Prologue - Rebellion Kurfuffle
Having just adjourned a meeting with the other rulers of their respective races, yaks, dragons, changelings, sea griffons, and all. Celestia had felt very proud of herself and how she has guided the world, friendship was a thing so fickle when not nurtured and grown well with high spirits. She had closed her eyes to let herself immerse in the ages of old. Long ago she felt like no other kingdom could bring upon real peace with alliances being drawn with blood and hatred of the other, nopony nor creature could truly understand this more than Celestia. She had led the charge of millions that were sent to die all for some fragile small piece of peace, she had always known the price of true peace and it took billions of bodies on the floor maybe even trillions. Celestia had tried to count them but ended soon after the second war with the Griffins. She was thankful for this true stability with her fellow-creatures, some don't even know of the true horror that was the wars long before and she had hoped her little ponies knew nothing of the blood of billions they trotted upon.
Celestia was as nostalgic as she was ancient however and sometimes yearned for the old when she could be as loose and free as she used to be. Being one to endure the sands of time did have its downsides like when she had to agonize all those years of her sister's banishment but with pain came happiness and joy, the perks such as now, Lulu had feigned business and heartbreak for not being able to free up her schedule for this yearly event.
Celestia had chuckled silently to herself with a soft smile, such pleasantries she could allow herself to wear outside after all this time. She truly did love her sister in every sense. Sounds of conversation and movement were blurred and drowned out with amusement from her sister's recent antics but were taken out of it out it when she felt movement in front of her.
She had opened her eyes to see a light green limb wave around her face.
The meeting has just been finished with Celestia's final speech on the importance of friendship which I wholeheartedly agree with but something sat at the back of my mind of it all.
It was gnawing at my thoughts, with all the rush and awkwardness of making alliances and hoof/claw shakes I didn't know what to do with my problem.
Everything is going to be fine, just take a breath and walk up to talk to Celestia, every creature else seems to be going off on their own group and Celestia is sitting in her chair alone so I won't be bothering her...I hope.
Okay, let's do this
Celestia had turned to see who owned said limb in her face and found Thorax smiling very uneasily and nervously. The poor changeling was just a newly made king of a species he had very little relationship with but he was trying his absolute best with his people. It reminded her of old when she was just starting, while not out of touch as he was since she had lessons from her mentors to help her he had the heart that was oh so rare for others to see.
Celestia smiled, trying to ease his worries and show absolutely nothing but peace and welcoming presence to him as she has done so many times. It had visibly shown its effects as Thorax left his smile a bit, his worries melting a bit away and Celestia had noted this, practice does make perfect, she noted to herself in mind.
"I uh- N-not to overstep but- well" Thorax had completely stumbled with his words trying to run his thoughts out as best he could at the moment he realized he had to actually put them into words.
"Thorax, we are allies and friends here and anywhere else, you have freed your kind from a tyrant hell-bent on a solution that she had no idea was unnecessary. You have much to put under yourself, please do not hesitate on speaking with me or any of the leaders here, we have all gone through much to be here."
The speech was of reassurance and calming and it had worked on him as he blushed and took a breath and exhaled to stabilize himself.
Celestia was still smiling with the same kind of radiance that it had been putting, she laughed a bit at the moment though, it had reminded her so much of Twilight. "Better?"
He had looked evenly with her eyes, "Better"
He decomposed himself before beginning to speak of his problem.
"So what is it which you want to speak to me about? Has the hive been having problems?"
"Well, not exactly-"
"Is it needing more leadership advice?"
He had blushed at that, he had frequent communication with her before hoof due to her wanting a good alliance with the hive and helping him out. He began to continue, "No, it's an.. issue with a number- a small number of my changelings, a group: five of them have been well, not accepting of the new reign I'm putting up.
Celestia had raised an eyebrow at that, "Supporter of Chrysalis?"
As soon as he realized what Celestia had said he furiously shook his head from side to side in response to saying no.
"Nothing like that! I was suspecting that too but they don't have an allegiance to her or me it seems like they have been kind of, making a bit of a pact."
Celestia had raised her head and tapped one of her hooves at her chin in thought, this situation had brought up a thought she did not like although very common. "Could they" She knit her brows at the thought- "be trying to usurp you?"
Thorax had opened his eyes in alarm, "n-No! Nothing like that either!" He had frantically tried to recover the conversation from that train of thought while flailing his hooves out.
Celestia became thankful nothing of the sort was happening but she was still concerned for Thorax but held her tongue to let him finish.
Thorax had soon realized how ridiculous it was for him to be doing so and quickly apologized with a bit of cringe. "S-sorry, but no nothing like that, it seems like they are trying to sorta, make a stance for themselves?"
Celestia had noted it sounded more like a question than a statement.
Thorax had continued though, "I've been finding it very hard to deal with the situation myself. They aren't creating a strike or anything but they have absolutely no intention of letting me tell them what to do and I can hardly keep them in line. They disappear often and almost always together."
Celestia had known many like this group, a rebellious group of creatures that thought the ruler was so lenient they could exploit it for their own gain. Thorax WAS as much as it was rude and true, a very lenient ruler. She would be lying if she said that he was even a sliver of how wrathful, and terrifying the changelings used to be.
But this was worrying, there were still too many unknowns when it came to their kind in physique or knowledge. She didn't like the idea of somehow a small group rebelling and making a domino effect and others would join in.
Worst case scenario they would revert to their original form as well with their old ways. And changelings were very adept at covert missions there was no doubt in Celestia's mind that given time this group, if they went to more extreme ends, that it would mean serious trouble for changelings and her little ponies.
"So, I was sorta hoping you could give me some insight into what I could do?"
Thorax had looked at Celestia with some want for an answer but she was still in contemplation.
"You're sure they have no allegiance to Chrysalis?"
"Absolutely"
"Do they pertain any ill will?"
"They do whatever they want but nothing endangering of others, just disruptive to their lifestyle."
Celestia was deep in thought this seemed like a minuscule problem but the fact that Thorax was coming to her was a show of trust and its nature showed it must've been enough interruption to show itself more than just once.
They weren't inherently bad, Celestia thought, but they dislike the ruling and laws in a show of confidence and rebellion but nothing serious. She honestly had no idea how much this would affect the landscape of things if it did but she needed to be three steps ahead.
"I think I may have an idea."
