An Invasion By Any Other Name

>This wedding was boring the absolute fuck out of you
>The only reason you even got an invite was because of your technical status as ambassador
>Being the only one of your species here came with a perk or two
>Not that you considered getting a royal wedding invitation much of a perk
>You'd planned on skipping the damn thing, but then Sparkle got wind of that
>She started going on about "representing your people"
>Of course she wouldn't take no for an answer
>So now here you are, stuck at what you consider a boring official function
>At least you didn't have to show up early and do work like Twilight and her friends
>The rows of guests all talk happily as positions are taken for the ceremony
>Meanwhile you sat in silence and took the occasional swig from your flask
>You've been drinking quite a lot since you ended up in magical horse land
>After your first week of being freaked out about getting stuck here and how crazy this place is, something in you gave out
>You ran out of fucks to give, hooked yourself up with a steady supply of booze, and never looked back
>After that you've been able to take everything this place throws at you in stride
>Occasionally you got some concerned pony try to talk to you about your drinking
>A quick bit of bullshit about high tolerance and human traditions got them off your back, though
>Both were technically true
>Pony booze was a bit weaker than the stuff back home, and your friends and family would drink like fish at every opportunity
>Now ponies hardly ever bothered about your drinking, and that suited you just fine
>Watching apathetically as vows are exchanged, you notice the absence of one particular pony
>If that fucker Twilight dragged you here just to skip out herself, you were going to have some words with that horse
>As you thought over how to yell at her to achieve maximum guilt, the doors burst open
>Speak of the little purple devil, there she was, panting and looking somewhat disheveled
>Not to mention very pissed off

>She starts loudly spouting off some shit about how the one at the altar isn't the real pink horse
>Everyone else is pissed, and you're just amused
>Then the second pink horse makes her dramatic entrance and there's a big collective gasp
>You can't help but roll your eyes at the display
>Couldn't just have her walk in with Twilight, no, they had to have the big reveal
>What's even more baffling is that the impostor takes off her disguise right after that
>It seems dumb to take it off without trying to milk the disguise as long as possible, but whatever, it's not your problem
>Plus it lets you get a look at her real form, which is pretty awesome, honestly
>The hard black shell and transparent gossamer wings immediately made you think 'bug alicorn'
>According to the ridiculous villain monologue she had started up she's a queen as well, so that's fitting
>It's a bit odd that her legs and wings are riddled with holes, and even her mane and tail have a few
>More unusual is that her body parts seem to function perfectly fine despite the holes
>Also the feeding on love thing she mentions is unexpectedly dark by usual Equestria standards
>You notice that all the guests are clearing out of the room in a panic
>A waste of time considering the sizable changeling army outside the castle
>It's not worth trying to fight through that so you stay seated and watch the show
>Meanwhile Celestia has opted to chuck a laser beam at the bug queen's face
>Though you approve of that strategy, it seems to be ineffective this time
>Celestia getting knocked on her ass shocks everybody, even the bug queen herself
>That's the cue for Twilight and company to run off and fetch their magical instant victory rainbow producing gear
>You're surprised when they're allowed to leave, the queen trailing after them at a leisurely pace
"Damn, she really likes to play with her food, doesn't she?"
>Her head turns toward you and she looks at you with a haughty, amused expression
>Whoops, you said that out loud

>"How apt a saying. Tell me, strange creature, why haven't you fled with the rest?"
>It seems you're unique enough to grab her attention
>You shrug and take a quick pull off your flask before responding
"I didn't feel like going out and getting a beating just to end up in the same situation."
>That earns you a chuckle, and you see a quick glimpse of fangs
>"Quite the pragmatist. Then will you submit willingly to my rule?"
>After a moment of consideration, a cheeky grin grows on your face
"Nope. Because as you said, I'm pragmatic."
>A flicker of annoyance crosses her face before her expression changes back to one of smug superiority
>"I have to wonder how resisting the inevitable is at all pragmatic, creature."
>You're quick to give a snarky response
"Because this half-assed plan of yours is doomed to failure, bug horse."
>Her hoof jabs your chest painfully as she levels a furious glare at you
>"You will NOT call me that. I am Queen Chrysalis, and I will be addressed with the respect I am due."
>Now you know her name, at least
>She might have said it before when she was monologuing, but you were only half paying attention then
>Brushing aside the hoof that was still digging into you, you hold up your hands in concession
"Alright, alright. Doesn't change the fact that your invasion is doomed to fail, though."
>Disdain clear on her face, she scoffs at you
>"And what exactly makes you so sure of that?"
"Well for starters, you were ready to throw an army at Canterlot despite not knowing if you could even take on Celestia."
>A small 'hmph' escapes her and she looks at you defiantly
>"It worked out, didn't it?"
>With that attitude you're amazed she even got this far
"You got lucky. Are you going to rely on luck all the time?"
>She seems ready to interject, but you plow on regardless

"Not to mention your terrible handling of the escaped prisoners. You could have bluffed at least enough to make them unsure which one was real."
>It's clear by the regret on her face that she knows she could have done that better
"Honestly, this whole thing is sloppy. It's more like an act of desperation than an actual plan."
>When she glances away briefly you know you've unintentionally hit the nail on the head
"That's it, isn't it? It can't be easy to live on love. How bad off are you to go after Equestria of all places?"
>Her glare is back and she seems ready to snap
>"Yes! My brood is starving and I had to pounce on the first opportunity I could find. Are you happy now?"
"Well, my curiosity is satisfied. But no, I'm not happy."
>As soon as the words leave your mouth you feel like an idiot
>Introspective bullshit was not something you liked to do, least of all at a time like this
>Chrysalis looks like she's about to say something, but stops and gives you an odd look that you can't read
>A short awkward silence falls between you two, and you use that opportunity to take another drink
>Finally she breaks it with a question
>"Why do you care, anyway?"
>Her tone was surprisingly unaccusing
"Appearances can be deceiving, as I'm sure you're aware. I like digging deeper, seeing what's going on beneath the surface."
>You give a little self-depreciating laugh at yourself
"People usually say I'm too damn nosy for my own good."
>"I would have to agree with them."
>The wry quip gets another laugh out of you
"Speaking of being nosy, I have to wonder something. You seem to have a lot of manpower -- ponypower? Fuck, whatever -- a lot of physical labour. Why not trade that for what you need?"
>Her expression grew bitter and you could see the long-standing anger she held
>"You think I didn't try? That I wouldn't take that deal in a heartbeat? Every time, every species I tried all turned us away. Called us monsters and mutant bugs."

>Guilt welled up since you'd unknowingly done the same thing
>You hadn't meant it that way, but now you understand why she got so upset
>"But it doesn't matter now. With Equestria under my control, our problems are solved. All will be ours for the taking!"
>If you weren't accustomed to the crazy logic this place runs on, you'd think the same thing
"Not quite. You're missing one important factor."
>She narrows her eyes at you as though daring you to take away her victory
>"Oh? And what, pray tell, would that be?"
"This place is fucking rigged. I don't know if it's magic, or karma, or something else, but everyone who fucks with Equestria always manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."
>She's understandably unimpressed
>"Magical karma. Really? That's what's going to stop me? You'll have to excuse my skepticism."
>Leaning back in your seat, you shrug helplessly
"I know, but it's practically a constant here. Oh well, I don't expect you to believe me."
>A new voice suddenly cuts into the conversation
>"He's right about one thing. We will stop you."
>The interruption comes from the pink love horse herself
>It had slipped your mind that you had an audience
>Chrysalis's smug laughter rings through the room
>"Give in, I've already won."
>All that gets her is love horse's angry glare
>At that moment Twilight and her friends are dragged into the room by a group of changelings
>Chrysalis takes the opportunity to gloat, so you tune her out
>You notice Twilight slip over and free love horse, who goes over and frees her husband from whatever hypnotism he's under
>They apparently want to use that shield spell that was up before to kick out all the changelings
>You know this because they loudly announce their plan to the entire room
>Then when love horse says just as loudly that she'll fuel the spell with love, Chrysalis dismisses it as a 'foolish sentiment'
>Briefly you wonder if there are any negative side effects to being exposed to such high doses of stupid

"You really think that the alicorn of love can't use love to fuel the damn thing?"
>Irritation is clear in your voice and you have to resist facepalming
>Horror grows on Chrysalis's face when she realises just how screwed she is
>"No."
>In that one word you can hear every bit of the intense anguish Chrysalis is feeling
>"I was so close. I was SO CLOSE!"
>Fury overtakes her and she lets loose a primal growl
>Her horn begins to charge immense amounts of energy, and the engaged couple charge their own horns in response
>You already know how this is going to turn out
>The changelings are going to get booted out of Canterlot by overpowered horse magic, because it always gets the job done
>Once they get kicked out they'll be forced to go back to scrounging and scraping desperately for food
>Only now it will be even harder because they've exposed themselves
>It's not your problem, though
>You shouldn't even care, you know nearly nothing about them
>But that crushed look Chrysalis had is nagging at your conscience
>Before you realise what you're doing, you've moved in between the imminent firefight
>"MOVE, CREATURE."
>The magic swelling around Chrysalis amplifies her voice to a painful volume
>You hear the other two telling you to get out of the way as well
>Ignoring them, you turn to face the one you need to talk down
"Don't do this."
>Raw magical energy fueled by her rage buffets against you
>"YOU DARE COMMAND ME?"
>It's a struggle to hold your ground, but you manage
"Just stop and think for a second. You've already lost. The only way you're getting out of this without being even worse off than before is with diplomacy."
>A bit of her anger dies down as your words hit home
"From what I know of the princesses, they may not forget, but they do forgive. There's still a chance to get what you need here."
>Powering down her horn, Chrysalis looks at you with a tired, defeated expression
>"You're right. Even if it's only a chance, my subjects need me."

>Her magic flares briefly and then she bows her head
>"My forces are standing down. I..."
>You could see the disgust and frustration on her face as she forces herself to do what was necessary
>"I surrender."
>A flurry of activity starts up as the guards, the princesses, and the queen all start organising what's happening next
>The details escape you, all your energy is taken up staying as stoic as possible as the adrenaline fades
>Standing up to an insanely pissed off and obviously powerful magic user was probably the stupidest thing you've ever done
>Once the royals leave the room you finally stop suppressing your shaking and uneven breathing
>Twilight and her friends run over and congratulate you, but stop when they notice you leaning on the benches and hyperventilating
>One of them, you don't know which one, asks if you're okay
"Do I look okay? I nearly fucking died back there!"
>Bluefast seems unimpressed
>"Pssh, you call that dangerous? I handle worse in my sleep. You didn't even get hurt, ya wimp."
>You give her a scathing glare
"Really, you arrogant fuck? She blasted Celestia, of all people, across the god damn room. I would have been fried in an instant if she felt like it, and there's nothing I could do about it."
>After your angry rant there's an awkward silence, giving you time to take deep breaths and calm back down
>Wiping your face, you straighten up and look at all the worried faces around you
"Sorry. Mild panic attack. I'm fine now."
>Twilight nudges bluefast, who seems rather regretful
>"Hey, um, sorry about, you know, being a jerk there."
>You wave your hand dismissively
"Forget about it, it's nothing. Anyway, I'm gonna go take a fucking nap."
>Not waiting for a response, you turn away and leave
>It was a bit ruder than you usually were, but you weren't in the mood to sit through congratulations and celebrations

>With only minimal difficulty you navigate to the room you're staying in
>Luckily being an ambassador lets you stay in the castle, so you don't have to walk for too long
>As soon as you get to your room you drop onto the bed without even getting undressed, grumbling obscenities into your pillow
>It had been a very long time since you'd had any sort of freak out
>You thought you were over that sort of thing, but almost getting melted by the power of someone's mind was apparently enough to bring it back
>Having that fear brought out again left you in a foul mood
>You take a quick drink to help you sleep, noting that your reserve is worryingly low at this point, and promptly drift off to sleep
>After a few hours you're woken up by sharp, strong knocking at the door
>Unfortunately you feel no better than you did before you slept
>Groggily you give an ineffectual glare at the door
"Th' fuck do you want?"
>"Princess Celestia requests your presence for an audience."
>Right, a royal 'request'
>You hated when people in power asked for things as if others had the option to say no
>Heaving yourself out of bed with a tired sigh, you drag yourself to the door
>The guard on the other side looks about as enthusiastic as you and gives you a disapproving once-over
>Still in the wrinkled clothes you were wearing before, you rub the crust out of your eyes and make a vague attempt at fixing your bed-head
>"Are you ready to go?"
>It was obvious what he thought the answer was, but you didn't have much in the way of fucks to give
"Yeah. Lead the way."
>Maybe it was wrong to take pleasure in the annoyance this guard felt at having to present your scruffy ass to the princess
>But you have to take time to enjoy the little things, after all

>A short walk later you've been brought to a relatively out of the way, official looking room
>The door is magicked open at the guard's knock and reveals a utilitarian room with the only notable feature being a desk covered in papers
>All three princesses and the queen are seated around it, Chrysalis in the middle of writing something
>Celestia's magic fades from the door and she greets you with a nod
>"Ah, Anonymous. Perfect timing, we were just getting the documents signed. I'm glad you could come."
>You bite back a sarcastic reply and instead force a small smile
"Documents?"
>"Yes, various treaties and agreements. Something that should have happened long ago. Unfortunately by the time my sister and I were in power, Queen Chrysalis had already tried and failed."
>Chrysalis didn't take her eyes off the papers in front of her, but it was obvious she didn't like being reminded of those past failures
>"Now we are fixing that mistake, however. And it wouldn't be possible without you."
>A warm smile graces Celestia's face as she says this
>You quickly wave off her praise
"I didn't do much of anything."
>Love horse interjects loudly at that
>"How could you say that? You walked into the middle of an imminent battle between some of the highest level magic in Equestria!"
>Seems she thinks highly of herself
>Though as far as you know she's technically not wrong
>"Then you talked the leader of an invasion into surrendering. That's certainly not nothing."
>Dismissively you shake your head
"You were going to cast that shield thing, right? I assume that would have the byproduct of protecting me too."
>"Well, yes, if we got the spell off in time."
"Also, I didn't talk anyone into anything. She was smart enough to see what choice benefited her most."
>Chrysalis seems pleased by your compliment
>Although love horse looks annoyed at your refutations

>"I don't know why you refuse to take any credit," she huffs
>You roll your eyes, and Celestia smiles her usual serene smile
>"Even if you don't think you did much, we would still like to show our appreciation." Celestia's words made it clear that they weren't going to let this go
>Holding your tongue, you wait expectantly for her to tell you what they insist on giving you
>"To thank you for your actions today, you will be awarded a knighthood."
>For some people that was probably a reward, but for you it was just a hassle you didn't want to deal with
"Ehh, no thanks."
>"Why would anyone refuse to be knighted? It is one of the highest honours we can bestow!" Now Luna was starting with the shouting, oh joy
"It takes up too much damn time for nothing."
>Exasperation tinges your voice, as much as you try to suppress it
>"Nothing? It is an acknowledgement and celebration of your deeds, both by the crown and by your family and friends."
>Luna stands and sweeps her wing to accentuate her words
>Unfortunately for her, they've had the opposite effect she wanted
"My family and friends are all on a separate planet."
>Your tone is bland and unemotional, but your words still cause an awkward pause in the conversation
>Luna gives you a regretful look
>"I am sorry. I did not think of your situation."
>Her slip didn't really bother you, but the pity on Celestia's face was starting to get under your skin
>"When we first spoke, I had hoped you would take my words to heart."
>Celestia spoke softly, but it still grated your nerves
>Making friends seemed to be her magic cure-all that was apparently supposed to be as easy as slapping on a bandage
>A small scowl peeked through your neutral expression
>"Another planet? What exactly am I missing here?"
>It had slipped your mind that Chrysalis has no idea about the weird circumstances of your arrival
"Long story short, I got pulled here from another dimension by some random magical bullshit."

>Mild curiosity briefly flashes across her face before she shrugs and gives a final look over the papers in front of her
>"Hmm. Unusual."
>Her reaction was kind of cold, but that was somewhat refreshing
>No pity, or sympathy, or scientific interest, or any of the annoyances you'd already gone through
>You see Chrysalis place her quill down with finality
>"Everything looks to be in order. Shall we coordinate the efforts of our subjects tomorrow?"
>The princesses all seem happy the most delicate part is finished
>"Wonderful. Tomorrow it is." Celestia nods to Chrysalis and exits the room, the other princesses following
>You turn to leave as well, but stop once you notice Chrysalis
>She has a troubled look on her face as she stares down at the table
>Under her breath she bitterly mutters something about "being this easy"
>You're fairly sure you know what she's talking about
>Bringing it up would probably just piss her off, but it's a bit awkward leaving her to her staring contest with the furniture
"Um, Queen Chrysalis?"
>When her attention shifts to you, you glance pointedly at the door
>She frowns in annoyance and walks over
>"Yes, yes, I'm coming. Don't you know better than to rush a queen?"
>It seems she gets snippy and self-important when she's in a bad mood
>Reminds you of some people you knew on Earth
>Unexpectedly, her annoyance suddenly fades and she pauses in front of the exit
>"Oh, Anonymous, was it?"
>Giving a short nod, you let her continue
>"Your interruption today was useful. It gave me the time I needed to make the best decision for my subjects."
>There was a slight pause before she said 'useful,' like she knew higher praise could be said but didn't want to be too generous
>"The hive appreciates your contribution to its well-being."
>With that she strode out of the room, and you shrug to yourself before leaving as well

>The awkward thanks she gave was clearly a foreign task for her, but it's not as if you wanted anything more than that anyway
>If only those damn princesses could get that through their heads
>Said princesses were standing in the hallway discussing the rescheduling of the wedding
>When you catch that they're putting the whole thing on again tomorrow, you're surprised at how much they're rushing to get back to it
>Then again, they're princesses, so they can do whatever the fuck they want
>You don't want to stand there listening to them plan this, so as awkward as it is, you interrupt the royalty
"Was that all you needed me for?"
>Celestia turns to you with her usual serene smile
>"Yes, that's everything. You're free to go now."
>As you turn away, love horse calls happily after you
>"See you at the wedding!"
>She's lucky you would be so noticeably absent or you'd just skip the thing
>Waving without looking back to acknowledge that you heard her, you wander off to go kill some time
>It doesn't take you long to find a decent pub where you can drink your night away
>Funny enough, the hot topic everyone's discussing is the wedding and invasion
>The talk is all hearsay and rumours, no one even seems to know that you had a part in it, which luckily means no one bothers you
>Except for the pointing and gawking, but that's typical
>After wasting the night away, nursing off your hangover, and killing a bit more time with a book, it was finally time for the wedding
>You thought you'd be done with this crap yesterday, but hopefully nothing else interrupts this time
>Knowing your luck, that wasn't off the table
>At least the wedding was early enough that you could catch an evening train back to Ponyville and sleep in your own bed
>What followed was the same song and dance as yesterday, minus the whole 'the bride was secretly a changeling' thing
>The surprising part was that Chrysalis was sitting with the other princesses, looking as uncomfortable as you felt

>Once the ceremony finishes, everybody starts dancing and celebrating
>You occupy yourself by spiking your drink and watching everyone else have their fun
>Looking around the room, you notice that Chrysalis is doing much the same as you are
>The only difference being that ponies are giving her a pretty wide berth
>Surprisingly you find yourself feeling sorry for her
>Judging by how she's acted when you talked to her before, you doubt she even cares about that sort of thing
>Still, considering how scared the ponies were of the freaky monkey alien when you first arrived, it was easy to empathise
>She also looks as bored as you are right now
>After a minute of indecision, you settle on the tried and true method of 'fuck it, might as well'
>It's not like you have anything else to do, anyway
>Breaking into the bubble of empty space that surrounds her, you take a seat beside her and give a nod of greeting
"Didn't expect to see you here."
>Chrysalis scoffs and shakes her head
>"I certainly didn't expect to be here. However, Celestia thought it would 'help strengthen my public image.'"
>The hilarity of ponies attempting to do air quotes translated over to changelings as well, it seems
>Chuckling softly, you let your eyes rove the room again
"It's kind of dumb how much of a political photo op this wedding is. I bet half these people don't even care who's getting married."
>"Forty-three percent, actually."
>Shifting your gaze back to her, you tilt your head in confusion
"Sorry, what?"
>"Exactly forty-three percent of the ponies here felt no increase in love or adoration for their princess when the vows were exchanged. I did the math."
>Her tone and a weary sigh made it clear just how bored she had been to figure out something like that
>You couldn't help but laugh at that
"The more you know."
>The reference obviously went over her head, but she got the gist

>She turns a critical eye to you and looks to be thinking for a second
>"So, why are you here? You were part of that percentage, and it's obvious you're not here for the 'photo op,' as you put it."
>You shrug
"I got dragged to this by someone else who thought I had an obligation to be here. Damn nagging nag."
>It's her turn to laugh now, which sounds more like a sinister chuckle than anything
>Everything about her image is like it was taken from a how to book on being an evil badass
>Though there's not really anything actually evil about her, despite what the ponies would think
>That line of thought gets pushed aside before you start getting all sappy and sympathetic
>You start asking about the place she rules over, and she's more than happy to brag about it
>Luckily it's actually pretty interesting
>The bug-horse comparison was somewhat accurate, funnily enough
>They have a telepathic hive mind ability, and live in a big city-state thing underground with a myriad of tunnels, even calling the place The Hive
>Changelings are apparently fantastic architects because of all the work they have to put in to build a city underground
>With how she's describing the multi-layered, complex urban landscape, it's tempting you to see it yourself
>In return you tell her a bit about the sprawling mess of houses, tall buildings, and gigantic advertisements that make up a typical human city
>Talking about home still stings a little, but you ignore it like always
>And drink away what you can't ignore
>Time flies by as you talk, and before you know it the wedding is winding down
>You give Chrysalis a quick smile and stand up
"Well, coming to this has been surprisingly less painful that I thought, but I think now is a good time to make our escape."
>With a smirk she stands as well
>"Indeed. At least one part of this wedding hasn't been completely insufferable. Fare well, Anonymous."
"You too."
>Giving one final parting nod, you turn and start making your way out of the castle

>Nearing the front gate, you're interrupted by a loud pop and a flash of light
>When your vision recovers you see Celestia standing in front of you
>It takes every ounce of willpower you have to not groan in irritation when you see this
>Instead you simply look at her and wait
>She smiles in greeting and walks up to you
>"Hello again, Anonymous. Did you enjoy the wedding?"
>You cross your arms and give her an unimpressed look
"Do I seem like the type to enjoy weddings? Cut the small talk and just tell me what you want."
>Her smile turns teasing
>"What makes you think I want something? I could just be attempting to have a pleasant discussion."
>Scoffing, you find yourself seriously considering if it would be worth the repercussions to smack that stupid smirk off her face
"Right, after teleporting over to me from fuck if I know where, you just want a nice little chat." Sarcasm is dripping from your tone
>Usually you can keep up a veneer of civility for people with excessively more power than you, but after the day you had yesterday you are not in the mood to do favours for royalty
>Letting out a musical laugh, she finally concedes
>"You caught me. I have something to ask of you."
>Heaving a sigh, you wave for her to continue
>After laughing again, she gets straight to the point
>"I've noticed you managed to strike up something of a friendship with Chrysalis."
>You give her a look somewhere between incredulity and amusement
"You think after talking to someone for a few minutes they're your best buddy?"
>"Actually, you talked for most of the party."
>There's that sly smirk of hers again
>If you see too much more of it you might just end up endangering your own health by endangering hers
"And your point being?"
>"My point is that I can think of nopony else in Equestria who would have been able to do that."
>So now you have friendship superpowers, whoopie

>"With the struggles Chrysalis will have getting changelings accepted by the general populace, she would do well to have a friend supporting her through her efforts."
>It’s hard to picture Chrysalis even caring about that sort of thing
"She’s a big girl, I’m sure she can take care of herself."
>Celestia shakes her head in disappointment
>"Everypony needs a bit of help sometimes, Anonymous. It would be useful for her to have advice from one who has gone through the same adjustment to Equestria that she will need to do. Having somepony to talk to doesn't hurt, either."
>Shrugging, you maintain your stony indifference
"Like I said, she'll be fine. Besides, it's not my problem."
>There's pity in her eyes and she looks at you like you're missing something incredibly obvious
>"Oh, Anonymous. You should know better than that. We're all better off when we help others. Plus this is something the both of you are in desperate need of."
>Your foul expression and clenched fists shows her exactly what you think of her condescending crap
"Right, and you're such an expert on what I need, huh? Take that patronising shit you're spewing and shove it."
>Barely taking in her worried look, you turn and briskly resume your exit, wondering impassively whether Celestia is the type to sic the guards on you for that
>"It pays well." Her tone is resigned as she calls out to you
>Pausing, you look back at her curiously
>"You would be in an advisory position, and paid accordingly as a result."
>That makes you stop and consider it
>On the one hand, you'd be giving this arrogant know-it-all what she wants
>On the other, you'd be getting good pay to essentially sit around and be opinionated
>Plus it would let you take a break from doing manual labour to pay the bills
>After a moment's consideration, you nod to Celestia
"Fine, I'll take your job. Just try to avoid meddling in my life once I do."

>She seems saddened at your harsh dismissal of her attempts to play amateur therapist, but she quickly puts on a smile
>"I'm glad to have your assistance with this. Can you start tomorrow?"
"Sure, I don't see why not."
>It's not like there were other things you had keeping you busy
>All you need to do is get out of work, which will be easy when you tell them who's taking their employee
>These ponies would bend over and take a cactus up the ass if it meant pleasing their princess
>"Splendid. You'll be shown to your new room when you arrive, and fetched for the initial meeting later."
>She seems to have forgotten to ask you if you even want to stay in the castle
>Whatever, a free room is a free room
"If that's all, then I'll be leaving now."
>"Yes, don't let me keep you. I'm sure you have things to pack and goodbyes to say."
>Hardly much of either, but she doesn't need to know that
>You give her a curt nod and make your exit
>Once you've taken the train ride home it doesn't take long for you to throw everything you need into a single suitcase
>Clothes and booze don't take up much space
>After that, all you had to do was sleep, tell your boss that Celestia was stealing you from them, and then you hopped on the train back to Canterlot and got settled at the castle in short order
>Killing time with a book, because there wasn't much else on this planet to do for solo entertainment, you eventually get someone calling for you at your door
>Opening it reveals an impatient looking maid who gives you a once-over and is noticeably displeased when she sees your wrinkled casual clothes and eternally messy hair
>Oh joy, another one of these little encounters
>"You don't have much time to get ready, you'd best hurry."
>This one is actually telling you to make yourself presentable, how amusing
"I am ready. Let's go."
>Her nose scrunches and she's obviously holding herself back from saying anything more

>Instead she just gestures helplessly before sighing and turning to leave
>"Follow me, then."
>You try to keep track of where you're going as you walk with the maid, since you're going to be living here for a while
>The castle is so damn big that you're not sure if you'll ever be able to get familiar with the whole place
>Fortunately you have someone leading you around at the moment, and it doesn't take long to get to a relatively plain and functional room similar to the last one you were summoned to talk in
>Inside, Chrysalis and Celestia are having a heated discussion
>Chrysalis is heated, anyway
>Celestia is her usual calm, level-headed self
"Am I interrupting something?"
>They both pause and turn to you, Celestia looking welcoming while Chrysalis continues to be visibly annoyed
>"Not at all, Anonymous. We were simply having a slight disagreement." Celestia is as diplomatic as ever
>You snort in amusement
"Sure, the same way mommy and daddy are having a 'slight disagreement' when you hear them screaming at the top of their lungs and breaking dishes."
>It's funny how concerned Celestia is after you say that
>Meanwhile Chrysalis lets out a short, barking laugh
>"I must admit, if you insist on saddling me with a lackey, you could do worse than this one." Coming from someone like Chrysalis that's pretty high praise
>Celestia levels a searching stare at you
>"Did something like that happen to you?"
>Laughing, you wave the question off
"Of course not. Anyway, if you need to continue your 'slight disagreement' I can come back later."
>"No, it's better for you to take part in this discussion." Celestia waves you over and pulls out a seat for you
>Somewhat reluctantly you sit down, glancing awkwardly at the two royals
>Chrysalis smirks at you
>"We were just talking about how your services are unnecessary."
>Immediately you glare at Celestia
"I'd better get comped for time off work if this falls through. You didn't tell me she wasn't on board with this."

>Her apologetic look does nothing to make you feel better about being left in a lurch like this
>"I'm sorry, I didn't expect her to object so vehemently."
>Scoffing dismissively, Chrysalis leans back with obvious disinterest
>"It's not my fault you didn't think ahead. I have no use for him."
>You resist the temptation to point out how hypocritical it is of her to be saying Celestia didn't think ahead after that slipshod invasion
>"Of course you have use for him. Anonymous would be very helpful in improving public relations. He has the experience of adjusting to pony culture himself, and could pass that on to you."
>Celestia's argument doesn't sway Chrysalis at all
>"Why would I need to do that? Ponies' opinions don't matter to me."
>Now would be the time for you to interject and try to secure your new job, before Celestia starts her tripe about friendship and harmony
"Think of it this way: would you rather continue to rely on foreign government aid for food, or have the populace like your people enough to feed them willingly?"
>Chrysalis opens her mouth, but then pauses and looks thoughtful
>"Hm. That does have merit.
>An encouraging smile is sent your way by Celestia, but you remain stone faced
>It was her fault you have to go through this effort to begin with
>After a short contemplation, Chrysalis speaks again
>"Very well. I will try your public relations idea. Do not fail me." She gives you an intimidating glare as she says this
>You simply nod calmly, and she seems to accept that
>Once you've managed to get the job you thought you had in the first place, all that's left is to sort out the details
>Meeting times are arranged, pay is established, and progress reports to Celestia are given due dates, since you're on her payroll
>It's going to be more work than you thought, as you'll have to keep track of the plans you work out and have an ear on the general opinion of the ponies
>Still, it's a pretty cushy job overall

>When you wake up in the morning you're still filled with a lingering resentment
>Attempting to distract yourself with work preparations isn't very successful, especially since half of your new job is paying attention to news and general opinion
>The simmering frustration in you refuses to die down as your thoughts constantly turn back to the princesses screwing you out of the last of your ability to be relatively ignored and left alone
>You really want to go and chew someone out for this
>Eventually it occurs to you that you can do exactly that
>There's an open court held every day by Celestia to give her a chance to talk to the common folk
>After a short internal debate, you give in to your bitterness despite knowing that this is probably a bad idea
>But it's stopping you from working, so you have nothing else to do
>It doesn't take long to get to the throne room, and the line of waiting ponies is thankfully small
>Still you have to suffer through being awkwardly chatted up by them and getting showered in gratitude and praise
>A frown slowly deepens on your face, and the conversation dies down as the ponies sense your mood
>Waiting is mercifully silent after that, and soon enough it's your turn in the court
>Celestia has a look of curiosity as you approach and tilt forward just barely enough to be considered a bow
>"Anonymous, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?"
>You shoot a displeased scowl her way
"I would say not turn me into a damn celebrity, but that ship has sailed."
>"Do you mean how you were mentioned in my official statement? A bit of recognition is hardly the same as celebrity."
>Uncurling and curling your fingers, you tense your jaw and take a deep breath
"There's a difference between a bit of recognition, and constant prattling about how amazing what I did was, followed by painfully transparent attempts to get chummy with the new hot topic of the hour."
>She seems disappointed at your cynicism

>"Are you so sure that their friendship is disingenuous?"
>A loud, derisive snort of laughter escapes you
"It's pretty obvious. Especially since they would do nothing except stare before this."
>Concern overtakes her expression, causing you to quickly interject before she gets worked up again over whether you're making friends
"Anyway, that doesn't matter. I just wanted to let you know that you've ruined what little peace and quiet in the public eye that I had left. So thanks for that."
>Your sarcasm is painfully clear as you give her an annoyed glare, and you're somewhat pleased to see Celestia becoming visibly uncomfortable
>With your message delivered and your frustration vented you start walking away
>"Wait, Anonymous! I'm terribly sorry, I didn't think-"
>Turning back to her, you raise your hand to interrupt her
"Save your apologies. They won't fix anything."
>Your tone is calm now, almost bland, but you can still see how much your words trouble her
>After waiting briefly to ensure Celestia had nothing else to say, you make your exit and leave her behind
>The next couple days are uneventful other than the occasional brown-nosing nuisance
>Working was much easier now that you weren't distracted
>By the time your meeting with Chrysalis rolls around, you're fairly confident that you have enough prepared
>Someone shows up to lead you around just as you finish getting dressed and ready
>Buttoning up the last button on one of the few dress shirts you own and brushing down your hair, you give yourself a quick once-over before stepping out and following your guide
>Normally you don't care much for your appearance, but you always take your job seriously and this one necessitates you looking presentable
>Arriving at your meeting place you see that it's a sizeable conference room of sorts
>Chrysalis is already seated at the head of the table and locks eyes with you as you come in
"Queen Chrysalis." You nod your head respectfully as you greet her

>"Good, you're here. Come, sit, and tell me what I've gotten myself into."
>You let out a small chuckle and sit down in the seat near her
>She seems to pause and regard you briefly, but doesn't say anything
"It's pretty simple to start with. Anyone you can spare should start doing charity work. I have-"
>"You're telling me that after all the repairs we've done, we should be giving away more work for free?"
"Yes. Technically you could start charging up front, but pretty much no one would take you up on that."
>Her scowl makes it clear that she knows you're right, but she doesn't like it at all
>"If they won't pay for our services, then why should we give them away?"
"It's not giving them away. It's an investment. The only way to get these ponies to work with you is to show that you're apologetic."
>The look you get from her is annoyed and somewhat challenging, like she's sizing you up
>"I'm not sorry, though."
>You just smirk
"They don't have to know that."
>Her expression switches to a satisfied predatory grin
>"Perfect. You will serve The Hive well."
>It was a bit unsettling to be subject to such a vicious look after being around nothing but ponies for so long
>You shrug it off and work with Chrysalis to sort out where and how many of her people are being sent out
>Making sure that every area of the city had a good enough presence of her charity workers was challenging with how many of her nearby forces were still busy with repairs and reparations, but you managed it
>Pleased with your work, you finish up with arrangements to stay in contact and meet again soon
>It's a bit surreal that you have the ear of royalty actually listening to what you have to say
>You'd half expected things to go up in smoke at some point
>All in all, things went pretty well
>Now you just have to manage the inevitable resistance and possible backlash to changelings assimilating into Equestria

>A couple weeks later the repairs had all been finished and the changelings had lingered long enough for rumours to start flying
>Especially since they were lingering to do volunteer work
>Now was the time to call a press conference and let the ponies know that the changelings were going to stick around and try to be helpful
>Convincing Chrysalis wasn't too hard, even though it was obvious that she preferred to have as few of her cards showing as possible
>It's hard to make people believe that you're there to help when they're still suspicious of your motives
>The press, of course, was eager to get a Q&A with the invading bug queen herself, so it was easy to pull one together quickly
>Unfortunately, you know it will be beneficial for you to come along to it
>You dread having to deal with even more attention, but your stubborn pride won't let you do a job half-assed
>So on the day of the press meeting, you're right there behind Chrysalis as she speaks to the reporters
>They're clearly curious but ask the important questions first
>Chrysalis handles it masterfully, showing the right amount of contriteness and doing a good job telling them that she wants to make things right
>You can see that they're not entirely convinced though, so when someone inevitably asks why you're there, you step forward
"I'll take this question myself, if you don't mind. I was given the unique opportunity to work under Queen Chrysalis and be her assistant in her efforts to give back to the pony community. Her desire to do so was touching, so I was happy to take the job."
>Giving the reporters a small, pleasant smile, you move back again and let the focus shift to Chrysalis once more
>After your endorsement you could tell the reporters were warming up to the idea of changelings genuinely trying to make up for what they'd done
>There were a few more questions, mostly about whether the changelings would be any sort of danger, and then the meeting was over

>Walking out with Chrysalis, you're surprised when she speaks up
>"You did well today."
>Not entirely sure how to respond to the compliment, you decide simply to reciprocate
"Thanks. So did you, though I didn't expect anything less."
>She seems to bask in your praise, smiling confidently
>"Of course. Where would a changeling queen be if she couldn't handle a few ponies?"
>Pausing, she looks at you with mild inquisitiveness
>"I do wonder why you told them you're my assistant. Your position is as royal advisor, and most would be eager to brag about that."
>You shrug disinterestedly
"I'm not the type to show off. I don't like being in the spotlight, anyway. Besides, all I said was that I'm assisting you in what you're doing. I never said what my position was."
>Her expression turns to a sly smirk at that
>"Spoken like a changeling."
>There's not much to say to that, so you continue walking in silence for a minute
>A thought springs up out of nowhere and you can't help but let out a small laugh
"Did you notice that one guy in the back who looked like he was about to wet himself the entire time?"
>That distinct low chuckle of hers bubbles out and she smirks again
>"Oh, it was dreadfully apparent. I'm surprised he made it through from start to finish."
"I'm surprised they sent such a wuss in the first place. You'd think they would send a reporter who wasn't shaking as he tried to write. I'll be impressed if he got anything legible down."
>Both of you share another laugh before your paths split
"Until next time, Queen Chrysalis."
>"Indeed, Anonymous."
>The nod in goodbye she gives you is a surprise, since she's never done anything like that before
>You do your usual small nodding bow in response and take your leave, wondering where that more familiar action came from
>True enough, you were getting more comfortable with each other from working together, but she had still always been very aloof
>Deciding it doesn't really matter, you drop it from your mind

>Two days after the press meeting, you're in the middle of an afternoon of work when you're interrupted by a knock at the door
>Grumbling to yourself as you get up, you throw the door open with a surly expression
>To your surprise there stands Twilight looking almost as displeased as you just were
>She brought one of her friends as well, the pink earth pony that's constantly throwing parties
>Party pony is a lot happier than the both of you and immediately grins widely at the sight of you
>"Hiya, Anon!"
>With a long-suffering sigh you rub your temple
"I've told you before not to call me that. Also, you're interrupting my work hours. Can I help you with something?"
>Twilight looks at you with an angry glare
>"You run off without a word to work for Chrysalis, of all ponies, and that's all you have to say?"
>This is going to be a long and annoying conversation, you can tell that much
>Waving them inside, you walk straight over to your liquor to pour yourself a drink
>"Really, Anonymous? I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you."
>You turn back to Twilight, drink in hand, and meet her unhappy gaze with your passive one
"If I'm going to sit here and listen to you bitch at me, I'm not doing it without a drink."
>Twilight takes on an affronted tone
>"These are valid complaints, thank you very much. Leaving without telling anypony wasn't nice, but that's not even the worst-"
>"Yes it is!" The party pony interjects and looks at you with watery puppy-dog eyes. "I didn't even get to throw you a goodbye party. That's the only fun part of somepony leaving."
>From the little you'd interacted with her, you'd gathered that she was pretty clingy and obsessed with those parties of hers
>Unfortunately, the one time she threw a party for you it had been more in line with a kid's birthday party than anything you'd find fun
>You sip your drink in silence as Twilight recovers from the interruption

>"As much fun as your party would have been, Pinkie, what I really can't believe is that Anonymous would stoop so low as to help that... that evil mare!"
>Quirking your eyebrow, you're not sure whether to be amused or annoyed
"You really think she's evil?"
>Twilight gives you an incredulous look
>"Of course she's evil! She tried to take over Canterlot. She locked Cadence away underground. She mind-controlled my brother!"
>It had slipped your mind that the groom was Twilight's brother
>That would create a grudge
>Taking another sip of your drink, you settle into your seat and calmly look over at her
"Tell me, Twilight, have you ever gone hungry? Really hungry, I mean. Not just skipping a meal or two."
>She hesitates, then hardens her expression again
>"No, but I don't use ponies as food, either."
>You wave off the statement and shake your head
"Irrelevant. There's only so long that someone can stand watching the faces of the people they're taking care of when they're told that the tiny bit of food they got is all they're getting for the rest of the day. Pretty soon, you start doing things you never thought you'd do."
>Twilight looks conflicted and she seems like she's struggling to think up a rebuttal
>Party pony, on the other hand, is watching you with growing sympathy
>"You've been through that too, haven't you?"
>A shocked Twilight is glancing between the two of you with no idea what to say
>You honestly didn't expect the party pony to be that observant
"Yeah. It's not something I'm proud of, but I'm not ashamed either. My family was suffering, and I did what I had to."
>Finally Twilight finds her voice and speaks in a small, unsure tone
>"I didn't know that."
>Draining your drink, you set the empty glass down and meet her eyes
"Of course you didn't. It's not something I advertise, because I know I'll get shit for it. Chrysalis can't even get away from it. The least she deserves is a second chance, and for her people to be fed."

>Twilight sighs and her gaze goes to the floor
>"You might be right. I just worry that she's tricking us all again, and that she's not really apologetic."
>Chrysalis's own words about not being sorry echo through your head, and you feel a flicker of doubt
>There's really no guarantee that she won't try something again
>Actually there's no guarantee that she isn't already trying something right now
>Suppressing your uncertainty, you give Twilight a reassuring smile
"I've spent some time with her, and she seems determined to make up for what happened."
>You had to bring up the idea yourself, and convince her that it was worth it, but you weren't going to mention that part
>Twilight returns the smile and seems less nervous at your words
>"I'm glad that you're the one who's working with her. It's good to have someone we can trust keeping an eye on her."
>"Everyone's made up! Woohoo!"
>All you can do is shake your head again at the party pony's antics
>You notice Twilight getting up
>"I guess we should let you get back to work. Sorry for interrupting. It was nice seeing you again."
>Party pony springs up from her seat and shoots you a grin
>"It was super duper! Bye, Anon!"
>Before you can correct her on your name, she's out the door in a flash
>Twilight just laughs and follows after her, waving as she leaves
>Once you're left alone, the doubts you were feeling earlier start creeping back in
>You hadn't really stopped to think about the possibility that Chrysalis could turn on everyone again at any time
>There wasn't much to stop her, either
>Last time had needed the literal power of love
>All you could do was hope that you can convince her that it's better to work with the ponies than against them
>Grabbing a bottle of liquor, you leave the glass abandoned on the table and start swigging straight from the bottle as you stare at the wall and wonder what the fuck you've gotten yourself into

>Fighting through a hangover that lasts well past lunch to try and get work done is never fun
>Even less so when you had a crisis of faith in that job itself just last night
>The only thing you'd managed to sort out before you finally drank enough to knock yourself out is that Celestia was surely aware of the possibility for a betrayal and probably has things in place to deal with that
>She may be incredibly annoying, but she's not stupid
>Secure in the knowledge that you won't be handling this completely alone, you set about to your work as best you can
>Your mind continually wanders back to Chrysalis, though
>Mostly wondering if you're really getting through to her like you hope you are
>As much as possible without it feeling forced you've been trying to impress upon her that it's better to work with the ponies
>It's hard to know for certain whether you've made a difference, since she never reveals much
>Not surprising considering she's a changeling, but frustrating nonetheless
>This line of thought is fruitless so you force yourself to discard it and throw all your focus in so that time flies by
>At the end of your work hours there's a knock at the door
>Celestia and Chrysalis both know your general schedule, but they've never called on you like this
>Pulling open the door, your curiosity grows as you see Twilight standing there with what looks like restrained eagerness
"You're still here?"
>The question has enough of a curious tone to avoid sounding insulting, even though you actually are a bit annoyed that she's still lurking around
>When the two of them didn't show up again after yesterday you thought you were rid of them
>Twilight gives you a friendly smile as she looks up at you
>"Yes I am. We have something that needs to be done. Come with me."
>Apparently she's used to people following her orders since she's already turning to leave
"Uh, no. I'm going to need more information than that."

>Twilight looks surprised and then discouraged as you level a flat stare at her
>She pauses for a second, looking a bit nervous before she finally brightens
>"Princess Celestia's orders."
>That's the one non-answer that you're forced to comply with
>You scowl and cave with bad grace
"Fine. Let's get this over with."
>Happily, Twilight leads the way, seemingly familiar with the castle halls
>Her chatter is easy to tune out as you wonder what the hell you're being dragged out to with no information
>Soon enough you arrive at your destination and Twilight pushes you through the door
>You're greeted by an explosion of noise and confetti
>"SURPRISE!"
>After flinching at the sudden loudness, you look around at Twilight's five friends and the party they've set up
>Immediately you open your mouth to make an excuse to leave
>Before you can, party pony pops up in front of you with her usual gigantic grin and starts blathering
>Something about instead of a goodbye party having a celebration party for your new job
>She talks so fast when she gets excited, you can't keep up with specifics
>This one takes her parties pretty seriously, you realise it'd be easier to get it over with now instead of having her hound you about it relentlessly
>You force a pleasant smile and listen as the ponies alternate between berating you for leaving without telling them and congratulating you on your job
>Celestia and Chrysalis are standing to the side simply watching, you didn't even notice them until you were in the room
>It's surprising enough that Celestia is here, but Chrysalis's presence does not make sense
>Finally Celestia walks over after all the ponies have said their piece
>"You left without telling anypony? Anonymous, I thought you knew better than that."
>She's giving you her best disappointed mother face
"Maybe I just wanted to turn up and be hard at work right away for my new job. Is that so wrong?"
>You return a sincere look, marred by the tiny smirk curling at your mouth

>Celestia shakes her head in resignation
>A couple of the ponies praise you for your work ethic, which amuses you
>Sarcasm is low on their radar apparently
>The party gets going after that, and you have to endure the usual mire of monotonous social interaction with happy ponies who are more than pleased to talk about their lives and interests, even if you're completely uninterested in it
>You notice that Chrysalis is standing off by herself with her typical bubble of space surrounding her
>As soon as everyone around you has gotten a bit of talking in, you excuse yourself, saying that you don't want to ignore a guest and moving over to Chrysalis
>Just like you thought, no one follows you, turning to talk to each other instead
>Chrysalis continues to wear the bored, somewhat annoyed expression she's had since you got here
"Fancy seeing you here."
>With a huff she turns to you and glares
>"Don't get used to it. I'm only here because Celestia insisted I make an appearance at a celebration for my direct underling, and there was nothing of importance to do."
>You chuckle a little at the insult
"Looks like neither of want to be here. I hate being obligated to sit through these awkward little gatherings."
>Chrysalis gives you an unimpressed look
>"You're the only one in this room who wasn't opposing me during my invasion. I think it's a bit more awkward for me."
>You laugh lightly
"Yeah, I guess you win that one."
>Something she said sparks a thought in your head
"Speaking of appearances, it might be time we start sending you out to mingle with the bigwigs of this city. Those are where the big contracts will come from."
>She sighs, obviously not enthused about that
>"A queen's work is never done."
>Suddenly you hear a voice come from over your shoulder
>"Talking about work at a party? Shame on the both of you."
>You turn around to see Celestia with a teasing smile, a slice of cake from the nearby food table levitating beside her

>All you give in response is an apathetic shrug
>Talking with those ponies again about whatever they were saying sounds much worse than talking about work
>Glancing over, you see that Chrysalis has put on an entirely neutral expression and is simply waiting out the conversation silently
>Celestia seems to notice that too, and gives you both a kind smile
>"Try to enjoy the party, you two."
>Chrysalis doesn't take her eyes off Celestia until she's gone back to the ponies
>Awkward silence starts to settle in after that
>To break the uncomfortable atmosphere you ask how her changelings are doing
>Chrysalis's silence breaks and she speaks with obvious pride about how they've been hard at work, enduring through all the mistrust and even managing to get friendly with some of the working class ponies
>Apparently the ponies with tiring jobs really appreciate other hard workers pitching in to lighten the load
>Realising you probably should have asked about this sooner since this is relevant to your job, you mentally berate yourself and make a note to ask about this more frequently
>She talks about the changelings at her home doing better as well now that they have a steady food source, which gives you an odd sense of satisfaction
>Finally the party is winding down and Chrysalis takes her leave
>Not long after that, everyone else looks ready to go too
>Twilight and her friends crowd around you for more congratulations and goodbyes before filing out
>Celestia moves to leave as well, but you call out to her and she waits patiently
>Once you're the only two in the room, you finally speak
"Look, could you not drag Chrysalis to stuff like this? I don't need her resenting me."
>Of all the replies you expected, a giggle was not one of them
>"Is that what she told you? Anonymous, I gave her an open-ended invitation."
>You tilt your head in sheer confusion
>Everything you know about Chrysalis tells you that doesn't make sense
>With a devious little smile, Celestia walks away

>You're left to stand there in silence and ponder
>Chrysalis is the last person you expected to do you any favours
>Especially something like coming to a party full of people she had fought during her attempted invasion
>Though Celestia isn't known to lie, you can't help but wonder if she's trying to pull a fast one on you in some sort of silly ploy to get you and Chrysalis to be friends
>That would piss you off like hell, and Celestia knows this
>It's odd to consider, but Chrysalis might actually view you as more than a peon simply useful to her race's survival
>When you think back on the past few weeks you have to admit that the two of you have been unusually friendly for the situation
>One of you would always end up making some sort of snarky comment and the other would laugh, and before too long your meetings were full of quips and jibes
>It was weird and honestly somewhat nice to have someone that shared your sarcastic and slightly dark sense of humour again
>Maybe that combined with your willingness to work for her could have led to a show of generosity
>Still seems odd and unlikely coming from Chrysalis, though
>If it is true, hopefully that means she'll be more open to your suggestions of continuing to cooperate with Equestria
>With that slightly positive thought, you make your exit and find your way back to your room
>Embarrassingly you have to get directions from a maid for part of the way
>You're still not completely used to this damn castle and its generic looking hallways
>Relief floods through you as you enter the solitude of your room and collapse into your chair, drink in hand
>There's been too much to think about these last couple days
>Now sounds like a great time to turn off your brain and swallow some liquid distraction, so you do just that
>Before you know it, you've gone through several glasses as you watch the night sky through your window, and wind up falling asleep in your seat

>Talking to people when your body aches from sleeping in a chair like a dumbass isn't exactly fun, but regardless you go and get Celestia to lend you one of her people to help you figure out which high society meetings are worth sending Chrysalis to
>The pony sent over to help is thankfully fairly professional, though you still catch some annoying glimpses of awed respect on her expression
>After you've gotten what you need, all you're really doing other than your usual work is waiting for the next meeting with Chrysalis
>When that comes, she's fairly accepting of your suggestions but has one rather unappealing condition
>"You are to accompany me to these events."
>Try as you might to keep the look of unenthusiastic disgust off your face, you're pretty sure you don't succeed
>Attempting to shoot down this idea is going to be potentially sensitive
>Especially since you haven't had to do that to her at all yet
"I don't see why I need to. If there isn't a reason, I'm not going to hang around annoying rich ponies."
>Chrysalis fixes you with a glare
>"You would defy my order?"
>Might as well get this out in the open now so she knows what to expect
"Yes. I'm not your slave, I'm here to do a job for you. Unless it's job related I'm not doing something I hate."
>She's obviously surprised, but amazingly doesn't seem to be getting furious at you like you expected
>"I see. Then I suppose you wish for an explanation?"
>At your nod she continues
>"Doubtless the ponies still distrust me. It would make things easier for you to soften them up for me first before I try anything."
>As sinister as that may sound without context, it pains you to admit that does make a lot of sense
>It's the kind of thing you would suggest, too
"Fuck. I really don't want to deal with more ponies, but that's a good idea. Alright, I'll go."
>You thought you might have seen a flicker of worry on her face when you started
>But now she's her usual confident self
>"Good, that's settled then."

>The day of the boring rich people event comes and it's as excruciating as you expected
>One of the worst parts is that you had to dress up all fancy just to not stick out for being a slob on top of sticking out for being an alien
>High society isn't exactly your scene, and a lot of the time you find yourself nodding without listening to whatever the group you're currently standing around is talking about
>It gives you the opportunity to answer the inevitable questions about your situation with Chrysalis and talk her up a bit, though
>By the time you move on, the ponies you've spoken to are at least a little more open to the idea of Chrysalis being trustworthy enough to work with
>And that's when Chrysalis slips in and starts using her silver tongue
>You can't make out the details of most conversations, but you can tell she practically has every group she talks to eating out of her hand
>Or whatever the ridiculous horse equivalent would be
>Sometimes you forget that Chrysalis is the queen of a race built for infiltration and deception, but times like this remind you how impressive she can be when she's in her element
>Once things finally wind to a close you're pretty sure you've talked to almost everyone here
>You're exhausted and not sure if Chrysalis even needed you since she handled herself so well
>As you wipe your face tiredly, Chrysalis comes up next to you and the two of you exit together
"So, how did things go? From a distance it looked like it went well."
>She gives you a pleased smile
>"Well enough. It shouldn't be too long before deals can be worked out.
>Stretching as you walk, you let out a weary sigh
"I'm glad this was worth our time, because fucking hell was that ever horrible to sit through."
>Chrysalis chuckles, the usual sinister tone almost comfortably familiar at this point
>"I have to agree. The wealthy and noble can be insufferable at times. And the way some of them dress is absolutely ridiculous."

>You can't help a grin as you think back to some of the more stupid fashions you saw
"Seriously. That one lady with the dress so poofed out it took up the space of two extra ponies, what the hell was she thinking?"
>A scowl on Chrysalis's face makes it clear that she remembers that one
>"I had to force my way past that idiotic dress, and she had the nerve to be upset about it!"
>The two of you laughed and traded mentions of the silly things they were wearing back and forth the rest of the way back to the castle
>When you reached the end of your path together, Chrysalis nods with a faint smile
>"Farewell, Anonymous."
>A little surprised that her goodbye is even more familiar than last time, it takes you a second to respond
"Yeah, take care."
>Walking away you realise that you're really not sure what's going on between you two at this point
>You didn't think Chrysalis would be the type to even be as friendly as she has been
>Maybe that was presumptuous of you, you don't know her that well after all
>There's also the worrying possibility that it's all an act and she's just using that to keep you around
>Unnecessary, but it wouldn't really surprise you
>It's all so frustratingly unclear, a part of you wants to go back to your mindless menial job where you hardly had to talk to anyone
>Honestly, you're a bit scared that you could end up losing the first decent bit of company you've had in ages
>The way the two of you sarcastically joke and snark with each other reminds you so much of your old friends that it would hurt more than you could handle to lose that again
>Lost in thought as you are, you're startled when a shout of your name draws your attention
>Celestia is standing in front of you and looking concerned
>"You didn't notice when I called your name the first few times. Are you alright?"
>You nod absently, but that doesn't seem to satisfy her
>"I have some time free, and you're about due for a progress report. Come, let's talk."
>With no real choice, you follow