Forgotten Children

Days passed, then weeks. As time continued to march on into months Chrysalis would come to talk every few days, at which time he seemed calm. Often Chrysalis would then pretend to leave but would wait in the darkness out of his sight to watch him. The guards were coming by less and less frequently. When they did, he would put on a show of being psychotic until they left.

Chrysalis spent a great deal of time thinking about him. Despite his brash nature, he was extremely intelligent. Few other changelings had lived so long and seen so much besides herself. He was able to converse on her level and not be prey to her guiles or questioning.

He also had engaged her in deeper thought than any time in recent memory among her own children. But approaching without a barrier between them seemed a very dangerous idea. She continued to watch and wait, and with each visit and each psychotic outburst, she wondered more and more how much of it was fake.

Approaching his cell again one day, she heard him speaking. At first Chrysalis though he was talking to a guard. She stopped in the hallway and listened. She could just barely make out his words.

“...don’t really care.” He paused, and continued. “Stop! Just...just stop. I don’t...no, go away.” Another pause. “Well that’s a fine idea. Why don’t you just go ahead and explain how that’s going to work.”

Chrysalis nudged herself closer, trying to get close enough to see what guard he was speaking to.

“Just like that, huh? Fuck her and then everything becomes sunshine and rainbows, that’s your idea? And expect I’ll just waltz out skipping joyously all the way?”

Chrysalis smiled as she poked her head around a corner. “At least one of my children is trying to talk some sense into him,” she thought. But looking down the hallway to his cell, no guard was outside his bars. Chrysalis’ smile turned to a frown. The bars took the magical power of several changelings together to move them. One or even two guards would not be enough. She continued to creep forward to see what was going on.

“No no no no. No. I do have some standards in my life.” He sounded exasperated, like he had been whenever Chrysalis brought up the subject. “Well look, if I had some sort of guarantee like that I’d be more willing to consider it.”

Chrysalis had reached his cell. No guard was present anywhere she could see, so she swung her head around into view and demanded, “What sort of guarantee!?”

To her surprise, there was no one else in the cell. Her son was sitting on his haunches with his back to her looking at the wall. He leaned his head backward to look at her and said, “Oh fuck, look who it is.” He turned continued to lean backward until he fell over and said, “Yes? May I help you?”

With a confused look, she asked, “Who were to talking to?”

As if he didn’t hear, he continued, “So! We were having a little discussion and I was thinking maybe we could work out some sort of deal. Tell me what it is that you want again?”

Chrysalis couldn’t speak. Looking at him, lying on his back with his legs in the air, he was acting like he did with her guards. “Well?” He prompted.

“I…uh…I need…” Chrysalis paused, trying to collect her thoughts. “First I want to know who you were speaking to. Then we’ll get to working out a deal.”

“Oh, he comes and goes,” he stated vaguely.

Chrysalis decided to drop it. This conversation was going nowhere so she moved forward before he might consider refusing her again. “I need new genetic material, from you, to grow my Hive. I’ll also need to know the details of where you have been and what you’ve learned since you left the Hive. And if all that goes well, you will be allowed to leave and will not be allowed to return on pain of death.”

“So...let me get this right,” he replied, still lying on the floor. “You want me to squirt inside of you, babble like a retard, and then get the fuck out? At what point do I actually get something out of this?”

“You get to keep your life. That’s what you get,” she stated simply.

“Yeah, but at this point I think that’s not enough. I have something you need and that you haven’t come across in a long time. I think I should get something else.” He looked at the ceiling, away from her.

“You said earlier that you needed a guarantee. What guarantee do you need to make this more appealing to you? Your safety out of the Hive is easy. I’ll escort you to the exit myself.” Chrysalis leaned to one side, trying to see if he was even paying attention.

“No no, see, what I need is a guarantee about these new children of yours.” He rolled himself over on to his stomach to look at her. “I am somewhat perturbed that my treatment, and imprisonment seem to be an indirect result of you deciding to take a mate and have male children. I understand that you aren’t ‘taking’ me in the same way. But I’d really, really just feel better if you birthed no sons.”

Chrysalis’ mouth hung open. His display of concern for the future of the Hive was very out of character. “I- I can do that,” she stuttered. “When the pods develop, the temperature at which they incubate can change their sex. Lower for females, higher for males. But its tricky. I wouldn’t dare risk the life of my unborn children trying to make sure they were female.”

“And so your compassion is your downfall.” He stood up and started to walk away, still talking. “You’ll take the risk of repeating all your past mistakes because you don’t have the courage to stand up and accept the potential losses to ensure a more stable future. This is why I told him it wouldn’t work.” He stopped at the far side of his cell and sat down again, looking away from her.

His bluntness caused an epiphany in Chrysalis. She had been too kind. She clung so tightly to the children she had left that she was unwilling to lose even one should it mean that a hundred more would live. “You might be right,” she said, her voice cracking. “You think about anything else you might want and I’ll be back to talk that over with you.” She turned quickly to leave, but noticed he hadn’t fed off her love recently. Backing up, he called out to him where he sat facing the wall, “Aren’t you hungry?”

Without looking, he said in a quiet tone, “You’re not strong enough to satisfy me anymore.”

Chrysalis twitched as tears started in her eyes. She clenched her teeth and ran from him, pushing past her guards, and into the far places of her Hive where the broken pods lay rotting in their alcoves. She ran in amongst one of the pods, and curling up within the slime of its shell, sobbed her anger over her failure as a mother.

…

Back in his cell, the changeling paced back and forth. “You really are an ass, you know that? Well, be that as it may, I don’t want you here and yet to continue to annoy me. I don’t care what you have to say! Ok, so you had one or two good ideas. Ok, it worked well a few times...yes, she was hot. No, I don’t care that she died as a result. You- look, just leave me alone for a while, ok? I’ll do this one last thing and you and I are done, got it?”

He walked back to his bars and banged against them with his shell. “Mom! Mooooom! Mom, I’m ready! Mom! MOM! Mom mom mom mom mommy mommy mom! I give up, I’m ready! Mooooooom!” He bounced up and down, making as much noise as he could. “Hey! Mom! I’m ready here and where are you? Come on, I’m so randy! Oooh, hot for my mom! Mommy mommy!”

As the banging continued, guards at the far entrance to the dungeon began to gather. They looked at each other, unsure.

“You think his mind finally broke?” asked one.

“Does it matter if Mother gets what she wants?” retorted another.

“Send someone up for Mother. She’ll want to know of this development,” replied yet another guard.

“Not me. She didn’t look too happy when she ran past a little while ago. You go.” The first one motioned to the second.

“Oh no, I might be sick of sitting down here but I’m not taking the chance of Chrysalis being in a worse mood,” she said.

“Fine, I’ll go,” said the last changeling guard. “You two better not be gawking when we come back. And he better still be alive.”

As she left, the two remaining guards looked at each other. “We better go down there and make sure he doesn’t crack his skull open with all that banging,” said one.

“Good idea,” replied her sister. With that, they hurried on down the hall.

Upstairs, the guard moved quickly from chamber to chamber. Not seeing Chrysalis anywhere, she inquired to others about her whereabouts. Each one of her sisters pointed her in a different direction or somewhere she had already been. Finally, stopping at the bridge and the rows of changelings dutifully guarding the only entrance, she asked of them if they had seen Mother.

They advised they had seen Chrysalis run past and into the outer parts of the Hive, so the guard took off in that direction. She had not been out here in quite some time and admitted to herself that it was in fact quite spooky. The green glow emanating from the ceiling was nothing new, but the faint odor of the rotting pods and the cobwebs and rats skittering about did little to ease her mind.

The shadows seemed to breath in and out with the undulating light from above, but the utter silence and darkness in the corners of her vision made it seem all the more supernatural and scary. “Mother,” she called out quietly, “Are you there? Its me, Abelle. I bring important news of our prisoner.”

Abelle stopped and listened carefully. No sounds from nearby, so she fluttered her wings to move herself a few rows over. “Mother? If you are here, please say something. I have important news...please, you’re scaring me.” She thought she heard something from further out towards the walls, so using her wings again, flew that direction.

Standing in the intersection of several rows of alcoves, she listened again. This time, she heard a faint noise for sure. Walking slowly, she carefully tracked it down and in doing so began to recognize what she was hearing. Heavy breathing. Something slick or wet being slid around. Abelle tried to move as quietly as possible, but echoes from her hooves sounded across the walls and alcoves.

She tilted her head around to make sure she was headed in the right direction. Sure enough, noises were coming from in front of and slightly above her. Buzzing her wings again, she flew upwards slowly, looking left and right. Each alcove was empty save for a broken pod. Abelle remembered that this was the area where her sisters who did not survive were taken to. Thankfully, whoever had been in charge of that gruesome task had removed the bodies from the pods.

She shuddered despite her relief, this was still a grim reminder of where her Hive was and where it would ultimately end up if her mother did not get what she needed. She buzzed about more urgently, and in her haste zipped right past Chrysalis where she had curled up inside an old pod.

Starled, Chrysalis poked her head out of her hiding place and called out to her. “Child? What are you doing here?”

Abelle spun around, almost losing her bearings and crashing into a wall. “Mother! I’ve been looking for you!” She sped back to Chrysalis, hovering outside the alcove. “Quick! big, important news! You must come with me! You…!” Abelle looked more carefully at the scene in front of her. “Why are you curled up in an old pod?”

Chrysalis sighed and motioned for her to land. “What is your name, dear?”

“Abelle,” she said as she landed and tucked her wings back along her sides.

“Come here, love.” Chrysalis motioned for Abelle to sit with her, but she hesitated. “Its really not bad. Kind of comforting, I swear. Come here.” Chrysalis held out her front arms for a hug.

Abelle approached and hugged her mother. Sliding down next to her, she did indeed feel comforted. The pod had warmed up from her mother’s body heat and there was very little smell. Just a comforting wetness and the feeling of her mother pressed up against her.

“See, its pretty nice, isn’t it?” Chrysalis asked, to which Abelle nodded. “I’ve been really going through a lot lately. I appreciate all of your and your sisters’ support.” Chrysalis paused, then asked timidly, “Can...can I ask you a serious question? Like, I want you to really think about the answer.”

Abelle nuzzled Chrysalis where she lay pressed up against her in the pod. “Of course you can. I’ll answer any question you ask of me.”

Chrysalis sighed. She didn’t want to, but asked anyway. “Have I been a good mother?”

Abelle sat upright like she had been shocked. “What kind of a question is that? Of course you are! If you were bad, I wouldn’t be alive, now would I?”

Chrysalis nodded, but pushed for more. “I said I want you to really think hard. Just being here is not a sign of how well I have done in taking care of you. I look at all these pods and wonder what this place might be like had they bore live young. I wonder how any of my children would be going back and forth or just simply staying in the world above. I think I made some very poor choices and you and all of your siblings are suffering because of it.”

“Mom, I don’t what to think about that.” Abelle closed her eyes and leaned back into her mother’s embrace. “So what if things were different? What if you were made of chocolate? Would that mean that I’d be made of chocolate?”

Chrysalis giggled, Abelle was so sweet and innocent. She inhaled deeply and sighed. Maybe that was the problem. She needed stronger, wiser troops. Ones that could think and act on their own. Ones that would tell her if she was making bad decisions. “Abelle, what was the urgent matter than make you come all the way out here for?”

Her daughter again popped upright, having almost forgotten her mission in the loving embrace of Chrysalis. “Oh! Our prisoner is banging against his cell calling for you. Says he’s...ready? He seems a bit crazy though.”

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. “Explain better what ‘a bit crazy’ means to you.”

“Oh, uh…” Abelle thought about it. “I’ve seen him a few times since he’s been down there. He does yell a lot. Last time he said he’d eat my insides using my empty skull as a bowl. I think his mind is going from being down there for so long. Just before I came up here he was banging himself against those bars and screaming ‘Mommy’ over and over.” Pausing, she added, “You think its safe to go in there with him? I mean, after last time...” she trailed off.

Chrysalis smiled. “If you were me, what would you do?”

Unused to being asked for her opinion, Abelle avoided the question. “Oh, uh, that’s not my place.”

Chrysalis nudged her with a hoof. “You said you’d answer any question I asked of you. So tell me, what would you do if you were me right now?”

“Eh...I suppose...I don’t know.” Abelle shrugged. “When you were first talking to him he seemed so strong, so wise. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was attracted to him the way I assume you were. In speaking to my sisters at the time, I think I was not alone. But none of them are willing to admit to that now, not after what he did in the nursery.” She looked at Chrysalis who motioned for her to continue. “He’s definitely a unique member of our family. He looks so exotic with that thorny plate. He acts like no one else I’ve ever met and he’s so mysterious, I wish he would just-” Abelle stopped suddenly and blushed.

“Oh, uh, sorry Mother. If uh, if I were you, I think I’d go down there and talk to him a bit. If he seemed calm enough I’d chain his legs and have him escorted out of there. His mind might come back around if he were to see something familiar.”

Chrysalis mused this last part. “Ooh, now that is a wonderful idea. I think I may be able to use that to my advantage.” Chrysalis scooted forward and out of the pod. Slime trailed from behind her. “Ew. I forgot how sticky this stuff is. Come child, we have preparations to start.”

Abelle hopped out of the pod and found that she too, was covered in slime. Unlike Chrysalis, she giggled as it stretched, spinning around and watching bits of it fly off of her. Chrysalis shook the excess off her wings and fluttered them to make sure she wasn’t going to fall. Satisfied, she and Abelle descended from the alcove and walked back towards her chambers.

“Abelle, I need your help to bring all of this together. Go and gather a few of your sisters that know the caves leading to the surface. Take a scout with you and go up to gather any flowers from the surface you can find. Also bring back a satchel of dirt.” Abelle looked confused but Chrysalis continued, “Bring these things to my chambers and wait for further instructions. Go, shoo, quickly!” Chrysalis pushed her from behind.

As Abelle took off in flight, Chrysalis turned towards the bridge. Reaching it, she asked aloud to her assembled guard, “Who here knows how to forge steel?”

Several armored changelings stepped forth. Chrysalis beckoned them closer and said, “I need you to forge for me chains to secure our guest. One for each leg two bands to hold his wings flat. Can you do this?”

They nodded, but one said, “Mother, we do not have enough raw material to make this much. We have plenty of stone that we could-”

“No,” Chrysalis cut her off. “Steel only. Use your own armor if you have to. Do it quickly but make sure its strong. When finished go into the caves and wait at the entrance.”

They nodded and hurried off themselves. Chrysalis walked back the way she came and down towards the entrance to the dungeon. She passed by more guards, the largest and strongest of which she gathered with her and briefly explained the plan. They did not appear to be enthused, but nodded and followed behind her.

Chrysalis and her entourage descended the long stone stairwell, and reaching the bottom she turned to her assembled group and said, “You hang back. When others arrive with chains, carefully, quietly ready them and come down to where I will be speaking with him. Make sure you stay out of sight and earshot until I call for you. No talking. Got it?” They nodded their understanding but did not talk.

Chrysalis drew in a deep breath, exhaled slowly and walked down the corridor to him. Turning familiar corners, she started to pick up sounds in the distance.

“....mommy…ma...mooootherrrrrr…” His desperate pleas echoed down the hall. “...oooooh, mmmmm, yeah…”

Chrysalis came down the last part of the hall and saw two guards standing there, looking in his cell. Without looking away from him, she could see one lean in and whisper something to the other. The second only nodded.

Coming closer, they noticed Chrysalis’ approach. They ran up to greet her. “Queen Chrysalis! The prisoner has been asking for you for hours. He-”

“Yes I know,” she replied, waving them off. You two are relieved from duty. Please make your way back to your normal posts.”

They looked at each other and back at Chrysalis. Their mother did not look but walked right past them on her way to his cell. Their eyes followed her briefly, but doing as commanded, they ran for the exit, happy to be out of there.

Chrysalis strode confidently in front of his cell, and found him rolling about on the floor, still yelling, albeit more weakly than just a few minutes earlier. Chrysalis cleared her throat to get his attention.

He flopped over at the noise. “Mommy! Mommy mommy mommy! I’m so ready for you now!” He rolled about, coming closer but not actually using his legs to move about. He rolled into the bars and bounced back. “Yay! You came for me! Ooh...came for me,” he chuckled mischievously.

Chrysalis looked down on him but didn’t move. “Pick yourself up. You’re an embarrassment. What are you, a fucking dog rolling about the floor?”

He stretched, still on the floor. With a grunt he sat up. Moving to a standing position he looked Chrysalis over. “Oh, well, I see you made yourself all pretty for your visit. What did you do, puke on yourself?”

Chrysalis looked down at herself. In her haste to get things ready she had forgotten to fully clean off the slime from the pod.

“Is...is that something you’re into?” He looked her up and down quickly, and brightened up. “Hey! I can puke on myself too! Where’s that dead rat from a while ago?” He began searching his cell, poking around corners and calling out, “Dead rat? Dead raaat! Hey! Where did you run off to?” He continued his search and as he passed by the bars again he stopped. “Oh, wait. I ate that months ago and puked it on that little fuckin’ bitch…” He started to laugh and continued, “You know the one...she was here earlier...oh she thought she was so tough and then...and then I puked right in her face!” He laughed harder. “Oh, she turned bitch real fast, running away sobbing! Oh boo hoo! That meanie puked in my eyes!” He collapsed on the floor, laughing hysterically.

Chrysalis stomped her hoof on the ground. “Enough! Stop this! I know you’re better than this. Why do you act in such a way?”

He wiped his tears from his eyes, his laughs fading. “Oh...oh, sorry, that was just so funny. You probably saw it, didn’t you? Those times when you pretend to leave?”

Chrysalis blinked, but tried not to show her surprise.

“Its exactly two hundred and fourteen steps to the end of the tunnel. Then there appears to be so stairs leading upward, I have counted at least one hundred and eighty two steps but I figure there are probably more. You think I’m dumb and crazy, but I’m not. Well, I’m not dumb.” He climbed back to his feet and walked over to her. “Have you come to make a deal with me, then? Are you willing to listen to what I say to say this time?”

Chrysalis looked directly in his eyes, and said, “Yes. You must remain calm, and no more outbursts. Show me this strength you wish me to have and we will negotiate.”

“Ah, you must have been doing some thinking.” He smiled at her. “Are you ready to make tough decisions for the betterment of all?”

“You will still give me what I want, or this cell will become your grave.” Chrysalis’ tone became deep, serious. “I think I’ll just leave your carcass in here. I’ll still come by occasionally and talk to you. And I don’t think you’ll have any smartass remarks then.”

He gave her a wide grin, showing off his sharp teeth. “Oh, you got some bite now, eh? This is much more entertaining. Do I have to continue to speak to you through these bars? Isn’t that why you brought so many of your children down here with you?”

“If you are willing to negotiate, then I’m willing to take you out of here.” Chrysalis motioned down the hall for her guards to come forward. “You’ll understand that I don’t trust you fully. I will have my guard escort you out, in chains, to a location of your choosing within the Hive. Once there, we will discuss what you need to be satisfied in our deal and what I need to be satisfied. And once that is complete, we will agree in what order those things will be taking place.”

She glanced back down the hall, and noted that her guards were drawing close, each one lugging a heavy chain over their shoulders. She looked back in the cell. He seemed much more calm and collected. “Do you agree to these preliminary terms?”

He nodded. “And I assume any more violence on my part will be met with immediate termination of our negotiations, yes?”

Still staring at him, Chrysalis replied, “Yes, but more than negotiations. Now any violence will be met with termination of your life.”

“This sounds fine to me.” He stretched again. “Let’s get this going, I was ready to leave months ago.”

The changeling guard arrived. Chrysalis turned to them and instructed, “You will open the bars. I will go in first and attach the chains and then you will be responsible for holding the other ends. And you-” she turned back to her son, “Back up the the middle of your cell. Keep standing but don’t move. The order to kill you should you try anything starts now.”

He shrugged and backed up. Standing there, he yawned. “Wow, tired all of a sudden. I’ll need a nap after this.” He continued to look forward, as the guards focused and the bars began to glow green from their magic. Slowly, they bent and stretched, not moving out of the wall but physically moving out of the way until Chrysalis ducked her head down and stepped through.

As soon as she entered, her guards posted themselves at the entrance in two rows. The first held the chains, the second row dropped their spears over the shoulders of the row in front of them, forming a spiked wall.

Without looking back, Chrysalis asked, “Bring me the body straps.”

One changeling brought two steel bands forward. She dropped them on the floor in front of Chrysalis, and backed up carefully back into the formation. Chrysalis picked them up and moved forward and around the side of her silent child. She fitted them around his back, covering his wings and secured them underneath his stomach with locks. She stepped back. “Try using your wings.”

He wiggled, but with both straps in place, was unable to slip his thin wings into a position where he could use them. Satisfied, Chrysalis asked for one leg chain. She hooked it around his right front hoof and, using her magic, tightened it through one of the holes in his leg. she tugged at the chain a few times to make sure it wasn’t going anywhere.

Satisfied, she repeated the process with all four legs and one around his neck. She formed extra links to hold the chains to each other, and soon he was bound in such a way as to greatly restrict movement. Chrysalis called her guards in, and five of them took up position. One on each leg, and one holding the chain attached to the band around his neck.

“This,” he said, “Is incredibly uncomfortable. Where are we going again?”

Chrysalis once again ducked down as she exited the cell. “Well, you get to decide that. Pick where you want to go and we’ll have our negotiations.”

He shuffled forward, trying not to trip over the myriad of chains binding him. “In this state? Somewhere nearby. Is there like, a meeting hall or something to I don’t have to try and cross the bridge like this?”

“No, we don’t have anything like that,” she said. “How about in the outer Hive before the wall? Would that work for you?”

He sighed. “Fine, whatever. Lets get moving.” He continued to shuffle forward, trailing several steps behind Chrysalis as he exited his cell and all of them moved down the hallway and out into the Hive.

…

Some time later they reached the outer parts of the Hive with its alcoves and empty pods. “Okay,” he said suddenly, “Just stop right here. I can’t walk in these damned chains another minute so stop, we’ll just do this here.” He looked around. “Fuck, spoke too soon. This place is fuckin’ spooky.”

Chrysalis turned around. “No, I think this is a very appropriate place to have our talk.” One by one she used her magic to take a chain away from one of the escorts and fuse the metal into the stone wall. She turned to her guards. “From now until I say otherwise, the Hive is on full alert. If you see him without me, kill on sight. Go and spread the word, but do not come back unless I call for you.”

They saluted and moved away. Chrysalis turned her attention back to her son, who was trying to find a comfortable way to sit. “Augh, this is terrible! Can I get like, one of those pillows or something? Every position I try to sit in has a cold metal chain between me and the floor.”

“In a bit, I’ll get you one.” Chrysalis sat on her haunches. “Let me tell you what I want. Then you tell me what you want, and we’ll go from there. I’ll go first. You are going to tell me about your life, what you saw, what you learned, so that your experiences are not lost. Then I need you in my chambers. We should probably clean up first and then I expect you know what to do from there. Then, I will fulfill your side of our deal and I will escort you from my Hive.”

He gave up trying to sit and continued to stand. “Well allow me to retort. I want out of these chains. I will tell you about my life and answer whatever questions you may have. Then I would like a tour of your Hive. Escorted, but unchained. Then we shall go to your chambers. You must promise to bear only daughters. And I will require the resources to start me on my way back into society above ground, as having been away this long will make that transition difficult.”

Chrysalis whistled into the darkness, and two changelings came flying in, spears ready. “Go and find Roddi and one of her assistants, then bring them and up here,” she told them. “Make sure she brings the book.” They flew off and Chrysalis turned her attention back to the negotiations. “How about this; I will let you out of those chains one at a time as I feel you are fulfilling your side of our agreement. You tell me and Roddi your life, and a chain is removed. You come back to my chambers and I’ll remove another one. Sound fair?”

He shook his head. “No, that is not sufficient. This story telling is going to take a while. At the end of it all my chains need to be off. I’m not going to ask who Roddi is because I assume she is one of your daughters.”

Chrysalis nodded. “Indeed. Roddi is my current archivist. She keeps the records of our Hive and the names and lives of all who have passed through. Your story will be recorded in our logs and kept for future generations.”

“An archive, you say?” He mused this new information. “OK, new offer. I will tell you and Roddi of my life. The chains will slowly come off until I am finished and the last one is removed. At that time, I would like my tour and to visit the archives. Learning more about changeling history is very appealing to me. Then, I will follow you to your chambers, and then I will take what things I need and leave.”

“What are these ‘things’ that you think you will need?” Chrysalis got up and circled around him, stepping over the steel chains lying on the floor. “What is your intention when you leave?”

“You know, I’ve been thinking about that. I’ve always wanted something a little grander and I believe it’s entirely possible to set up shop in Canterlot.” He smiled at Chrysalis. “And to live in the shadow of Equestria’s oppressor, how much fun would that be?”

Chrysalis stared hard at him, trying to decide if he was being serious or not. “I can’t recommend that you go there. They have been ever vigilant since we were expelled. My scouts tell me they have an investigation team specifically set up to deal with changelings.”

He tried to point to her, but being bound he just put his hoof back down on the floor. “Changelings like you. Not like me. I operate differently, change differently, and look different. I can avoid them. And I can become rich. Then I can go wherever I choose to go and not have to start over each time in a new city.”

Chrysalis came in closer to him. “Tell more more about this plan of yours. If you can become rich, and you can fund some of our operations, I might be more willing to help you out.”

“Eh.” He shrugged. “If we get as far as after sex, then I’ll talk about that. I am only partially confident you’ll keep your end of the deal after you get what you want out of me.”

From the darkness came the sound of hooves beating on the floor. Both of them looked in the direction of the sound to see two small changelings run out. The one in front looked disheveled, and the one in the rear exhausted from the heavy book perched on her back. “We can as quick as we could, my Queen,” said the first as her companion dropped the book on the floor. “We moved in such a hurry that we- woah!” she jumped as her gaze moved over to the chained figure behind Chrysalis. “Scared me there, uh…guy.” She laughed nervously.

He looked over the new arrival. “You must be Roddi, I presume?”

She smiled nervously. “Yeah, hi, I’m Roddi. This over here is my assistant Audax.” The other changeling looked up but quickly looked back down at the book and started leafing through it. “I am currently in charge of the archives. But uh,” she looked back at Chrysalis, “What do you need us for?”

Chrysalis made her way back around at stood in front of Roddi and Audax. “Our guest is going to extoll us of his life and adventures. It will be your job to get the most useful information into the book.”

“Oh!” Roddi fluttered over to where the book lay on the floor. “A new chapter then! What is the name I shall put this under?”

Chrysalis and her son looked at each other. She raised an eyebrow and he just shrugged. Chrysalis looked at Roddi and told her, “Why don’t we file this one under ‘Lost Children’.”

“Okay…?” Roddi pushed for more information. “But what name am I putting this under?”

“Roddi,” Chrysalis rolled her eyes, “Just do what I tell you. Just…just leave a blank where you’d put his name, okay?”

Roddi’s horn glowed as she etched this information into the pages of the book. “Okay, I’m ready. Audax, take notes in your journal, in case I miss something I can add that in later, okay?” Roddi and Audax lay on the floor, getting comfortable.

He looked at Chrysalis. “May I be allowed to get comfortable too? Did we not agree to remove my chains?”

“No, we never reached an agreement. But I will take most of them off of you.” Chrysalis used her magic to unstrap the chains from his legs and torso, but left the one around his neck intact. “After you finish telling us your history, then we’ll take that last one off, ok?” She moved over towards Roddi and Audax and lay down herself.

He stretched a bit, but instead of sitting he began to pace back and forth, kicking the chains out of this way. “Very well. I will try to remember all of the important parts. As I told you previously, have no memory of this Hive or anyone in it. The older one who trained me in the wilds of Equestria never told me his name, and told me I never had one.

“He said that it was key to staying undercover. His ‘training’ to teach me to change form was simple; think about it and focus and it will happen. He taught me the very basics of stealing emotions. He taught me that I would be hated and hunted my entire life and to never let anyone see my true form.

“He led me to the edge of the forest so that I could see my first equine family. He led me onto the farm that night and I stole a little bit of love from one of the sleeping family on that farm. And then we retreated back to woods to sleep. In the morning he was gone.

“I never saw him again. Maybe I have, disguised and incognito. But he never tried to contact me again. I spent a lot of time in the wild, but my first experience in the so-called ‘civilized’ world-”

“Tell me more about the wilds,” Chrysalis interrupted.

He drew in a breath, paused, and exhaled it. He scanned the floor and seeing nothing that looked particularly pleasing to sit on, continued to pace back and forth. “I will try and arrange my experience in the wilds into categories. First, the timberwolves…”

…

He talked for a long time. Chrysalis listened intently as Roddi and Audax scribbled. Chrysalis asked questions occasionally and Audax got up twice to go find more books in which to continue writing. Audax also brought back pillows for everyone to sit on as the talk continued.

He re-created great scenes for them, and seemed to enjoy telling his story. He wept, he screamed, he growled and he smiled. But he also grew more and more tired.

And all the while, Roddi could only barely contain her fascination with him.

…

“...and I believe that brings us up to the point where you already know.” He yawned long and deep. “May I please take a nap?”

Chrysalis stretched out on her pillow. “Yes child, sleep.” She reached out with her magic and removed the chain from around his neck, throwing it to the side.

He smiled and laid his head on the oversized pillow Audax had brought him earlier. Getting comfortable took a backseat to falling asleep and he was out moments after his head hit the pillow.

Chrysalis looked at his sleeping form and back to Roddi, who was still scribbling in her book. Chrysalis leaned over to check her progress. Roddi had apparently finished her writing and was now making a sketch of him, highlighting various parts of his armor.

Chrysalis leaned in close to Roddi who had not noticed her yet and whispered, “You really like him, don’t you?”

Roddi squeaked in surprise. Chrysalis hushed her and pointed to her art model. “He’s sleeping,” she continued to whisper, “So don’t wake him up. What do you find so fascinating about him?”

Roddi blushed hard. “He tells a great story. He looks so foreign and speaks so compellingly. I want to hear him tell those stories over and over to me forever.”

“You always were in love with the stories in your books.” Chrysalis smiled at her. “That’s why I picked you as my archivist. Given the chance, would you like to spend more time with him?”

Roddi continued to blush, but managed to say, “I, uh, yes. I won’t, uh, won’t do anything, uh, inappropriate with him. I know you need him for uh, for that.”

Chrysalis leaned in and kissed Roddi’s cheek. “You’re sweet. Why don’t you send Audax back with that book so we can talk privately?”

Roddi nodded and turned to her assistant, who despite having heard their entire conversation, waited obediently for orders. “Audax, take our books back to the archives and put them away. Continue your duties there and I will be along later.”

Audax did as commanded, picking up the scattered books and carting them away. “So,” said Chrysalis as Audax disappeared into the darkness, “I have some things that I need to do. Why don’t you stay here with him. There are guards in the darkness, don’t worry. But I will let everyone know that he is now your charge.”

“But what am I supposed to do with him?” Roddi demanded.

“Well, I suppose I could let you use your imagination.” Chrysalis winked at her. “But he did say that he wanted a tour of the archives. When he wakes up why don’t you take him there and give him a short, I repeat, short tour and bring him back to my chambers.”

Roddi seemed unsure. “Mother, I do appreciate what you are doing for me, but I’m not sure if I should be in charge of him, I mean what if he, like last time…”

Chrysalis stood up and stretched. “He won’t. I’m quite sure of this. I think he’s going to become a most valuable asset to us. But just be yourself. I think he and you will have a lot to talk about.” With that, Chrysalis turned and walked back towards her chambers.

She smiled as she walked, humming a tune. As she passed by, she advised the hiding guards to follow Roddi and protect her, but that she herself approved it. Arriving back at her chambers she found Abelle waiting there with a sack of dirt and great piles of flowers.

“Mother!” Abelle ran up to Chrysalis and gave her a great hug. “The forest is so strange up there! But I did what you asked and we went and gathered the things that you asked for.”

Chrysalis thanked her. “Excellent. Please place those flowers in and around my bed. Tuck them under the pillows and spread the dirt around on the stone. I’m off to take a bath.”

Chrysalis walked in the direction of her bath but Abelle called out the her. “Mother? what would you like me to do after that?”

Still walking away, Chrysalis replied, “Clean up a bit and go and rejoin your sisters. This will be quite a show.” She made her way to her bath and sitting in the warm water, smiled. Speaking to no one in particular, she repeated, “This will be quite a show, indeed.”