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by tom117z

Chapter 33: 33 - Invitation

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Queen Chrysalis was walking alongside her daughter, Princess Twilight Sparkle, towards one of the hive’s main entrances. Twilight was going there to receive her special guests, the other elements, and walking with them was Twilight's assistant and close friend Spike the Dragon. The little guy had grown on Chrysalis over the last couple of years.

Chrysalis broke the silence that was threatening to build up on them. “How long are they going to be staying for, Twilight?”

Twilight looked up at her mother. “Just a couple days. Enough time for them to see the whole hive and get up to a few other things.” The smile on her face was ear to ear.

The queen raised an eyebrow. “Other things?”

Twilight grinned sheepishly. “Yeah… don’t be surprised if a giant party breaks out in the atrium; you know how Pinkie Pie is.”

She suppressed a shudder. “I’ve heard the horror stories. What else do you intend to do that hopefully doesn’t involve destroying society as we know it?”

“Well we don’t have any plans in place, so we’ll just end up making it up as we go along.”

Chrysalis looked at her daughter with an amused expression. “Making it up as you go? My daughter, I would have thought such a disorganised state of affairs would have given you a conniption.”

“Oh hardy har har,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “While it’s true I may have, say… two years ago. Now, I’m able to put that aside and just have fun; I mean that is what’s important, right?”

“Yeah, you are a real Princess of Friendship,” Carduus joked as he walked up to and fell into step with the two royals.

Twilight DID NOT jump, royals don’t. “G-Good morning Carduus, you’re in a good mood I see?” Twilight said, taking the jab in stride.

“Why shouldn’t I be? But alas, I haven’t dropped by for a social call unfortunately.”

A frown briefly crossed her muzzle, before she wiped it away. “What do you need captain?” Chrysalis asked.

“My Queen, your guest is here.”

Chrysalis’ eyes slightly widened. “Already? He wasn’t supposed to be here for another few hours!”

The four of them stopped dead in the middle of the corridor, and Twilight looked at Chrysalis in confusion.

“Mother? What guest? What are you talking about?” Twilight looked at Spike to see if he knew anything. Pulling out a clipboard of the court's daily events, Spike looked through the sheet before looking back at Twi and shrugging.

“He’s waiting for you in the throne room,” Carduus interjected.

Chrysalis sighed and turned to her daughter. “I’m sorry Twilight, but this cannot wait.”

“Some explanation would be nice.” She had turned her whole body to face her mother.

“Soon. But for now go on, find your friends and enjoy yourself.”

Twilight looked like she was about to argue, before she visibly drooped. “Well… alright. But I’d prefer not to be kept in the dark.”

“I know. But if this is what I think it is you will know soon enough.”

Before her daughter could reply, Chrysalis quickly began to walk to an adjacent hallway, Carduus following closely behind.

“What was that about?” Twilight muttered.

“Beats me,” Spike shrugged. “There is nothing on the itinerary for today. Come on Twilight, let’s not keep the others waiting.”


The blistering heat was bearing down onto five mares waiting outside one of the hives many entrances. They had been confused at first when their transport had set down on a seemingly empty patch of desert, until the perception filter was dispelled and a cave leading down to a large defensible doorway was revealed.

“Come on, can’t we go in yet?” Rainbow Dash moaned.

One of the guards dressed in the usual dark blue armour in front of the cave held up a hoof to stop the approaching Pegasus. “Sorry ma’am, but no.”

“But we’re friends of Twilight! Come on, I’m burning alive out here!”

The changeling shook his head. “We were ordered to wait until young Spike came back with Princess Twilight. You will just have to wait.”

Rainbow looked ready to punt the guard back down into the cave when a voice came from behind him.

“It’s OK, they can come in,” Twilight said as she walked past the changeling guard.

“Twilight darling,” Rarity spoke. “It’s good to see you again! It has been far too long since your last visit to Ponyville.”

The pair moved in and hugged each other. “It’s good to see you too Rarity, how are you all doing?”

“We are fine sugarcube,” Applejack said as she walked up beside the alabaster unicorn. “Just eager to get out of the sun is all.”

“Yes can we please do that?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Twilight giggled. “Yes, we better get inside before you roast.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Pfft, you ponies. The heat is fine.”

“Spike? It’s good to see you!” Rarity approached the dragon. “It’s been months since you’ve visited. My you’ve grown since the last time we saw you, you are turning into a handsome little dragon.”

Spike blushed. “T-thanks Rarity. That means a lot coming from you.”

Twilight gave Spike a deadpan glare. “It’s been five minutes and you’ve already started crushing again?”

“Twilight!” Spike protested in embarrassment.

“Oh it’s perfectly fine Twilight, he is so cute when he blushes!” She patted Spike on the head.

“Um… can we just go inside now?” Spike sounded almost like Fluttershy for a moment.”

“I agree, like Rainbow has been saying it is rather hot out here,” Fluttershy said. “If that’s alright with you I mean.”

“Come on then!” Pinkie Pie shouted impatiently. “I need to see where the best place to have a party is!”

“I thought you might,” Twilight chuckled as she turned back towards the hive, the others following shortly behind. “And don’t worry, I know just the place.”


The two large doors to the throne room opened up and Chrysalis strolled in, Carduus at her side. At the other end of the throne room was a changeling dressed in red changeling guard armour.

“Your majesty.” He bowed his head respectfully.

“Captain, would you wait outside until I am finished?” Chrysalis said to Carduus.

“Of course, my Queen.” He nodded, before he walked out the throne room and closed the doors behind him.

“Now,” Chrysalis addressed the drone. “What does Queen Draco want of me?” She did her best to stay civil, slightly irritated at the drone’s sudden, unannounced arrival.

“Nothing, your highness, except to pass on an invitation to the Queen’s Council.”

“Ah, I presumed this would be the case. How long until it begins?”

“Three days, your highness,” the drone told her.

“Three days?” Chrysalis said in surprise.

“Yes. I do believe you were the last one to be tracked down.”

“How long did it take to set up this time?”

“Two years. Our hive was invited just before yours, and since we are one of the few who knows where you are based at it was requested we give the invitation.”

“There are two others who know where we are, what about them?”

“As far as I am aware they couldn’t be located, and thus won’t be attending.”

“I see, I trust Queen Draco didn’t divulge that information?

“No, my Queen would never betray her friends.”

Chrysalis nodded. “Good. How many queens will be attending then?”

“Fifteen out of the nineteen.”

Chrysalis’ eyes widened. “Nineteen? There were twenty the last time I checked.”

The drone winced, “I… shouldn’t say anymore. My Queen will explain more when you meet face-to-face.”

Chrysalis studied the drone for a few moments, making him nearly quiver in his chitin. However, she relented. “Very well. I accept the invitation and will be there with my daughter within the three days.”

“Very good, I will inform my Queen at once.”

The drone bowed one last time before moving towards the door, but he was stopped as a hole ridden hood blocked his path.

“Just, one last thing,” Chrysalis said. “Who was it that called the council this time around?”

“Queen Crudelis, your highness.”

Chrysalis scowled. “Crudelis. You can go, Carduus will escort you out.”

“Yes, your highness.”

With her magic Chrysalis opened the two large doors. Carduus stood to attention as his Queen came into view.”

“Captain, would you please escort our guest out.”

“Yes, my Queen!” Carduus motioned to the drone. “Come along you.”

As the two drones left her sight, the scowl now present on Chrysalis’ face darkened considerably.


Twilight laughed as one of the drones jumped when Pinkie Pie let off her party cannon. Just as predicted the atrium was abuzz with activity as loud music played and both the ponies and drones present enjoyed the party Pinkie had set up in under an hour. As word of Pinkie Pie’s party spread throughout the hive drones had been pouring in to check what all the fuss was about, and Pinkie had been ready to greet every single one, determined to befriend them all. Sometimes the drones could swear she was in multiple places at once.

As Twilight watched the chaos unfold she sat with Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity on the third floor, just outside a restaurant at a table that overlooked the rest of the atrium. Twilight held one of the love-infused smoothies in her magical grasp, having grown rather ‘attached’ to the beverage since she first tried it two years prior.

As she took a sip of her drink, her attention was grabbed by sound of joyful laughter somehow making it to her ears over the noise of the party.

Much to Twilight’s, and everypony else’s amusement, Rainbow was playfully racing a group of nymphs around the atrium, a now eight year old Iuvenes being among them. They could only smile at their happy, giggling faces.

It wasn’t long before Rainbow conned Spike into joining in, determined to teach him how to fly ‘properly’.

“Well they seem to be enjoying themselves,” Rarity had to nearly shout over the music.

“They’ve never experienced Pinkie Pie before,” Applejack chuckled. “Most things are the best the first time, but ah think Pinkie’s parties only get better each and every time she does one.”

“Agreed,” Rarity smiled.

They might have heard Fluttershy also agree, but her quiet voice was lost in the music.

“I must ask, Twilight, who is that regal figure down there?” Rarity pointed down at the statue below. “It doesn’t seem to depict your mother.”

“That’s my grandmother, Avia.”

“I see, she must have been quite a sight in her time, rivalling that of Celestia if the statue is anything to go by.”

“Maybe...” Twilight’s thoughts went back to the diary. “I recently found a-"

“Twilight, sorry to tear you away from the... festivities. But I need to talk to you, urgently.” Chrysalis spoke over the hive.

“Is it about the guest you received?”

“Yes.”

Twilight sighed. “I’ll be right there.”

“Sorry girls, duty calls.”

“We understand sugarcube. We’ll be here when you get back.”

Twilight nodded gratefully, before opening her wings and flying off towards the atrium’s exit, making sure to grab Spike as she went.


As Queen Draco’s messenger left the hive the perception filter shimmered briefly as he passed through it, before returning to normal, hiding the hive away from all untrained eyes. He carried two large saddlebags on his back, filled with supplies for his trip.

All the while he was unaware of the two drones watching him from afar.

They crouched low behind a large outcropping of rocks, having been following the red armoured drone since he began his journey.

The two drones in question, one male and one female, were clad in armour coloured a mix of dark blue and an even darker red. Both had grins fixed on their faces as they watched the other drone spread his wings and fly away, heading in the direction of Equestria where up north and past the frozen lands of the Crystal Empire his hive was located.

The male drone turned to his counterpart. “We’ve found it, finally. There is no doubt that this is where Queen Chrysalis hides.”

Author's Notes:

The Pinkie Pie has been unleashed onto changeling kind, they shall never be the same again. :pinkiecrazy:

Next Chapter: 34 - Duty Calls Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 6 Minutes
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