"Are You Not Afraid Of Me?"

We entered the edge of the colony and I changed my appearance back to my original form and Terra turned to look at me.

“Personally I prefer this version of you much better.” Her comment took me by surprise and I responded.

“Why do you say that?”

“I’m not sure, you just look…more natural like that.” I gave a smirk and said nothing back. It seemed like everypony except her had the exact opposite opinion. As we walked through the wasteland there seem to be a growing number of Changelings gathering the further they entered. Eventually Changelings surrounded Terra and me and I could tell she was becoming nervous. We stopped in our tracks and a Changeling stepped forward, but at first did not say anything.

“What is this?” I growled.

“So, going out to feed with your new pet my Queen, before it is your time?”

“What I do is none of your business, as I have state before!” Now my patient was growing extremely thin, I was ready to blow.

“Yet was it also not you who told us, and demonstrated to us time after time that order and control was essential to survival?” This Changeling was growing more confident by the second; something would have to be done.

“I have, and that has not changed in the slightest. I did not go out to feed on anything, I simply guided our guest to the village for supplies.” Terra was looking confused casting glances between the Changeling, and myself, as she could not understand what we were saying.

“Yes our guest, my Queen. Has this guest grown on you? Because the special treatment you’ve shown her is more generous than you have shown any of us in a long while.”

“Are you questioning-?”

“Your plan, yes we know you’ve talked about your plan.” The Changeling cut in. “Yet your actions reveal that you may not have a plan at all!”

The anger was welling up inside me. I could not take this insubordination in front of all the other Changelings, and the fact that he had such nerve to address his queen in such a manor appalled me. My horn began to grow and I fired a green blast right at the defiant Changeling.

It hit him square in the face on knocking him on the ground causing him to slide across the dirt and land in front of his brothers.  I was now glowing green with rage and I was blinded by my own fury. I launched another beam, which struck him on the ground. He was now curled up into feeble position, however I did not let up. I continued to fire blast after blast and yelled out,

“I will not stand for insubordination! I am your Queen and you will obey me, or else I shall remind you as often as necessary that I am powerful enough to wipe away your tiny existence! Now if another one of you questions my intentions with this pony, then I will make sure it’s the last thing you do!”

I was looking hard at all the Changelings around us who were all stunned and shaking. I looked down the bruised and cut Changeling before me and finally turned away from him.

“Take this trash away. Now I do not recall asking you to treat this pony with respect! You may treat her as one of our own, and in fact I encourage it! Now I do not wish to be bothered by this any further.”

I turned around and saw that Terra was now curled up in a ball on the ground shaking in fear of what she had just witnessed. I tried to make as neutral of an expression as possible and told her.

“Let’s continue.” She hesitated for a moment, but realized that the mass gathering of Changelings were still around us and she felt it safer with me. She got up and followed me closely and as we continued back to my quarters the large crowd of Changelings dispersed back into the wasteland.

“I offer my apologies, I’m sorry that you had to witness that and if it scared you.” I told her as sat down on my straw bed.

“Just a little,” Terra said. “What was that about, and why did you have to abuse him so much?” I gave a little smirk at told her,

“Now you see why they obey me. I have the most power among all the Changelings and I have to use that power to keep my subjects in line. If I did not then they would be in danger of chaos.”

“Is it because I’m staying here? Does my presence create tension?” This is bad I thought; I need to keep her around  a little longer to gain her friendship.

“No more than usual, it is nothing to worry about. They are just not use to outsiders being here.” She sat down in the dirt outside of my hut and looked away for a second looking remorseful.

“Why have you taken me in Queen Chrysalis?” Again I scrambled to think of an answer that would suffice.

“Because I have taken pity on you.” Wrong choice of words, I thought. “What I mean is, I can understand the confusion and pain you must go through traveling from land to land not having any where to settle. So I would like to be kind and offer you at least a temporary place for you to call home.”

The pony looked me in the eyes for a very long time, and eventually I could see tears starting to form and she turned away putting her hoof over her face.

“I’m sorry my Queen, I don’t usually get emotional.” She sniffed hard and rubbed her eyes.

“I just haven’t received that level of kindness in such a long time, I almost forgot what it felt like.” She turned back to me a smiled, and then she bowed her head.

“Thank you your highness.” I winced again when she did this. Luckily I saw a large group of Changelings approaching Terra, which immediately changed the mood of the situation. This should be entertaining. The Changelings surrounded Terra and were all smiling with little growls.

“Can I help you?” Terra asked. Just then a Changeling on her side transformed into her. This surprised Terra and when the Changeling had her attention he made an ugly face at her. The other Changelings laughed and then two more Changelings transformed and began mocking her.

“Look at me I’m just a dumb pony who is completely clueless!” said one of the Terra Changelings

“I’m the Queens little pet, won’t you treat me like a Princess.” The other responded.

Again the group of Changelings roared with laugher, however Terra remained clueless. Eventually all the Changelings transformed to look like the pony. Some made ugly faces at her while others just simply pointed and laughed. The real Terra looked worried for a second as she continuously turned in circles to see all the Changelings around her.

It seemed like this would soon over whelm her however, through all the laughter there could be heard a higher pitched voice that was laughing. It was that of a female’s and I realized that it was Terra who was also laughing. She was now laughing along with the Changelings and she did so with such enthusiasm that eventually the Changeling’s amusement died down.

The group looked around curiously at each other and was unsure what to do next. A Changeling from behind Terra walked up to try and take her pack of supplies, however he was met with a swift kick to the chin knocking him back on the floor.

“No one touches my food!” She looked around with an angry expression, trying to see if any others were going to attempt to make a grab.

“GOT IT?” She yelled, and with that the group of Changelings transformed back into their original forms and ran off. I was a bit stunned; as I thought for sure she would loose all her materials. Terra picked up her bag and walked back over to her bed of straw. I continued to stare at her and this eventually got her attention. She looked up and said,

“I figured out that the main reason kids make fun of you is to get a reaction. So if you respond the opposite way they expected, it stops being fun and they’ll give up.”

“Interesting, how were you able to deliver such a powerful kick?” I asked intrigued by her strength.

“Well, when you travel all over like me; you end up getting into a lot of situations where you have to defend yourself.

Besides in some orphanages it was either sink or swim.” I was mildly impressed by her ability, if only I had the knowledge she did so early on. I shook off my daze and turned toward her.

“I’m going to sleep now, goodnight pony.”

“I’m following suit, goodnight my Queen.”