Starlight walks into the main section of the hive, arriving tiredly, while changeling wings buzz audibly around her, and hissing is heard. Then, suddenly - SPLAT!
Queen Chrysalis walks into the glued-to-the-ground pony , without a hint of fear, but visible disgust and anger.
"One little pony all by herself - Oh, how will I ever prevent this daring rescue?" Chrysalis said, in a mocking tone, then continued. "Well, well, well. The Princess of Friendship's sole pupil! Honestly, I didn't think you were worth replacing with one of my drones.
Starlight interjected; "You won't get away with this!"
Chrysalis let out a laugh, then promptly shut down that declaration. "I already have. Nopony is coming to save you. Your little squad was it. And now, there's just you."
Starlight confidently responded: "Thorax is still out there."
Chrysalis, with visible anger, shouted at Starlight: "DON'T MENTION THAT TRAITOR'S NAME IN MY KINGDOM! He was a fool to leave and even more a fool to return! When I find him, he'll learn just what happens to those who betray the hive!"
Starlight whimpered.
"And it seems I don't have far to look, do I..." Chrysalis said, then zapped Starlight with a beam of magic. Green fire enveloped Starlight and revealed Thorax standing there.
"Thorax? So you have come here. That punishment will be delayed for now, as there's a certain pony to deal with."
Chrysalis zapped at Starlight, who dodged out of the way instead of continuing to try pound at the throne.
"Very clever. And clearly, Thorax revealed to you the secret of my throne. I can't have powerful ponies using their abilities against me. Even with your embarassing little rescue attempt, everything has gone according to my plan." Chrysalis declared.
"What plan?! Why did you do all this?" Starlight asked in desperation.
"So I could feed, of course! By replacing the most beloved figures in Equestria, my drones will be able to store all the love meant for them and return it here to me. Everypony will do as I command, and my subjects and I will feed on their love for generations!" Chrysalis declared, then promptly broke out into maniacal laughter.
"What if you didn't have to?" Starlight asked, and was promptly shut down by Chrysalis.
"Ridiculous! The hunger of changelings can never be satisfied!" Chrysalis exclaimed.
Starlight replied: "Exactly! Thorax left the hive and made a friend, he shared love, and now he doesn't need to feed! You don't have to live your lives starving all of the time!"
Chrysalis was visibly furious at this point, and held nothing back in her contempt for the pony's inability to accept reality.
"You know NOTHING of the changelings or what it takes to be their Queen! I decide what is best for my subjects, not some mewling grub!"
Starlight responded, although visibly shaken from the outburst: "I know what it's like to be lead by fear and intimidation, and what it's like to want everypony to do what you say! But I was wrong. A real leader doesn't force her subjects to deny who they are! She celebrates what makes them unique and listens when one finds a better way!"
Chrysalis held nothing back at the statement, and simply went to do what she wanted to do from the start.
"The only thing Thorax has found is what happens to those who turn their back away from the hive!" Chrysalis said, then promptly began ordering her changelings to drain the love from Thorax, as she partook in it herself.
Starlight was visibly shaken, and merely shoted her best in an attempt to get them to stop. "NO! STOP!"
Chrysalis continued: "Just as soon as I drain every last ounce of love from him and show my subjects what a REAL leader is!
Thorax, visibly strained said: "I can feel the love inside me slipping away... I can't hold on to it much longer..."
Starlight encouraged him to allow the draining to continue: "Then don't! Sharing love is what made you different to begin with! You should share yours with Chrysalis! Give her all of it!"
Thorax merely replied with a whimper, as the last bits of love were drained from him, and he dropped dead on the hive's floor.
Starlight was horrified, and yelled Thorax's name as loud as she could: "THORAX!"
Chrysalis merely laughed at the desperation of the pony, and quickly had her drones seize her and wrap her in a pod, merely storing her away for later, as she ordered a drone to take her place to not arouse suspicion.
"Now, all of Equestria shall bow down to me!" Chrysalis declared, with no shortage of villanous glee, as she began planning the final few bits of her plan, although believing she had enough force to completely subjugate Equestria, she would rather have her drones continue to supply the hive with endless streams of love, not satisfy her own pride for short-term gain, she had already won. She merely used her de-facto control of the nation to tear it apart from the inside out.
Then, after a few months after taking down Starlight and her crew, she made her move known, and invaded Canterlot yet again. This time, not even the (admittedly) useless Royal Guard opposed her, as she merely sat on the dais one of her drones had kept warm while acting as Princess Celestia, and made the final declaration that would come from what once was Equestria: "Hello... you little Ponies. I am Queen Chrysalis, and I request your audience here, as your were-once-rulers have been deposed. Your nation will now no longer serve two ponies merely interested in doing nothing. As of now, Equestria shall be annexed into the Changeling Queendom, and dissent shall not be tolerated." Chrysalis promptly ordered a bunch of ponies to be seized and sent over to work camps she had prepared in Changeling-controlled territory, to both work the land for resources, and to extract their emotions.
And so, here lay Equestria, once a proud nation.
Author's Note
My writing's not exactly the best when it comes to third-person. I work better writing stories from my own perspective.
If you enjoyed the story or didn't like it, feel free to rate it. This was a one-shot, so don't expect continuations.
