#beetlebrain

Beetlebrain, covered in edible gold luster

Back in the Crystal Empire, a long-running gag character, Beetlebrain the Changeling, comes to the forefront. He's been the elephant in the room for a VERY long time, not being able to transform himself and still maintaining a persistent presence in the Crystal Empire. He declares his fealty to Quartzy in a very roundabout fashion, still seeming to believe that he needs to maintain his "disguise" in front of her. While she is alone with Beetlebrain, though, she is swept away by a dark blur. Upon being deposited in the snowy wastes, she looks up to see that her captor is none other than her mother Queen Chrysalis herself.

Beetlebrain runs off through the Crystal Empire to tell everypony that Quartzy has been kidnapped, taking the time to "reveal" that he's been a Changeling spy this whole time. He is astonished that nopony was surprised, but persists that Quartzy needs to be saved. The Changeling Queen and her hive have seen better times, for sure. She is utterly woebegone in the twenty-odd years since she's last been seen, and her drones are even more gaunt and starved than ever. But now, Chrysalis has put together a plan involving her long-lost son Quasimodo. Since 'he' has shown a powerful affinity for the Crystal Heart, Chrysalis will use 'him' to overthrow the Crystal Empire, a powerful source of love to feed off of in anticipation of their overthrowing of Equestria. She minces no words; once Quasimodo has squandered 'his' uses, Chrysalis will kill him.

Beetlebrain finds his way to Quartzy, with Skyla, Royal Beauty, Cute Curiosity, Benitoite, Carnelian Carnation, and the rest of her family and loved ones. Chrysalis senses Quartzy's love in Beetlebrain's belly, and attempts to siphon it. At Quartzy's behest, Beetlebrain gives the love, and in a flash, he becomes a beautiful glistening creature. The wave of love propagates out from Beetlebrain, all of the Changelings save Chrysalis being affected by the wave and transforming into the shapes they took in To Where And Back Again, Part 2. Quasimodo Quartz is affected as well, becoming a more beautiful doe-like creature, the holes in her legs disappearing (though still needing her wheelchair) and her mane and tail becoming much more fabulous. Chrysalis, overwhelmed, weakened, and not understanding what love truly is, is brought into custody at long last. Quasimodo Quartz becomes the new Queen of the Changeling Hive, along with being Crown-Princess of the Crystal Empire.

[This idea for Quasimodo Quartz to become the new Queen of the hive was conceived long before Thorax and To Where And Back Again, but after that two-parter aired, StarryOak and I decided to incorporate that into the story of the blog. She is absolutely enamored of the deer-like designs of the new Changelings...!]

Now, at this point, the Tumblr would have ended, but StarryOak had the idea of an "epilogue" some time after we'd finished, where Quasimodo Quartz would speak to the mirror again some years later. Though she is infertile and will never birth a clutch of Changelings, she & her wife Cute Curiosity have adopted many children of many races. Her Changelings have taken up the mantle of birthing Changelings themselves, and when her time has come, Quasimodo Quartz will produce a 'royal jelly' to feed to one to become the new Queen in her stead. Royal Beauty & Cascade Glimmer have tied the knot and given birth to a foal, an Alicorn foal whom they named Flurry Heart. Having a child with such prominent wings drives Royal Beauty to distraction. Sugar Rush has a little sister now, Skittle Splatter. Flame Burst and Muddy May are closer sisters than ever. All in all, the world is stronger and more loving than ever.