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Changeling Times[Private: ATTN: Blueblood]


IceStorm

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It hadn't been since she had been here on vacation way back when that she had a chance to come to the island paradise that the changelings were running now just off of the Equestrian Shoreline. IT wasn't that she didn't like the spa resort. On the contrary, she loved it. It had just been a series of events that had kept her quite busy within her own volition. She had deadlines that she had to meet after all. Granted, they were self-imposed deadlines, but they were deadlines never the less. She wasn't going to become Equestria's top defense force if she just let everything happen when it was going to happen. No, she needed to be ready to go as soon as possible. So far they have been right on schedule. She had to push a few things back because some of the deadlines that she was thinking about before hoof just wouldn't have been feasible. She was still new to this whole orchestrating defenses thing.

 

And that was actually partly why she was here today. The twin green suns in the sky beat down onto the islands without a cloud in the sky and was a perfect day for lounging around for the tourists that had come to partake in such activities. Something that she had to admit she might part take in some while she was here. Not everything had to be business and sometimes a mare did have to step back and pamper herself every once in a while. First thing was first though. She was here to talk to a pony, or rather a changeling of great importance to her. None other than Queen Chrysalis herself. If she could get Chrysalis's support on her organization, and gain her alliance with STAR, then she could possibly gain access to the changeling army. The sheer numbers of that army would instantly bolster her efforts to help keep Equestria safe. She knew that Chrysalis would have a price for any alliance though, and she would have to be wary about what deals she could make. She still had her arcane pact with Luna that she had to uphold. So no matter what it couldn't be something that would cause a detriment to Equestria. At least not one that would end up negating the prospect that she was trying to achieve.

 

As the train pulled into the station and she stepped off of it, she began to look around. Truth be told, she really didn't know where she was supposed to find the Queen on the islands. She had a vague idea from the letter, but this place was so massive it would be easy to get turned around in before a pony even batted an eye. Thankfully she managed to spot a couple of drones that looked to be drone guards and she started to approach them. "Excuse me sirs, I was wondering if you could help me. I have an invitation to meet with Queen Chrysalis," she said hooving over the parchment scroll with the seal on it for them to check. "If I could be pointed in her direction or escorted to her, I would be much appreciated, and would gladly compensate you for your troubles," she said with a smile.

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In truth, 'just off the Equestrian Shoreline' was an inadequate way of describing the location of the resort land Chrysalis had acquired from Discord.  In one sense, yes, it was but a short sail from the Strand cities to her pleasure port of call, in another, one could hardly call it a part of the same dimension.  The two suns were the biggest clue in that regard.  So far, however, no random storms of chaos had messed up the Queen's ambitions to use the place to harvest love in a less evil and more successful manner than before.  

 

Now that issue of her Hive's immediate survival was taken care of, she couldn't keep her scheming brain quiet.  But what could she get up to that wouldn't be counter-productive at this point?  Well, perhaps she would get a good idea from her meeting today.  An old hoof at espionage, whispers of things happening in a certain mare's life had reached her ears.  A mare who was a repeat customer.  Possibilities brewed in her mind, leading her to sending out an invitation.

 

Not that she greeted the mare at the docks; after the grand opening, the 'Island Queen' no longer made a habit of personally welcoming the ships.  Now, her drones did so.  Undisguised, now that her 'secret' was out.  She had assigned the more charismatic and sensitive members of her hive (rare among the unreformed 'lings) to guide each customer to the sector of the island most suitable to their fantasies.  Kahz, a diminutive, slightly bent out of shape, but utterly charming was the one greeting Ice.  "Miss Ice Storm?  Lovely to see you again!"  Smiling, he took up the scroll in his magic, glancing over it.  "Looks to be in order; be glad to take you there!"  His smile dipped a bit as he saw one of the last lines of the scroll.  "You're not bringing a plus one?  Her majesty had been hoping you would."

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Raven steeped hesitantly off the train, looking at the alien skies, before seeing that Icy had already wandered over to deal with what had lead to this trip. A changling was apparently their point of contact for meeting with the queen... She had to admit, she'd never been this far out of Equestria before, her parents only traveled within it's borders. She couldn't keep the slight shudder from running down her back, but trusted Icy, who said they were nice. She finally approached, a slow walk that still had her taking in her surroundings. "So... Sorry, It's my first time here... and... and I was just admiring the area. We're not in the same plane anymore, are we?" She couldn't stop herself from asking that last part, her interest in how it was accomplished overriding her instincts that warned her of how dangerous the changlings could be...

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Ice Storm gave a small smile to the guards they had apparently recognized her from her previous visit here. She remembered the last time that she was here. It was quite a relaxing trip, and one that she spent mostly in the spa and sauna. It actually surprised everypony that she knew back home when she told them that she was in a sauna. It generally got her the reaction of, "You were in a hot place and you didn't melt?". She had to admit there was merit to their concerns. For all of her power and affinity with ice, she was equally as vulnerable to fire and heat. Shoot, an average summer day in some of the hotter parts of Equestria could hospitalize her if she wasn't careful. Of course she had ways of dealing with the heat to make sure it never affected her, but they were usually magical counter measures that wasn't always something that she could rely on.

 

She heard the changling greet her and look everything over, noting that everything was in order. She gave a smile but noticed that his smile faded a bit when he asked if she wasn't bringing a plus one. That Chrysalis had been hoping that she would. Ice giggled and nodded. "I did! She's probably still getting off the train. She's a bit dazzled by the sights," she said with a smile as Raven walked up next to them. "Ah, here she is now," she answered as Raven confirmed what she had just said to the changling. When she asked if they were in the same plane, Ice shook her head. "Likely not. After all, Equestria only has one sun. However there's nothing to worry about too much here... other than eating too much... gotta worry about that. The food here is amazing..." she said with a giggle and totally wasn't speaking fro previous experiences with the buffets here...

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As soon as Kahz saw Raven come up from behind Icy, his compound eyes lit up in sparkling blue, and his wings began to buzz and chitter happily.  "Ah, welcome, welcome!  It is an amazing place, isn't it?  Much better than the Badlands, to be sure.  Praise to the Queen for bringing us here!"  The little drone here would have more reasons than most to praise the change; part of the reason he was so small and bent was due to nymphood malnutrition.  But now, with loving customers coming in nearly every day, why, it was a near-constant feast for the Hive!

 

Chuckling at the apropos mention of the food, Kahz stepped forward to offer himself as a guide.  "The Palace is open to you for the duration of your stay!  You'll have free rein of all the VIP accommodations, once you've concluded your meeting with the Queen.  Follow me!"  He led the pair on a path over the dunes and sea cliffs, a bit rough at first for those lacking wings.  It offered a fine view of the beach resort, with the clear lagoon spread out before them.  Ponies could be seen swimming and sunbathing, usually accompanied by a disguised 'ling rocking a perfect beach body. 

 

Once they went up and over the bend, that view would be cut off, only to reveal an even more striking one.  A row of palm trees swaying in the breeze, marking a path down a lush lawn to a sprawling complex of bamboo and coral, held together here and there by the black chitin normally used in changeling architecture.  A palace fit for an island queen, whose massive doors were opening before them now.  "Go right in, she knows you're coming!"  Kahz smiled and stepped aside.  Unlike years before, he was reasonably certain that he would see the two again, once they crossed the threshold into Chrysalis' private domain...

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Raven smiled as she nodded. "Yeah, this place looks amazing..." She said, surprised by the buzzing of the changeling's wings. It was a sound that could only be described as happy, and she gave a little smile at him. She was nervous, but whether from her slight fear of walking into a changeling nest, or from her meeting so many new ponies like she would here...

 

Shaking her head, Raven followed, a few steps back as she looked around. She was amazed at the beauty of the islands, and how many ponies were there. She quickly caught up as they walked around a bend only to stop in her tracks. The palace was completely stunning, and she barely could follow. "This... Wow... I've traveled Equstria, and Ive never seen anything as amazingly built as that..."

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Ice Storm smiled and kept close to Raven as they started to make their way towards where Chrysalis was going to be meeting them. She heard the guard echo her mentioning of how amazing the place was and that it was much better than the badlands. "I can see how they would get old after a while, but truthfully, the badlands really aren't as bad as the name implies. They are very good for laying low and building, and they are perfect training grounds because of how barren they are. There's less chances of hurting innocents if magic goes awry like it normally does in a training spar, but yeah... they wouldn't be a good place to live for long periods of time. There's just nothing to look at," she said as the set of doors leading into the palace opened up in front of them. One of the little benefits that she did like, was hearing that they were going to be given the VIP treatments when they were finished meeting with Chrissy.

 

Ultimately it wasn't that far of a walk neither. It was just around a short bend that over-looked the beach-side resort that was on the island. The lagoon that they used for it was Crystal Clear and they could see clear to the bottom of it! Thankfully because of that, they could see that while the lagoon had fish in them, they were clear of sharks. Those things could be mean, and really had a way of ruining a pony's fun.

 

She paused for a bit at the door as she waiting for Raven to catch up with her before walking in. The hallways weren't really that much unlike the once in the Palace in Canterlot, and she walked them enough at this point to know the general layout. She very much doubted that Chrysalis's Palace would be laid out like the Princesses, but she simply followed the doors that were open. After all Chrysalis knew that they were coming, and as the guard said she was expecting them. "You'd be surprised at some of the things these little things can come up with. After all, they had to make do with basically nothing for Celestia knows how long. To the point where I even understand the Queens dilemma when she attacked Canterlot during the wedding. If you're struggling to survive and the country next door has the very thing that you need to survive and they aren't sharing it, what would you do? Gotta make sure your kingdom survives somehow," she told Raven.

 

She didn't agree with the actions that were taken at the time, but she understood them. Something that in Chrysalis's role, she might have done something similar. For now though, those thoughts would have to be put on hold as the started approaching the throne room. Naturally because they were expected, the doors were wide open waiting for them. She couldn't help but feel a tad bit nervous under the heir of confidence that she held. After all, what they were going to be discussing, was definitely a lot of grey area for both countries. However, she felt there was enough mutual benefit here for her to try.

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The first hallway inside the doors was well lit from many windows, as well as slots in the bamboo wall, creating a pattern of dark and light within.  Some beauty-minded changeling had even done up some floral arrangements, with the breeze wafting in from outside bearing the sweet odors throughout the grand hall.  Once through a second set of doors, there was a darker room within, leading to a staircase, at the bottom of which was a chamber darker still, the interior much in the old style of Hive Center, lit only by green phosphorescence.  There were considerably more cushions strewn about than was usual, but overall the impression was much the same as it would be in the old Badlands Hive.

 

In the center of it all lounged Queen Chrysalis, undisguised in this, her inner sanctum.  She seemed sleeker, more filled out than she had on previous appearances at the head of an invasion force, speaking well of her new diet.  Raising her head to greet the pair of newcomers, she bared a grin that was just as full of pointy teeth as ever.  "Welllcome..."  She rolled the word in a low, sultry voice, green eyes glinting and forked tongue flicking.  "I am so very pleased that you received my invitation.  Do, come, take a seat wherever you like..."  There was something a little too sweet in her voice; perhaps she was just trying too hard to be friendly after so long out of that habit...

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Raven trailed through the palace, unable to shake the itching feeling at the back of her neck, like some... ling was watching her. Though it made sense, hide the guard, but allow them quick access to any point they needed to go to. It was in line with what she knew of the changelings tactics, to hide and strike from the shadows. However, Icy's voice broke through her concern.

 

"Yeah, I suppose so, I can't imagine being that desperate or starving that badly..." She said, a understanding of why the changelings acted they way they did starting to form. She supposed it was tough for them to integrate with normal pony society due to the fact they looked like monstrous versions of ponies, but that didn't mean they were. Soon, they entered what was the throne room, though it seemed the Queen received more visitors here than Raven would have expected. She slowly made her way into the room, and sat down in a position midway between the door, and the Queen. "Thank you for letting Icy bring a guest, your majesty... This is actually my first time being outside Equstria's borders, and I'm glad that it could be in such a beautiful place." She said, bowing her head towards the Queen, trepidation still hindering her movements slightly.

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Watching the halls transition from the well lit bamboo lined halls to the black chitinous walls lit with green phosphorsense served as a gentle reminder of just of whom that she would be dealing with here. There was no way that Queen Chrysalis wasn't still a dangerous pony in her own right. Even if she wasn't actively seeking anything hostile at the moment she couldn't deny that she was possibly playing with fire here. And being a pony of ice herself, playing with fire always ended up being a bit more dangerous. Still though, she wouldn't have made such meeting arrangements if she didn't believe that something mutually beneficial couldn't come from this. It would remain to be seen just how beneficial it would be for her and at what cost. On the flip side, there was no way that she could come here and not make some sort of deal with Chrysalis. She knew that would give her some leverage. Aftet all, wasting her time and walking away from this place empty hooved would be a grave mistake if they even walked away from it to begin with.

 

She didn't have much more time to think on the matter though as they started to enter the throne room itself. Ice Storm had seen a few pictures of Chrysalis, so she had an idea of what to expect, but she had never actually met the Changeling Queen before. Truth be told, she was actually a lot sleeker and more filled out than what she had seen in some of the pictures. She figured that it was true that the camera did add about twenty pounds cause she definitely looked every bit of as powerful as she was expecting her to be. She beckoned them inside, her voice ringing through them. There was a low sultry tone in her voice, but Ice held her resolve... for now at least. If she was to be the commander of an armed force that were to be potentially allied with her forces, then she could not be seen as weak. She moved forward a bit more as Raven bowed and spoke to the Queen. She thanked her for allowing Icy to bring a guest. The queen herself seemed to be that they had received her invitation. Instead of bowing though, Ice brought a hoof up to her chest the way that Luna and Tempest had both taught her as a form of salute. While bowing would have also been appropriate, for what they were discussing she reasoned this was the best form of greeting.

 

"Thank you for the invitation as well. I was actually hoping that I would be receiving one soon. I was actually in the process of writing up a request to meet with you myself when I received it. There is a lot that I wish to discuss..." she spoke with confidence and authority. Once again, it wouldn't do her well to speak weakly or without conviction. She had to prove that she was worthy. "That and it gave me the perfect excuse to get away from things and come back here for some business relaxation," she added with a bit of a smile. All and all, the last time she was here she had a really great time. Now that Raven was here as well she imagined that this time was only going to be even better. After all, last time she was here, she was alone and had no pony to share this wonderful experience with.

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Chrysalis' tail swished, an amused look filtering through half-lidded eyes as she sized up the two mares before her.  The new mare, Raven, had a fairly typical reaction to a pony meeting the Changeling Queen for the first time.  Obviously she didn't want to be in front of royalty while shaking in her boots, but a visible (and to Chryssie, tasteable) trepidation still radiated from the broken-horned unicorn.  Not unjustified, admittedly, but still; she was obviously the "plus one."  The Queen had little intrinsic interest in her for now, but having her with Ice Storm would make the stay of the mare much more... profitable.  And there was the possibility of leverage if things went south, but attempting to exploit that bond could turn out disastrously.

 

Speaking of Icy, the teal unicorn had a much more commanding air about her; though how much was real discipline, and how much mere bravado?  She knew through agents that the mare had faced danger before, and likely felt little in the way of fear now.  Good.  "I am glad my work here pleases you; I do try to satisfy all my customers' desires."  She couldn't help but wink at Raven as she said this.  "And you have much in your life that would make relaxation desirable, I know."   How much did Chrysalis know?  The Queen would let that question stew in their minds a little bit as she continued.  "While my business is important, I wouldn't say that it is in any way urgent.  As a courtesy to a guest, why don't you set the first item of our agenda, hm?"  A smile spread across her features; not as toothy as most of her grins, aiming to be more enticing than intimidating.  Chrysalis was aiming to keep her cards close to her chest, for now, awaiting first play from her guests.

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Raven watched the queen, noticing the wink. It was strange, now that she was "forced" to sit here with her, she was starting to calm down. She couldn't help but think of what Icy had said, how desperate the changelings were when they attacked. Not to mention, the way Chrysalis looked was interesting.

 

She'd never seen a pony who could rival the princesses, but the queen had to stand at least Luna's height, if not Celestia's. But her form was sleeker, less obviously powerful, keeping in line with the hiding theme the changelings had. Finally, she turned her attention to the conversation, though she said nothing. This bit was Icy's show, and Raven didn't want to mess things up...

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The fact that the queen seemed to be sizing them up didn't go unnoticed to Ice Storm. However, if she were in her hooves she would be doing the same and she was herself to an extent was doing exactly that. After all, she had to know exactly what she was dealing with here. Chrysalis began first addressing her and gave the general response that she was glad that her work here pleased her and that she tried to satisfy all of her customers desires. She also hinted at the fact that she knew more than what she was letting on. This didn't really surprise Ice Storm in the slightest. Changelings were still quite prevalent in Equestria, and even more so now. It wasn't shocking at all that some information had made it's way back to the Queen's ears. She had a good feeling that most of it was about her days at EPIC, and the possibility that she was doing something else. She knew for a fact though that STAR wasn't public knowledge. This would give her a good idea about her security detail as well.

The queen also added that while her matters of business were important, there were by no means pressing. she was content with Ice setting the tempo of the conversations it seemed. That was good. It meant that she got to sample the waters herself. She wanted to know just what the Queen knew, and how she could turn that into her favor. She also couldn't pass up the opportunity to connect some dots in the process on her own.
"It's not really that surprising of a conclusion to come to really. After all a spa resort would naturally cater to the every need of it's patrons. I can think of a certain pony or two that if they found out this place existed, would probably buy permanent rooms here," she smiled testing the waters. "Many ponies love spas, and all ponies love those that they consider family. Changlings need love to survive. It seems like a match made in heaven," she said taking a seat in one of the aforementioned chairs and relaxed a bit more. She was still alert and on guard, but she was not intimidated. Merely, she understood the gravity of the situation that she was in and she was prepared to  take actions if necessary.

 

"That being said, I would like to start of by figuring out just how much you know about me and what I'm planning. After all, you summoned me, and I was writing a request for appearance. There's already a mutual interest established. Starting from the beginning and myself giving you information that you already know about me would be a less than optimal decision. Instead, I would be willing to share a bit more depending on the information that you already know, as well as correct any false information you may have obtained," she spoke to the queen, not breaking eye contact all all during the course of her conversation. After finishing her last statement, a dull glow briefly came from the spheres in her amulet as they broke away, and slowly began orbiting her neck.

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Ah, the good old back-and-forth.  Chrysalis felt herself in her element; this was the information game.  Each would trade places in this conversation, each trying to get more information out of the other, without tipping their own hooves as to how much they knew.  Or, so at least the Queen still felt in her heart of hearts.  As transactional as her new foreign policy was, she still couldn't help but think of equine interactions as zero-sum.  

 

Nonetheless, she put on as pleasant a smile as she could without actually using any changeling magic.  "Indeed?  I hope you wouldn't mind giving me a list; the mortgage for a place here is... very long term, but I wouldn't mind opening a realtor office."  She hummed with amusement, swishing her tail once again.  Her eyes followed Ice Storm's orbs as the blue mare continued.  While more a specialist in emotions than artifacts, she knew great magic when she saw it.

 

"Hmm..."  She tapped her chin, pondering just how much she ought to reveal this time.  "I can't tell you how I came by my information, precisely, but I don't think my general methods are all that secret anymore.  As to why I called you here, well.  I take it upon myself to keep at least one pair of eyes on powerful ponies, and you, my dear, have been accumulating power at a quite unusual rate.  And I don't just mean those orbs of yours."  She pointed a hoof, almost dismissively, at Icy's necklace.  "No, you've accumulated a great deal of social power as well.  Expanding your business interests, forcing yourself into the Canterlot elite scene, and getting on very well with certain of the royalty."  She gave a low, throaty chuckle.

 

"Now, I've never yet seen a mare amass that much power that quickly without some intention or agenda of use.  From what I know of your sympathies, you're not a revolutionary, and you have a great deal of, shall we say, empathy for the plight my Hive has been in, historically.  So, I feel as if I ought to satisfy my curiosity, and scope out a potential opportunity..."

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Raven smiled at the Queen. "Well, Depending on my stay, I may come back more often... Though it wouldn't be for the spa most likely... That'd just be a nice perk..." She said, a friendly smile slowly working it's way onto her face. She had to admit, this place would make a good retreat when she needed to work on more dangerous things, and the opportunity to utilize the Changelings' network to learn things, maybe even be able to study them, if only to satisfy her own curiosity. "I mean, it really is a beautiful place, and nothing like Equestria... or rather, there's enough differences to make me curious about this place..." She mused quietly, biting on her lip...

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When Chrysalis made the comment about asking for a list of names of ponies that might be interested in a long term stay. She would have to do some confirmations, and even then would likely be a winter retreat of sorts, but she knew that Rarity would likely take her up on it. A chance to live at a spa and get pampered all the time? She knew that she wouldn't let that slide. "I'll get a list to you in due time. I know that there are some from Neighpon that might have interest in that, and of course Miss Rarity is attracted to anything with the word spa in it. I don't know how many of them will have plus ones to bring with them though," she commented. Raven followed stating that she wouldn't mind coming back here more often, and not just for the spa portion of it. She wondered what else that she would want to do here, but a chance to learn more about the hive in general. It wasn't a bad thing to want to learn more about them herself.

 

Then Chrysalis began speaking again, telling her that she liked to personally keep a pair of eyes on powerful ponies and that she herself had gain a lot of power very quickly. She wasn't just talking about the orbs that were orbiting her, and the way she dismissed them gave her pause, but at the same time, changeling magic was a lot different than their own. It was probably in her best interest to let her believe what she wanted to about the power level of the spheres. Her demeanor remained unchanged as she continued. She added that she had gained a lot on the social scene as well. Her business interests, forcing herself within the Canterlot Elite, and gaining power among the Royalty as well. That from experience, she knew a pony didn't amass that much power that quickly without the intent of using it. She also added that she knew that she had a history of empathy for her hive and that she was able to scope out an opportunity as well as sate some curiosity.

 

"I wouldn't say that I'm not revolutionary just yet. Expanding my contacts and my businesses in the way that I have was merely the first steps in my grand master plan. One of my starting points is the social hierarchy and remind nobility what it's like to actually be a noble. That actions are worth more than any amount of wealth they can obtain, and that the entire point of being noble is to help those less fortunate than yourself. As you know, I've already made quite the name for myself as you've mentioned doing just that, among a few other things. I've also grown tired of being invaded and having little to no defenses prepared. EPIC, which is the organization that I'm sure you've infiltrated and know about is a joke. I know for a fact that not may ponies have witnessed the deaths of easily hundreds to thousands in and invasion. Shoot, even when you invaded Canterlot, you enslaved, but you didn't kill. You can't get love off of anypony if they're dead. I watched the entire Crystal Spire fall because of an invasion. I was in that spire, and I vowed to never let that happen again. The only way I can do that, is to personally do something about it. Naturally since EPIC wasn't getting it done, I had to move on to bigger aspirations. Shooting for the STARs so it seems," she said with a smile. She knew Raven would get it, and would test the true extent of the Queens knowledge.

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Having received expressions of interest from Raven, and promises of names for Icy of those interested in a more... "permanent residence" in her Island Paradise, Chrysalis was feeling rather pleased with herself and her hoofwork.  Not that she could take credit for many of the intriguing differences; the previous owner of this dimension, Discord, had quite a lot to do with them.  

 

No matter, business called.  Resting her chin on crossed forehooves, she stared at Ice Storm with slitted eyes and sphinxlike smile.  "Mm, revolutionaries seek to overthrow their country's heirarchies, whereas you seem aimed upon ultimately strengthening them.  Returning elites to the 'good old days,' taking matters of national security more into your own hooves... I think 'paramilitarist' would be the best term for you."  Swishing her tail, the Queen chuckled, revealing her fangs.  "And I am quite well aware of why you would think such measures necessary.  If I may speak frankly, I never had any trouble with Equestria's official organs of defense.  It was always plucky little mares like you that I couldn't overcome."

 

Tapping her hoof on the bamboo-chitin flooring by her cushion, Chryssie signaled the end of preliminary faffing about.  "In any case, it is time we went to the matter more directly.  I know that you have gathered resources and organized them, but require ponypower to bring your organization up to full muster.  I, on the other hoof, have many changelings hereabouts that... have not taken well to a more peaceable lifestyle.  Keeping them in hoof and reminding them not to be hostile to our esteemed guests has proved a challenge, but having a place where they can put their true talents to use would be of great utility to me."

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Raven hid her smile and slight giggle at Icy's wordplay behind a hoof. "Yeah, one spanner in the works does tend to disrupt one's plans." She said. It was weird. This was the fourth ruler she'd met, and while she was... cautious of the queen, she found herself more curious about the changelings and how they functioned. What their society was like, how they organized themselves. It seemed that they had free will, so the comparison to other creatures the organized themselves into hives wasn't complete, but...

 

She was mildly surprised when Chrysalis basically offered soldiers to Icy, having assumed that STAR could use more members. While Raven hadn't met all the members yet, it did seem like there wasn't enough, and Equestria was a big place. Plus, with the changelings abilities, they could seem like a mysterious force, one that had members able to quickly arrive at any spot of trouble... An idea began to form in her thoughts, one she'd share with Icy later...

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Ice listened to the differences of what the queen thought of as a revolutionary and counted that Ice didn't seem to be the type that was trying to overthrow the current hierarchy. Quite the opposite. She said that from what she understood she was aiming to strengthen them. The term paramilitarist was more of an appropriate term for her. She added that she herself understood why she felt like she needed to do such a thing. That she herself had never had a problem with the offivial lines of defense that Equestria had. It was always somepony like her that she lost to. Somepony that she wasn't expecting. She noticed the change in demeanor and the hoof strike against the chitin. The time for idle chat was over, for now. Now came the time for the fruit of the meeting. The real reason why they were seeking to meet with each other.

 

Ice listened as the Queen said that she knew that she was gathering resources and organizing them. She said that she also knew that she needed pony power to get off of the ground. She added that she herself had a good number of changelings that were having problems adapting to some of the new peaceful life styles that were presenting themselves now. She understood that greatly. It all somepony has done their whole life is fight, then it's hard for them to really know anything other than that. The Queen commented that having a place where they could put their talents to good use would be quite beneficial for her.

 

"Well then, that makes this proposal that I was coming up with a lot easier. First order of business is to state that everything that I say is directly from me and Equestria itself has no sway at all in any decision that I make outside of it's ultimate protection. I, Ice Storm, Lunar Guardian and the Commander of the Severe Threat and Assault Response Force would like to extend our hooves into forging an alliance with the Changeling Hive. I would ask for any soldiers that that you are willing to spare to join our forces and assist in Equestrian defense. While doing so they would be able to feed off of the permeating love that is in Equestria. Therein-forth not losing on any of the nutrition that might be gained from the ponies inside the spa, and they won't have to worry about their lack of finesse or touch that is required for the delicacies that's required for running a spa resort.

 

In return for these forces and this alliance, I personally will guarantee the permanent independence and freedom of the Changeling hive. Should any outside force try to lay claim to or attempt to invade changeling lands, we will do what we can to assist including sending forces and fortifying borders to ensure a first line of defense while we figure out how to press further. Presuming that I myself am not currently dealing with a mission myself, I will personally come to your aid with a force that has never been seen in Equestria before. I would also grant STAR base and outpost access to all Hive military personnel that would be in Equestria at the time for the same courtesy.

 

Naturally, this alliance is on the withstanding that Equestria and the Changeling Hive is on amiable terms.I also do not speak for the Princesses of Equestria on this alliance. I speak for myself and the forces of STAR as we our own entity within Equestria. In fact, the only one that knows about my force, doesn't even know I'm here, but she will be the first to know of any alliance that we may come to today so that she knows and can make amiable negotiations to keep Equestria and the Hive within good standings so that the alliance forged can be at full strength at all times, especially in times when they are needed," Ice Spoke with clear authority and determination. She tried to think and make sure that there wasn't anything that she may have forgotten all while keeping the stoic militaristic look on her face while she was addressing the Queen. She felt like she had laid everything out the best she could and felt that the offer was fair. She got forces, she helped guarantee freedom in return. Seemed like win-win to her.

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There was a slight pause right after Icy set out the details of her offer.  Partly this was because Chrysalis had a near-terminal flair for the dramatic, and partly because the Queen's mind was spinning rapidly, attempting to capture all the possible contingencies and align them.  *There it is.  She's giving me what I want.  Can it really be that easy?  To have a literal army of infiltrators right in the heart of Equestria's secret line of defense?  Sure, one has to sign a non-aggression pact, but since when do these ponies trust me to keep them?  Is it because we give good massages?  Honestly, I ought to take them over for their own good...*  All the justifications for conquest were lined up for their parade, but Chryssie shut them down.  Now was not the time, not for a while, given her lack of any capability for such thing... at the present time.

 

Breaking into a sudden grin, she accepted.  "Agreed!  It is a great pleasure doing business with you.  We can arranged the details later, before your departure.  But for now!"  Stomping her hoof three times on the floor, the door opened to admit two drone servants.  "Our guests must be hungry, and it is only fair to bring them a nice fruit salad after feeding vicariously off the happy couple, hm?"

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Raven bit her lip, unsure of just trusting the queen like Icy was, but she didn't say anything. She trusted Icy, and was sure that Icy would keep a close eye on the changelings. "Some food does sound lovely, though I can't want to wander the island... and with your permission, maybe learn a bit about the changelings. No trade secrets or anything, of course, just general things like societal structure and such," she said, smiling slightly. She turned to look at the drones, nodding at them...

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The fact that everything seemed to go a bit too easily was a bit of a red flag to Ice Storm. Usually when something was to easy there were ulterior motives involved. In honest, she was expecting this. She was hoping for a little bit more of a back and forth, but the deal that she proposed was solid. She was just a bit surprised that a conclusion was reached so quickly on the topic. She would need to make sure that Security details were stepped up. Thankfully she made sure that the security system in place was based off of a pony's magical aura, not their physical appearance. She knew that a changling could copy any physical appearance, but she was unsure if they could copy auras as well. It seemed unlikely so it would be the best way to set up security access to stricter locations. Not only did it have to be the pony physically but aetherically as well. She would cross that bridge when she came to it.

 

As for now, only those whom have proven their unwavering loyalty to her and Equestria would know of the destructive weapon that she was currently producing. She didn't need anypony like Chrissy, or a leader of a foreign power finding out about that. As Luna told her before, if they found out about it, they would try to take it. Once it was finished.... and she had it fully powered... staffed and crewed.... she dared them to try.... If they were foolish and brazen enough to come after a weapon they've never seen in action before without knowing what it can do.... and the convoy that would be around it... They deserved whatever fate be-felled them. Besides... This wasn't her final form in of itself anymore, thanks to the help of Luna and Masquarate. That information wasn't up for discussion either. She hadn't even shown Raven what she could do with that yet, though she would in the near future.

 

The sound of Chryssalis's hoof on the floor three times broke her thought, obviously signalling that the business part of the meeting had subsided. The drones started to come back into the room as she said that they could work over the details of everything a bit later. That right now however, the call for food had been made and she gave a nod in approval. Sure the Queen admitted that she was feeding off of their love, but that was kind of a given at this point. After all, that's what the purpose of this spa was for. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out here.

 

"I would love a fruit salad, and personally myself I would also like to learn more about changling physiology and ethnic backgrounds. I'm also sure that there's a lot of history within the hive as well Something that I would be much interested in hearing," she said echoing Raven's comment about hoping to learn more about the exceptionally elusive race. She herself didn't believe that the race was as barbaric as many in Equestria painted it out to be. Like she pointed out to Raven, something starved for long enough is going to lash out at the closest thing that has food. That's basic survival instinct. She couldn't fault anyone for that, and she'd probably do the same herself if it meant feeding Equestria. At this point she smiled with the official business out of the way as she trotted over to Raven and gave her a little love bump.

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The deal-cutting done for now, Chrysalis began to switch to another mode, one that she enacted more often in her "Island Queen" disguise; that of the generous hostess.  Generous in accommodation, knowledge sharing, and of her beauty in general.  Of course, this was more than mere courtesy; charm could smother suspicions yet unvoiced from their previous conversation, after all.  "Why, certainly!  Though, I have to admit what we are now is rather different from what we used to be.  We're a very adaptable species, and while we don't have a lot of native traditions, aside from due reverence and obedience to the Queen,"  She preened a bit at the remark before continuing, "That in fact allows us to adapt flexibly to whatever circumstance we face."

 

The queen gave a light laugh at the mention of physiology.  "My, my, that's a rather forward request, wouldn't you say?  Not that I mind..."  She leered at the pair, before laughing again.  "As for ethnicity, well, there's not much to say.  We're all one color and kind, or at least we were until recently."  The sour look didn't linger on her face, but would have been obvious to all observers nonetheless.

 

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Raven smiled a bit, brushing against Icy as she stood. "I must admit, I am quite a bit curious about changeling abilities, though I suppose that falls under trade secrets... So I can understand if you don't allow it..." She said. She felt slightly weird now that she thought about it that she'd been fed on and hadn't noticed. It wasn't the fact she'd been fed on, that was to be expected... no, it was more that she was usually more sensitive to magic and aetheric fields than this...

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Ice listened as Chryssalis talked about how they really didn't have a whole lot in the way of native traditions. That up until recently the only thing that was really upheld was due reverence and obedience to the queen. She further added that what they were now wasn't what they were in the past and that they were very adaptable ponies. She even went so far to say that the lack of true tradition made them even more adaptable because they could easily assume the traditions of wherever they chose to go. She was impressed with how versitile they were and honestly from the few dealings that she had with changelings back home, she could see what Chryssalis was talking about. The only ones that had a problem fitting in really were the ones that were scared to try, or tried too hard. That wasn't their fault though... a majority of Equestria were racist bigots in that regard. Willing to judge someone for something as petty as being born with chitin than a coat, or wings instead of a horn, or none at all...

 

Raven herself commented on wanting to learn more about the abilities of changlings, but she understood if that kinda fell under trade secrets and wasn't something that even with their new alliance they would be privy to. It was only logical that not all of the cards would be on the table for the first few meetings. Not until they could establish a foundation of trust to go one. Only then would the really important and classified information start to change hooves. "How about history then? The hive, or hives if there are more than one, had to have started somewhere right? What was it like when you were growing up? Are the queens as long-lived as Alicorns?" Ice asked. She wondered how long the Queen had been alive for and what were some of the things that she had seen for things to get to where they were now. Things had to have gotten pretty dire at one point for her to do what she did, and Ice was probably one of the few that couldn't fault her for it. She did what she thought would make the hive better, just as she's here now doing something to try to strengthen Equestria and make it better.

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