Evolution isn't always the best
The one thing a Queen can't do
The changelings had evolved. Thanks to Thorax and the ponies idea of sharing love between each other, they now could survive and had evolved into a genome that didn't need love constantly. Twilight smiled fondly as Thorax spoke with the others. Turning around she looked at Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence. Nodding softly, they all waved a farewell to the group of evolved changelings and acquired Princess Luna on their way to their destination, the Hive.
"Princess Celestia? Do you think Queen Chrysalis will forfeit? Maybe she will finally see the magic of friendship! If she does, I would learn so much about changeling royalty! Oh I can't wait!" Twilight was practically bouncing as they trotted towards the balcony that had a waiting carriage.
Princess Celestia could only smile at her excited student. "Now Twilight, I understand you may be excited to befriend Chrysalis, however remember, at this moment, she is still an unknown variable. Please be careful and tactful with how you approach her." Twilight could only blush in response as she was about to go off on one of her knowledge rants. Giggling at the embarrassed Princess, Celestia Nuzzled her gently. "I'm sure she will take your friendship with pride, my faithful student." This got Twilight to nod with a smile as she watched the passing ground.
As the carriage drew close to the hive, they could see the barren landscape around them. The trees as thin as twigs and dirt so dry it may as well be a desert. The only thing noticeable apart from the harsh landscape was the large dark jagged pillars rising from the ground. Twilight began taking notes about everything she could as the other three Princesses watched the surroundings with worry.
Landing near the only entrance Celestia dissuaded her guards from entering by telling them that in case anything happens, they would need to tell the rest of the element bearers. After a crisp salute, the guards stood at attention near the carriage as the four princesses entered the dark forlorn tunnels.
Everything around was dark, not for lack of light, it just seemed like the hive itself was gloomy. Twilight took every chance to take any sample she could. A piece of wall here, broken cocoon there. She carefully stuffed them in her saddlebag as she led the princesses on their journey through the winding tunnels of the hive.
Celestia and Luna were both on high alert, expecting an attack to come from any direction. Cadence was trying to ignore the surroundings as it reminded her of her time In the catacombs. Twilight was the only one unbothered by the scenery, only interested in finding Queen Chrysalis and getting samples to find out what it's made of.
The small group walked for what seemed like hours, Celestia sending a small note every ten minutes so her guards didn't panic and send the whole nation into disarray. She was about to stop Twilight from grabbing another sample when they heard it. Was that, crying? Twilight galloped past a startled Cadence and worried Celestia, not hearing the Lunar princess yelling a quiet "wait".
Twilight galloped for a few minutes, each corner the sound of sobbing becoming clearer until she settled on a sight she didn't expect. Queen Chrysalis was on her stomach, laying down in front of a destroyed throne, her face in her hooves as she let out soft wails, not noticing the now four other members of her throne room.
Twilight decided to speak first. "Ummm... Q-queen Chr-chrysalis? I ju-" She couldn't continue as she saw the Queen since the wedding. She looked decrepit. Her mane all mangled and knotted up, a few scars on her face and... Did she have those holes in her neck before?
"What do you want?! Come to finish the job?!" The surprisingly loud voice of the Queen shook the princesses out of their stupor. Ready to defend themselves when her next line shocked them. "Do it... Kill me... I've lost everything..."
"Chrysalis... You haven't lost everything. The changelings are prospering now that they've evolved and shared love." Celestia was now very concerned about the mare in front of her. Wanting to have somepony finish you off? That wasn't good. "Please, accept their way an-"
"You knew they would evolve." Cadence interrupted Celestia, which earned her a shocked look from everypony and caused Chrysalis to flinch. "You knew they would evolve and that they would stop starving if they shared. Yet you didn't tell any of your subjects that. You knew what would happen and that they would be accepted and you still didn't... Why? Did you want them to die? You did didn't you? You wanted them to feed you so you would live and they would die. Isn't that the reason? You did it so-"
"I DID IT BECAUSE I WAS BUCKING SELFISH OKAY?! I KEPT THE TRUTH FROM THEM SO I COULF LIVE YES! I... I... I just wanted to live... Is that so... FUCKING HARD?!" Chrysalis was now panting heavily, glaring at the princess of love.
"Chrysalis, you can evolve with them, keep being their queen. You can come live in peace..." Celestia was now very worried about her former rival.
"You all don't get it... There's a reason I kept it hidden. Kept my children from knowing... That form they're in... They can't have a queen to rule them now, they no longer have a hivemind..." Chrysalis was now openly crying again. "It was selfish of me yes, but wouldn't you also want to keep your children with you. They can't have a queen in their evolution because they lost their hivemind, and I can't evolve because, a queen must have a hivemind... The hivemind of a queen locks evolution... I'm stuck, even if I wanted to I... I just can't. I can't see my children again, I can't hear them."
Cadence slowly moved closer. "You can though. Come with us, you can see and speak with them every day. Wouldn't that be nice?"
The queen only shook her head. "I don't mean that. princess... I mean, the hivemind. It let me see them, know they were safe in their rest. It let me hear them, know they were happy with my choices and... And I could fall asleep to the noise of thousands of changelings chittering away. Now it's an echo. My voice alone for miles, I can't hear even one changeling left. So, you did it. You defeated the changeling menace. You took my children from me. You took a mothers' children! Now she has nothing. Now..." The ponies there flattened their ears to their head at the pained, empty wail the queen let out. The wail of losing all of her children. Celestia only just realized what happened. She didn't just save the changelings with Thorax. She doomed the Queen to a life of solitude and extinction of the true changeling race.
"Chrysalis I... We are all sorry..." Luna raised and extended a hoof as the queen backed up. Nopony noticing the shaking chandelier except for one extremely distraught queen. Her horn glowed a sickly green with a wicked smile causing the four ponies to jump back defensively as the chandelier fell. She let the spell fade as she dove forward, terror and fear etched itself on the faces of the four mares in front of her as she smiled and let out a quiet sigh.
"Peace, silence, relief."
The four made let out four different shrieks as the chandelier fell on top of Chrysalis, her body getting skewered and crushed by the heavy object. Celestia and Luna were too stunned, Twilight was vomiting, but Cadence was the worst. She was now in front of the mangled body trying to move the black chandelier off the body of the Queen.
"No no no no no! No don't leave! We can save you! You can talk to your children! You can see their smiles! You can hold your grandchildren! You can even hold Flurry Heart! I'll let you be her godmother! No!" Celestia put of hoof on Cadences back when it was smacked away by a pink hoof. Cadence now glaring. "Don't! No! I won't let you hurt her again! I'm not letting her get hurt anymore! I-" She froze as she felt something, a drumbeat? No... A heartbeat! She put her ear to the changelings mouth and could barely feel her breath. She was ecstatic and was going to use her power as princess to do anything and everything she could, damned be Celestia if her husband or anypony try to stop her.
Author's Note
Hey. This is my first story so its not too good. However I'm hoping to get better as I go on. Feel free to give me constructive criticism. Again, I'm new and not too good. Thanks for reading though!