud thud as it collided with the ground below. It took a moment for the dust to clear, but once it did, the creature standing in the middle was a black figure with holes all over her legs.

“I knew it was only a matter of time before I’d be free again!” she exclaimed with another panic-inducing cackle. “Now, who was it that was gracious enough to release me from my stone prison?”

“Th-that would be me.”

Chrysalis turned towards the feeble sound with an eyebrow raised, seeing the purple alicorn waving at her with an awkward smile. Then, to Twilight’s dismay, Chrysalis smiled back.

“Excellent choice, Your Majesty. Have you finally realized that that sorry excuse for a bug has no idea how to raise a changeling colony?”

“Weeeell…”

Twilight slowly nudged her head to the side, and following the direction where she was motioning to, Chrysalis noticed a very timid changeling rubbing his foreleg anxiously. “Ah. So you’re still here.”

“Hi, Chrysalis,” he said quietly with a nervous wave. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Queen Chrysalis switched looks between Twilight and Thorax, raising her eyebrow higher after every glance. “You didn’t release me to take over the hive again, did you?”

“Well,” Twilight began with a cringe, “not exactly.”

Right when Twilight expected Chrysalis to erupt into a fit of rage, however, the queen smirked, causing the hairs on her body to stick up uncomfortably. “I understand,” Chrysalis began, placing her hoof against her forehead with a melodramatic swoon. “You’re probably right. The changelings must be thriving under… what was your name again?”

“Er… Thorax.”

“Right. The hive must be prospering in ways that it never even imagined under my leadership. Although that makes me wonder… What reason could the two of you possibly have for releasing me if the changelings are doing so well?”

Twilight and Thorax turned towards each other, flinching once they noticed that their cringing faces were mirroring each other with terrifying accuracy. Even if Thorax could come up with some kind of excuse, though, this wasn’t his responsibility in the first place. Twilight was the one who came up with the idea to release Chrysalis, which meant that she needed to be the one to actually carry out their mission.

Then, placing a hoof down with what she hoped looked like confidence, the princess looked into the queen’s eyes and said, “We wanted to give you another chance. Now that you know what the alternative is, we want you to become part of the hive again, as one that can spread love rather than feasting on it. If we release you from your stone prison, will you promise to give friendship a chance?”

Chrysalis’s grin grew wider, again making Twilight’s hooves quiver.

“OK.”

Twilight blinked. “Wait, seriously? No threats of revenge or how you’ll get the changelings to go back to how they used to be?”

“Well, it’s not like you’ve given me much of a choice. As much as I hate to admit it, without Grogar’s bell, I don’t really stand a chance against you alone. If my options are friendship or being turned to stone again, I might as well give it a shot.”

“That’s… great!” Twilight beamed uncomfortably towards Thorax, still unsure whether or not things were going a little too well. Thorax, though, shrugged his shoulders, giving Twilight basically the same reaction that she had. “Oh, by the way, there was one teensy weensy little thing we wanted to ask you about, since you’re going to be studying friendship and all.”

“Go on.”

The princess chuckled uncomfortably before swallowing hard. “You see… um… the thing is… You know where babies come from, right?”

Chrysalis stared at Twilight with a blank look on her face, seemingly frozen in time until she roared with laughter a few seconds later, falling onto her stomach and pounding the ground in hilarity. The louder Chrysalis laughed, the more Twilight’s cheeks burned.

“Oh, that is priceless!” the changeling queen hollered, wiping a tear from her eye. “I guess your new king forgot about one of the key components of changeling physiology when he decided to form a coup against me.”

Just as Chrysalis began to giggle incessantly again, however, Thorax slammed his hoof to the ground, silencing the queen whose eyes went wide in surprise. “Don’t forget who has the upper hoof here, Chrysalis. You may be the only one who can keep our race going, but I’d rather we go extinct than let you ever have the throne again. If I think you’re doing anything that Twilight doesn’t know about, I’ll have her turn you back to stone without so much as a second thought. Are we clear?”

After waiting a few moments with a raised eyebrow, Chrysalis slowly returned to her hooves, wiping some of the dust off of her foreleg. “When did you get such a backbone?” Thorax opened his mouth again, but before he could speak, Chrysalis quickly raised her hoof to silence him. “I get it. It’s friendship or prison. Or are you really just holding me hostage until I can lay another queen for you?”

“That’s not--” Twilight stammered, unable to find any way to respond, but Thorax, however, continued to stare Chrysalis in the eye, unwavering in his conviction.

“Do we have a deal, Chrysalis?”

The queen rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. Like I said. It’s not like you’ve given me much of a choice.”

Thorax looked over at Twilight with a confident grin, but Twilight, however, could only smile back with half of the confidence that he had. The entire future of the changeling population depended on the success of this plan, which now rested squarely on their shoulders. Twilight had to make this work. What kind of princess of friendship would she be otherwise?

Chapter 2

“Alright! Let’s start with the basics!”

“Right, because locking me in a room where nopony can find out about me is definitely the best way to learn friendship.”

Chrysalis wasn’t wrong. Since Twilight would be the one teaching her friendship, she’d decided to start their lessons in Ponyville before transitioning her back into the hive. Unfortunately, however, bringing her back to Ponyville had almost as many problems as keeping her back at the hive in the first place, and she’d need to make some serious progress before letting anypony find out about her.

“Friendship takes work,” the princess said as confidently as she could. “Now, why don’t you start by saying something nice about somepony?”

Chrysalis groaned. “Like who?”

“How about Thorax? Let’s start with him!”

The queen put her holey hoof to her chin, her eyes drifting to the corner of the room as she pondered deeply. “Thorax is… an idiot.”

“That’s… not a compliment.”

“Am I wrong?”

Yes, she was, but Twilight tried to force a smile anyway. “Friendship isn’t always about being right, Chrysalis. Sometimes the best thing to do is keep negative comments to ourselves.”

“You mean lie to their face? I think I’m beginning to like this friendship thing.”

Twilight groaned, slapping her hoof to her face. “Let’s try something different. Why don’t you say something nice about me?”

“I like how pretty you are.”

“...Now I can’t tell if you’re lying or not!”

The queen giggled softly, pacing around the alicorn who could already begin to feel her hooves shake. “Oh, I’m not lying, princess. Would you like me to tell you more about just how beautiful I think you are? That sounds like something a friend would do, right?”

Twilight never lost sight of the changeling as she circled around her. She knew she had to be up to something, but since there was still no justifiable reason to doubt her quite yet, maybe it would just be better to go along with what she was doing for right now.

“Sure, I guess. I suppose there’s no reason friends can’t compliment each other’s looks every once in a while.”

“Every once in a while? Darling, with beauty like yours, ponies should be telling you every day how pretty you are.”

Twilight blushed uncomfortably. “OK, for our next friendship lesson, it’s important to know that sometimes when you say too many nice things, it might make the other pony a little embarrassed. And self-conscious…”

Despite her borderline rebuke, Chrysalis only smiled wider, making Twilight swallow a hard gulp. She could tell that Chrysalis was up to something, but there was no way she was planning on escaping just from flattery alone; Chrysalis was too smart for something like that. Twilight continued to keep a safe distance between them, cautiously watching for any sudden movements, but so far, all the changeling queen had done was say nice things about her. There was no way she was legitimately trying to change already… was there?

“So,” Chrysalis began, cutting Twilight from her train of thought, “I would assume we can move onto our next lesson now.”

“Yes!” Twilight ejaculated suddenly, catching even Chrysalis off guard with her sudden intensity. “Right, uh, next we’ll be doing a recreational activity together. First we’ll do what you want to do, and then we’ll do what I want to do!”

The changeling raised an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for us to do something we both wanted to do?”

The comment made Twilight squint suspiciously, but there was no doubt that she had a point. “Sure! It’s just… What do you want to do that you think I’d want to do?”

“Talk.”

Twilight waited for her to continue for a few moments before realizing that there was no punchline. No “about world domination” or “about how stupid Thorax is” at the end. She just genuinely wanted to have a normal conversation, which still left one blaring question.

“About what?”

Chrysalis smirked. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

“WHAT?!” Quickly, the alicorn turned around, making sure the two of them were still alone and that nopony had accidentally walked in at the worst possible time. Then, descending her voice down to a whisper, she said, “Why would you ask something like that?”

“I thought that’s what friends talk about. Don’t you think it would be a suitable bonding moment to talk about your romantic life?”

“I… uh…” Twilight’s face turned an even brighter shade of red. “No, I don’t. Now can we move onto something else, please? Preferably something a little less embarrassing?”

With a sly smile, the changeling circled around Twilight once more before stopping right next to her face, closing the distance with far less room between them than ever. “Oh? I would have thought that somepony as desirable as you would have a long line of suitors. Don’t tell me. None of them are good enough for you?”

“Chrysalis… What are you doing?”

There had to be some kind of trick going on here, but the queen seemed to be playing the innocence card for as long as she could. “I’m just trying to bond with you, Princess. I have to say that our pasts aside, you’ve always interested me so much.”

“Really? How so?”

She couldn’t explain why, but somehow, it felt like the whole bonding thing was actually working, like she was actually forming some kind of connection with Chrysalis somehow. Of course, Twilight still had to be on her guard, but all Chrysalis had been talking about this whole time was her. That wasn’t something that ponies usually did unless they were really trying to make friends, so the least she could do was give Chrysalis the benefit of the doubt.

“There will be more books written about you than will ever fill the Canterlot libraries,” the queen continued. “You’ve saved Equestria from more threats than any other creature could hope to match in one thousand lifetimes. Now you’re giving me, one of your greatest rivals, another chance. I’m… grateful, to say the least.”

“You…” Twilight began with a gulp. “You really think I’m pretty?”

Chrysalis chuckled, but at this point, Twilight could no longer find any reason not to trust her, at least for right now. She couldn’t quite explain it, but she felt safer with her now than she had at any point before. The comment she’d made before about her being pretty seemed so uncomfortable and surprising; it made no sense that Twilight would be thinking about it now with such a contrasting feeling.

And yet, she felt comfortable with her. Calm, even.

The queen looked down at her with eyes that pierced her heart, making her breathe heavily. “Would you like me to prove to you how beautiful I think you are?”

Twilight blushed. “How?”

Luckily for her, however, Chrysalis decided not to answer with words. Before Twilight could even comprehend what was happening, she saw the queen’s eyes begin to close, her face coming so close that she could feel her breath against her neck. Her heart was racing, so why then, did she feel so at ease? Twilight could feel her hooves shaking nervously, so why did it feel like everything that was happening was an absolute dream come true?

While the alicorn struggled with all of her conflicting thoughts, however, she didn’t even realize that her mouth was pressing against her student’s, her hoof slowly wrapping around the changeling’s neck. Once she finally noticed the soft sensation of Chrysalis’s lips dancing around hers, she was too immersed to even think about what she was supposed to be feeling. Right now, she felt… safe, and as far as she was concerned, that was all that mattered for the time being.

Eventually, though, the dreaded time came when Chrysalis slowly pulled her mouth away from Twilight’s, making her suddenly feel empty, like a part of her own body had been taken away. Upon blinking her eyes, however, Twilight realized what she’d just done, and then her face flushed so red that even Big Mac wouldn’t compare.

“Oh, my goodness! What just happened?!”

“We kissed,” the changeling quipped. “Nice tongue, by the way.”

Twilight slapped her hooves to her mouth, trying not to cry from embarrassment. “I’m sorry! That was a mistake! Let’s just go back to our friendship lessons and forget that ever happened.”

Chrysalis smirked, making the alicorn’s heart reflexively twinge. Why was Twilight feeling this way? Sure, Chrysalis was more beautiful than she remembered, but the only reason she was even here was to learn friendship so that the changelings wouldn’t go extinct! This was no time for romance lessons!

...But Chrysalis did kiss her back. Did that mean she liked her too?

Twilight slapped her face, making Chrysalis flinch in confusion. “Sorry about that,” the princess said with a light chuckle. “Anyway, which lesson were we talking about again?”

“I believe we were talking about--”

“HONESTY! That’s a great lesson! Hey, speaking of honesty, how do you feel about me? Romantically, I mean.”

Once the words left Twilight’s lips, her eyes went wide. How could she even ask a question like that? Chrysalis didn’t seem like she particularly minded, though. She was even… smiling. Did that mean…?

“Now, when you say ‘romantically’, do you mean sexually?”

Twilight gulped. “I uh… suppose that could be one interpretation, but I mean like sexually as a friend, of course.” Again, the alicorn flinched from the words she’d unwittingly said, but like before, Chrysalis didn’t seem to mind. There was no way Chrysalis actually had feelings for her, at least not from a logical perspective, but the wider she smiled, the more Twilight felt steam sizzling out of her horn.

“Well, I suppose you are kind of cute.”

“Like cute sexually? Not that I’m implying we should have sex yet. It’s probably better if we wait for…” Before Twilight could finish her sentence, however, Chrysalis put a hoof on each of her shoulders, making Twilight slowly lean backwards as the changeling closed the gap between them. “...or, you know, not.”

Chrysalis moved in closer, her alluring mouth practically calling out to Twilight’s. This wasn’t right! Twilight was supposed to be her friendship teacher, but there was no denying how badly she wanted to feel their tongues wrapped together, feeling Chrysalis’s hoof exploring her body, intertwining their legs and pressing their female anatomies down. Just as Twilight felt her eyelids closing to give into her carnal pleasure, though, she looked into Chrysalis’s eyes one last time, seeing her own reflection in her pupils.

And then Twilight pushed her away.

“I KNEW IT!”

Chrysalis toppled to the floor, rubbing her head in confusion while Twilight seethed in anger. “What is the meaning of this?!” the changeling hissed, but Twilight held her ground, stomping her hoof down in anger.

“I should have known! I can’t believe I thought you actually had feelings for me! Ugggghhhh I feel so stupiiiiid!”

The alicorn buried her hooves into her face, trying to block out Chrysalis’s image as much as she could, but even with most of her face covered, she could still see the changeling queen pulling herself back up to her hooves. “Care to explain what just happened?”

“You…”

She couldn’t even think of the words to begin to express how angry she was. Twilight’s emotions had never been toyed with like that before. For once in her life, she actually thought she was attractive, feminine, and desirable, but when she looked into Chrysalis’s eyes, she saw her own eyes flashing a light shade of green. It was all just a changeling trick, one that she’d personally seen Chrysalis use once on her brother, and now she finally knew how it felt. Twilight had been manipulated, used as Chrysalis’s puppet against her will, but now that the spell had been broken, she felt nothing but rage.

“You never liked me!” Twilight screamed. “It was all a trap to get me to let you back out into Equestria! I should just turn you back to stone right now!”

Despite the absolute fury in Twilight’s voice, however, Chrysalis simply giggled in response. “You won’t do that.”

“And why the hoof not?!”

“Because even if I don’t have feelings for you, you still have them for me.”

Just as Twilight began focusing all of her magic into her horn, she stopped in shock. There was no way that was true! The spell had to be broken! She’d seen right through it!

“I’m not falling for any more of your tricks, Chrysalis! I’m turning you back into a statue right now!”

“Then do it.”

Again, Twilight focused as much magical power into her horn as she could, rising into the air and aiming at Chrysalis to put her back into her stone prison where she belonged, but no matter how hard she focused, it wouldn’t come out. She had the spell ready! There was literally nothing stopping her! As Chrysalis stood completely still with a smug grin, however, Twilight was the one who truly felt frozen.

She knew it was a trick. She knew that her feelings were nothing more than a bunch of changeling pheromones. She knew Chrysalis didn’t really love her, but... Twilight still loved her.

Finally, with a sad sigh, the light emanating from the tip of Twilight’s horn disappeared, and Twilight slowly descended back down to the ground. She didn’t know what would happen next, but she just couldn’t imagine her life without Chrysalis in it.

“Wise choice, Princess,” the changeling jeered. “Now, how do you suppose we take back the hive? I was thinking an all-out assault on the throne with--”

“No.”

Suddenly, the smile on the queen’s face disappeared, replaced instead with an infuriated scowl. “What did you just say?”

“I said no. You may have my feelings under your control, but I’m the one who gets to decide what I do with them.”

Chrysalis groaned with an exaggerated eye roll. “You know that without me, the changelings are as good as gone, right?”

“I know that, but just like how I love you, you love your species, and I know you’re not going to let them die out when you’re the last hope they have.” Chrysalis growled, kicking the floor in anger, yet saying nothing that would contradict her statement. “Now I want to teach you about friendship, not just for the changelings, but for me too. I want to do everything in my power to keep you with me for as long as possible, so…”

Chrysalis looked up from the ground upon feeling something tugging at her hoof, just to see Twilight with tears threatening to drip down her face. Twilight knew that these emotions weren’t real and that Chrysalis wouldn’t care about her no matter how much she cried, but even still, if there was any chance, she would take it.

“...will you please give friendship a shot? For me?”

The changeling remained still and silent for several seconds before yanking her hoof away from Twilight, glaring daggers at the wall in front of her. Just as the princess was about to break down and let all of her emotions come flooding out, though, Chrysalis smiled.

“Well, since you figured me out, I guess there’s really no point in hiding it anymore. It’s true. Even if Thorax remains king of the changelings, I’ll still lay the eggs needed to continue my species. Maybe I could even make a new queen that’ll take the hive back for me. Perhaps we could make a deal.”

Twilight wanted to say yes already, even without knowing any of the details, but with a hard gulp, she bit down on her lip and nodded her head. Even if she loved Chrysalis, it didn’t mean she had to give into all of her demands.

“I was thinking,” the queen continued, pacing in circles around the alicorn. “What if we put the friendship lessons on hold for now while I tell you how a queen lays eggs? That is the reason you released me in the first place, isn’t it?”

“I guess so,” Twilight began with a frown. “But you’ll promise to learn friendship when you’re done, right?!”

Chrysalis smirked. “Of course. Anything for you, Princess.”

Twilight’s heart fluttered, and before she could pass out from glee, she quickly nodded her head and said, “OK, then. You can lay the eggs first. Did you want to get started on that right away? Does that mean we should go back to the hive, or--?”

“Here is fine.”

The alicorn tilted her head to the side in confusion. “O...K? I’m not really sure my bedroom is the best place to put changeling eggs, though. Wouldn’t it be a better idea to go back to--you know--the place where changelings actually live?”

Chrysalis chuckled softly, making the hair on Twilight’s body stand on edge for two completely contradictory reasons. “I think you might have the wrong idea. I can’t just pop them out and wait for them to hatch. They need to be…” Suddenly, Chrysalis had appeared next to Twilight’s ear, breathing gently against her neck, making her shiver in ecstasy. “...nurtured.”

Once Chrysalis pulled away with a smile, Twilight could feel one of her eyebrows still sticking up. “OK. So how do we nurture them?”

“You might want to close your eyes for this next part.”

Twilight still had no idea what was going on, but it wasn’t like keeping her eyes open would get her anywhere. Then, after letting her eyelids slowly come together, she waited in silence, praying to Celestia that Chrysalis wasn’t trying to escape. Right when she was about to peek, however, she felt something on top of her, something heavy enough to make her legs wobble as she tried supporting the weight on her back.

“Can I open my eyes now?”

“Trust me. You’re going to want to keep them closed for a while.”

She couldn’t help but open them up again for curiosity if anything, but the moment she did, her eyes just squeezed back together as she felt something piercing her between her legs. Twilight bit down on her lip to endure the pain, but the feeling seemed to amplify by the millisecond, going deeper and deeper with every inch that entered growing wider and wider at her entrance. Right when she felt like she couldn’t take any more, however, she felt it pull back out, and as it trailed along the soft crevices of her vaginal walls, she couldn’t help breathing out a soft sigh she hadn’t expected.

Then, once she felt whatever was penetrating her slide all the way out, she breathed a quick sigh, just for her breath to get caught in her chest as the object made its way back inside her vagina. Now that the surprise was over, the pain was starting to disappear, replaced instead with the feeling of something warm hitting her pressure points in a way she’d never admit to anypony. She couldn’t tell what it was; she’d never felt anything this shape or size before, but the more it travelled inside her, the harder she felt herself breathe. Without even thinking, Twilight lowered her upper body, laying her cheek against the ground while lifting her lower half higher into the air, and that’s when she could feel Chrysalis’s soft hooves wrapping around her, making her heart feel as warm as the substance between her legs.

“Ohh, Chryssy,” Twilight sighed. “What’s happening to me?”

She could hear the changeling giggle behind her, making her spine tingle in bliss. “I’m just doing what you brought me here to do.”

Twilight didn’t understand in the slightest, but so long as she was with Chrysalis, she could feel safe, especially now that she was growing accustomed to the feeling within her marehood. Again, the object pushed deeper inside her, making Twilight bite down on her lip to keep herself from making any embarrassing noises, but whenever it touched her in a way she hadn’t expected, she really had no control over the sounds she made. Instead, she completely gave in, allowing whatever this thing was to take total control over her body, and the more she submitted, the better it felt between her thighs. That was, at least, until she started to realize that her own anatomy was beginning to act on its own.

“Maaaaaybe we should take a break for a minute,” Twilight said, jumping forward and slipping out whatever was inside her pussy. “I mean, at least until I understand what’s--EEP!”

Once Twilight turned around, she could finally see what had been inside her this whole time. Something was protruding from the changeling’s pelvis, something very similar to what a stallion would have, yet somehow completely unique. No wonder that felt so good! It was almost like they were having s--

“Excuse me,” the princess said, clearing her throat. “I didn’t mean to react… erm… like that.”

Right when she expected Chrysalis to get angry, however, she simply giggled with a sly grin. “Do you mean you’re sorry about how you reacted to this, or are you sorry about how wet you were getting down there?”

“...I may have several things worth apologizing for…”

“Don’t worry, Princess. Your, uh--‘nectar’ we’ll call it--is actually very beneficial for changeling reproduction. Changelings usually secrete their own lubricant, but I’m sure yours will do just fine.”

“And… while we’re talking about that, would you mind if I asked… um… well, what I mean to say is… What exactly is that thing you had in my vagina?”

Chrysalis looked down at the phallus-resembling object and smiled. “It’s called an ovipositor. It’s the main organ responsible for changeling reproduction. Every queen is given royal jelly at a young age, which is how they’re developed and why we’re the only ones who can lay eggs.”

“...This might end up being a really awkward question, but--”

“Yes, it’s like a girl penis.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide. Her face burned so hot that she could practically hear her cheeks crackle. If this was really what she was using back there, then by literally every definition, the two of them were actually having sex! If that was the case, though, then did that mean…?

“You want me to have your babies?”

Twilight couldn’t believe she’d actually said it out loud, but she was way too curious to be worried about how embarrassing that was. Chrysalis, though, looked at Twilight as if she’d been waiting for her to ask this question all along.

“Of course. Changelings need a female host to nurture their eggs before they hatch. Why? Is that a problem?”

Twilight took a step back, waving her hooves defensively. “N-no! That’s not what I meant at all!”

“Then…” Chrysalis smiled. “...should we continue?”

The alicorn audibly gulped, trying to come up with any excuse she could not to go through with it. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to continue what they were doing--there was really nothing she could think of that was better than the feeling of Chrysalis between her legs, pumping her seed into Twilight’s ovaries--but she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t at least a little bit nervous. Even if the changelings needed her to go through with it for the sole purpose of their prolonged extinction, did Twilight really have enough confidence to have sex with the girl of her dreams?

As she continued to trail backwards, however, Chrysalis continued to close the gap between them, never letting Twilight out of her reach. Then, Twilight finally realized that even if she lacked courage, even if she felt like she wasn’t mare enough to deserve someone like Chrysalis, her queen would fill in where she lacked, both literally and metaphorically.

“Yeah,” Twilight said, nodding her head with a humble smile. “I think I’d like that.”

“Good, because I might need a little bit of preparation if you don’t want this to hurt like last time.”

...But Twilight kinda liked how it hurt last time.

“OK. What kind of preparation did you have in mind?”

Chrysalis put her hoof to her chin as her eyes travelled to the corner of the room. “Perhaps it would be best if I was properly lubricated before we began.”

Twilight waited a few moments trying to think of a solution before saying, “Oh, OK! I think I might be able to make some lubricant with what I have around the castle. I mean, not to brag, but I’ve made some pretty complicated potions in my lifetime. How hard could it be to--”

“With your mouth.”

Suddenly, Twilight’s face turned red. This situation was already pushing the limits of her comfort zone, but having something like that in her mouth?! Still, it wasn’t like she’d particularly mind savoring the taste of what Chrysalis had between her legs at least once in her life. She just had to make sure she didn’t accidentally pass out first.

“Does that work for you?”

Chrysalis’s question made Twilight shake her head violently to pull herself back down to earth. “Y-yeah. I’d love to, my queen.”

Then, with a subtle smile that made the alicorn’s heart skip two beats, she opened her mouth and said with a soft, gentle voice, “Good. Now, if you would do me the honor of getting on your knees.”

Twilight nodded, looking down at the floor nervously before following the queen’s orders, feeling the rough carpet underneath her as she straightened her back. The changeling took her time taking her own stance in front of her, rising to her hind legs with her feminine phallus rising into the air, making Twilight’s eyes go wide as it towered over her head. It practically went from her chin to the tip of her horn, maybe even a little bit longer, making the pony wonder how she’d ever be able to handle something like this in her mouth.

With a trembling hoof, Twilight reached up, lightly grabbing the changeling by her ovipositor, feeling her soft, smooth skin that made Chrysalis moan behind her lips. Her mouth watered just looking at it, let alone imagining how it would feel against her taste buds. Finally, the alicorn slowly pulled down the changeling anatomy to her lips, lowered her jaw, and gradually allowed it inside the warmth of her mouth.

Immediately, a rush of dopamine surged through her senses, feeling her spine shiver as her heartbeat escalated to twice its normal rhythm. Maybe it was just the pheromones speaking to her, but the taste of her dick was the most exhilarating thing she’d ever experienced, causing her tongue to lick her like it was necessary for her survival. As much as she hoped that she was doing a good job pleasing the girl who’s penis she was sucking in the first place, Twilight couldn’t help but think of how much fun she was having either way.

Meanwhile, the changeling above her was beginning to chuckle softly between coos, stroking Twilight’s mane as she desperately tried getting more and more of Chrysalis’s ovipositor down her throat. Even though Twilight thought she was plenty big before she got started, she could feel Chrysalis continue to grow longer, making her practically drip between her thighs.

“Looks like somepony is having fun.”

Twilight didn’t even bother looking up. She just nodded her head with her lips moving back and forth against Chrysalis’s member, her eyes half-lidded as her hoof caressed her cock. Even if Chrysalis was supposed to be the one getting off, Twilight was pretty sure she was the one getting the better deal, not only because of the electrifying taste, but also because of who it belonged to. Just the idea of it was making Twilight’s insides tighten up, begging for attention. Would it be weird if she started masturbating? Surely Chrysalis wouldn’t mind if Twilight started rubbing herself in the meantime. After all, she had to prepare her own body for when the two of them moved onto the next phase.

Slowly, discreetly, the mare moved her spare hoof between her legs, lifting it up her thigh and coming down to the nub at the tip of her vulva. Almost immediately upon contact, Twilight moaned onto Chrysalis’s dick, squeezing her legs together as the speed of her hoof rubbed her queen harder. She wanted to look up and see what kind of face she was making, but there was no way she could open her eyes with all the stimulation that was going on.

Right when Twilight was starting to lose herself in the process, however, she could feel Chrysalis pulling herself back out, making Twilight inadvertently grab her dick harder. Was Chrysalis calling her name? It was so hard to hear anymore, but even if she was, Twilight could not let anything stop her from savoring this experience. She just had to keep sucking, rolling her tongue around every inch of the changeling’s girl cock.

Again, without her consent, Chrysalis began pulling her shaft out of Twilight’s mouth, this time making it all the way out, leaving the alicorn with a look of horny despondency. When Twilight looked up to see the queen’s reaction, she had mostly assumed that she would be angry with her, that Twilight would get the scolding of her life, but instead, Chrysalis raised an eyebrow with a half-smirk.

“I never knew you were so zealous when it came to blowjobs. I’m guessing you have some experience?”

Twilight wiped a drop of drool from her lips, licking up anything that would keep the decadent taste of Chrysalis’s member in her mouth. “Huh? O-oh! No, nothing like that. This is my first time. Can we go back to doing it now?”

Chrysalis waited in silence for a few moments before rubbing her chin, looking off towards the corner of the room. “I think I may have used too many pheromones. I knew direct mind control would have been a better idea.”

“Oh, Chrysssyyyy~!” Suddenly, Chrysalis looked down at her leg to see Twilight with her hooves wrapped around her, sensually grazing her skin with sultry eyes. “You aren’t playing hard to get, are you? You playgirl.”

The queen rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. I wouldn’t exactly call it ‘playing hard to get’ when we both know I’m just using you to keep my species alive.”

“Hmm… I don’t believe you.”

Even if Chrysalis wanted to be mad, she looked far too curious to be able to hold a scowl for long. “And what, pray tell, makes you believe something as preposterous as that?”

“I dunno. I just have a feeling.”

The queen groaned, placing a hoof to her forehead as she shook her head in exhaustion, almost as if she were dealing with the princess version of Pinkie Pie right now who was being a royal pain in the--

“Those are the pheromones talking,” Chrysalis hissed. “Not only do I not have the same feeling for you as you have for me, but I’m not even capable of feeling love! In fact, I don’t even want to spend any more time with you than is absolutely necessary!”

Twilight giggled. “Oh, sweetie cakes, that is so like you. You know what made me fall in love with you in the first place?”

“I literally just told you.”

“I think it was when you called me pretty. That was the first time anyone’s ever said that about me before.”

Chrysalis opened her mouth to snap at her with another remark, but right before she managed to get anything out, she lifted an eyebrow, unconsciously tilting her head to the side. “You’re joking, right? Nopony has ever called you pretty before? I’m really the first one?”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah, I’ve always spent so much time studying that I never really got the chance to learn about makeup or how to style my mane. Plus, it’s not like I ever really spoke to anypony before I moved to Ponyville, and after that… Well, you’ve seen how busy I’ve been since then. Haven’t exactly had many chances to go on any dates, heheh. Not that anypony’s ever asked me on one in the first place…”

The queen continued to listen with her jaw slightly open, lifting her holey hoof up for a moment before placing it back to the ground. Even with all the alien chemicals interfering with Twilight’s thought processes, she could see the look of concern in Chrysalis’s face, which proved to her that even if she didn’t say anything, she really did care. Chrysalis was starting to give friendship a chance. She was just too proud to admit it right now.

Finally, the changeling turned her cheek with a huff, scowling at nothing in particular. “Whatever. It’s not like your dating issues have any bearings on my life.”

“I know. I’m just glad that I have you here, even if there is something wrong with my brain, but then again, I guess that’s what love is supposed to feel like, isn’t it?”

Twilight chuckled awkwardly, but Chrysalis continued to look away, almost like she was trying to physically prevent herself from making eye contact. After a few moments passed, though, the changeling looked down at Twilight’s hooves and mumbled, “I suppose we should get started on the fertilization process now. No point in postponing it any further.”

“Oh! Right! Sorry, you’ll have to excuse me. I don’t really have much experience in uh… that either.”

The queen giggled. “Luckily for you, I’ve had decades of practice.”

Twilight grinned as much as she could, but even if Chrysalis could make up for her lack of experience, it still wouldn’t keep her from feeling self-conscious about having a foreign object in her vagina. Then, rubbing her hoof up her leg nervously, Twilight muttered, “D-don’t forget! We’re doing this as part of your friendship lessons, OK?”

“Oh? Well, in that case, I’ll try not to be as rough as I would be with the changelings.”

“...Friends like it rough sometimes too, you know.”

Before the princess could wind up saying anything else that would only embarrass herself further, Chrysalis put a period on the conversation by placing her hoof onto the top of Twilight’s back, pinning her upper body to the ground. Even if Twilight wanted to get out for some reason, the grip Chrysalis had on her was way too strong to handle by herself, leaving her body completely subject to the will of the changeling queen. Twilight’s tail swished from side to side, eagerly awaiting the feeling of being penetrated again while trying not to gush out onto her legs.

“Ready, sweetie?”

Twilight giggled, grinning wider than she wanted to admit. “Yes, my queen.”

Finally, she could feel the ovipositor running up her legs, making her shoulders arch together in anticipation. Once the feeling began to prod her lower lips, however, her tongue rolled out of her mouth, silently begging the sensation of her femininity being taken from her. Every second that it took to slip inside literally pained Twilight’s mind, like her ovaries were screaming at her to give in, but in just a few brief moment’s, Chrysalis would be--

*Knock, knock*

Twilight’s eyes went wide. Suddenly, pulling herself out of the changeling’s grip, she readjusted her mane and cleared her throat while recomposing herself. “C-come in!”

She didn’t even look behind her to see what Chrysalis was doing. She’d been caught so off guard by the knock on the door that she didn’t even think to check that the changeling’s… thing was properly put away. Luckily for them both, however, the creature that opened the door was just Thorax, peeking in nervously with a sheepish smile.

“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” he said with his half-smile slowly disappearing.

Before Twilight could answer with some nervous response that would only give the two of them away, though, Chrysalis intervened. “Just a friendship lesson, so I guess not really.”

“Oh, good.” The king then entered into the room, closing the door behind him as Twilight continued to switch nervous glances between the changelings. “So, how are the lessons going?”

Again, Twilight opened her mouth, but again, Chrysalis interrupted. “They’re going just swimmingly. I’m sure I’ll turn a disgusting shade of cerulean in no time.”

Thorax cocked his head to the side before giving Twilight a confused stare, which made the droplets on her forehead turn into a faucet. “Uhh… Princess? I don’t mean to downplay your teaching abilities or anything, but it sounds like these lessons are going a little too well. At least for Chrysalis.”

Chrysalis glared angrily, but even though Twilight knew she should let Chrysalis do all the talking, she couldn’t stop herself from blurting out in defense mode. “Too well? No such thing! Progress is always better when it’s quicker, right? Heheh. Heheh. *Ahem!* Anyway, what brings you here, Thorax?”

The king blinked, shaking his head as if to wave off a confusing discussion that he didn’t want to get into. “It’s just time for my shift.”

“Shift?! What shift?!”

“...Uhhh, the shift where we agreed to take turns watching Chrysalis so that she wouldn’t try anything funny?”

It was then that Twilight finally realized that she was trying something funny, allowing her to come back to her senses at least momentarily.

“Ohhhhh! Right! Your shift! Well, I’ll be back tomorrow for our next lesson on friendship, OK Chryssy? I mean--right, Chrysalis?”

The changeling smirked in a way that was just seductive enough to make Twilight gulp in fear, praying to herself that their secret wouldn’t get out. “Oh, don’t worry, Princess. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Twilight quickly changed her glance to Thorax, silently wondering if he’d caught any of the obvious subtleties in her voice, but thankfully for her, Thorax seemed much more concerned about how much she was sweating to notice. “Right! So I’ll just… uh… be going now… Bye!”

She barely caught a glimpse of the two of them with confused looks on their faces, but once Twilight shut the door behind her, she immediately slid down to her haunches, exhaling a deep breath while covering her face with her hooves. What even was that back there? Sure, Twilight got anxious from time to time--and nearly getting caught in coitous was more than enough to be nervous about--but she nearly gave both of them away! She’d have to be a little bit more conscientious the next day, assuming the pheromones hadn’t worn off by then.

If she was somehow cured the next day, though, would she still go through with it? Of course, her hormonal mind was screaming how much she wanted to do it again, but what was she really doing this for? Wouldn’t it make more sense for Chrysalis to go through the mating ceremony with another changeling? What would Ponyville say if they saw their princess walking around town with a baby bump?

There was just always so much to think about since she’d taken over for Celestia and Luna, but the last problem she ever thought she’d have was changeling reproduction. Hopefully by the time she started her next shift, she would at least have an idea of what to do, this time without any chemical interference.

Chapter 3

Twilight drudged down the corridor, lazily saluting the guards who each tried not to give her an impolite look of confusion. She was in no mood to portray the perfect pony princess today, though, at least not after the sleepless night she’d had.

After all the thinking and overthinking she’d done during the past twelve hours, she thought she’d at least get a hint of what to do next, but sadly, answers didn’t come as easily as she’d hoped. What would she do if Chrysalis tried something with her again? Was Twilight really trying to get her to learn about friendship? If Chrysalis didn’t want to change, would there be anything Twilight could do to stop her? If her friends were in danger, whose side would she be on in the end?

Again, Twilight tried to mentally wave off all the negativity and just do her stupid job. As she pushed through the door that led into the room where Chrysalis was being held hostage, she saw both Chrysalis and Thorax with smiles on their faces, making Twilight tilt her head in the same way Thorax had done the day prior.

“Oh, Twilight!” Thorax exclaimed. “I’ve got great news!”

Twilight’s eyebrow rose. “You do?”

“Yeah! Chrysalis said that she’d be willing to help laying more eggs for the colony, and even laying the egg for a new queen! Isn’t that great?!”

Suddenly, every thread that was holding up Twilight’s heart snapped, leaving it to fall and shatter on the floor. Her lips trembled. Her eyes were trying their best to hold back water. What could she even say in a situation like this? This was what Thorax wanted, after all, for the hive to continue so that their species could go on for generations to come, but the way he said it made it sound like Twilight wouldn’t be part of that.

“Oh, wow!” the princess exclaimed, trying her best to sound excited. “So did you have any ideas about who you’d be reproducing with?”

“I was thinking along the lines of one of the changelings back home,” Chrysalis said with a sadistic smile. “That way I’d actually be allowed to go back to my hive.”

“YOU CAN’T!” Both Chrysalis and Thorax flinched, leading Twilight to clear her throat as if that was a totally normal reaction to have. “I mean, you still have to finish your friendship lessons! We can’t just have you going out into the world before you’re reformed!”

“Twilight…” The princess flinched upon feeling a hoof on her shoulder, and turning her eyes, she saw Thorax with a concerned expression. “I know that this whole friendship thing is important to you, but my colony is going extinct. If Chrysalis says she’ll lay more eggs, don’t you think we should save the friendship lessons for later?”

Twilight looked at Chrysalis, then back to Thorax, her eyes darting back and forth so fast it was making her head spin. She couldn’t let Chrysalis leave so easily. She… She needed her…

With a cringe she tried to hide, Twilight muttered, “Can’t I have one last try before she leaves? I really think I can get through to her.”

Chrysalis gave Thorax a very annoyed stare, but when Thorax stared back, he simply shrugged his shoulders. “I guess it would be a huge help if she got to stay in the hive permanently. I’m sure the other changelings would love to have you back.”

Chrysalis scoffed. “Of course they would. I’m their queen.”

“Great!” Twilight exclaimed, putting a period on the conversation by physically pushing Thorax out the door. “I guess that means we should be getting back to our lessons, then! See you in twelve hours! Au revoir!”

Thorax looked back to say something, but before he could get any words out, Twilight quickly slammed the door, sliding her back against the wood down to her haunches. That probably wasn’t exactly the best way to handle the situation, but in her defense, it wasn't like Twilight had anticipated the possibility of Chrysalis leaving her so soon. She couldn’t leave yet. At least, not not to do that…

“Of course you’d ruin my plan.” Once Twilight finally looked up from the ground, she saw Chrysalis with a fiery glare in her eyes. “How much longer do you intend on keeping this friendship farce going?!”

Twilight gulped. What she’d say next could potentially be the most important thing she’d ever said to anyone, so she had to make this one count.

“At least until I know you’ll be safe.”

Chrysalis’s glare began to soften until her look of anger was broken by her rising eyebrow. “Come again?”

“If I let you out into the world before you’re ready… I can’t promise that you won’t get turned back into stone. Even if I don’t do it, somepony will stop you, maybe even kill you. I just…” Twilight choked back a sob. “I just can’t let you leave! I wanted to be the one to carry your eggs! I wanted to be with you for as long as possible! Can you imagine how I’d feel if you did it with another changeling? Can you imagine how I’d feel if you got hurt because you wouldn’t change?”

Chrysalis took a step back, and Twilight rose to her hooves.

“Don’t you get it, Chryssy?! You’re just going to ruin everything!!”

Twilight bit down on her lip, trying to hold back the tears even longer, but by this point, they were already beginning to stream down her face. As much as she tried to hold back her sobs, she found herself weeping like a filly, burying her face into her hooves while she wailed in agony. What was she supposed to do now? This was her one shot to teach her about friendship, to keep her with her, to have her babies. Now… all that was gone.

Even with Twilight’s eyes covered by her hooves, however, she could feel Chrysalis approaching closer. She could feel her warmth, and even if it hurt knowing that that warmth would disappear soon, it at least calmed her down in the moment.

“You…” the changeling began in a much less vindictive tone. “...are such a strange creature.”

Twilight laughed with a sniffle. “Yeah, I guess that’s what happens when your emotions are influenced by changeling pheromones.”

There was a brief pause where Twilight thought she might have just soured the mood, but before she could dwell on it any longer, Chrysalis opened her mouth. “I’m not using any pheromones. The ones from yesterday should have worn off by now too.”

Suddenly, Twilight stopped crying, and now she was the one with the glare. “WHAT?! You’re telling me this whole time I’ve been getting worked up over nothing?!”

Chrysalis took another step back in surprise, but after the initial shock wore off, she smirked down at the alicorn. “So I take it you’re more concerned about the changeling population than you are with me again, is that right?”

Of course that was right! The only reason Twilight fell for her in the first place was because of the pheromones! Chrysalis had been manipulating her the entire time, so the feelings Twilight had been carrying around this whole time had to have been temporary… at least, that’s what she thought. Twilight was a rational, logical mare, so there should be no reason she actually still held any feelings for her now that the chemicals had worn off, right?

“Princess?”

“Huh?” Suddenly, Twilight snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the queen, who had a look of confusion, a stark contrast to the angry glare that she normally had. That, however, only made Twilight wonder… “Actually, before I answer that, I had a question of my own.”

“Oh?”

Twilight gulped.

“Do you still care more about your colony than you do about me?”

“What?!” Chrysalis hissed, but even though her glare had returned, she still didn’t answer. Twilight didn’t break their gaze either, continuing to look the changeling right in the eyes until Chrysalis looked away with a huff. “Why would you even ask such a preposterous question?”

“You see?! You feel it too! If there’s one thing I’ve learned about friendship, it’s that it doesn’t always make sense. I may not have any experience with love, but if it’s anything like friendship, then we shouldn’t ignore what our hearts are telling us.” Chrysalis remained silent, so Twilight continued. “We both know the plan you have won’t work. Please, put your pride aside and just let me help you have a place in the world again.”

Chrysalis scoffed. “You mean a place with you?”

“If…” Twilight looked down. “If you’ll have me.”

There was a long silence that came after, making Twilight’s heart beat at the thought of having possibly screwed up the whole reformation plan altogether. What was she even supposed to do now? How was she supposed to give a creature who’d spent her whole life feeding off of love the chance of accepting it, accepting her?

Finally, Chrysalis closed the gap between them, staring down Twilight until she gulped in fear. “You must really not want me making babies with another changeling.”

Twilight blushed with a sheepish grin. “You know me so well.”

Then, with a sigh and the shrug of her shoulders, Chrysalis said, “I guess it can’t really be helped, then. If you refuse to let me leave until I at least pretend to like you, I might as well do something to give you more confidence in me.”

Suddenly, the alicorn’s eyes went wide, her lips trembling. “You mean…?”

“Perhaps you’d be, er… adequate to hold the vessel for my next queen.”

There were so many things running around in Twilight’s mind, so many different emotions rushing within her chest, but if she wanted Chrysalis to stay, there was one that needed precedence over all the others. Without wasting another second, Twilight turned around, moved her tail out of the way and spread her hind legs. She wasn’t very wet yet, and Chrysalis didn’t exactly have any lubrication, but they really didn’t have time for Twilight to give her her own lubricant like the day before; somepony would be sure to walk in on them before they finished. She would have to go in as she was, just like the first time.

The queen took her place behind Twilight’s rump, placing one of her hooves onto Twilight’s back. “Ready, dear?”

Twilight giggled. “Already calling me a pet name, huh?”

“...Perhaps maybe I should reconsider--”

“NOPE! I’m ready! Put it in!”

The words had scarcely left her mouth by the time she felt something sliding into her orifice, making the alicorn bite down on her hoof to alleviate some of the pain in her groin. Chrysalis wasn’t even taking her time. Instead, she moved through Twilight’s vaginal canal like a glove for her ovipositor, going as deep as she wanted as fast as she pleased.

As much as it hurt feeling her insides ripped apart without warning, Twilight revelled in the bliss of having her lover’s anatomy inside her. It was almost like she was trusting Twilight to keep it warm, to protect it from harm, to give it comfort, and just the thought of it made her nectar flow out. After the initial shock, the strain began to disappear, replaced with a bliss that Twilight didn’t even know ponies were even capable of experiencing.

“Ah! Ah! Ahhh!”

“Oh, come on!” Chrysalis exclaimed. “It shouldn’t hurt that much!”

“Mmmmmm it’s not that! It feels so good!”

Suddenly, Chrysalis stopped humping the mare, making Twilight turn her head back in pain to see the changeling with a face full of confusion. “It does? Changeling reproduction is usually supposed to be painful!”

Twilight giggled again. “You know what? When you’re doing it with someone you care about, the pain only lasts for a second.”

“I…” Chrysalis shook her head in confusion. “I didn’t know that was possible.”

“You should keep going, then. I’ll let you know how I feel every step of the way.”

It took a minute for Chrysalis to do anything, but soon enough, her phallus was travelling through her inner walls again, making Twilight’s tongue roll out of her mouth with another satisfied sigh. Finally, her own anatomy was doing its job of lathering the queen’s cock with her love juices, allowing the friction to slide over her nerve endings rather than ripping her insides. Even as Chrysalis’s hips swung harder with more force after every thrust, it felt like her shaft was treating her more and more gently as the changeling continued. It felt like… it was exactly where it was supposed to be.

“Ahn! Oh, Chryssy! Keep going! Deeper! Oooo right there! Yes! YES! Mmmm!!”

She couldn’t tell whether Chrysalis really understood the message, but even if she was following her directions on accident, Twilight wanted to keep her there for as long as possible. She could explain, evolutionarily speaking, why it felt so good having Chrysalis inside her, but there was no way to explain how it made so much sense that Chrysalis fit so well. It was more than just feeling full, it was like Twilight was born specifically to have her dick inside of her.

Without thinking, Twilight lifted her hips up higher, allowing the changeling’s shaft deeper into her orifice, rubbing her inner crevices on the way to her cervix, making Twilight moan louder. The way Chrysalis held her, it wasn’t just like she wanted control over her--it wasn’t even like she was just trying to keep her balance. It was as if she was telling Twilight that she would hold her close and never let go, to protect her from anything that could hurt her, which alone was enough to drench Twilight’s insides. The mere fact that Chrysalis was speeding up her hips, humping her with so much force that it physically bucked Twilight forward was just icing on the cake, and speaking of icing…

“Hey, Chryssy? Could I--mmm--ask you a question?”

“Will it take long?”

Chrysalis added emphasis to her question with a hard slam against her pelvis, making Twilight hold in a scream just long enough to get her question out. “So this fertilization process. If you have the eggs, and I’m supposed to be your--ohhhh, right there! Ah, ah, yes! Yes! Yes!!” Again, Twilight tried to endure the pleasure, which was becoming much more difficult now that Chrysalis was going at twice her previous speed, thrusting so hard into Twilight that it made her whole upper body bounce. “So--mmm--you know--ahhh--how I’m supposed to carry your eggs?”

“Yes? What of it?”

“Eep!” Twilight placed her hoof to her mouth after an accidental sound escaped her lips once Chrysalis went extra deep, but that still didn’t stop how much liquid arousal began dripping down her legs. “I was just wondering how exactly those eggs were supposed to get into my body.”

Finally, regretfully, the changeling stopped moving her hips, giving the alicorn a second to catch her breath even though she already missed the stimulation. “You aren’t squeamish, are you?”

“...For the sake of curiosity, I’m going to say no.”

“Good.” Once Twilight looked back, she saw her queen much closer than she expected, giving her a sadistic smile while leaning towards her ear. Then, with a subtle, quiet voice she said, “Because changeling queens can cum for hours at a time.”

If Twilight hadn’t bit her lip at that exact moment, she probably would have passed out. Instead of falling over and making things awkward for the both of them, however, she simply nodded her head and replied, “OK. Whenever you’re ready… give me your babies.”

Chrysalis didn’t respond with words, but after a few moments, Twilight could feel her cock sliding through her folds again, making her head fall down with her mane falling on top of her face. The princess wanted to help thrust, but from the sheer force of the changeling’s hips, the only thing Twilight could do was plant her forehooves onto the ground, moaning out femininely as her insides tightened around her partner’s dick. Everything around her disappeared, from the walls to the air to the feeling of the floor beneath her. Her body had never felt so weak, yet somehow, she never felt so resonant, so full of life.

Twilight craned her neck back and arched her spine, pinching her shoulders as her insides squeezed harder around the phallus inside her. Her breathing became shaky as her whole upper body bounced forward with every thrust of Chrysalis’s hips, making Twilight’s eyes fall further and further back in ecstasy. Her erratic breathing became moans of exhaustion, then moans of bliss, building up louder until they became screams that echoed throughout the room. She prayed that there weren’t any guards doing their rounds nearby, because as much as she wasn’t ready to get caught, she was really not ready to calm down her voice.

Chrysalis pulled onto Twilight tail, making Twilight slam her hooves onto the ground to channel some of the pent up weakness in her groin. It wasn’t enough, though. The amount of nerves being stimulated between her legs were just too much to take at once. If they kept it up for much longer, not only would her pussy go numb, but she probably wouldn’t be able to walk on all four legs for a week.

“T-time out,” Twilight said urgently, vocalizing more from her breath than her voice. “I need a break.”

“Sorry, Princess,” Chrysalis replied. “I’ve already begun the process. If I stop now, I won’t be able to get the eggs out in time, and then I’d have to wait until my next ovulation cycle.”

“Which would be in…?”

“Thirty years.”

Twilight’s eyes went wide. “OK! Nevermind! You can keep going, but can you hurry up and cum, please? I feel like I’m about to faint.”

Chrysalis smirked. “Don’t worry. That’s normal.”

It didn’t seem like it was possible, but somehow, Twilight could feel Chrysalis growing even bigger, stretching her out as Twilight grit her teeth to take it all in. The speed of the changeling’s hips grew faster, the hooves around Twilight’s waist gripped tighter, and the entire time, Twilight’s screams grew louder, practically begging somepony to walk in on them.

“Ah! Yes! Chryssy, I’m so wet. I’m so wet for you right now. Mmm! MM~! Ahn! Ahn!!”

The louder Twilight’s voice cried, the harder the queen humped her, which made Twilight scream even loud, creating a vicious cycle where Twilight practically created a puddle of lust beneath her. Even beyond the volume of her voice, however, she could hear Chrysalis beginning to grunt behind her, filling her with so much bliss that she no longer cared whether she ever walked again. She needed all of Chrysalis’s cock. Right now.

“It’s happening,” the changeling said, gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes closed. “This might be painful.”

Oh, Twilight was hoping for that.

Rather than prolonging her bliss any further, however, the alicorn princess looked back with a serious look on her face and said as sternly as she could, “Do it.”

Suddenly, she felt the changeling queen pressing Twilight’s face down to the ground, rocking her hips as hard as she could, practically slipping her shaft all the way out before slamming it back in. The pain was so good that Twilight couldn’t even scream anymore. She was trying so hard to breathe that all she could do was squeak in pleasure, feeling Chrysalis’s cock pulse more and more with every thrust. In a matter of seconds, Twilight would be carrying her precious eggs, and finally, just as she was about to go unconscious, she felt a warm liquid cascading into her marehood.

She couldn’t believe this was where changeling eggs came from. It felt just like she’d always imagined it was like to have someone cumming inside her, only with more intensity than in her wildest dreams. In just the initial spurt, Chrysalis had managed to decorate practically her entire nether region, with more and more pouring within her after every passing moment. She couldn’t tell which was hotter, her face or her pussy, but with the added warmth of cum filling up her insides, it wasn’t even a contest. Now it was Twilight’s turn to keep those eggs warm, a responsibility she’d take with the highest pride.

For thirty joyous seconds, Twilight’s thighs clenched and throbbed, pulling in as much of the queen’s seed as she could fit within her uterus. She tried hushing her own voice as much as she could, just so she could hear the subtle groans of the changeling above her as cum continued to flood her nethers. It was sexy, it was intoxicating, but… it was also kind of weird. Maybe it was just the endorphins talking, giving her a fight-or-flight sensation just from all the hormones swarming around in her brain, but it was a feeling more unique than Twilight expected. It wasn’t like a horny feeling or a bad feeling by any means. It was just… peaceful, like for a brief moment, the two of them were part of the same whole, and before she knew it, her partner was slowly beginning to pull herself out of Twilight’s womb, dripping excess girlcum onto the floor beneath them.

“Ugh,” the mare moaned, trying her best to bring her wobbly legs back to the ground, ignoring the pain that was far less enjoyable now that the sex was actually over. “Maybe you were right about how changeling production was supposed to hurt. Ow.”

Chrysalis chuckled as much as she could in her quest to pull air back into her lungs. “You don’t take our race seriously enough. We’re brutal. We always have been.”

“...You know that’s not true.” Chrysalis raised her eyebrow, but allowed Twilight to continue to speak. “I know I didn’t just imagine it. The way you held me, the way you kept warning me, the way you moaned my name…”

“I never moaned your name.”

Twilight quickly leapt to her hooves, pointing towards Chrysalis with urgency in her eyes. “Yes, you did! It was subtle. I almost didn’t hear it, but I know you did. I know it’s possible that I could just be imagining things, but the whole time we were having sex, it was like I was your main focus.” Chrysalis looked away with a scowl, growling with anger despite not denying anything. “Admit it, Chryssy. You care about me.”

“I will admit no such thing!”

“Then why did you choose me instead of another changeling? You could have left me, but you didn’t. You could have gone off to do this with another changeling, but you didn’t. You chose me, because I asked you to. Now, are you really going to just pretend like I don’t mean anything to you?”

The scowl on Chrysalis’s face grew fiercer and fiercer, and even though Twilight was worried that she could lash out at any moment, the princess never once dropped eye contact. Several moments passed where Chrysalis remained quiet, seething but silent. Just as Twilight was about to speak again, however, Chrysalis exhaled a long, heavy breath before calming herself down and finally matching Twilight’s gaze.

“What do you want from me?” the changeling asked, giving the mare exactly what she wanted.

“I want you to be part of my life, if not as my lover, then as my friend. After all, I am going to have your babies…”

As Chrysalis continued to stare, her mouth began to quiver in confusion. “How… How can you treat me like this? After all the things I’ve done, after manipulating you and trying to brainwash you… It doesn’t even seem like you’re worried about anyone’s wellbeing except my own.”

Twilight shrugged her shoulders with a sheepish smile. “I love you, I guess. Maybe I still have some pheromones in my system that haven’t worn off yet.”

Finally, after staring her down until she broke out into a fit of laughter, the changeling shook her head and said, “Sure. Let’s go with that.”

“...So, does that mean…?”

“I guess, maybe, possibly, for the time being, I could at least… try giving love a chance.”

Then, without giving Twilight a chance for the message to sink in, the changeling’s body rose from the ground, her body shining a bright light that encapsulated the room around them. Twilight had to shield her eyes with her hoof, but she could still make out a glistening cocoon that began to swathe her entire body as rings of light erupted with a thundering echo. Even once the rings had disappeared, leaving the cocoon levitating in the air in front of her, she could still hear sparkles falling down like glittery snowflakes.

Twilight was left speechless, unsure of how to react to the change. She hadn’t seen the changeling colony’s metamorphosis when it originally happened, and something as unfamiliar as this would usually make Twilight panic. She wondered things like how long would she be in there? Was it safe? Would she still be the same when she came out? For some reason, though, even if she had a thousand thoughts swirling around her brain at once, she felt… calm, like she already knew what to do.

Approaching the floating cocoon in front of her, Twilight placed her hoof onto the gleaming enrapturement and gently spoke, “I always knew you could do it.”

Suddenly, the cocoon peeled away, disappearing in midair as a figure appeared in its wake. As beautiful as Twilight thought she was before, her jaw began to drop at the sight of a pair of pure white skin, sparkling golden wings, and a mane containing every colorful shade of the sea. Most importantly, though, was the feature that made her more beautiful than any creature in Equestria: her dazzling smile, probably the first one of her entire life.

“Chrysalis! You’re… You’re…”

“Shhh,” the changeling said, placing her snow-white hoof onto Twilight’s lips. “It’s not about me anymore. Now… it’s about us.”

Twilight couldn’t help but crack a smile of her own, and the moment the changeling’s hoof left her lips, Twilight reached around Chrysalis’s neck and placed a kiss on her mouth, promising herself to never let go so long as she lived.

“And with that, I’d like to conclude our meeting! Any questions?”

“Uhh, yeah,” the dragon said, scratching her head curiously. “You look… different from the last time we saw you.”

Twilight tilted her head to the side. “Different how?”

“Well, Dragon Lord Ember,” Thorax said quickly, cutting them both off before either one of them could make the situation any more awkward. “Twilight has volunteered to help reform Chrysalis.”

“Uhh… OK? So why is Twilight--”

“And because of her, Chrysalis has returned to the hive! We’re actually working out a dual leadership form of government. It’s the first diarchy in Equestria that I know of!”

Ember blinked in annoyance. “You’re not letting me ask my question on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Oh! Oh! I’ll ask!” Before Thorax could stop Autumn Blaze from speaking, however, her lips were already moving faster than his reflexes could react. “We were all just wondering why Twilight has a baby bump! Is she pregnant?! Ohhhh this is so exciting!”

Thorax groaned in embarrassment, slapping his hoof to his face, but Twilight simply waved it off with a chuckle. “Oh, don’t worry, Thorax. It’s alright. After all, I feel honored to carry the new generation of changelings, especially if they’re Chryssy’s.”

Twilight then brought her hoof down to her belly, rubbing in circles around her pelvis as a lump probably twice the size of her torso stretched out in front of her. These weren’t just Chrysalis’s babies; they were babies they were making together, and Twilight would cherish them like her own. Out of all the things that had happened in Twilight’s life, the one thing she couldn’t understand was how she ever got so lucky.