ch405_5p34r
Getting some practice in, huh?
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Oh, Paul. Don't you know that saying this out loud basically guarantees that you will?
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With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)
- Thread starter Mr Zoat
- Start date
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- self insert young justice
Oh, Paul. Don't you know that saying this out loud basically guarantees that you will?
Prince Charon
Just zis guy, you know?
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... and now I'm wondering what situation could be so bad that she would deliberately contact Paul for help. Because I can believe that Zoat could come up with something, but I'm not sure what.
Cappare (supplementary, Renegade option)
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Mr Zoat
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28th July 2013
12:47 GMT
"Hm." Sunset Shimmer trots out onto the frozen lake shore, tracking spell shimmering just above her head in the form of a burning compass. "It should be right around…" She frowns at the needle as it spins, glaring at the frozen water as if it's concealing a changeling hive.
I pick her up and turn her around.
"Oh." She dismisses the spell. "Right."
And there's the hive, concealed partly by snow and by magic that wasn't quite good enough to block the Alicorn of Magic but was enough to block ring scans and Mother Box.
Ping.
No, it's just an observation. I don't expect you to be able to do literally everything.
Ping.
"Oh." Pharynx stares up at the foreign hive as its defenders begin to swarm in response to our intrusion. "I had no idea this place existed."
I smile. "Well, they probably didn't know that you existed, so in that sense you're even." I stride forwards, heading towards the outer wall. "Come along."
Sunset breathes in-. Then sort of cough-laughs and conjures up a glowing flame shield around us as she strides forward. "For a moment there I was a little worried. Then I remembered I'm an alicorn."
"Ah." Pharynx is hanging back a little. "Princess Sunset? This hive almost certainly has the same magic nullification stone as-"
Sunset's shield goes out.
"-my hive."
"Okay, that's interesting, because I can feel the magic crystals in the ground here like they have in the Crystal Cit-." She glares at me. "Empire."
"You know it's a stupid name too."
She rolls her eyes, then tries experimentally flapping her wings. She gets some lift, but nothing like enough to actually fly.
"It's got to be selective. Changelings aren't any more aerodynamic than ponies are."
Pharynx thinks for a moment, then his horn sort of pulses before fizzling out. Then he tries flapping his wings and all he gets is a buzz.
"Confirmed. It's strange being on this side of it." He looks up at the swarm which has reached critical mass and is now heading for us. "Um. Does your teleportation tube still work?"
"But it's a rock, which means…"
"Princess Sunset?"
Sunset presses her hooves into the rocky ground, causing the earth to rumble for a moment. The wall erupts from the bedrock, just in time for the changeling swarm to ram into it face first.
Pharynx looks at the concussed changelings littering the ground before us. "Nice to know it's not just us." He trots forwards towards one changeling who's struggling to rise. "Hey, we're just here to talk to your queen. Assuming that you have one."
Poof!
A large grey-chitined changeling teleported onto the top of Sunset's barricade, glaring down imperiously at us. Her mane and tail are blonde, as are her diaphanous wings. Her peytral is armoured, and studied with… Glowing crystals, interesting.
"Who dares intrude upon the lands of Hive Soryth?!"
I grin. "Twenty-seven."
She glares at me. "What are you babbling about?"
"I'm sorry." I shrug. "It's just that I've heard so many of these speeches that I've made a hobby of keeping count of how often certain common phrases come up."
"You will rue the day you mocked me!"
"Fifty three. And I won't."
"I've never had the chance to dissect an alicorn before-"
"Ooh, eleven."
"-and-. And-. I'll make a violin from your intestine!" She glares, leaning forwards. "Hah!"
I grin. "Four."
Sunset's thaumokinetic aura surrounds me and pulls me backwards as she steps forwards. "Hi! I'm Sunset Shimmer and I'm… Sorry about him."
"How-?" She stares at Sunset's horn. "How are you doing that?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm the Alicorn of Magic. I worked out how your anti-magic rocks work, bypassed them, and then started casting spells normally."
"Im-possible."
"Nineteen."
Sunset glances back at me. "Grayven!"
"Ninety eight."
The changeling queen blinks. "Alicorn of.. Magic? How is that possible?"
I go to open my mouth, and Sunset uses her thaumokinesis to hold it shut.
"I worked out how to transform a regular pony into an alicorn. And then I did it on myself. So, listen-."
The changeling queen suddenly looks more interested. "Your thaumic science is that advanced?"
"I didn't become Alicorn of Magic by being bad at magic." I raise my left eyebrow. "I mean, I had some help, but I did the work."
"And why are you here?"
"Well, Grayven-" She glances back at me for a moment. "-dealt with the changeling hive nearest to Equestria by cutting its queen's head off. Which means that we've got a load of changelings with no way to reproduce, and since Queen Chrysalis didn't tell anyone anything-."
"Queen Chrysalis is dead?"
I nod emphatically. Pharynx nods less enthusiastically besides me.
The changeling queen look perturbed, but not shocked. "And what do you want from me?"
"Dialogue, an exchange of ideas-. I can feel the magic in those crystals but I don't recognise what you're doing with it."
"I see that you're using a similar system to feed your pet changeling."
"Yes, but we have to use a giant magic siphon to fuel the system. Yours isn't fuelled by love magic."
"A siphon? No, we've learned to draw on the world's thaumic power indirectly. It can't sustain us, but we can shape it into spells."
"Huh." Sunset thinks for a moment. "Yeah, I can kind of see how you could-. Would you mind showing me your work? I might have a few ideas."
"I am… Not wholly hostile to an exchange of ideas and knowledge."
"Great! So, can we come in?"
The queen looks around as her people pull themselves upright, and nods cautiously. "You may. I am Queen Yaria. Welcome to my home."
12:47 GMT
"Hm." Sunset Shimmer trots out onto the frozen lake shore, tracking spell shimmering just above her head in the form of a burning compass. "It should be right around…" She frowns at the needle as it spins, glaring at the frozen water as if it's concealing a changeling hive.
I pick her up and turn her around.
"Oh." She dismisses the spell. "Right."
And there's the hive, concealed partly by snow and by magic that wasn't quite good enough to block the Alicorn of Magic but was enough to block ring scans and Mother Box.
Ping.
No, it's just an observation. I don't expect you to be able to do literally everything.
Ping.
"Oh." Pharynx stares up at the foreign hive as its defenders begin to swarm in response to our intrusion. "I had no idea this place existed."
I smile. "Well, they probably didn't know that you existed, so in that sense you're even." I stride forwards, heading towards the outer wall. "Come along."
Sunset breathes in-. Then sort of cough-laughs and conjures up a glowing flame shield around us as she strides forward. "For a moment there I was a little worried. Then I remembered I'm an alicorn."
"Ah." Pharynx is hanging back a little. "Princess Sunset? This hive almost certainly has the same magic nullification stone as-"
Sunset's shield goes out.
"-my hive."
"Okay, that's interesting, because I can feel the magic crystals in the ground here like they have in the Crystal Cit-." She glares at me. "Empire."
"You know it's a stupid name too."
She rolls her eyes, then tries experimentally flapping her wings. She gets some lift, but nothing like enough to actually fly.
"It's got to be selective. Changelings aren't any more aerodynamic than ponies are."
Pharynx thinks for a moment, then his horn sort of pulses before fizzling out. Then he tries flapping his wings and all he gets is a buzz.
"Confirmed. It's strange being on this side of it." He looks up at the swarm which has reached critical mass and is now heading for us. "Um. Does your teleportation tube still work?"
"But it's a rock, which means…"
"Princess Sunset?"
Sunset presses her hooves into the rocky ground, causing the earth to rumble for a moment. The wall erupts from the bedrock, just in time for the changeling swarm to ram into it face first.
Pharynx looks at the concussed changelings littering the ground before us. "Nice to know it's not just us." He trots forwards towards one changeling who's struggling to rise. "Hey, we're just here to talk to your queen. Assuming that you have one."
Poof!
A large grey-chitined changeling teleported onto the top of Sunset's barricade, glaring down imperiously at us. Her mane and tail are blonde, as are her diaphanous wings. Her peytral is armoured, and studied with… Glowing crystals, interesting.
"Who dares intrude upon the lands of Hive Soryth?!"
I grin. "Twenty-seven."
She glares at me. "What are you babbling about?"
"I'm sorry." I shrug. "It's just that I've heard so many of these speeches that I've made a hobby of keeping count of how often certain common phrases come up."
"You will rue the day you mocked me!"
"Fifty three. And I won't."
"I've never had the chance to dissect an alicorn before-"
"Ooh, eleven."
"-and-. And-. I'll make a violin from your intestine!" She glares, leaning forwards. "Hah!"
I grin. "Four."
Sunset's thaumokinetic aura surrounds me and pulls me backwards as she steps forwards. "Hi! I'm Sunset Shimmer and I'm… Sorry about him."
"How-?" She stares at Sunset's horn. "How are you doing that?"
"Hm? Oh, I'm the Alicorn of Magic. I worked out how your anti-magic rocks work, bypassed them, and then started casting spells normally."
"Im-possible."
"Nineteen."
Sunset glances back at me. "Grayven!"
"Ninety eight."
The changeling queen blinks. "Alicorn of.. Magic? How is that possible?"
I go to open my mouth, and Sunset uses her thaumokinesis to hold it shut.
"I worked out how to transform a regular pony into an alicorn. And then I did it on myself. So, listen-."
The changeling queen suddenly looks more interested. "Your thaumic science is that advanced?"
"I didn't become Alicorn of Magic by being bad at magic." I raise my left eyebrow. "I mean, I had some help, but I did the work."
"And why are you here?"
"Well, Grayven-" She glances back at me for a moment. "-dealt with the changeling hive nearest to Equestria by cutting its queen's head off. Which means that we've got a load of changelings with no way to reproduce, and since Queen Chrysalis didn't tell anyone anything-."
"Queen Chrysalis is dead?"
I nod emphatically. Pharynx nods less enthusiastically besides me.
The changeling queen look perturbed, but not shocked. "And what do you want from me?"
"Dialogue, an exchange of ideas-. I can feel the magic in those crystals but I don't recognise what you're doing with it."
"I see that you're using a similar system to feed your pet changeling."
"Yes, but we have to use a giant magic siphon to fuel the system. Yours isn't fuelled by love magic."
"A siphon? No, we've learned to draw on the world's thaumic power indirectly. It can't sustain us, but we can shape it into spells."
"Huh." Sunset thinks for a moment. "Yeah, I can kind of see how you could-. Would you mind showing me your work? I might have a few ideas."
"I am… Not wholly hostile to an exchange of ideas and knowledge."
"Great! So, can we come in?"
The queen looks around as her people pull themselves upright, and nods cautiously. "You may. I am Queen Yaria. Welcome to my home."
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BR549
This is filth! FILTH!!
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Earth-12 Brainiac appears and starts a new collection with Daxam?
GigaVanguard
I trust you know where the happy button is?
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Lord
Duke Long
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'trots'
'as'
'at'
'onto'? I feel the description would be a tad more gruesome if she teleported into it.
It's a good bit, though made a little less funny by the fact that I'm pretty sure Grayven is lying about how many times he's heard at least some of these. Or is he not?
Chojin Patriarch
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So focused on a leaf she missed the forest for the trees. As for a hive underwater... It should be a possible concept, especially if they can shapeshift gills. Would such a hive prey on Sea Ponies, I wonder?
"Are you insinuating something about my capabilities, Grayven?" I'm guessing these folks are accustomed to their privacy.
"g-Good. It's not like your opinion matters to me anyway." Aw, trying not to hurt her feelings... BEsides, if she can't do something, one of his rings might.
Which says a lot about the organisation of Changeling hives and the 'community' of their Queens, I suppose.
A large presence of unfamiliar Changelings definitely warrant a measure of caution.
...Goddammit. I suppose they'd be prepared for ponies.
Well, it used to be an empire, before Sombra ruined everything.
I certainly doubt they're as adept in the air as some insects. Those wings don't exactly seem like gliders either, whereas Pegasi could at least manage that.
Tuned to allow only those of the Hive to use magic, with not even visiting Changelings allowed? Logical, since two hives in close proximity would be competitors for the same resources.
Ah, she's already working it out, is she?
Well-timed, certainly. I figure there's no real protocols for Changeling diplomacy, then...
...As long as she doesn't start posing like a magical girl, we're fine.
Eh? I guess he'd have heard that a lot in the Sheeda era when he conquered the world.
An easy way to deflate and frustrate egomaniacal warlords before the fighting, I guess.
A, that's a popular one! It's like all these villains work from the same script.
...Sheeda era, of course. I suppose vivisection and dissection was a common hobby for the Dark Eldar wannabes.
Well, arts and crafts is probably a lost art in a declining era.
Huh, she got around the magic-blocking fast. Analysed the signatures of the locals?
That few? I'm shocked. Still, no surprise Sunset did that so easily.
Okay, that's more believable.
She can talk for herself, Renegade. And explain it better than 'she's really clever.'
Oh-ho? Do we have a nascent scientist here?
The inspiration of the Atlantean coursework probably helped her there. Her notation systems alone...
The old mushroom treatment.
No grin? Then again, that'd probably hint you were eager to repeat the feat.
Curious, eh? I'm sure you'll be able to create wondrous new things by collaborating.
Oh, very impressive! Identifying that on sight with a casual look? The lady has some talent.
I'm betting some manner of large-scale energy generation. Which Harmony might not appreciate.
Though I expect there'll be a lot of guards watching them very carefully.
Well, that was surprisingly successful. And no bloodshed needed. A few sore heads among the swarm, but they're probably used to that. I imagine these two clever-clogs are going to get up to some spectacular Science! between them... And hopefully the Chrysalis Hive can get some basic education about the essentials of Changeling nature.
hkim
Know what you're doing yet?
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He's using the same numbers from DBZ because he knows nobody can actually check and accuracy isn't the point anyway.
ForeverShogo
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A little amusing because some updated art for the other Hive Queens was shown off recently.
Edit: Trying a direct link because for some reason the image refuses to share.
Edit: Trying a direct link because for some reason the image refuses to share.
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Mr Zoat
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Thank you, corrected.
He's just trolling.
?Me said:
Hm. If the reason I can't see that imagine is the folly of a particular political figure in my country, does it break Rule 8 to call them a miserable souless empty vessel of a man?A little amusing because some updated art for the other Hive Queens was shown off recently.
Edit: Trying a direct link because for some reason the image refuses to share.
NightmareWarden
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Alright, which foe from Grayven's history could play Bardock for this Frieza skit? Couldn't be Mordred. Couldn't be the general with the eye of Zoltec and the fear elemental. Not the sheeda queen. Not Gonzo the Mechanical Bastard.
...Supergirl? Or Larfleeze?
...Supergirl? Or Larfleeze?
ForeverShogo
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I genuinely don't know what the hell is going on. Like, when I go to insert an image I see the image just fine. If I go to edit the post I see the image just fine.
But the image itself just refuses to load as a completed post. So I'll also just direct link from the Discord server, though the image will die after a day or so.
But the image itself just refuses to load as a completed post. So I'll also just direct link from the Discord server, though the image will die after a day or so.
WereDragon
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I don't believe any of the numbers are accurate, but this is the only one that sounds too low rather than too high.
If this was the case you wouldn't have lead with the guy who's defining traits are 'belligerent' and 'arsehole'.
Wonder if they will track down Queen Gytha as well.
Candlewick105
Know what you're doing yet?
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Could be Imgur fucking around. They banned the UK from seeing it to dodge the UKs age verification law, and then banned VPNs for good measure because fuck you or something. Idk why that'd matter if you're not UK based but idk a lot of things.I genuinely don't know what the hell is going on. Like, when I go to insert an image I see the image just fine. If I go to edit the post I see the image just fine.
But the image itself just refuses to load as a completed post. So I'll also just direct link from the Discord server, though the image will die after a day or so.
The only real solution is to repost your image on a different site. Imgchest, BSky, twitter, tumblr, anything as long as it's not Imgur.
Mr Zoat
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If he were belligerent, he'd have said 'I only need the queen alive' and opened fire with construct anti-air.
Mentioned tomorrow.
PDV
Revelation That Uncertainty Is Itself An Answer
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Forty-five.
Cappare (supplementary, Renegade option)
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Mr Zoat
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28th July 2013
15:35 GMT
"So how does-?"
"But that means-!"
"If we combine that with…"
Well… I guess Sunset's got a new study buddy.
Queen Yaria's been grabbing records and lab equipment, Sunset's pulled apart her books on thaumaturgy and is using individual pages as reference material. There's a circle of what I think are changeling magic specialists around them, but they're in 'minimal safe distance' formation. A couple of the braver ones are taking notes as the pages float past them in Sunset's thaumokinetic grip, but most are watching the queen and alicorn closely in case they want something.
Or in case they need to start running.
Pharynx leans a little closer to one of the local guards. "What do you do for food around here?"
The guard… Physically can't frown due to having a face made of chitin, but ring-translation says that the tilt of his head means the same thing. "Did you get dropped on your head as a grub?"
Pharynx leans forwards slightly to bring his horn to bear in a mildly threatening way… Then thinks better of it.
"Ah. Maybe. Queen Chrysalis wasn't exactly attentive."
The guard blinks, then decides that he might as well answer. "We're changelings. We feed on love."
"So, you've got pods?"
"Of course we've got pods."
"It just that your hive seems fairly isolated. Where do you get people to fill them from?"
"Our nearest neighbours are polar bears. And yaks, but-" Pharynx winces sympathetically. "-they-. Ah, you've met them."
Pharynx nods. "Useful shape for smashing."
"Heh, yeah. Anyway, we've got a few bears in pods, but most of what we eat comes from long-term infiltrators."
"Long term..?"
"Did your queen get dropped on her head, too?"
"It wouldn't surprise me."
"You must be fairly sure of yourself to talk like that. Won't she punish you if she hears you?"
"She's dead, so probably not."
"Oh. How did that happen?"
"She tried taking over Equestria. It didn't work."
"So the ponies killed her?"
"Uh." He looks at me. "No, they threw us out of their capital and then as far as I can tell they forgot about us completely. He killed her."
I grin. "'sup? So, 'bout them pods…"
He looks at me, then at his queen, then back at me. "Um."
I smile. "Sure looks like they're getting along well, doesn't it? Keep talking about how you feed."
"Um. Um." He glances back to see that his colleagues are edging away from him. "Um. We-well, there isn't much point putting someone in a pod long-term. They run out of love. So the ones we bring here are just for improving our own techniques. Our infiltrators put the people they replace in pods for short term infiltration, but that's mostly to sustain themselves and keep the one they're replacing out of the way. Temporary abduction for food farming isn't practical."
"Oh?"
"People who won't be missed aren't loved. People who are loved get missed. We can get away with holding them for a few days and them dumping them somewhere and making it look like they got robbed, but if we do that too much then the local guard starts tearing up the place looking for bandits. It works better to create an identity, make friends, and feed a little on everyone around you."
"Oh?"
He nods towards Sunset and Yaria, and I see… A thin mist rising from Sunset and flowing into the queen's mouth. Sunset doesn't seem bothered by it or noticeably tired by it, so… It looks like low-level feeding is relatively safe.
I nod. "Good answer."
"Transportation is more difficult, but-. Ah. We've got a good system there."
"Do other changeling hives arrange their affairs in that way?"
"As far as I know? Except for Greneclyf, but they're a bunch of weirdoes."
"Oh? What do they do?"
"They trade for love energy with their pony neighbours. They hardly ever disguise themselves. They just… Wander around where everyone can see them." He shudders. "I don't know how they even still exist."
Pharynx stares, and then glances down at the emotion crystal embedded in his chitin. "Ponies just… Trade it? Without being tricked?"
"I haven't… Been there. But according to what I read, yeah. Their queen was even going to marry the pony king who made the deal, but he turned her down."
I nod. I think I know where we're going next.
"How much?!"
Queen Yaria buzzes her wings in excitement as Sunset does… Something with the crystal samples she's been given.
"Ah, yeah, I think that's about right. If you're just sending energy rather than the pod itself. Honestly, you could probably set up your own crystal heart with a focus strong enough, and it looks like your crystal carvers have the skill to create the physical components."
"And what do you want in return?"
"Well… If it works, then you won't need to drain love from other people, will you? I can't really.. criticise you for needing to eat, but our changelings manage fine with love crystals."
"Hmm." Queen Yaria looks thoughtful. "I'll consider it once we have a working prototype."
"And how long will that take?"
The queen looks around the room, her horn flashing as written work-orders appear in front of the other researchers. "I'm making it everybuggy's top priority."
They grab the document and begin studying them intently.
"So it should only take a few days. You will… Stay here as my guest for that long, won't you? I'd be fascinated to hear about that… Friendship thing you ponies regard so highly."
"I'm.. not really the expert on that, but…" Sunset smiles slightly nervously as Yaria leans closer. "Princess Celestia always said that I need to make more friends, and I always found that easiest when I'm with someone who likes magic as much as I do."
"I'm more familiar with love magic, but…" Yaria smiles winsomely. "Maybe we can this study together?"
Sunset still looks a little nervous, but nods. "I'd like that."
15:35 GMT
"So how does-?"
"But that means-!"
"If we combine that with…"
Well… I guess Sunset's got a new study buddy.
Queen Yaria's been grabbing records and lab equipment, Sunset's pulled apart her books on thaumaturgy and is using individual pages as reference material. There's a circle of what I think are changeling magic specialists around them, but they're in 'minimal safe distance' formation. A couple of the braver ones are taking notes as the pages float past them in Sunset's thaumokinetic grip, but most are watching the queen and alicorn closely in case they want something.
Or in case they need to start running.
Pharynx leans a little closer to one of the local guards. "What do you do for food around here?"
The guard… Physically can't frown due to having a face made of chitin, but ring-translation says that the tilt of his head means the same thing. "Did you get dropped on your head as a grub?"
Pharynx leans forwards slightly to bring his horn to bear in a mildly threatening way… Then thinks better of it.
"Ah. Maybe. Queen Chrysalis wasn't exactly attentive."
The guard blinks, then decides that he might as well answer. "We're changelings. We feed on love."
"So, you've got pods?"
"Of course we've got pods."
"It just that your hive seems fairly isolated. Where do you get people to fill them from?"
"Our nearest neighbours are polar bears. And yaks, but-" Pharynx winces sympathetically. "-they-. Ah, you've met them."
Pharynx nods. "Useful shape for smashing."
"Heh, yeah. Anyway, we've got a few bears in pods, but most of what we eat comes from long-term infiltrators."
"Long term..?"
"Did your queen get dropped on her head, too?"
"It wouldn't surprise me."
"You must be fairly sure of yourself to talk like that. Won't she punish you if she hears you?"
"She's dead, so probably not."
"Oh. How did that happen?"
"She tried taking over Equestria. It didn't work."
"So the ponies killed her?"
"Uh." He looks at me. "No, they threw us out of their capital and then as far as I can tell they forgot about us completely. He killed her."
I grin. "'sup? So, 'bout them pods…"
He looks at me, then at his queen, then back at me. "Um."
I smile. "Sure looks like they're getting along well, doesn't it? Keep talking about how you feed."
"Um. Um." He glances back to see that his colleagues are edging away from him. "Um. We-well, there isn't much point putting someone in a pod long-term. They run out of love. So the ones we bring here are just for improving our own techniques. Our infiltrators put the people they replace in pods for short term infiltration, but that's mostly to sustain themselves and keep the one they're replacing out of the way. Temporary abduction for food farming isn't practical."
"Oh?"
"People who won't be missed aren't loved. People who are loved get missed. We can get away with holding them for a few days and them dumping them somewhere and making it look like they got robbed, but if we do that too much then the local guard starts tearing up the place looking for bandits. It works better to create an identity, make friends, and feed a little on everyone around you."
"Oh?"
He nods towards Sunset and Yaria, and I see… A thin mist rising from Sunset and flowing into the queen's mouth. Sunset doesn't seem bothered by it or noticeably tired by it, so… It looks like low-level feeding is relatively safe.
I nod. "Good answer."
"Transportation is more difficult, but-. Ah. We've got a good system there."
"Do other changeling hives arrange their affairs in that way?"
"As far as I know? Except for Greneclyf, but they're a bunch of weirdoes."
"Oh? What do they do?"
"They trade for love energy with their pony neighbours. They hardly ever disguise themselves. They just… Wander around where everyone can see them." He shudders. "I don't know how they even still exist."
Pharynx stares, and then glances down at the emotion crystal embedded in his chitin. "Ponies just… Trade it? Without being tricked?"
"I haven't… Been there. But according to what I read, yeah. Their queen was even going to marry the pony king who made the deal, but he turned her down."
I nod. I think I know where we're going next.
"How much?!"
Queen Yaria buzzes her wings in excitement as Sunset does… Something with the crystal samples she's been given.
"Ah, yeah, I think that's about right. If you're just sending energy rather than the pod itself. Honestly, you could probably set up your own crystal heart with a focus strong enough, and it looks like your crystal carvers have the skill to create the physical components."
"And what do you want in return?"
"Well… If it works, then you won't need to drain love from other people, will you? I can't really.. criticise you for needing to eat, but our changelings manage fine with love crystals."
"Hmm." Queen Yaria looks thoughtful. "I'll consider it once we have a working prototype."
"And how long will that take?"
The queen looks around the room, her horn flashing as written work-orders appear in front of the other researchers. "I'm making it everybuggy's top priority."
They grab the document and begin studying them intently.
"So it should only take a few days. You will… Stay here as my guest for that long, won't you? I'd be fascinated to hear about that… Friendship thing you ponies regard so highly."
"I'm.. not really the expert on that, but…" Sunset smiles slightly nervously as Yaria leans closer. "Princess Celestia always said that I need to make more friends, and I always found that easiest when I'm with someone who likes magic as much as I do."
"I'm more familiar with love magic, but…" Yaria smiles winsomely. "Maybe we can this study together?"
Sunset still looks a little nervous, but nods. "I'd like that."
TFTwink
Not too sore, are you?
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Monsterxpony GL both are bottoms fic when?
GigaVanguard
I trust you know where the happy button is?
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Horse yuri is one of the universal constants, after all
Chojin Patriarch
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Ah, the thaumatologists are talking Science!, I see. Probably in a fast-paced, back-and-forth that's making those around them wonder if they're communicating telepathically. This is when shit gets done.
I'm sure they're adorable together.
Or need to quickly put up shields? I doubt they're at the 'scientific progress goes 'ploink!'' stage yet, though.
Probably boring as heck for the people who don't have galaxy brains.
Yeah, surrounded by large numbers of currently-friendly strangers. Not a good idea to make any potentially misunderstood moves.
Said in much the same tone you explain the very obvious to the very oblivious, eh?
And stored 'nectar', or whatever it produces, then. Sounds like Pharry needs a drink.
Both of which are fully sophont beings, of course, because Wilson.
Honestly, both would, though as a normally-quadrepedal being, he probably favours the yak over the bear.
...Accurate. I wonder if Chrysalis was actually a competitively young Queen trying to live up to the demands of her ego.. I know some of the humanised ponies fandom make her a teenager... And in rare cases, also ship her with Fluffle Puff.
Which makes for a sudden realisation of how serious the matter is for Pharry.
Which says a lot for her ambition, if nothing else. Trying to kick that anthill...
Ah yes, the looming threat in the room.
I can't help but picture Ringnestro popping up an eyeroll emote in the Renegade's mind... 'Really Corpsman? For this?'
Still, the fact you're doing it might get a few side-eyes from certain people.
The classic infiltration method, I suppose.
I'm guessing that was completely consensual between them. Letting Sunset see what the process looked like up close.
I'm betting transforming into largish forms and hauling them on a sled. Probably with someone bringing up the rear erasing their tracks.
I'll say this, the MLP fandom is diverse.
I guess their neighbours are trusting folk. Or at least sensible enough to prefer a potential threat that stays where they can see them...
Sounds like a place to check out after you're done here.
Ah, Science! has been committed! And without any explosions? Remarkable!
Isn't the Crystal Heart an ancient Relic? Is Sunset planning to outdo the historical pony artificers? This soon? Outstanding.
I'm sure that won't take long, with your best people on it.
Yeah, this seems like something for everybody to work on.
Ah, feeling a little friendly affection towards the possible genius saviour of your hive?
...Or maybe Yaria's just a little unsure of how to act around peers... Still, Friendship!
Man, these two will be great friends, I suspect. Or at least maintain a fruitful thaumaturgical scientific correspondence over the years. Hopefully they can avoid spooking the world with ludicrously Spark-y science. Though I suspect being able to reproduce even a lesser version of the Crystal heart may make for quite the debut of their alliance.
WereDragon
Bookwyrm
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Lets be honest, all the Changelings really needed to do was walk into a pony settlement, put down a sign saying 'Free Hugs' and wait. Love and affection would have been forthcoming.
Neruz
HISSSSSS!
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And that's how Changelings discovered that it is possible to overdose.
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Mr Zoat
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To misquote Darth Vulcan: "Anyone too stupid to keep her species fed on something ponies give away for free has no business being in charge of anything."
ForeverShogo
I trust you know where the happy button is?
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I was gonna talk about the Ponies of Equestria being super racist, so much so that canonically it tore the nation apart, but then I remembered they're Changelings so they can just shapeshift to the proper Pony-type.
I can only assume they found a way to permanently be rid of Wendigos, and without the gun at their heads forcing them to get along . . .
I can only assume they found a way to permanently be rid of Wendigos, and without the gun at their heads forcing them to get along . . .
Mr Zoat
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I don't hate G5 exactly, but it makes absolutely no sense as a sequel.I was gonna talk about the Ponies of Equestria being super racist, so much so that canonically it tore the nation apart, but then I remembered they're Changelings so they can just shapeshift to the proper Pony-type.
I can only assume they found a way to permanently be rid of Wendigos, and without the gun at their heads forcing them to get along . . .
A tribal seperation in Equestria couldn't happen due to how mixed it is. One fanfiction I read pointed out that they'd have to either kill or hand over foals born to the wrong tribe due to their mixed heritage coming through, and the initial split would somehow have to split individual families along tribal lines. Mr and Mrs Cake would have to abandon their own children, who would have to never talk to each other again. The population in G5 is far too low unless the Equestrian Civil War was a complete slaughter, which... Seems unlikely. Twilight Sparkle ended her reign as doing a super-Tirek, draining not just all current ponies of their magic but all future ones as well, which is somewhat out of character. Opaline... Existing at all.
Ponies aren't racist, but they can be very skittish around new people. Particularly ones who live in the Everfree Forest. And Zecora was a bit of a weirdo. They didn't have that problem with Gilda or Muletilda.