There hadn’t been much time to recover from what she had seen. But Harlequin spoke anyway, relieved that there was anyone she could tell. Hydrus’s last words boiled in the back of her mind, the reminder that those she cared about were at the mercy of his indulgence. If he thought she was betraying his swarm, then both of them might be the next to burn.
Eventually there was nothing left to say. She slumped onto the couch, exhausted. She wasn’t even really sure she expected Silver to have anything like advice: she just wanted to tell someone.
She dozed there in the gloom, her mind drifting to the spectral land of golden phantoms. Not dreams, as the being there so often reminded her. Dreams were for creatures with a story, and she had none. Instead of the mind of the Swarm, she was alone.
“You’ve come so far, Harlequin,” it said. “All the pieces are almost in place. You’ve toppled a rook, a knight, and many pawns. All that’s waiting is the king.”
She woke, feeling a blanket wrapped around her shoulder. She looked up, eyes wide with panic—but it was still night. A full night’s sleep for a changeling was never long.
“I thought you needed some time to rest,” said a voice from the other side of the room. Silver Smith, of course, sitting at the desk surrounded by books. “You gave me a little time to think about what you said. This new… independence from tiredness truly is remarkable, by the way.”
She sat up, shaking out the blanket. “Thanks.” She did feel better, though the guilt was still there. It had scabbed over, and the force holding her together was a feeble one. “Did you think of anything I could do?”
“Nothing you’ll like.” He closed the book in front of him with a snap, and obvious concentration. His horn glowed for a few seconds, and he looked immensely proud of himself. “You’ll be unsurprised to hear that there’s no easy solution to this. From the sound of it, your creatures are ruled by an evil tyrant. He sacrificed dozens of them because he thought they were a threat to his rule. Monsters who value rulership more than the ones they rule often make decisions like this. No matter what he says, this act won’t be his only one. Anytime he thinks he can solve a problem with blood, he’ll try.”
“I… yeah.” She nodded weakly. “Hydrus is a monster. He doesn’t feed the drones enough either. If I hadn’t started taking over, they’d be starving. It’s… the worst way to die. Withering away until there’s nothing left. I saw what happened to some of those bugs.”
“So he needs to go,” Silver finished. “A hostile takeover is the only option, given what he did just now. Power would’ve peacefully changed hooves, and he refused to give it up. You will have to take it.”
She whimpered, staring down at her hooves. It wasn’t that she was afraid of fighting—Harlequin’s last knowledge from the Swarm was in combat. But Hydrus had the Swarm too, for many years longer than she. He seemed to understand magic in a way that was only just now opening to her. And he could read.
“I don’t know if I can. He has all that love… For changelings like us, love is power. It’s how we can win against ponies that have way stronger magic than we do. A pony only has so much magic in them at once—but we can use all of it. If he thought I was a real threat to him, he could turn me into a crater. Maybe the whole colony with me.”
Silver winced, nodding gravely. “I heard that your—our… no, let’s go with ‘the previous’ changeling queen. I wasn’t at court that day, but I have a friend who was in the audience for the wedding. The queen defeated Celestia herself in single combat. I imagine you’ve just explained how this is possible.”
Harlequin nodded again. “I don’t think Hydrus could beat her. Once they really started fighting us, Princess Cadance basically ended our civilization with one spell. No more Swarm… we’ve been broken ever since. But if I fought him, I’d be way worse off than Celestia. I wouldn’t get captured, I’d get… melted.”
Silver rose from the desk, circling around past the bookshelf to an ancient-looking painting, framed in dark wood. It depicted the day and night, polarized with a single moment connecting them over an older, smaller version of Canterlot Castle. “Then you will like my advice even less. I’m sure you’ll ignore it, and I won’t take offense. I know how it will probably sound to one who has done nothing but fear us her entire life. The things you saw from Equestria after the war ended, you were right to fear. But if I were in your hooves, your leader’s actions would give me no choice.”
He hovered, gesturing at the oversized version of Celestia’s cutie mark in the air. “There’s only one creature in the world that can help your hive. With Celestia’s help, maybe you can stop Hydrus from getting everypony killed. Without her… it will just be one nightmare after another.”
He was right about one thing: she didn’t like the idea.
Harlequin backed away, her wings buzzing again in agitation. She turned instinctively towards the window, though of course she couldn’t use it. She didn’t try. “What do you think…” She was looking at another bug, one who’d been kind to her. One who she knew felt nothing but loyalty towards her. This isn’t an attack. He isn’t trying to trick me. He really believes this.
She took a deep breath, clearing her mind as much as she could before daring to speak. “I don’t know what Celestia could do for me, Silver. She hates us. She cared so little about bugs she didn’t bother to see if we could eat the food. She sold the prison contract to a noble pony who helped burn us to death the same day he got it.”
“Exactly!” Silver crossed the distance between them in a few quick strides, getting a little more energetic. “Harlequin, I know this is hard for you to accept—but my family is in the court. I’ve watched her rule of Equestria for thirty years. I’ve seen Princess Celestia do the best she could for everypony in her kingdom. She even rehabilitated Nightmare Moon, letting her sister return to power. She’s not above forgiveness.
“More importantly, I think she’s going to be furious about this accident. Perhaps it was foolish of her to assume that all creatures could eat the same food. But forgive her that mistake, and realize that the disaster you suffered is one that will prime her to intervene. I can get you into the court. We can go together, and with my help, she’ll listen to you.”
Harlequin stopped, considering that. Any fear this might be a trap faded with those words. “If you go into the castle with me… Silver, you know the danger you’ll be in. She’ll see I’m a changeling, she’ll suspect you are too. I’ve already seen one pony stolen from his family because Equestria didn’t believe that I could make a bug out of a pony. They won’t believe you either, and you’ll end up in prison with me to face Hydrus’s wrath.”
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I’ve been anxiously engaged in this cause since you first changed me. Every secret is a fleeting thing—my company succeeds because we openly provide the best transportation to everypony, not because we plot and manipulate them.” He shrugged. “If every strategy I have employed ends in failure, I will not mourn it. My life in exchange for the creatures who saved me—it’s a hard bargain, but fair.”
Harlequin nearly cried again. He couldn’t hide his honesty from her. He really was willing to die, if it came down to that. Those words carried magic more powerful than anything Hydrus’s workers could harvest in the brothel. Not enough to win a fight against him, but… it was something. You’re wrong too, voice. Who said we can’t have our own stories?
“That’s all you think it would take?” she asked. “We visit the court, and you introduce me to Celestia? Then I explain what’s going on, and she fights Hydrus?”
“Well…” Silver finally looked away. “Maybe not that easy. I could get you time at court, but there are other ponies in attendance. I think you’re familiar with one of those who holds the most influence there—Blueblood. Ousting Hydrus would destroy a powerful ally of his, and put his power at risk. He will do everything within his ability to stop you. We might both not survive it. But whose lives matter more: yours, or every other bug?”
She shivered at the heady flavor of that love. Even the faint echo a changeling could produce was momentarily overwhelming. He actually meant it. It was what the mindless drones did for the swarm, only with individuality and intelligence. Knowing they might die. Could she feel that much love for another creature?
“He might kill my friends,” Harlequin whispered. “He has… hostages. A professor named Codex, and a bug who helped me when I was young, Thorax. If he finds out what I’ve done before Celestia gets there. Am I allowed to make a decision that might put them at risk?”
Silver shook his head. “You aren’t the one making that decision. You aren’t responsible for the evil done by others, Harlequin. His hoof has the knife. And if it’s a barter, then it’s still four lives against all of them. Grisly mathematics, but scarcity usually is.”
It wasn’t much of a plan. But there weren’t many other choices. Either she could fly back to the swarm and be complicit in their evil, or she could fight, and risk a few lives to stop Hydrus from killing any more.
Pharynx loved the other bugs too. He was in the warehouse when it burned because of me. So were all those others.
“I guess…” This wasn’t much of a choice, but who else was there to make it? Queen Chrysalis was the one who should be caring for the Swarm, and she’d abandoned them long ago. Somepony had to do something. “I’ll do it. We can do it. If you’re willing to get me in.”
He met her eyes, nodding gravely. “I’m glad you didn’t make that decision lightly. But I think it’s the right choice. For you, for me… for every changeling who lasted this long.”
“How, uh… how quickly can we do it? If I stay away for very long, Hydrus is going to think I betrayed him already. The quicker this goes, I think the better our chances.”
Silver nodded. “You’ll have to impersonate my daughter again if we’re going to make the visit unannounced. I should be able to call in a favor or two to get some time on the floor. There are some risks, of course. You were sent to impersonate her once before, so that route does eliminate any chance our enemies won’t realize what you’re doing.”
“They don’t know you’re a bug too,” Harlequin said. “If anyone dies today, it will be me. So many others already did… it’s only fair if I join them. Just get me through the door.” She rose to her full height, silencing him suddenly with a wing. “No, I’m not going to argue with you. I don’t care what I’ve done for you. At least if you live, you can survive to spite that awful family for what they tried to do. If it goes badly, you’re going to sell me out. Tell them all the ways I manipulated you, and renounce me. Are we clear?”
Silver Smith’s expression twisted in rebellion, and a battle raged just under the surface. Harlequin stared imperiously at him, until obedience won out over everything else. “As you say,” he muttered. “But I don’t think it will be necessary, you’ll see. Princess Celestia will help us.”
Or we’re all dead.
Oh boy. This is one heck of a coin flip, and that may be casting the odds in a very optimistic light. And that assumes they even get the chance to flip it. Whatever happens next is going to be very rough indeed.
But it could well lead to checkmate by the white queen.
Another great chapter. I like where this is going storywise.
Glad to see that Silver understands the only rational approach to the Trolly Problem.
Please don’t let me down, Starscribe. You wrote Celestia perfectly at least once before. I believe you can do it again. She doesn’t have to be flawless. She doesn’t have to be all-knowing or all powerful. She doesn’t have to instantly forgive or forget. She just has to act, and be the kind, well-meaning mare that she is in the show.
Once again, a lot of drama could be avoided if Sweetie Drops had provided Harlequin some way of contact Luna.
I think going into court in disguise is a mistake. Maybe at the gate you'll want to hide it but once you're before Celestia... or better yet, Luna. Drop the disguise and speak, Luna is already half an ally.
Luna would have been the better pony to try to contact. It's likely easier to do too. For all we and Harley knows, Celestia might very well end the hive. A far worse ending than if Hydrus ruled it with an iron fist.
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Oh boy, "very" is an understatement.
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Well, considering canon Celestia wasn't flawless, all-powerful, and all-knowing either...
A genocidal Celestia isn't believable but a Celestia unwilling to help given all the pain caused to her people is very plausible.
9827952
If there was ever a time for Luna to start acting it would be now.
9827989
Probably wouldn't be able to get in without a disguise (assuming they don't shoot on sight). But yeah, them finding out changelings "infiltrated" the castle wouldn't lead to a good ending too. And yeah, Harley's way better off trying to contact Luna. She barely knows anything about Celestia and what she does know would make it obvious that this princess wouldn't be first pick to fix this problem.
In this situation, doing SOMETHING is a large improvement over doing NOTHING. Yes, Luna would be better, but it looks like Silver Smith has better connections with Celestia. Roll the bones and cross your hooves, ponies.
Mmm. This can end in a matter of different ways, most unfortunately not good. Perhaps celestia will help, but it would be her way of help, no doubt she'll have every changeling on a type of leash. Oh God the suspense is gonna kill me!
Xd
I've still got mixed feelings about this storyteller-whoever...I worry her intentions are not in the right place here. It's difficult to be certain because she's being annoyingly and deliberately vague, and one time she'll indicate something positive, then the next, something that raises red flags in my mind. It's clear she's got some greater scheme in mind, but I worry some days if it's really the right one to be pursuing.
Whatever the case, it's clear that, to her, Harlequin is nothing more than another pawn. And seeing Harlequin's pretty much been nothing but a pawn this whole story, I can't help but wonder...what if Harlequin decides she doesn't want to be the pawn anymore and choose her own way for a change? So I'm also wondering if maybe the storyteller-whoever might just need to look out.
Well, let's be honest with ourselves, it was always going to come to that point eventually, wasn't it?
Well, it's not like it's any great big secret, honestly. Chrysalis herself went and bragged about precisely this immediately after beating Celestia as I recall.
Actually, that should've been enough for somebody in that audience of onlookers to know the changelings fed on love and realize that it just might be necessary for their survival afterwards. So that serves to prove further that there's really no excuse for the imprisoned changelings to be as neglected as they were by the ponies, as if we really needed it at this point. Honestly, I want to hear what Equestria's excuse for that is already. It had better be a darn good one if they don't want to get ripped up one side and down the other over it.
Well, the prisoners here at Canterlot are "broken" per se, yes, but I've long wondered if that really included every changeling ever in all the world, and whether or not the changelings still back home at the hive still had the Swarm or if they got severed too.
Not that it really matters that much at this current moment in the story, but still...wouldn't mind knowing.
Oh, please, yes! I actually like this idea quite a bit. I mean, I totally get why Harlequin wouldn't want to do it and can't blame her. But Silver's not wrong here--there really isn't going to be a better ally she can find at this point who could actually help...not unless you're willing to play the long game and undermine Hydrus's support out from underneath him, a prospect that's gotten more unlikely now that we know that he knows this is already going on. Further, Harlequin already has a couple potential contacts who could possibly help arrange a meeting, or at least be willing to convey information and the offer--not just Silver but Bon Bon from SMILE, and maybe even Harlequin's old guard friend too.
This, of course, all assumes Celestia would be even willing to hear Harlequin out, much less intervene. But considering Bon Bon was sent to explicitly tell Harlequin that they were watching her and were willing to leave her and the other changelings alone as long as they played by the desired rules, I'd think she'd be willing to at least hear Harley out.
Oh yeah, and I guess there's that point, too. Again, really want to hear Celestia's excuse for that...but I'm starting to suspect again that she does have one...
Dooooo it, Harley! Seriously, I'm buying Silver's words on this. Further, I think it'd be foolish not to at least try. Celestia really would be the best solution to this mess if her help can be secured, and I doubt Celestia would really do anything to hurt you if she refused. The most I can see happening is her refusing to get involved in a changeling affair and sending her away anyway, so it's not like you'd have that much to loose, if you play your cards right, and that's what you'll have Silver there for, to help with that.
Dang, Silver, you truly are a good guy. We need to get you to sit down and talk it out with Codex, get him to see it a bit more from your point of view for a change.
Like I said, Miss Storyteller--your pawn's tired of playing along to someone else's whims.
Well, here's hoping.
All I can say to that is that if Hydrus offs my favorite changeling Thorax, then even facing the full wrath of Celestia might not be punishment enough for me.
Yeah, don't do that. Dying's never fun for anybody.
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Yeah, that probably would've been smart in retrospect. Maybe they can bring that up when they meet with Celestia.
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I don't know if they'll have the choice if they even want to get as far as either princess. This is going to go down in front of the public court before Celestia, which means there's going to be plenty of other ponies there that'll likely be witness to this. And they might not be so understanding if an undisguised changeling just happens to stroll in, regardless of Celestia's thoughts on the matter.
9828478
A pawn promoted to queen still remains a piece on the board, to the benefit of the player. We haven´t read anything which may suggest the Storyteller is actually benevolent, given how callously dismiss lives.
Yeah, i can see how throwing yourself at the mercy of the evil OR the incompetent is a winning strategy, Celestial Monarchy has not, in anyway, shown itself to be competent, moral or sane.
But then again if you are in the situation like this where you cannot leave you might as well make yourself a problem. If nothing else Celestia loves to portray an image of benevolence, and if you show the present situation to her in open court she is forced to make a token effort at the least. Or show to other schemers how weak she is as a ruler.
9828499
Exactly why I've got mixed feelings about her.
9828499
The Storyteller seemed more concerned about the conversion of Codex and Irongate. They were apparently "removed" from her story. For Irongate it was apparently more preferable to let him die than save him. No doubt she cares more about some hidden value she places on creatures than their actual lives and well-being.
And here I was thinking that Celestia was just going to stay off-page, what with the focus being at ground level, so to speak. But yes, it's probably past time she either gets involved or shows how much she already is. Not much to lose at this point....
He's right on all points. Coming to see Silver was definitely a great idea.
Coming to see Celestia was probably a great idea. But seriously, I'm dying to finally see a confirmed princess in this story as well as an explanation for the Equestrian government actions we've seen so let's go for it.
Dang, we're going all in then.
9828478
A pawn that advances to the other end of the board becomes a Queen...
Well, technically any piece other than king. But only in the most niche of circumstances would you choose to make it a knight.
9829185
An act Harlequin doesn't need a meddling and supposed "storyteller" bossing her around to do. She's perfectly capable of doing it herself, and more importantly, it'd be her choice to do, not some third party's for a change.
9829185
9829188
It would be interesting if the Storyteller really is some goddess or alicorn of fate. That would mean Harley and the other changelings are truly out of her reach and can interfere with the story in ways either good or bad. They are neither pawn nor queen but spectators that flipped the chessboard, ruining the game. It would make sense why the Storyteller would want to "weave" them back into the story.
9782778
I will mail it to; sassyGirl@hivemind.eq
I doubt it will be that simple. Celestia may disapprove them being burned alive on multiple occasions, but she did not give an arbiter at all to ensure it was being handled properly; methinks this would be a flopped attempt due to the fact it would either call to mobilize the military or have a battle with more alicorns and magic. Considering Celestia failed the first time, it would put even more of a hole in her validity as a ruler of Equestria considering it would be seen as aiding the enemy. Though apparently this is a Canterlot unique issue as with Ponyville, it was shown that it is mostly a political feud that's brewed in the capitol... Don't know, deus ex has always been a messy exploit, and I doubt this will be amount to much of anything without Blueblood being entirely in the dark or somehow manipulated into gaining more power -- perhaps a spin for him to manage the prisoners in the background to "help" them from starving to death? If the latter then perhaps Hydrus would not mind if he was on a better side of Celestia -- nothing like Stockholm'd food. Eh, reaching too far probably, I just don't see this ending well at all.
Why is the chapter so short! Just as it was getting to the good part.