Love Me

Later that afternoon Chilek and her small Changeling force ambushed the real Silver Spoon and the two other fillies she was with, as they went into the tunnel below Ponyville's main road.They let their targets come close, before leaping upon them, fanging two of them straight away before they could fight or make a sound. Silver Spoon was quicker and in the middle of the three, and the first Changeling to try and fang her got a hoof in the jaw and was knocked to the ground, before another one sank it's fangs into her back leg and a third Changeling fanged her in the neck.Chilek used most of what was left of her internal love stores to heal her fellow Changeling's fractured jaw and bring him around. It was an effort and it lefter her feeling rather hungry but it was worth it to heal one of the swarm.

After telling her fellow changelings where the friends of Silver Spoon lived so that they could be replaced, and helping to wrap all three ponies up in cocoons, she said "Twillek, Chamba, you two will be going undercover, I want the rest of you to come with me, buy a blanket and I'm going to see if I can get Diamond Tiara to come with us willingly. If so, she will be the first pony to willingly enter a Changeling Hive in living memory." She and the others flew to Diamond Tiara's mansion and waited a while until the three fillies Diamond Tiara was with had left for home. Changelings were good at waiting in such situations. Then she flew into Diamond Tiara's bedroom and at once took the shape of Silver Spoon. Diamond cantered into her arms and kissed her love and lovingly. "What happened to the real Silver Spoon...have you replaced her?"

"Yes, I have, and I have a request that you might well be worried about. Queen Chrysalis herself wants to see you, and wants you to be a guest of honor in her hive."

"But why? I may be a rich pony but all the wealth is my family's. I hold no official post at all whatsoever. Why me?"

"The Changelings are amazed that you do not seem to fear and hate our race. I was helpless, badly hurt and in my real shape when you found me, but instead of galloping away screaming or calling the guards to kill me you took me in and healed me and loved me. So the Queen wishes to see you."

"But what if she lets me into the hive but refuses to let me out? Will you come into my parlor?, said the spider to the fly. If I do what you say and come to meet your Queen, how can you be sure that I will not end up like the real Silver Spoon, hanging helplessly in a cocoon so my love can be fed upon by the hive? Changelings see ponies, or rather, the love that come from them, as food. I'd be a walking meal to them. And what about my parents? There is no way they would let their beloved only child go into a Changeling Hive. How can you get me there?"

"One of us can be your stand in whilst you are away. The Queen gives her royal word that you won't be harmed. We will transform into pegusai and carry you in a blanket. And if you are too scared to come, we won't make you."

"I'll do it, but only because I love you and trust you."

Chilek kissed Diamond and let one of the other Changelings take her place, and then she and five others transformed into pegusai and between them held Diamond Tiara in a blanket and flew with her out of the window. Out of Ponyville they went, eastwards, over the Everfree Forest where the clouds formed and rained randomly and after several hours of swift flight to the mountain crags where no sane pony would go and where the secretive Changelings had made their hives.

The part of the Hive of Queen Chrysalis that was visible from the outside looked like a massive stone termite mound, with just one gateway to the outside. One well guarded gateway, the guards with spears fixed firmly to their sides by straps to hold them firm and keep them capable of thrusting and killing. The disguised Changelings took their true shapes and a very tired by now Chilek said to them "Do not fear, we bring you the famed Diamond Tiara who does not despise or hate our race."

Diamond's heart was thumping as she walked into the Hive, expecting both to be fanged at any second and to find herself walking through slime. Neither happened. Changelings came up in force to see Diamond Tiara, but none of them made a single hostile move. As for the floor, it was dry and clean and seemed to be lined with a kind of soft paper of the kind that wasps used to build their nests. The only slime in site was glowing brightly and was in large beads on the walls;it clearly served as a light source. There were plenty of tunnels, both horizontal and vertical, leading to communal dining areas, markets, private houses, grub chambers and all the other parts of the Hive. Diamond was surprised at how few Changelings there were for such a large hive.

A large Changeling with glowing green eyes, a bent and twisted horn and a crown upon her head come forward and Diamond curtsied to her politely.

"So you are the pony that does not fear and hate our race, and who trusted us enough to enter our Hive. Please, let me show you around. There are a lot fewer of us after the failed attack on Canterlot as you can see."

They entered a dining hall with plenty of large benches and tables but no plates or food.

"So what do you eat here, your Majesty?" Diamond asked.

The Queen pointed up with a hoof and Diamond felt a little sick. Up there were dozens of see-through cocoons, containing griffins,a mule, and plenty of ponies.