Chrysalis toured her territory outside the hive as her changelings flew around The Badlands, a barren land. Their barren land. A place where nothing thrived, only got by. Little grew from the rocky cliffs, tufts of weeds able to sustain only the simplest of creatures who, in turn, sustained other, more complex, animals and so on. An ecosystem they were never apart of, didn't even affect. A lone wren throws its head back swallowing an insect. It seemed to be a difficult process for the tiny bird. Though she felt for her fellow insect, she watched the whole act envious. She couldn't feed on others or plants or anything solid. Her stomach rumbled.
Her hive has been getting by in The Badlands for over a decade, which seems like such a long time now. They were doing fine, sneaking into Equestria and snacking whenever best they could. Towns were easy to infiltrate back then, and there were fewer mouths to worry about. It was a little brood of only twenty changelings back when she was still a fledgling queen, just embarking this hive thing on her own. Each one was her precious changeling that she fed easily and earnestly. However, she would never want to lose the ones she has gained since then.
The rumbling stomach of a drone drew her attention, a mix of pity and envy. She immediately felt ashamed. Such negative emotions were detrimental to the hive. Her changelings grew hungry yet continued to work not even noticing the pain. Their drive to work pushed aside that pain. Her mother used to say when Chrysalis was still a princess, “Don't pity them. They don't understand it. Pity yourself for being the burdened.” It felt like royal entitlement that allowed her to command them.
She grimaced at the thought that she wanted their inability to mind their hunger, but that was her job, worrying about their and her hunger. The drone continued to mold the hive, making way for a new brood that Chrysalis had laid just before the invasion of Canterlot. Without the stallion, they would remain eggs probably till they rotted. She didn't know for sure as she had never failed a brood before. She still allowed the changeling to keep working in its misguided task.
She wanted to cradle the changeling, one of her own. Give it enough love to last forever, but that wouldn't be the royal thing to do for everyone. She bit her lip and turned her back on the drone. Everything in her told her to not let her poor hatchling suffer in such a way, but she knew the more painful decisions were filled with the most love and this way could be given to all. She felt light headed. Too much at once, and she hasn't gotten any for herself lately.
From a young age, she noticed the drones inability to feel certain emotions. They cared for her, built for her, and fought for her, but they couldn't sate her appetite. They couldn't show one simple act of kindness without being commanded. No drone would play with her unless her mother directed them to. Play was something that quickly grew boring. It was her first lesson to becoming a queen.
“Mother,” Chrysalis asked, “why are they no fun?”
“I'm sorry my little crystal,” her mother had answered. “They just weren't born for such things.” She embodied everything a queen meant to Chrysalis. Her exoskeleton shone pitch black with no impurities, she stood with dignity, and she dictated her drones with ease and certainty. More importantly, no one in her hive had ever gone hungry. It was everything Chrysalis couldn't seem to be.
“Then breed one to be fun,” Chrysalis demanded. She puffed her cheeks out, a natural instinct to make oneself seem more threatening.
“I'm afraid I can't.” Her mother said calmly, “That would mean a little sister, and I can't do that right now.”
“Why not? Aren't most of them my younger sisters already?” The subtleties of a changeling's life would elude her for sometime, even into her own crowning, but it would dawn on Chrysalis later that her mother meant another princess like her. The hive couldn't support another free will to command it.
She had been walking aimlessly trying to avoid the thought of hunger when she heard the buzzing sound. One of her search hordes was coming back. Hopefully with better news than the other.
The horde made a beeline for her. She could sense them, and they her. It seemed like less were coming back. That was either the best news or the worst news. If anymore were to drop due to hunger...
“Your Majesty,” the drone in charge interrupted her thoughts in a non-distinctive hissing noise. They can't even speak properly. It made longer relationships with other species very difficult. “A small town has just sprung up on the border. Ponies will be moving there from neighboring areas.” It would be the perfect chance for a squad or two to move in undetected. That would leave her with only fifteen more drones to find good homes.
“How small is it? If I can push three, that would be best,” she used her dignitary voice. They only respond to actions given in such a manner. They needed to be commanded by her.
“It would be possible. Risky, but possible.” Chrysalis let out a deep breath. Risk more of her people than necessary, or continue to watch them starve under her care. Where their stomachs grumble, and they mindlessly live in peace. She knew it was selfish of her.
“Send three groups then. They shall remain quiet and on good terms with as many of the ponies as possible.” Inside she was screaming for her childrens' safety. That they should remain close to her, but it was a horrible feeling to know her love didn't feed her kids. They needed to be commanded by her, but she loved them too much.
