The badlands. An endless waste of sand and twisted plants and equally twisted souls. In it, hidden among the dunes and long abandoned outposts, towns and villages were set, the inhabitants thinking themselves free of all authority but their own. But… even there, in that long expanse, there are rulers.
Chrysalis.
Among the ruined land, her children wandered, their thoughts conveyed to her in instants. Across all of Equestria, they went, seeking any advantage. But one day, it happened. All across Equestri, changelings shifted, turning back into their true forms. Many commited suicide, while others merely lay down and wept. When captured, most refused nourishment, and quickly perished. A few of the younger surrendered, and were sent to Cadence. Once feeding, they told her that their thoughts were their own. The thoughts of their mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters… even the thoughts of their queen… were silent.
That day, though they did not know it, Equestria gained new allies, and even greater friends. Changelings were sent to the humans, who helped integrate them into society. Now, changelings freely walk and fly the streets and towns, no longer ashamed or frightened. Now, they are free. The only question remains: what happened?
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Chrysalis lay across her bed, murring softly as her silk coverings dragged over her armor like hide, taking pleasure in her few private moments. Raising her head, her long green mane rippling around her a moment, she regarded the slim changeling next to her. Smiling, she leaned her head back down, and gently nuzzled her general.
“Awaken, my beauty… my deadly Shiv…”
Chittering softly, the female leaned into the nuzzling, then groaning, covered her face with a hoof, looking blearily through one of the holes on her leg, her green-blue eye half lidded.
“Nnnggghhh…. Chrys, leave me alone….”
Giggling, Chrysalis nibbled playfully one the mares ear.
“Really now… such a lazy thing you are…”
Cooing softly at the attention, Shiv removed her leg, and winked.
“That’s hardly my fault, you kept me up all night…”
Nudging the female with a wing, Chrysalis stood, and walked off the bed.
“Tut-tut little ling. Time for all changelings to come to the aid of their hive!”
Grumbling, Shiv stood, and stretched. Walking to the bureau, she removed the green helm on top, and placing it on her head, turned, and regarded her queen. Ducking her head slightly, she murmured, “How do I look?”
Smiling back, Chrysalis walked over, and raising her head with a hoof under her chin, pressed her lips to Shiv’s firmly. Closing her eyes, the changeling chittered softly, and as Chrysalis pulled away, she whimpered weakly in protest. Pressing their foreheads together, Chrysalis whispered “As lovely as always….” Giggling again at the look of the ‘lings face, Chrysalis walked towards the door of her chambers, her hips swaying.
“Come, my dear. Time to greet our family.”
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Chrysalis smiled as her hive milled about their homes, the larvae squealing with delight as their beloved walked amongst them. The warmth of their adoration filled her, and her love for her hive filled them, and wings buzzed in excitement as the changelings gathered.
Smiling, their queen raised her hoof.
“My loves, my children. Please, return to your work.”
Giving a collective noise of disappointment, the ‘lings returned to their work, still bowing as their Queen and General passed. Still smiling, and enjoying the love she had gotten, Shiv said, “Milady, we have a problem…”
Sighing, Chrysalis shook her head sadly.
“I’m… aware, my General.”
Crooked horn glowing a moment, Chrysalis raised an iron gate. Eyes widening, Shiv stopped. Looking over her shoulder, the queen tilted her head to indicate she should follow. Gulping, Shiv nodded back, and jumped slightly as the gate fell again.
“My queen…”
Smiling, Chrysalis continued walking as she spoke.
“Shiv, we’re alone.”
Sighing, Shiv removed her helm, and held it to her side with a wing.
“Chrys… where are we going?”
Chrysalis stopped, and looked down.
“To gaze upon our salvation… our victory…”
Eyes widening, Shiv cantered up, voice shaking, “No… No Chrys!”
The queen looked away, closing her eyes. Gently turning her head back, Shiv whimpered “Please don’t do this to us again.”
Pulling away, Chrysalis walked briskly down the hall. Shiv followed, shaking her head/
Chrysalis drew a breath, “They shall all embrace us, its my time to rule at last.”
“Please, Chrysalis…”
Tears threatening to fall down her cheeks, Chrysalis said softly, “For all years, I’ve waited to sit upon that throne.”
Stamping her hoof, Shiv cried, “You would sacrifice all of us for that?” Baring her teeth, Shiv whimpered, “You’d… sacrifice me?”
Chrysalis turned, and nuzzled the top of her lovers head.
“Oh, my deadly little Shiv… I could never sacrifice you…”
Turning back, the queen walked briskly down the hall, and as Shiv followed, she said “Nor will any of my subjects be sacrificed.”
Smiling as they entered a antechamber, she nodded towards the large pod against one wall.
“It shall be his.”
Shiv walked up the pod, and gently sniffed it. Taking a step back, her eyes narrowed.
“A human…”
Smirking, Chrysalis walked up.
“A magi…”
Jerking away from her queen, Shiv gasped in shock.
“What? Chrys, you can’t be serious!”
Chrysalis nodded. Shiv, eyes wide, stepped backward from the pod, mouth working.
“Chrys! Have you forgotten what they did to the gryphons?”
Chrysalis sighed, and nuzzled the panicing changling, and smiling softly, asked, “My love, do you trust me?”
Shiv’s ears flattened against her skull, and whimpering, she gave a nod. Kissing the top of the soldiers head, Chrysalis whispered, “Oh, my precious jewel. You only speak out of love for your family.”
Pulling away, she said in a slightly louder tone, “And I only do what is needed for our survival.”
Looking back up at the pod, Chrysalis’s horn lit up in its green aura, and a slit traveled down the side of the pod. An instant later, the pod split fully open, green water gushing out across the polished stone floor. As the water spilt, and human dropped out and collapsed to the floor, and vomited out the ichor he had swallowed while in the pod. Down his spine, black scales interlapped, stopping at the end of his tail bone. Still wet black hair strung down and dripped upon the floor, and gagging, the human retched out the last of the pods ichor.
Scowling, Shiv walked forward and barked, “On your feet drone.”
The human shook his head, and muttered under his breath, Teeth bared, Shiv hissed, “What was that?”
Teeth bared back, the human looked up, green eyes flashing as he hissed, “Shut up.” Looking down again, he sat up and clutched his head.
“Stop it, stop, shut up, shut up, shut up!”
Shiv took a half step backward, and looked up at her queen. Looking down, Chrysalis said, “He’s a member of our family. The hive mind takes a bit of getting used…” suddenly, both jumped as the humans hand clenched into a fist, and slammed into the ground, the stone cracking under the blow.
“Get out, get out, make it stop…”
Suddenly, the humans whipped up, and his eyes narrowed as he snarled, “You…” suddenly, in a flash, he knocked Shiv across the room, to slam into a wall, then collapse unconscious. Before she could scream, the humans hand wrapped around her muzzle, then his other hand flexed, a green flame surround ing it. His hand had transformed, blackened chitlanous armor covering the hand and wrist, the fingers elongating, then hardening, becoming like black steel. Lips next to the ears of the changling, the human whispered, “This will make it quiet…”
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Blue green eyes fluttering, Shiv hissed in pain as she awoke, and blearily looked around.
“Chrys…”
“Dead…”
Gasping, the changling leaped up, and regarded the human sitting on a pile of rocks. Next to him, the corpse of her lover lay, eyes glazed, the dark green blood of the corpse drying. Screeching in horror, Shiv was at her lovers side, grabbing her head, as she cried, “No, no, no…. not you Chrys…” drawing the mares head to her chest, the changling sobbed, then with tear streaming down her cheeks, she hissed at the human, “You… monster…”
The human shrugged, and regarding his now blood soaked claw, watched bemusedly as it shifted back into its normal form. Suddenly, the changling gasped, and looked around, her queens body still in her hooves.
“Wait…. Wait! I… I can’t hear them…”
The human stood, and began to walk, and as he did, said, “I’ve severed the link.
Shiv dropped her queens body in shock, and screeched, “What?”
Walking to the door, the human continued, “The hive mind is no more. You are all finally free,,,”
Pressing her face into her hooves, Shiv began to sob again.
“You…. Savage… you take our queen…. Then sever us from each other…” Clutching her head, Shiv whimpered, “What am I going to do?”
Slowly, the humans head turned to look over his shoulder.
“Keep moving.”
Shiv lowered her hooves, and looked at the human, eyes widening.
“What?”
Looking forward again, the human said, “You’ve got four strong legs changling. You can either stay here and die, or move forward, and make a place for yourself.”
And with that, the human left.
Author's Note
Just kinda felt like doing a changeling story, and also telling what happened to them in this verse. Questions, comments are more then welcome.