Chrysalis' POV
Soon after leaving the Storm King's ship

I flew straight west until I met the river between a zap apple gove and the Silver and Scout Meadows where I followed that until I came to the Tenochtitlan Basin. Angry and confused, I flew up the river and only returned to my natural self when I got to the banks of the basin. "I don't want that life," I shouted and stomped along the bank of the Tenochtitlan Basin with my hooves leaving imprints in the damp earth behind me.

"Yes, you do, Chrysalis," came the calm voice from behind me. It was a voice that I'd never heard and yet already knew who it was.

I stopped stomping around and turned to face the Tree of Harmony with a growl, "I don't want that life."

She gave me one of those know-it-all smiles with a slight tilt of her head. "Yes, you do. That's why you pretended to be Cadence at her wedding."

I stomped my way up to her with a scowl on my face and a growl in my throat. She's so irritating. "He was just a means to an end!"

"You intended to stay with him and you know it," she giggled back and stood her ground. "You are not your origins, Chrysalis. In recent years, everything that you've done has been toward that end. You are just hiding from that truth. Too proud to admit it to yourself. You could have killed Cadence, Twilight, and the others but you didn't. You haven't killed in a very long time." She still stood her ground when I got close enough to put my nose against hers. Not that I could have done anything to her even if I wanted to. She's just a specter after all. "You may have tricked Emmit, but you were happy that his seed took. You weren't really going to use your new children as soldiers."

"SHUT UP," I screamed at her. "I WAS, TOO."

"For a very long while, you've been jealous of those happy with a family." She still had a knowing smile on her face as she continued. Each word she said was like a knife to my heart. "When you've portrayed yourself as a wife to gather love from a stallion, you also wish that a stallion could truly love you like the emotion you seek."

"NO! Love is what I live on, my food," I screamed back at her with a heavy stomp on the ground but she still held her ground.

She shook her head. "You know that you don't have to go hungry anymore. You've seen it. And you can finally start on your path to your destiny if you would only give love instead of taking it."

"Never."

"That's why you haven't killed. That's why you didn't kill them when you had the chance when you took the Pillar's things."

"SHUT UP."

"You are at war with yourself, Chrysalis."

I actually took a swipe at her. "I am not," I cried out but my hoof just simply went through her. So, I started pacing back and forth in front of her in frustration.

"You can eventually have that family you've always sought after if you only surrender to Emmit and give him all your love. It won't be easy for you, but you would finally have what you've always wanted. Love and a true family." Then she disappeared to leave me with my tumultuous thoughts.

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" I screamed at where she was just a second ago, but it was no use. She was gone. "YOU'RE WRONG. YOU'RE LYING." I screamed and screamed but nothing was there to answer me except for the sound of the water, the wind through the trees, and the animals that I had scared off.

^_^

Emmit's POV
After the meeting

After the meeting was over I wanted to check up with Fluttershy because she was watching after the twins, Bruce, and James. Because of the actions of others, I was able to do this. After the meeting, Tia nabbed Novo to bring her back to Canterlot's war room which meant that Novo was out of my hair. Twilight went to check on Cadence and Rarity because they were still in Mistmane's room. Pinkie needed to work today, which was why our son James was at Fluttershy's place along with Bruce. And because Tia took Novo to the war room, our daughter Solar was still with me as we walked over to Fluttershy's cottage.

I was in my fox form with my daughter riding on top of my head and as we approached the cottage, I told her to be on her best behavior as we checked up on her step brothers and sisters. All seemed quiet as we approached the back of the cottage and walked in through the back door. Almost immediately after walking in, the birds in the cottage chirped excitedly and flew up to my daughter. It appeared that they wanted her to play with them, so I just chuckled and told her, "Go ahead and play with the animals, honey. Just be gentle and don't stray far from the house." Hearing that, my daughter said cheerfully, "Ok, daddy," and followed the birds out the door to play outside.

That left me to find Fluttershy and whoever else was here. I found Fluttershy, Ember, and Sweetie Belle in the kitchen all sitting around the table. "Hello, my lovelies," I singsonged with a loving smile on my face after finding them sitting around the kitchen table. Because Fluttershy was the closest, I walked up to her first, giving her a loving kiss just as she turned her head around. After realizing that it was me, she leaned into the kiss with a soft content hum as the others greeted me with, "Hi, Emmit" or in Ember's case, "My mate."

Ember was next and then Sweetie Belle. I greeted them all lovingly and equally before sitting my butt down on the floor between Sweetie and Fluttershy. It was right after I sat down and put a couple of tails around them when Sweetie told me, "You just missed the lady from Fever Magazine."

"Oh yeah," I chuckled with a slight shake of my head, "I had almost forgotten all about that with everything that's been going on."

"Yes, she came by to tell us that the edition featuring you and Ember will be out tomorrow. And the one after that will feature Apple Bloom and Scootaloo," Fluttershy informed me. "She wanted to show Ember the pictures and get her input. And she also wanted to show Scootaloo and Apple Bloom as well, so she asked where they were. We told her that Apple Bloom is working on her family's farm and Scootaloo is with Rainbow. Rainbow and Scootaloo are both working with Ponyville's weather team."

I looked over at Fluttershy with a nod of my head. "Yeah, because of the war effort, Ponyville's weather team has to double as a lookout and early warning system for Ponyville. I just hope that the Storm King's forces don't get this far into Equestria."

"We are confident in you, our mate," Ember looks over at me with calm prideful confidence.

"Thank you, my mate," I tell her in return with a grateful smile while my tails gently rub against both Sweetie and Fluttershy. "I'm grateful for your confidence in me. However, there is a lot of magic at Stygian's disposal. But enough of that for now." Looking at Ember specifically, I ask her, "So, what do you think of the pictures and the fever article?"

She gave me an easy smile while leaning back in the chair. "The pony mare captured the joy I have for you being my mate perfectly. She captured the passion and fire in my eyes, my separated scales, and my hard perky nipples as you squeezed and twisted them for my pleasure." Her smile turned lustful as she reached up and squeezed a breast. "I don't mind them taking pictures of us. For it is my hope that it will show others how happy and joyous a relationship can be. Because of what you've shown me about the true nature of love and intimacy."

Moved by her words, I opened my mouth to say something until Sweetie beat me to it. "That's what she's shown me," Sweetie said while looking up at me with a wide smile. Then she blushed and finished with, "I'm just not ready for all of Equestria to see us have sex."

With a gentle smile, I leaned over giving her a slow loving kiss. "That's quite alright, Sweetie," I told her then hugged her to me with my tails. "That's alright."

"Yes, because I still don't want to be in the magazine either," Fluttershy said with a blush. "Though I did agree to an interview that I believe was in the Celestia edition."

Right then we heard the door open and my daughter and some birds flew in to land on the table in front of us. All of them looked a little tired, especially my daughter. She flew in and landed on the table then laid down in an exaggerated way as if she was playing dead. With a laugh, I stood up and started walking to the kitchen, "I'll get some water for you all."

^_^

Celestia's POV
Same time
Canterlot throne/war room

Novo was walking beside me as we entered the throne room that was now the war room. She wasn't mad that I had rescued my husband from her because I think she expected it from me. I knew that because there still was that easy-going teasing look on her face. And when she started the conversation after we walked into the throne room. "I know what you are going to ask, Tia," she told me as we walked across the room toward the bed-like throne. "And I wasn't lying when I said that my subjects are asking for us to wed. When your mother, the Empress, put that orb shard into his chest, she was practically declaring him ruler over Seaquestria and Mount Aris."

We both walk up to the wide bed-like throne and after I climb up on it, I motion for her to join me. After Novo joins me on the bed-like throne, I look at her with a tilt of my head and a small smirk. "You know how a herd works, Novo. No matter what my mother has done to influence this, and no matter what your subjects request, you will still need to get my permission as well as that of Luna and Rarity. We three are equal head mares. So, with that in mind, let me ask why are you pursuing our husband? Other than the wish and opinions of your subjects."

Her facial features were telling as she thought about her answer to my question. Among the emotions that ran across her face, she finally settled on one that I recognized easily as one that I went through with Emmit. Her head tilted to the side a little with an amused smirk growing on her face with the look in her eyes showing true attraction. Which mean that she was about to tell me something that she was attracted to, but also found amusing. "When I first saw him," she began while looking down at the mattress as she recalled the memory, "I saw this beautiful, but very strange, creature that I've never seen before. At first, I thought that he was this pretty boy that just came along. But I quickly found that he was more than just handsome. Just the way he walked and carried himself, I saw the power that he could wield. Later, I saw it when he, Twilight, and Ember attacked one of the Storm King's ships. It was then that I was reminded of what you said in your last letter before I was caught. He is indeed very powerful and dangerous. While Tempest's ship went down and as I stood behind him, his whole package of this very powerful and clearly dangerous polite and charming predator hit me. Therefore, I reached out and grabbed his balls."

I laughed. Not just a giggle, but full-on laughter that echoed in the throne room. She was giggling with me as I said to her between bouts of laughter, "Twilight showed...me...her memory...so I saw...his reaction."

"He holds a lot of restrained power," Novo said while I calmed down from laughing. "He respected me as a queen and yet didn't hesitate to tell me what to do if he thought it was for my safety. When there wasn't time to force me back inside the ship for my safety, he forced me down to the deck with his tails covering me. Being queen the times that I've been malehandled, let's say, is few and far between. As I know you've been through such things where even your Captains are afraid of telling you what to do because we are on such a high pedestal."

"Yes, I know what you mean," I agreed with a nod and a smile after getting my laughter under control again. "That is just one of the many things I love about him."

"And I see why, Tia," she winked. "All of which is a very attractive and alluring package. But I don't know him like you, or your herd does." She paused for a deeper breath which she always does when she is about to admit something deeply personal. "Which I'll admit to being envious of. However, given your mother's actions and the feelings of my subjects, I'm in the unique position to possibly do something about that." Now she looked up at me with a serious look. "So, I do ask for that chance and perhaps maybe joining the herd one day. I know it won't happen overnight. But it's time that I moved on with my life and maybe find love again since the loss of my previous mate. He was taken from Skystar and I when she was very young, so she doesn't remember much of her father. And it is time for Seaponies and Hippogriffs to return to the world and stop hiding. He is helping me and my subjects do that."

I gave her a nod in understanding. "I was wary of him when he first arrived. But in time, I felt like it was time for me to finally know what it's like to be a mother. To experience the joy and the pain of it as you have already. And you were right, it is so very rewarding. He is a good father and I am so happy and content right now with him and our daughter in my life. So, even though I don't know what it's like to feel the loss of a mate or husband, I will speak of this more with Luna and Rarity first before bringing it up with the rest of the herd."

"Thank you, Tia," she said with a wide thankful smile that matched the look in her eyes. "I do miss being held, being loved, and waking up to a strong male in bed with me. Being held with strong arms, hooves, or claws."

"Tired of being the strong one," I said gently in understanding with a gentle smile. "Sometimes, I have him place a suppressor ring over my horn and bind my wings, so I can truly feel like prey about to be...eaten...when he chases me." I emphasized the word eaten, so she would recognize it in a sexual sense instead of literally.

"Giving him complete and utter control," she said with mild shock on her face with some disbelief thrown in. "I've never done that, even with my previous mate. I don't know what that's like. That level and amount of trust."

With a growing grin, I winked at her, "Hopefully you will one day. It is more than just an incredible experience with the one you love and trust. Because also shows how much I trust him."

She blinked a couple of times as if processing that information. "Ah, I see."

"Rainbow Dash even told us how he washed her in the Wonderbolt mare's showers," I began telling her with a growing blush. "They both walked into the showers and right in front of all the other mares, he began undressing her when he was already in his human form. Even while undressing her, the other mares began saying how hot that was because he never looked away from her." While telling her this, I watched her face start to flush as mine was. "After undressing her, he walked with her into the showers, got behind her, and then lifted her up so her front hooves were against the wall. He turned on the water to wet down her body with his hands rubbing all over her body. Never taking his eyes off of her. His hands really make a mare's body shudder with need. She told me that it was after he got done soaping her down that he raised her tail and started slowly bucking her. Right there in the middle of the mare's shower, with her body slick with soap, he slowly washed her body with his own body and hands. She told us that it was the most arousing thing that she's ever done. All while they were having sex, he was washing her. And his eyes never left hers. Never looked at any other mare but her." About halfway through my explanation, her blush deepened, her mouth hung open, and her eyes widened in that aroused I want to experience that way.

"I so want that," she whispered with the same lustful look about her.

I giggled a little because of the look on her face. "You're not the only one. Cadence said the same thing, though it was under the guise of girl talk."

"I better change the subject for now," she giggled softly before going on with the other reason why she was here. "The other reason why I came here, besides Emmit, was simply to learn more about the war preparations and maybe help some."

Giving her a warm smile, I said to her, "Understandable. We could start by taking a tour of the training grounds." Novo slowly nodded at me with a grateful smile, so we both got up from the throne and started walking out of the throne room to the newly expanded training grounds. On the way out of the throne room, I requested that two of the solar guards at the doors accompany us while the other two patrol inside. As Emmit pointed out, there is no use for them standing there guarding an empty room, is it? He had a point. Right after leaving the throne room, Novo could tell the changes that my husband, and recent events, have inspired in both the guard and the updated military. That was plainly seen in the new look for my solar guards.

"I can see the changes already, Tia," she said after taking a glance at the guard's new look and weaponry. "I see that the guard's armor has been changed from light armor to more battle ready. Is that one of the new weapons that he introduced?"

"Yes, it is," I told her as we began walking down the hallway to the East entrance where it exited to the newly expanded training grounds. "Why don't we head over to our Research and Development Department nearby so they can explain better than I can?"

^_^

"Before the war, we used this building for more magical experiments," I began to explain as two guards saluted before opening the door for us. The two guards that were with us stayed behind to patrol the building. "So, it made sense that we would use this building for military R&D because of the magical safety measures that were already in place." After letting Novo walk in first, I motioned to my right with a hoof. "For example, to our right is the firing range." Novo turned to the firing range which consisted of five or so lanes, as Emmit calls them, for testing purposes. Although the only thing that indicated a lane were the five cubicles for a pony to stand in. Each cubicle was wide enough for two ponies to stand in. "This is where the guns are tested. Each cubicle is big enough for two ponies. One is to do the actual firing with room for the firing range supervisor."

"I don't see many here right now," Novo commented as there were only a few ponies there at the moment scattered around the large open room.

"Break or early lunch," I commented with a slight shrug then motioned her over toward an office on the other side of the room. "Let me introduce you to the lead developer." It didn't take long for us to walk across the room, and all while Novo's head was curiously looking around. Until I knocked on the work office door. After hearing a, "Come in," from inside, I opened the door and ushered Novo inside. The office was bigger than a regular office room because it needed to be large enough to experiment in. Which meant that it needed to be as large as a small blacksmith shop at least. The door was in the corner of the room, so the entire work office was spread out before us and to the right of us. Large long desks were on either side of the room filled with tools for metal and wood. Papers, pens, pencils, and other designing tools were scattered about on the desks. And at the other end of the room stood an older-looking unicorn. He didn't notice that it was me that walked in because his back was to us. He had a blue coat with a very short brown mane and tail. He also had a brown beard and mustache.

"Yeah? Which one of ya is it? And make it quick, I'm busy here." His voice was gruff and a little callous with a deep voice. With a smirk, I looked over at Novo with a motion to stay quiet. Then simply looked over at him with an amused look on my face and a tilt of my head. A second later, he slammed his hoof down against the table making some tools and pencils rattle then snapped his head over toward us. "Well? Who is..." he began angrily saying before his expression and tone of voice changed instantly. Now it looked more like a colt with a crush. "Your highness," he said sheepishly, softly, and even knelt down on the floor. He was even blushing. He's always had a crush on me that I always thought was cute.

"Rise, Broke, my friend," I told him with a wide smile on my face and a welcoming tone in my voice. "I see that you are just as crude, ill-mannered, and as slovenly as ever."

Before he could say anything, Novo looked over at me, saying curiously, "Broke?"

"His nickname," I giggled out, "because of his mannerisms and that he tends to break things more than he fixes them." Broke grumbled at that with a soft sneer and curls of an upper lip. "However, he is one of the best for this. He has a mind for invention and is great with tools, both wood, and metal."

Still blushing with a slightly sheepish look, he grumbled out, "Yeah, well somepony has to be around here or nothin' ever gets done." Then straightened up, squared himself toward us, lifted his head, and asked, "So, what can I do ya for, your highness?"

With a smile, I slowly gave a nod to Novo, "May I present, Queen Novo of Seaquestria and Mount Aris? She is here to take a tour of the changes that my husband has inspired for the preparation of the war we are now in."

"Welcome to the most laziest bunch of turds around, your highness." Even though he greeted her with a respectful bow of his head, he still said it with a disapproving and crude voice. "I've always said that we needed more advanced weapons just in case another evil something or other decided to try and conquer Equestria. Tartarus, I've been sayin' it since before Nightmare Moon's return, but nopony listened to me." I watched him get more and more agitated the more he talked. He finally ended it with a shake of his head, saying, "Nope, not since that alien man of yours got us more weapons due to the war we're in now." He then started walking around us and walked toward the door. "Come on then, let me show ya."

As we followed him out the door, he also started to explain about the new weapons like I hoped he would. "About a month and a half ago, give or take a few days, that guy came to us with an idea for more powerful weapons." He walked through the shop, apparently heading toward the other end where some of the new weapons were laying on a table. "At Princess Celestia's behest, she called us all together to listen to what he had to say. He first asked us if we knew what a cannon was. Naturally, any blacksmith or inventor worth their salt knows what a cannon is." We followed him over to a table where he stood in front of two complete guns with other parts spread out. "From there it was easy to follow his idea for the guns currently in our military." Using his magic he picked up a small sphere, and held it in his magic as he turned around to face us. Novo stood beside me as we watched and listened to his presentation. "He wanted a specific design that would limit its use outside of the military. And so he came up with this little gem." He levitated the orb closer to Novo so she could see better.

"This little ball isn't anything special in and of itself," he began to explain. "It's nothing more than a hardened ball of metal. However, a unicorn can use their magic to infuse this little thing with magical energy. When struck, it will release a portion of that stored magical energy in the form of physical energy. This little ball will put out enough energy to hurl a similar-sized piece of metal from here to the end of this building in less than a second." I knew all this, but Novo didn't and even with just that little bit of information, she looked at the little sphere with shock and awe. Her mouth hung open as Broke ignited his horn, put the sphere near his horn, and began to charge it. "Let me charge it up for ya, take a couple of guns with me, and then I'll show ya what I'm talking about."

We watched as the basic metal sphere began glowing with magic until it pulsed brightly after a few seconds of him charging it. Once he had it charged, he levitated two guns, the sphere, and walked around us to head over to the firing range at the other end of the building. "Alright, this way. Because this little sphere here can only be charged by unicorns powerful enough to charge them, that limits their use outside of the military. That man of yours sure got it right by this design, I'll tell ya. Even if these guns somehow make it to the public, they'd be hard-pressed to use them if they can't charge this little ball."

After reaching the firing range, he set down one of the guns on the table in front of him before turning around to face us. "What your man came up with was pure genius. You noticed that there are two guns with me. One longer one, which is on the table, and this shorter one."

"That shorter one looks like you took the bell of a brass horn and slapped it on a piece of wood," Novo chuckled in amusement at the odd-looking weapon.

"He calls it a Blunderbuss," Broke chuckles in that joke's on you kind of way. His magic lifts a small door on the wooden butt of the gun, puts the ball inside, and then closes the door. "We open this little door here, secure this little ball in its place. Then we can expose the breech and put in the ammunition." Then uses his magic to unlatch something on the side of the gun and the entire metal barrel piece tilts forward. His magic levitates a cylinder-looking thing and holds it up. "This paper cylinder is filled with smaller metal balls with a fabric disc on one end. We load it into the breech with the disc facing the rear of the gun and then close the breech." Using his magic, he lowers the back end of the barrel back into place on the wooden butt of the gun with a loud click. Then turns around, raises the gun toward the end of the firing range, and then magically pulls the trigger. The gun fires with a loud enough bang to hurt ears that echoes even in the large building. It's so loud that Novo is startled by the sudden loud bang it produces and even takes a few steps back in shock and awe. She stands there in shock with her mouth hanging open when the large paper target in the near distance gets destroyed an instant later. With a happy satisfied laugh, he sets it down and looks back over at us. "With the gun in this configuration, it will clear out anything in front of ya."

Because Novo was just standing there not saying anything, still in apparent shock and awe at the power of the weapon, I spoke up. "Why don't you demonstrate what you mean by in this configuration."

"Certainly," Broke said and levitated both of the guns over in front of him. "The beauty of his design is that the buttstock on both guns is identical. And with, what we call the percussion sphere, in the buttstock, we made the barrels interchangeable. Meaning, that our soldiers only have to carry one stock in order to have two separate guns with them. All they have to do is simply change out the barrels from the Blunderbuss to the longer rifle barrel to go from killing everything in front of you to killing a specific something farther away." To prove his point, he uses his magic to switch over the barrels and then secures them again before laying them both down on the table once more.

"He really has inspired a vast improvement," Novo's voice was soft and filled with awe.

"And there's more for you to see," I tell her with pride. Then look at Broke and tell him, "Thank you for your time."

"You're welcome, your highness, and come back anytime."

After taking the same door out that we walked in, I led her toward the newly expanded training area. "The training area has been expanded because of the war and Emmit's influence," I told her as we walked up the stone path toward the fenced-off area. "As you can see," I began again as approached the gate with the guardhouse, "the entire complex is now fenced off with a guardhouse. One way in and one way out, he suggested this because this is how their military bases are. One gate with a guardhouse which leads into the base."

"It looks quite large; almost like a small town," she commented as she obviously saw part of the interior through the wire gate.

"It is."

"Your, highness," the stallion unicorn solar guard standing in front of the guardhouse greeted us with a sharp salute before using his magic to open the gate for us.

"Thank you," I thanked the guard before Novo and I started walking inside. "The administration office, medical, mess hall, and living quarters are near the gate at this end of the base. With the various training grounds are further beyond." As if on cue, various sounds of gunfire were heard going off in the far distance. Even a couple of larger explosions even further out. "To our right are the offices for the Solar and Lunar Captains and administration for the base. To our left are the Solar and Lunar barracks. Obviously, the Solar guard train during the day and the Lunar guard train at night. And to our left just beyond the barracks is the Mess Hall. Beyond that is the expansive training ground."

"Does Emmit come here and train?" Novo asks as we started walking by the buildings toward the first training area.

"When he can, yes. But due to his unique nature, not everypony can help him train," I explained as we headed over to the basic training area first. "For example, this basic training area in front of us. It's about the size of two hoofball fields with various training equipment and a track around it as you can see. It's to build their physique and stamina."

Novo hummed in thought before looking over at me with a wink that told me she was thinking about something lewd. "You can't tell me that you haven't come here and watched him work out."

"Alright," I giggled out confirming her statement, "I do. He is training to build up his human body more. Ever the protector, he wants to be in the best of shape so he can protect us if he has to. I like that in him."

For the first time since she showed up, there was a wistful look that showed up on her face as if remembering something beloved from time ago. "My former mate and Skystar's father was like that. Powerful females like us may not need a strong male around to treat us and protect us." She paused to look over at me with a wistful smile, "But that doesn't mean we don't want it, right?"

I smiled at that as we walked up to the fence that surrounded the track. And while looking out onto the field and watching the various ponies, hippogriffs, changelings, and other creatures work out, I thought about the many times how I've felt with Emmit. "You're right. I don't need a strong man like him. But, yes, I am very happy that I have him in my life. The way he holds me, says that he loves me by either words or touch, and the fierce protective look in his eyes makes me feel so happy and complete."

"I know how you feel," she said with a wistful smile. But that smile frowned some and her look turned to that of want and need. "And I miss that, Tia. I miss it so badly. We were hiding, Tia. I was hiding. As a nation, we were hiding from the outside world. And I was hiding from my own needs; pretending to be content living in solidarity at the bottom of the ocean. I don't want to hide anymore, Tia. And I'd like a shot at joining the herd."

Putting a wing over her, I hugged her to me, "Then you, I, and the rest of the girls will talk about it."

^_^

Chrysalis' POV
Not far from the Tenochtitlan Basin

My mind was awash with thoughts and contradictions as I simply started walking from the basin and into a thick forest that surrounded the basin and the creek. My thoughts were still in a contradictory jumble as I walked and stumbled through the thick forest. The Tree of Harmony finally disappeared to leave me with these damnable thoughts. These thoughts of me wanting a family were damnable and damn her for suggesting it. She didn't want or need a family. All she wanted was an army of drones to take over all of Equestria. That's what she wanted. Then how come her thoughts kept returning to the illusion of a family Emmit put me through? It was nothing but an illusion of a family and nothing like what I really wanted. I didn't want to have a family with him or a family in general damn it, so how come my head keeps bringing it up? How come my head keeps pointing out that I already do have a family with him and I'm just ignoring it?

Because of the Tree of Harmony, damn her to Tartarus and back. She's the one that keeps putting these thoughts into my head. Images of Emmit being a father to her latest clutch of drones came to mind. That damned smile on his face as he taught the drones he helped spawn came to mind. Standing in her hive teaching the new race of drones spawned from his seed ran through her mind as she continued to trudge through the thick forest. She just kept walking in a single direction, not caring where her steps led her as those damnable thoughts ran through her head. Those thoughts weren't wanted, so how come they kept popping up in her head? She should her head violently trying to clear it as if shaking her head would throw them far away from her. I don't want that. I don't want it. Get out of my head. Her hoofsteps stopped as she plopped her butt down on the forest floor, grabbed her head between her hooves, and shut her eyes tight. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD. GO AWAY. STOP PUTTING THOSE THOUGHTS INTO MY HEAD HARMONY I DON'T WANT THEM. I AM THE CHANGELING QUEEN. I WANT TO CONQUER. I AM EVIL. I'M NO HOUSEWIFE OR MATE."

"Are you all right?" a small feminine voice suddenly came to her ears from right in front of her.

When she opened her eyes and looked down at where the voice came from, she saw a young filly of maybe around eight years old. She was an earth pony with an off-white coat and light brown mane and tail with a height that barely reached the top of her legs and that was being generous. She couldn't believe her eyes. Why was this small filly here in this forest? Where were her parents? Was she near a village of some sort? "No, I'm not all right," I growled out, closing my eyes again with my head between my hooves. "The damned Tree of Harmony won't leave me alone."

She heard the young filly gasp a second later and then ask her in a high-pitched excited voice, "You know the Tree of Harmony? Wow! You must be a really good pony then." Her voice suddenly shifted from excitement to nervousness and fear, "Maybe you can help me find my way back home? It's nearby, but I lost my way."

"No, I'm not a good pony," I looked down at the young filly with a scowl. "I'm an evil queen that's Tartarus bent on conquering Equestria. I won't help you get home." She didn't leave after telling the little filly that. Matter of fact, she just kept looking up at me with big wide eyes just begging me to help her. I believed they were called puppy eyes or something like that. It quickly became a battle of wills between us. With me scowling down at the young filly in refusal to help her and her looking up at me with those unwavering pleading eyes. Neither of us was budging. You know you want to help her, came the Tree of Harmony's voice in my head. No, I don't go away. Yes you do. You're just afraid of how good you will feel by doing something good for this little filly. Fine, I'll do it just to prove you wrong. "Fine! I'll help you home," I scowled down at her then rolled my eyes at her.

Her reaction was immediate. "Yay! Thank you," she squealed in pure delight and quickly latched onto my leg by wrapping her legs around it. It wasn't love, but it was the affection of a young filly that did the same job at replenishing some of my spent magic. So, I went along with it, so I could use her to replenish my magic supply. And I didn't even have to disguise myself either. But after about a minute or so, she wasn't letting go. So, I lifted my leg to get her closer to my face. "Let me go, so I can walk."

"Oh, sorry," she says and lets me go and so we begin to walk together. Even though I have no idea where her home resides, I just continue walking in the same direction that I was before. "My name's Hazel, what's yours?"

"Chrysalis," I answered absentmindedly while continuing to walk through the forest with this young filly skipping along aside me.

"I've never seen a pony like you before. What are you? You're not an earth pony, pegasus, or unicorn," she wondered while she kept talking and skipping alongside me. She also kept looking up at me with the curiosity of a youngling. Sometimes that can be so irritating. "Oh I know!" she called out suddenly and brightened immediately. "You have both wings and a horn. So, you must be a princess."

"I am a queen," I partially agreed with her with my voice taking on a boring tone to it.

"So, you are royalty," the little filly squealed with delight again then jumped up and hugged me around my neck so quickly I hardly had a chance to respond. "Thank you so much," she said quickly before letting go and starting to skip around me now singing away with those childish tunes with no real rhythm to them. With a sigh, I continued walking with only one thought in my head.

This was going to be a long walk.

^_^

It was just over an hour later and she still hasn't shut up, she still hasn't stopped skipping around me, and I'd learned more about her and her little village over the past hour than I ever would on my own or with a spy drone. After a while, I thought that maybe, just maybe, the boring tone in my voice would make her shut up. Would make her realize that I prefer silence. But no, she just kept talking on and on and on about her family and the little village. Thankfully, there was a way out of this. As the sun was setting in the distance, the last rays of the day began to sift through the forest canopy in front of us. The proverbial light at the end of this tunnel. Pass through the light and I'd be able to be rid of this forever happy voicebox.

"Oh, I know where we are now!" Hazel stopped for just a second to look back at me with excitement in her eyes and in her voice. Good, now that she knows where she is, maybe I can finally be rid of her. But instead of immediately running off for home, she ran back to me and began to try and pull me along by grabbing my leg. "Come on, come on with me."

"Fine," I said to her with a frustrated sigh as it was very apparent that she wouldn't even let go of me until I agreed to accompany her back to her home. After she let me go again, I reluctantly began following her toward the edge of the forest. Even after I began to follow her she wouldn't get too far ahead and even stopped a few times to make sure that I was still following her. It seems that I had no choice. Well, I did. I could have just said no and flown away from this whole thing. But I didn't. And you know why the Tree of Harmony's voice echoed in my head again. Yes, I know why. I need a base of operations if there's ever hope for me to conquer Equestria. And this little hamlet could be it. I won't even have to take it by force if I play the part of being a goody goody queen. There was amusement in the Tree of Harmony's voice as she replied, No, you're doing it for that little filly. Am not. But the Tree of Harmony didn't reply anymore. Am not. I repeated in my head as Hazel and I broke through the edge of the forest and I glimpsed upon her small village.

It was a quaint little village with about a dozen or so cottages around a water well. The water well seemed to be the center of the city with the small cottages around it. The cottages weren't anything fancy, just mud brick houses with thatch roofing that looked like they were made by hooves. And just beyond the village was obviously their garden..

"Come on, come on," Hazel shouted in excitement and started pulling on my leg again. "I live at this first house over here." And then she scampered off toward the first little cottage on the right. And then I slowly followed her. If this little village was going to be my base of operations then I will need a place to stay. If I continue to play the part of a goody goody queen then I should be able to stay with Hazel. Therefore, I tried making each step seem as regal and as nonthreatening as I could. I even put a smile on my face instead of the usual scowl that has worked so well for me in the past. Because of this, Hazel and her mother were already talking to one another as I walked up to them.

"You got lost? Again? Hazel! How many times have I told you to not go playing around or running around in that forest without somepony with you?" her mother asked and berated the young filly. Because her focus was on the filly and not me, she didn't see me approach until Hazel pointed me out to her.

"I'm sorry, mom," Hazel apologized sincerely with lowered eyes, lowered ears, and lowered head. But she raised her head again and immediately perked up when she talked about meeting me. "But I wasn't alone for long. I met an actual queen in there and she helped me get home again." She paused long enough to turn her head back toward me and point me out to her mother with a hoof. "And there she is, Mom. She's the one that helped me get back home again."

I did my best to keep a...ugh....friendly...smile on my face as I walked up to them. However, due to how I detest anything friendly, I don't think it would have met with Sunbutt's approval. I watched the mother roll her eyes as if not believing her own daughter and then look over in my direction. Then freeze in shock and awe when she spotted me walking up next to her daughter. Recognition and fear were her immediate reactions to my presence. Her body went stiff and her eyes widened in shock and fear.

"C-Chrysalis?" It was still satisfying to watch ponies shake in fear of me and hear that fear in their voice. However, this time that's not what I needed.

"Yes, mom. She's the one that helped me get home," Hazel told her mother with happy reassurance. I tried keeping a smile on my face and watch this little filly excitedly tell her mother what happened in the forest. Maybe I wouldn't need to do any convincing at all. Maybe this little filly will do all the work for me.

I watched the filly's mother look over at me again, but this time in shock and surprise. Then with a cautious look, she turns fully toward me and asks, "Is that right, Chrysalis? Did you really help my Hazel find her way back here?"

"I did, yes," I tell her while trying to keep a...friendly (UGH) smile on my face while trying not to gag at the thought of being friendly.

After a couple of blinks up at me in surprise before she seemed to relax a little before finally replying in a very soft and confused voice. "Um...thank you?" I smirked slightly seeing her so unsure of even thanking me for doing something for them. I'm sure it was as odd for her to thank me as it was for me to actually hear one of Celestia's plebs thanking me. I may be acting like I'm doing good, but the last thing I wanted to do was actually say the words, you're welcome. As luck would have it, I didn't have to.

"Mom? Can she come in? Can she? Can she? Can she?" the filly asked her mother over and over in that excited way that all younglings do. The filly's mother looked down at Hazel in shock that her child would ever ask such a thing. Obviously, this little filly has yet to hear of my greatness. I tried keeping up the best smile I could while waiting to see what her mother would say as she stood there warring with herself over it. But at last, the mother agreed when the little filly looked up at her mother with her eyes widening in a desperate plea.

"Well you did save my little Hazel, so I guess so?" The mother sounded so unsure that I bet the one thought running through her mind was that she can't believe that she just invited me, Chrysalis, into her home. Well she did and the little filly couldn't have been happier about it.

"Yay! Thank you, Mom," Hazel jumped up to hug her mother before zipping over to me and began pulling on my leg again. "Come on, let me show you to my room. It's not much because we don't have much being such a small village. But my room is really comfortable." I followed her inside and only took a second or two to look around at the small cottage. The layout was pretty simple with a front living area that doubled as the dining room and kitchen. But I followed her through the front living room and down a short hallway. The short hallway had two doors on either side. One of them was open showing a basic bathroom. The hallway ended at the open door of the main bedroom. This meant that her room was the other door. And that's just the one she opened and walked in. "This is my room," she said as I walked in behind her, "and I know it's not much but my mom wanted a good bed for me and it doesn't look like much but it is really comfortable."

And as if she needed to prove it, she jumped up onto the bed and laid herself down with a happy and comfortable sigh. Her room was small and just big enough for her bed and one set of drawers and that's it. There was just enough room for me to sit between her bed and the set of drawers to reach up with a hoof and run it across the mattress. And I had to admit, that the mattress did feel really soft.

"What do you think, Chrysalis?" the filly asked me as she looked over at me while wiggling herself on her bed with a short happy giggle.

"If I had such a mattress in my former kingdom, I would have slept a lot better," I told her and for once at least, I was being honest.

You can sleep on such a mattress, came the Tree of Harmony's voice again inside my head. Your former drones are now living good lives in Equestria with such mattresses. And you can too if you let Emmit reform your ways. SHUT UP! I don't want that life. Yes, you do. You are just afraid of living that life. I am not. There was a pause where I didn't hear Harmony's voice and at first, I thought that she had given up. Until I heard her challenge me with, Prove it.

Fine then! I'll prove to you that I'm not afraid of living that life. I'll prove it to you by giving Emmit all my love and even changing my form. I'll prove it to you. I'll prove to all of Equestria that Chrysalis will never enjoy that life.

"Really? You didn't sleep well? I'm sorry that you didn't sleep well," I heard the filly say to me which had me feeling an odd sensation that I never expected. But I didn't get a chance to reply because of the very soft rumble that echoed not only in the air but through the ground as well. "What was that, Chrysalis?"

"I don't know," I said softly and slowly while reaching out with my senses. I truly didn't know, but after a couple of seconds, I did feel something. A massive amount of dark energy. And it was getting closer. Was it the Pony of Shadows returning? If that was true, then that means trouble for this quaint little village.

It is Stygian and he wants to use that shadow magic on this village, Harmony spoke to me again. And you know what will happen if he does. And he's not alone. The Storm King is with him. And if not stopped, they will spread death throughout Equestria. Even you didn't want that. Of course not. I can't rule over a kingdom if there's nopony to rule. That's just ridiculous. If you want to prove to me that you are truly not afraid of living that life, then help protect this village.

"I want to see what's going on," the filly said and started to get up off the bed.

"No!" Using my magic I urged her back down onto the bed with a firm look that I always used on disruptive drones. "Stay here," I commanded her then quickly went outside to see what the commotion was all about. Then looked to the east and saw the Pony of Shadows escorting one of the Storm King's ships. But they weren't alone. One of Emmit's ships was flying right alongside them and doing their best to stop them. Emmit's ship was firing on them with their weapons but the Pony of Shadows was protecting the ship.

You have a choice, Chrysalis. What will it be?

As the group fought with one another and the battle got closer to the small village, I looked over to Hazel's house to see her looking at me in the doorway.

What will it be?

Next Chapter: Chapter Nine: Ponies Change Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 19 Minutes