The Dragon and the Changelingby PrometheusDarkChaptersGetting to Know YouA New HomeThe Forsaken ForestFalloutApostleGetting to Know You“So whats your name, anyway?” The dragonling's question caught her off guard, how could he not know her name? She was the most feared being in Equestria! Or, at least, she was. She was next to nothing now, having nothing but this baby dragon's emotions to feed on, and they weren't even enough to give her the strength to walk. The only reason she was talking to him in the first place was because he was her life-line now, considering how low she was on 'Love.' That, and because he wouldn't leave. “Chrysalis.” She muttered her answer, not quite understanding why she would bother giving him her name. Perhaps it was simply her desire to be known and feared by all, even this little dragon who had found his way to her in the Everfree Forest. It was completely by chance that he found her, hiding in a very small and cramped cave, trying to rebuild her power from the local wildlife. She was a queen no more, her army of Changelings was gone, her powers were gone thanks to that lovey-dovey couple. It was almost ironic that she, the one who calls emotions food, would be defeated by love. It was like a child's adventure book, really. Cliché. “I'm Spike.” The dragon said simply, jabbing his thumb to his chest. She really didn't care. She could feel something coming off of him in waves, and that's where her attention lay. “You have pretty eyes, Chrysalis.” That caught her off guard. Was he teasing her? If she had the power to, she'd smite him where he stood! “Whats that supposed to mean?” She snarled, fangs bared. He didn't even flinch, the dragon, Spike, it sounded like a pet's name. “If you're making fun, then go find it elsewhere. I'll not be bullied by a insignificant baby dragon.” He just laughed it off. This enraged her more. “I'm not teasing you, its called a compliment. When you live around women as long as I have, you tend to pick up on things. Like how they like compliments about their good features. Your eyes are pretty, so I said so.” With his mouthful finished, he nodded sagely. This seemed strange, lived around nothing but women? Her curiosity was nagging at her to find out more. Her rage gone, she pressed on into the conversation. “Women? Anyone special?” She couldn't keep the venomous hint out of her voice, as well she couldn't help but give in to her curiosity. “A lover?” She emphasized. The blush that came to his cheeks told her everything she needed to know. But perhaps not. “Love is a way strong word. I would say I like her, and could love her. But she wouldn't accept me anyway. All she sees in me is a kid, a baby. And why shouldn't she?” He stared at the ground as she processed this. It wasn't often a child would be able to discern love from infatuation. “You're wiser then she gives you credit for.” She looked away from him, did she just pay someone a compliment? Throwing caution to the wind, she kept going, seeing his confused look. “Love isn't something that builds in a day, or a moments notice. Love takes time, and it grows stronger every passing day.” Spike looked at her for a while in silence, and she kept her gaze occupied by things such as the grass on the ground outside the cave. How the mighty fall. She was once a queen of the Changelings, but now here she was, giving a baby dragon advice. It was almost enough to make her cry, but tears would solve nothing. “Where will you go?” The armor piercing question shook her from her stupor, her thoughts swirling, where would she go? She didn't know. The Changelings were gone, and she was the last left of her fallen kingdom. She was powerless and at the mercy of any passing wildlife that thought of her as a tasty snack. She actually felt rather lucky to be found by this young dragon first, since he seemed harmless. “I don't have a home anymore.” She said, adding a sigh at the end. She didn't want to look so useless. “All my subjects are gone, and my kingdom is surely empty. I have no way to get back even if it wasn't.” She lamented further. It struck something in Spike, something that he didn't like about himself. “I could help with that.” His overwhelming urge to be a nice guy. The town of Ponyville was a lively, happy place. The very sight of the bright colors and cheerful inhabitants made her stomach churn with anger. Emotions were thick in the air, almost overwhelming her senses, but a palm on her side calmed her down. Spike, that little dragon had proven to be very kind, almost to a fault. The black coated unicorn struggled to regain her self control, with all the love and happiness floating about the town, she had almost gone into something akin to a blood-lust rage one would associate with a dragon greedily stealing anything and everything he sees. Then there was Spike himself. Here he was, offering a known criminal a place to stay. It baffled her, and made her feel a bit strange, but she wasn't going to decline. Not when this was a prime opportunity to regain her power. Chrysalis herself had regained some power simply by being near the town, using the energy she had left to shift her form. Though she couldn't change her fur color, she had made her wings disappear, gave herself a cutie-mark in the shape of a treble clef, and made her horn shift to look like a unicorn's. Her eyes had stayed the same green color, though they were no longer slitted. She looked almost normal, though if you strayed long enough, you'd notice the off features, and sunken cheekbones, the greasy hair, and even the tiniest of fangs in her mouth. Spike just hoped this would be enough to fool Twilight. As they made their way into the Ponyville library, made of a hallowed out tree, Spike made sure to close the door behind them, and the sight shocked the young dragon even though he should have expected it. Books everywhere, cluttering the floor, tables, counters, and a purple unicorn with her face so deep into a large tome that one would think she was trying to merge with it. “Twilight!” He groaned out loud, vocally pulling the girl from her reading. “Can't I leave for an hour without coming back to find you've destroyed the whole library?” He was exasperated, Chrysalis guessed this happened a lot. “Oh, uh. Right, I guess I got carried away with my research?” She grinned sheepishly, even though her answer was more of a question. “Can you give me a hoof with this mess?” She asked, turning back to her book. Spike knew what that meant. By 'give me a hoof' she meant 'do it all yourself.' It was then that he remembered the Changeling he had brought with him. How did Twilight not notice her? “Yeah, whatever, I'll do it.” He didn't even put up a fight, it'd be useless anyway, and would probably end with him going to bed early. “But, uh, first, I'd like you to meet someone.” Spike motioned to the unicorn beside him, who seemed to be preoccupied with her thoughts. Twilight nodded, still not looking up from her book. “That's nice, Spike, but we have work to do, so if you could send her home, that'd be great.” She was impossible sometimes, that Twilight Sparkle. Spike knew she wasn't being rude on purpose, but that didn't change the fact that she was, well, being rude. Spike threw his hands into the air as if begging whatever greater beings there are up there, Celestia, Luna, anyone to give him aid with this insufferable book worm. “That's just it, Twi! She doesn't have a home!” He practically screamed. This broke Twilight from her book, her head snapped to look at the pair at the doorway. She seemed to just now notice that this unicorn was strange. Something was off. She was a bit ugly, at least to Twilight, and her eyes held something that made her skin crawl. Twilight suddenly felt very protective of her surrogate little brother. It took some time and a lot of convincing, but finally Twilight had relented. But Spike's request, to allow Chrysalis to stay in their tree/library/home fell through, and the purple mare wasn't budging an inch on the subject. Chrysalis wasn't exactly surprised, she knew this plan was stupid, but followed through with it anyway to her great confusion. Usually she was so calculated on what she did, but this time it was on a whim. “Don't worry, Spike, we'll find a place for her to stay. I mean, someone will take her in for a few nights until she gets her bearings, right?” Twilight didn't sound to sure herself, but Spike trusted her, even if he thought she was a bit scatter-brained sometimes. Chrysalis on the other hand, only knew this pony was the one that helped that wretched little goody-goody Cadence. But she surprised her anger, if she was going to last long, she'd need to fool them all again. Maybe there was a way to get that delicious love after all? “Whatever you say, Twi.” Spike waved it off, his confidence in his plan to bring the so-called villain into town growing. “I'm going to make some daisy sandwiches, then I'll get cleaning.” He walked into the kitchen, unintentionally leaving the two mares alone together. This would not end well. “So, where are you from?” Twilight glared daggers at the Changeling, her obvious disdain for Chrysalis was showing through clear as crystal. “Whats your name? How'd you meet Spike?” Her rapid fire questions all were making Chrysalis feel uncomfortable, she'd need to think of some lies, and quick. “I'm from, uh, Fillydelphia.” She answered the first question hesitantly under the scrutinizing stare. “My name is Chrysa- er, Chrysie.” She almost slipped up there, she congratulated herself on her quick save. “And he found me lost in the Everfree Forest.” She finished simply. Twilight's right eye twitched slightly. Just then, Spike decided to reenter the room with a plate on claw, piled with sandwiches. “Spike, you wandered into Everfree Forest again?! How many times have I told you it was dangerous?” The purple mare's sisterly instincts kicked in. “There are wild animals, poisonous plants, and all sorts of dangerous things out there!” She took a sandwich off the plate as she scolded him. “What would I do if you got hurt, huh? Or worse!” She took a bite. “Oooh, this is good. What did you put in it?” Chrysalis was beginning to question her sanity. Maybe she was bipolar? “I added some extra seasonings.” Spike spoke proudly, he presented a sandwich to Chrysalis, who took it in her magical grip and eyed it wearily. Changelings don't normal eat anything other then emotions and meat. But looking down at Spike, who stared up expectantly with his eyes large and innocent, she felt she was hungry enough to eat this sandwich, so she did. She took a bite and chewed it slowly, it tasted like old socks if you asked her. She swallowing the large lump of bread and assorted pony-foods. It sat in her stomach like a brick. Spike looked at her still, the same way as before, like he was expecting something. “Uh. Yum?” Chrysalis turned her gaze away, unable to look him in the eyes. Why did she care that he wanted her opinion, and why did she not want to hurt his feelings? This sandwich was disgusting! She took another bite, then another, and finally the sandwich was gone. “I knew you'd like it, I don't usually use my special herbs and spices.” Spike boasted, unaware of her actual thoughts on the food, as he busied himself. She raised an eyebrow. What was so special about this occasion, then? She cast the thought aside, deciding she didn't really care. It was a stupid sandwich anyway. “You finish cleaning and I'll take Chrysie to a place she can stay.” Twilight called as she walked toward the door, beckoning for Chrysalis to follow her. If Spike had been looking at Twilight when she said that, he'd have noticed her grin. It wasn't a happy grin, it was a grin that you get when you're planning something. Chrysalis knew it well. “Okay, Twi. I'll see ya, Chrysie.” He waved at her and she felt strange again. Something compelled her to play nice with Twilight, for a time at least. “Bye, Spike.” Chrysalis said, feeling a bit weird about leaving the dragonling. The only one who made her feel comfortable in this town. Twilight led Chrysalis from the library, and headed for Sweet Apple Acres. A New HomeThe trek to Sweet Apple Acres was a very quiet one, with only the sounds of their hoofs touching dirt road to keep the hum of silence from their ears. Of course, this just gave Chrysalis more time to think, and the more she thought, the more confused she got. Why would she go along with this? It had bad idea written all over it! Sure, there was the chance she could get some nourishment from it, that stupid sandwich was still sitting heavily in her belly, making her feel slightly nauseous. Why did she even bother eating the thing, just for that dumb little dragon? She'd step on it sooner then eat it, had it been anyone else! Anyone else? She almost tripped over her own hooves. What made that brat so special? He could be the nicest guy in the world and she's just feed on him until he was nothing but a husk! Yet, she didn't. That's what confused her. “We're here.” Twilight said simply as she pushed through the gate. What was once a speck in the distance was now a large farm. Was she really that lost in thought that she'd traveled all this way without realizing it? “Hey, Big Mac!” Twilight called at the large stallion. He was huge! Dwarfing even her, who stood heads taller then most ponies! He was busy hauling a cart full of red apples, and he didn't even look strained. “Hi there, Twilight.” He greeted as he passed by. His voice was gruff, and even slightly aloof. “If'n yer lookin' for AJ, she's in the barn, eattin' dinner.” He called over his shoulder before setting his eyes forward and continuing to the dirt road. Twilight was already on her way towards said barn, almost leaving Chrysalis in the dust. Twilight banged on the front door with her hoof and waiting patiently as Chrysalis trotted over. Just as she got to the door herself, Chrysalis was greeted by the sight of a mare of similar age to Twilight. The differences between them were stark, however. While Twilight's mane was straight and purple, this mare's mane was braided into a pony-tail and golden blonde. Her fur color was tangerine, or to the less articulate, orange. “Hey there, Twi.” Applejack greeted warmly. Her eyes were mostly on Twilight, and didn't notice how off the other pony's features were. “Come on in, bring yer friend!” She threw the door open wide. Inside the barn house was, in Chrysalis' own opinion, a dump. Of course, to someone who wasn't a complete jerk 95% of the time, it was cozy. They both trotted inside, the remains of dinner strewn about the dining table. An old mare was rocking back and forth in the corner of the room, crocheting what looked like a scarf, even though it was the dead of spring. Chrysalis knew these were the ponies who killed her subjects, but she struggled to keep herself in check. She was in no state to fight either of these mares, and she knew that. She had to keep a low profile. “This is Chrysie, Applejack.” Twilight motioned to Chrysalis, who was broken from her thoughts by the sudden conversation. “She's from Fillydelphia.” “Well, nice t' meet ya, Chrysie.” Applejack's accent was starting to get on Chrysalis' nerves, and she hasn't even been with the mare for 30 seconds. “What do ya'll need?” “Actually, she needs a place to stay for a few days.” Twilight smiled nervously, this wasn't a very light request, and she knew what would happen to the changeling if she were to stay here. Work. “We were hoping you'd take her in.” Applejack looked nonplussed by this. But seeing the pleading look on her friend's face, her stern look slowly softened. “Uh, sure, Twi. I got a free bed here in the barn. But she's gotta work for her room.” She finished harshly. Applejack got a good look at Chrysalis now, noticing her strange features and thin form. She raised an eyebrow, and decided to ignore it and not judge a book by it's cover ,but she did doubt the changeling could get any real work done by herself. “I'll have to find something for her to do.” The tangerine mare relented. “Oh, thank you, AJ! You're the best.” Twilight gushed. “Think nothin' of it.” Applejack laughed it off. Chrysalis felt very detached from the situation, like she was on a railroad and she had no control now. She decided to follow this shoddy plan through, however, what did she have to lose, besides everything? Sitting alone in her rented room, Chrysalis was finally given some peace of mind. Though it was fleeting, as soon her own thoughts bubbled to the surface to torment her. The room was ragged, by her standards. But, again, to anyone else it would appear to has some rustic appeal. A soft bed was all Chrysalis really wanted right now, though. That, and for the pounding in her head to stop. What if she never regained her power? What would she do, live this ruse forever? She knew she couldn't do that, even with the young dragon's help. There she went again, bringing up Spike! His friends were the reason she was in this mess in the first place, if they hadn't ruined her plans, she'd be feasting on all that delicious love right now, her and her subjects. She already missed them and how they would do her every bidding. If she wanted something, they got it. And now they were all dead. The realization was finally sinking in. All dead. They weren't coming back, even if she regained her power. She was the last changeling. Rage built inside her stomach, churning and her blood boiling. She wanted to hit something, kill somepony, blow something up! But she couldn't. And that made it all the worse. But she knew one thing, tears would solve nothing. She collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to pull the covers over her, and slowly drifted into a fitful, restless sleep. She was awoken by a pounding at the door, her eyes fluttered open. She allowed them a moment to adjust to the new light pouring in from the window. She had somehow managed to work herself under the covers during her sleep. Her head ached and she was unused to her surroundings, but quickly the memories of the previous day rushed back to her. “Ya'll awake in there?” A voice called, and she took a few seconds to place where she heard it before. It was that Applejack character she met yesterday. “I'm comin' in.” Applejack called. The door opened just as Chrysalis was getting out of bed. The orange mare waved a hoof in front of her nose. “No offense, darlin', but you could use a shower.” That struck a nerve, but she knew the mare was right. When was the last time she had a wash? Probably sometime before the wedding, two days ago. No wonder her hair felt especially greasy right now. “Where's your bathroom?” Chrysalis questioned, wasting no time. “Just down the hall there, on the left.” Applejack motioned to the left of her. With that, Chrysalis was off. She didn't sprint, exactly, but she wasn't taking a leisurely trot either, it was somewhere near a power-walk. “Meet me outside the barn in fifteen minutes!” the freckled mare called. Chrysalis pushed the door opened, and when she saw the shower, her eyes practically shone with anticipation. She closed the door behind her and locked it before stepping into the shower and turning the nob. Warm water cascaded down upon her body and it felt wonderful. She scooped up a bottle of shampoo with her magic and set to washing herself of the grime of Everfree Forest and the past days. It wasn't long before she was completely clean, the fifteen minutes flew by and she wished she could just stand there in the water forever, but she knew if she did she'd get nothing done. “Whats the point?” She muttered dryly as she turned the water off and magically grabbed a towel to dry herself. She didn't know the point of all this, but she knew one thing. She wasn't going to give in. She was to strong for that, to proud. Even if she had no real plan as of yet other then 'empower herself' she would press onward. She walked out of the bathroom, through the barn, and out into the yard with a sense of listlessness. Applejack either didn't notice, didn't care, or ignored it. “Alright, time for some work. I don't think ya'll can buck them apples to well with those scrawny legs, or haul the cart very far either. So I guess if'n you aren't up to the heavy stuff, I could have you paint the barn. It's due for a new coat anyway.” She said with an ever-present smile. She seemed nice, everyone seemed nice around here, and it made her feel a bit queasy. It was sickening, all this happiness. It tasted like sugar. To much sugar isn't a good thing, and neither was to much happiness. “I guess I could do that.” Chrysalis said tiredly. Even though she had a full night's sleep, she was still exhausted, mostly from the lack of food. She needed love, sorrow, anything besides happiness. If happiness was candy to her, then love was a thick, juicy steak, and sorrow was something akin to a prime rib. All these thoughts of food were making her even hungrier. “After ya'll finish, I'll have some lunch setup for ya.” Applejack seemed to be reading her mind, but not fully. “If'n ya do your job right.” She added harshly, pointing a hoof toward a stack of paint buckets and a paint brush. Chrysalis sighed inwardly as she levitated the brush into the air and looked at the barn. It was huge, this would take all morning. Or, at least, it would. If a certain purple dragon didn't suddenly show up carrying a paper bag. Her nose twitched, her heightened sense of smell detected something she could actually eat in there. She almost started drooling, but stopped herself. No matter how hungry she was, she wouldn't make a fool of herself. “Hiya, Chrysie, Applejack.” Spike waved. Chrysalis was almost happy to see the dragonling, but Applejack just looked confused. “What're ya'll doin' up this early, Spike?” She interrogated. “Ain't you usually sleepin' right now?” She raised an eyebrow. “Well, yeah, but I thought I should come by and see how Chrysie's doin'.” He answered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. “Maybe give a helping claw, ya know?” “Well if'n you came to help, I guess you could get paintin'.” She picked up a brush with her mouth and dropped it into his waiting claws. “Just try not to mess up, ya hear?” And she meandered off to her own work, leaving the pair to their job. “Whats in the bag?” Chrysalis was dying to know, and she said the words so fast that it almost gave Spike vocal whiplash. “I smell it, is it meat? How did you get meat, here of all places? What kind is it?” “Uh, its nothing special.” He looked a little ashamed, she wondered why, and why she cared. “Just some wild boar from Everfree Forest.” He spoke in a hushed tone and handed her the bag. She looked around to make sure no one was watching before opening the sack. Inside was freshly cooked meat, slightly burnt on the outside. It looked delicious. She didn't even question it, just wolfed it down like a hungry animal, taking large bites and gulping it down. He was right, it wasn't anything special. Just some cooked meat, and not even high quality. “Sorry about making you eat that sandwich yesterday. I had no idea you wouldn't like it.” He said sadly. She finished her meal and dropped the bag onto the ground, leaving it there. She wondered, how did he find out that she was a carnivore? “I read up on Changelings.” He whispered the last words, and spoke as if reading her mind. A lot of these Ponyville residents seemed to do that. “Don't worry, I know what its like.” He said, his mood shifting to happiness. It tasted sweeter then Applejack's. But she had no idea what he meant. They set to work on the wall as they spoke. “Know what it's like? What do you mean?” She questioned, she was getting more comfortable with talking to the dragonling, much as she hated to admit it. She wasn't even this close with her counsel. “Being a carnivore.” He was speaking quietly again. “I mean, you can't like eating meat, right? But you have to.” Did she like eating meat? Well, it was nothing compared to emotions, but meat was essential to a changeling's diet. It gave them the required minerals to function correctly, and just because it wasn't as tasty as love, didn't mean it wasn't good. She couldn't place where Spike was coming from with this. “I do, actually.” She affirmed. He looked at her with a mixture of horror and confusion. She felt her stomach knot up, had she said something wrong? The look hurt her, but she didn't let it show. “That's not wrong, it's nature.” Then it clicked. This was a dragon, raised by ponies, who are vegetarians. It was against everything he knew to eat other animals. “Oh my.” If it were anyone else, she'd have laughed right then and there. But it wasn't anyone else. The Forsaken Forest“Its not wrong, its nature.” Chrysalis informed. On their patch of grass by the side of the barn, the changeling attempted to defuse whatever situation she had caused. “Oh my.” She had said quietly, the realization striking her. Here was a child who was conflicted inside. His natural instincts suppressed by years of pony culture telling him eating meat was wrong. What did he live off of then? Surely a carnivore couldn't eat these grasses and flowers like those ponies. “I think I should go.” Spike said, his voice sounded detached. She could even feel the fear coming off of him in small waves. He was afraid of her. Why did that feel wrong? Before Spike even took his second step, she stopped him. “Wait,” she sounded a bit desperate there, better adjust her tone. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Wait, Spike. You can't think that eating meat is wrong, can you?” She needed confirmation on this. Spike looked up at her, he didn't even need to think it over. “Of course it is, its murder.” His voice was strained. He thought he was a murderer, a killer, and the worst part? “I just can't help it, I need to eat and the food Twilight feeds me, it makes me feel sick now.” He couldn't control it. “Listen, Spike. Take me into Everfree Forest after we finish this barn. I'll show you that it is just nature's way.” She ordered, not knowing why she really cared. That seemed to be a growing theme with her now. Hunting was a vital part of survival for a dragon, and it was with much despair that Spike himself would need to partake in such a ritual. The dragonling was at that age where he was to begin hunting and finding their own food. Gems could not sustain him, they were more like a treat then a meal. Meat was the only option left. So he went to find it. The Everfree Forest was a prime hunting ground, despite its various dangers. Small woodland creatures and larger carcasses he found would make up his diet. It had been a month since he first started doing this, and it disgusted him every time he was forced to kill. However, it was this or die of starvation. He chose the first option. He had company on this foray into the forest, however. Chrysalis had reverted to her true form after leaving Ponyville, it felt good to be back in her old body again. He wasn't sure how he felt about this whole thing. He had found someone else who shared his diet, sort of. But she had a completely different view point on it. While he considered this all to be a crime, she thought of it as nature's way. Maybe it was and he just wasn't seeing it, but he decided he really didn't want to see it. This was kill or starve. Chrysalis was struck by that feeling of strangeness again. Why was she bothering to go so much out of her way to help him? Was it because he was trying to help her? That couldn't be it, she didn't care if she owed him. Spike stopped walking and stood stock still. Chrysalis was pulled from her thoughts by the sudden motion. Ahead of them, just through the trees, was a clearing. A beautiful field of grass and flowers this deep in the Everfree Forest? That wasn't why they stopped moving, however. On the edge of the field was a rabbit hole with a tiny bunny sticking his head out of it. Spike was on the move again, this time he walked on all fours. He moved faster then Chrysalis expected of him as he wandered through the underbrush, around the field and behind the rabbit hole. The small bunny never saw him coming. He thrust his arms down into the rabbit hole and tore the bunny from it. It struggled in his grip, but he wouldn't release the small creature. Spike closed his eyes, what came next was the hardest part. With a quick jerk, and a pop like a stick just broke, it was over. The bunny was motionless in his claws. Chrysalis was amazed at how efficient a hunter a dragon could be, even one so young. She had merely come along to spectate, but her stomach growled, telling her she hadn't eaten since the meat Spike had given her earlier that day. “Psst, your highness?” She hadn't heard anyone call her that since those few days ago, which felt like a long time now. Her heart leaped for joy when she saw him, buzzing just above the tree branches. The chitinous form of a changeling drone. They weren't all dead! “I've finally found you.” He seemed relieved, flying down to her. She quickly composed herself. “What news of the rest of my subjects.” She questions, looking back at Spike, who was breathing fire into the rabbit hole now to scare out any other bunnies. “Quickly now.” “They're gathering in a large cave in the Everfree, my queen. We've sent search parties out for you-” He was silenced by a hoof to his mouth. “Take me to this cave, now.” She ordered in a strong tone, she didn't want to leave Spike behind, but her people needed her and they were more important then a dragonling with some pony problems. With that thought in the back of her mind and her heart heavy, she spread her wings and flew, allowing her minion to take the lead. By the time Spike realized she was gone, it was too late. The cave was alive with activity. Changelings buzzed this way and that, all attempting to get ready for whatever their queen would require of them. The air was thick with the acrid stench of decay and rotting meat. The cave wasn't glamorous and had a lot of off-shoot tunnels, but it would do for the time being. A long table had been setup, where they found it she did not know, and it was covered with a wide assortment of dishes. Roast boar, crow-kebabs, and fish stew were just a few of the woodland delicacies that she had relentlessly tore with her fangs. “Ah, this is much better.” She sighed in contentment, even if this wasn't a meal of royal proportions, it was a start. Much better then trying to survive off of any emotion that came her way, or whatever Spike could cook up. She wondered if he was okay, she did leave him all alone in the middle of Everfree Forest. He probably just went home when he discovered she had disappeared. She felt a bit bad for leaving him out there, but there were more important things to attend to. She didn't have time for friends anyway. “A message, your highness.” A drone approached, bowing before her. She waved a hoof absentmindedly, to busy with her meal to really care. “Your counsel has sent a detachment of drones to to the small village on the other side of the Everfree Forest. They, or he, requests your presence for the next course of action.” She nearly choked on a piece of steak at that. Sending soldiers to Ponyville? Without her consent!? Those old fools! Normally she wouldn't get this worked up over something like this. They usually did things like this without telling her first anyway. But something about this time made rage flare in the pit of her stomach. She shot up from the table, causing the lone messenger drone to cringe. Paying him no heed, Chrysalis took off at a gallop. The changelings that saw her were dumbfounded by the sight of their queen, dashing through the cave's tunnels and eyes burning with anger. The councilor, that is to say the only one left, was thin for a changeling and slightly taller then a drone. He went by the name Alate. “Alaaate!” And when Chrysalis found him, all hell broke loose. The changeling councilor stopped in his tracks, looking back at his ruler with confusion. “Whats this idea of sending soldiers to Ponyville!?” She screeched, fangs bared and wings flared out behind her. A natural effect of anger, trying to make herself seem bigger and more menacing. “Ponyville?” He asked, still dumbfounded by his queen's anger. “You mean the pony village? Why?” He didn't know how deep a hole he was digging himself. “Tell me!” She roared, drawing the attention of every changeling in the tunnel, which is to say a lot of them. “Food, your highness.” He responded with a calmness that gave her an eldritch feeling. “They were sent to take prisoners so we could extract their emotions.” He was cold and the air stunk like old gym socks mixed with fish guts. That was the first thing that registered in his mind. His eyes opened to darkness, slowly adjusting to the low lighting, what he saw through the shade was definitely not his library home. Ponies shivering, chained to the walls and floor of a cell made of stone. There were no bars, but he could tell this was a prison. A black pony rubbed up against a blue one and signed in contentment, as if taking a sip of a nice, cool drink on a hot summers day. At first he thought this was just somepony comforting another, but then he noticed the hard shell that took the place of fur. A changeling and there were more of them, they were feeding on the ponies. He wanted to scream for it to stop, maybe to distract it, but he rarely thought these things through. It was then that he noticed he had green slime covering his mouth. “The dragon is awake.” A changeling drone hissed, and any who were feasting stopped, all turning to look at him. “Mmm, smell that fear.” There was nothing he could do but shudder as they converged on him. He felt weaker then before and his muscles seized in his limbs. “I've never had dragon fear before.” One of the changelings said with delight clear in his voice. To them, the most accurate description of the taste would be beef tenderloin. “Ah, do I detect a hint of despair?” They relished the meal. Spike's mind was foggy, he could barely form coherent thoughts. Darkness started to over-take his vision. Then he heard a familiar voice. FalloutSpike's vision was slowly returning as the changelings circled around the six intruders, there weren't as many of them as there was in Canterlot those short days ago, but changelings weren't renowned for their great intellect. “Rarity, you take care of the prisoners, we'll handle these guys.” Twilight ordered, being a natural leader when the time called for it. Each of the mares affirmed in their own way. “You think you can just sneak into our town and kidnap ponies?” Twilight growled at the changelings, who just snarled and hissed back as they circled. It wasn't long before one of them got to eager and jumped at the mares, fangs bared and jaws gnashing. He received a swift hoof to the head for his trouble, compliments of Applejack. That's when it the tension boiled over. Each of the changelings lunged and attacked. Rarity busied herself by freeing the ponies. She pulled on them with her magic, trying to break them. It was no good, if one of the trapped unicorns couldn't do it, how could she? Then, while looking for something to smash the chains with, she noticed Spike. She couldn't hold back a gasp at his sorry state. She rushed over to him, her mission and the fight forgotten. Spike was cold to the touch. He stared ahead through half lidded, sickly green eyes that made Rarity's heart sink. “Ooh, my Spikey-wikey. What did they do to you?” She lamented in an over dramatic fashion, raising a hoof to her forehead and looking toward the ceiling. Once she centered her eyes back on him, she grabbed the sticky, semi-solid slime around his mouth with her magic and tore it off with all her might. It slid off with relative ease, but left a red mark on his scales like duct tape. Spike didn't even flinch, not from lack of pain, but in his near unconscious state, he couldn't work up a response. A changeling slammed into the wall right beside Spike with a sickening crack, it was covered in confetti. Pinkie Pie had her Party Cannon out, they would surely win. “Who...?” Spike's eyes started to fade back to their usual coloring. How did he get here, where was here? Rarity pulled him into a hug. He melted into the embrace and decided where 'here' was, it was awesome. “R-Rarity?” He was dumbstruck. Rarity, the mare of his dreams, was hugging him. Twilight tapped Rarity on the shoulder. When the pale mare dropped Spike and looked at her, the purple unicorn didn't seem to pleased. “You call that taking care of the prisoners?” She asked harshly. While Rarity tried to think up a response, Twilight just smirked at her, causing the pale unicorn to huff. “Pinkies got it handled anyway.” Sure enough, all variety of ponies were free from their bonds. All stretching their legs, rejoicing, and dancing about. Pinkie Pie approached the dragonling and stuck a key in the shackles, twisting and unlocking them. Spike just slumped down onto the ground, still weak. “Where'd you get that key?” Twilight asked, amazed. “Found it!” Pinkie Pie said happily. That's when a figure approached. Chrysalis didn't know what to feel at the moment. Happiness that Spike wasn't injured? Anger that those wretched ponies had hurt her changelings? She decided on the latter. “You horrible little ponies!” the changeling queen cried, her voice shrill with rage. Twilight stepped in front of the other mares, her horn aglow with magical intensity. “You attacked us first!” Rainbow Dash yelled angrily. She had a rather large rock thrown at her in rebuttal, forcing her to jump to the side, letting it hit the ground harmlessly. Of course, this didn't go over well with the rest of the ponies in the room. The freed ponies each gathered around the Elements of Harmony, glaring at Chrysalis. The queen knew she wouldn't be able to win against these odds as low on power as she was. But she was so angry she just didn't care. Chrysalis lowered herself and pointed her horn at the group of ponies and the dragon. She fired off a blast of green magic, which Twilight deflected with ease. “Is that the best you got?” Twilight crowed. “I've seen better magic from fillies.” Another shot, just as easily send back at her. Chrysalis twisted out of the way of her own attack and snarled. This wasn't working. “Give up, you can't beat all of us!.” Spike's mind was working in overdrive. What could he do? He just wanted to go home, but Chrysalis was in danger. Why did he care? She was the reason he was a prisoner in the first place, she probably even wanted to feed off of his emotions too, just like the other changelings. His anger welled in his chest as he struggled to stand up, letting it fuel him. Leaning against the wall for support, he rose. No one noticed him, they were to busy watching Chrysalis and Twilight duel it out with magic. Part of him wanted to see this too, but he couldn't with all these ponies in the way. He pushed his way though the crowd, stumbling now and then, tripping over hooves and his own feet in his exhaustion, until he came upon the edge of the string of ponies. He watched through tired eyes as his surrogate sister attacked his so-called friend. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Chrysalis stopped her assault when she saw Spike stumble over to Twilight. He placed a hand on her side for stability, and she turned her head to look at him quizzically. “Spike, not now, I'm kind of in the middle of saving you.” She said, looking back to her opponent. “Kick her flank.” He muttered just loud enough to be heard by all. He sounded so resolute, even though he knew he wasn't. He was letting his emotions control his actions, just like any other child would. Chrysalis felt her heart break, her friend was blaming her for his imprisonment. She felt defeated. One look at her told him he was wrong, she wasn't behind his kidnapping. But it was too late to stop Twilight now. “Will do.” Twilight said through a smirk. She proceeded to lower her horn and start firing off bursts of purple magic. Chrysalis dodged them as best she could, but she couldn't get out of the way of them all. Magic seared her fur and flesh, forcing her to skid backward. Twilight was holding back, and it was evident now. She ran. It was all she could do, lest she be killed. The ponies rejoiced once more, cheering and singing praises toward the Elements of Harmony. Spike, however, didn't join their celebrations. He felt low, lower then he had ever felt before. That night, a party was held. It was, of course, a Pinkie Pie party. Everypony and their grandmother was invited. The music was loud and pumping, the food was good, and most importantly, they were all having a great time. Save for one dragon. Spike just stood by the food table, ignoring everything that went on around him. Ever since they scared off Chrysalis, he'd been feeling bad. This didn't go unnoticed by the others, and soon, they were plotting to help. “What do you thinks the matter with him?” Twilight asked, levitating a glass of punch in front of her mouth. “You don't think he was really hurt by those changelings, do you?” She took a sip. “No, I doubt it, darling. The way he's acting, I think he blames himself for something.” Rarity informed, doing much the same as Twilight, only her glass held wine. “Like what?” Twilight was genuinely surprised by this news. “Not being able to help the ponies before we got there?” She took a stab into the dark. “Ah think its 'cause his friend left.” Applejack cantered over. “That Chrysie girl?” She reminded them. “Oh, that's right! What happened to her, Applejack?” Twilight didn't care for the mare, really, but it was apparent that Spike did. “She just plum vanished.” Applejack answered. “Ah'm sure Spike knows where she went, though. He left with her.” That was odd, maybe they had a falling out, Twilight wondered to herself, she didn't notice Rarity had wandered off. Spike looked up from his cup of punch to see Rarity trot over to him. She smiled down at him, how alluring she was. He remembered a time when he imagined they'd be together, but such dreams were shattered a long time ago. “Spike.” She started, trying to keep her voice composed. “How come you aren't enjoying the party?” She asked, thinking she might as well get the answer straight from him, rather then speculate. “Its nothing.” Spike answered sadly. He hated lying to her, but he couldn't tell her the truth. He helped a criminal, and even if she wasn't wanted, it still would've felt wrong to tell her he was so hung up on another mare. “It's not nothing if it has you so sad.” She replied, a little more forcefully then she wanted. She reached out and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “You can tell me anything, Spike. You know that.” She asserted. He was relenting. “I hurt a friend.” He had to be vague. “And she's gone now. I feel like dirt, and its my own fault.” He was on the verge of tears. “I have no idea where she went, so I can't fix this.” Rarity was surprised by this. Who was this friend he spoke of? She wasn't aware he had other friends, besides Snips and Snails, but they only hung out on occasion. Before she could ask more, Spike had started to walk away. “Spike, wait, I'm not done talking to you.” She called, but he had already disappeared into the crowd. Spike left the party, deciding all the noise wasn't helping with his mood. The night air was chilly for Spring, but that didn't stop him. He approached the library door and grabbed the nob. He jiggled it a bit, only to discover it was locked. He released a sound of aggravation, as he had no keys, so he decided to just loiter outside the library until Twilight showed up. She wasn't exactly sure why, but Chrysalis had the overwhelming urge to make things right with Spike. There were a lot of things lately she wasn't sure of. It had been so easy before, then he came into her life and turned it on it's head. So there she was, sneaking into Ponyville in the dead of night in an attempt to fix everything. The town was more somber then she remembered, but she attributed that to the fact that it was nighttime now. She heard an aggravated groan as she sneaked around back, it sounded very familiar. Chrysalis peeked around the bend, and saw just the dragon she was looking for. How could she go about this? He was most likely still mad at her for the whole kidnapping thing. She decided to do one of the things she tried to never do. Wing it. “Hello.” She said. Well, that was a great start. Spike practically jumped out of his scales when he heard her voice. He twisted around to look at her to see she was in her true form, but stuck to the shadows. Her green eyes seemed to glow through the darkness. “Chrysalis?” He asked, amazed that she would actively seek him out after what happened. “Oh man, am I glad to see you.” Her heart jumped at that. He was glad to see her? He ran over and hugged her foreleg, much to her surprise. She nearly backpedaled, but stood her ground. “The feeling is mutual.” She said with a smile. ApostleQueen Chrysalis, current leader of the Changelings, took a deep breath and savored the taste of Spike's happiness. It wasn't overly sweet, like pony's happiness, and tasted faintly of strawberry. She could get used to this, she thought. Spike released her leg from his embrace and looked up at her with a smile. She beamed back down at him, but it wasn't long before the grin turned upside down. The news she needed to tell him. “Spike, I'm so sorry for what happened. I had no intentions of an attack on Ponyville.” She started sadly, the dragonling's smile disappeared at the tone. “But, I can't stay long.” She forced the words out. The look of hurt on his face was enough to shatter her resolve, but she pressed on. “I'm a criminal, and just talking to you puts you in danger.” She was doing this for his own good, she told herself. “But, we can hide you!” he wanted desperately for her to stay. She was the only one who understood his carnivore nature without fear. “You can shapeshift and live with Applejack-” she silenced him with her hoof, smiling down at him sadly. “I can't keep hiding forever, Spike.” Her changelings would surely turned their back on her after the scene she caused leaving them. “I have nowhere to go now, but I can't stay here.” She had decided on what she would do now, with no home to go to. “I have to turn myself in.” She spoke calmly. Spike forced her hoof away and opened his mouth to protest again when the unexpected happened. “I think I've heard enough.” A gentle voice said. Shocked, they turned to it's source, and there she stood. Princess Celestia walked toward them, head held high and a serene smile on her lips. “Celestia,” Chrysalis regained her composure first. “I didn't expect you to find me before I went looking for you, but it does save me some trouble.” The Changeling met the Alicorn's gaze. “Allow me to formally apologize.” Chrysalis bowed her head. “There is no need for any formal apologies, or for anyone to turn themselves in.” Celestia said with a tinge of pride in her voice. Chrysalis was just confused. “I see the bond you've formed with Spike is special.” She spoke as if she knew it all and it made Chrysalis slightly uncomfortable. “And I will allow you to live in Equestria as a citizen.” “What?” Chrysalis could barely handle this news. This was just to much to take in, what was she playing at? “That's awesome!” Spike declared, jumping in the air with joy. “Wait, what do ya mean by 'special?'” Now it was his turn to look confused. While he had the utmost faith in the physical goddess, her cryptic ways still got to him. “In time, you will come to understand. I think you understand already, Chrysalis. If you look at it closely, you'll find it's quite simple.” Celestia added with a wink. What could she possibly mean by that? Chrysalis was getting more and more befuddled by the second. Then, it struck her, like a bolt of lightning, and her heart jumped into her throat. She couldn't be infatuated with the dragon, could she? Such a thing was unheard of, not to mention she had no room in her heart. She looked down at Spike, who was looking at Celestia with confusion written all over his face. Maybe there was room in her heart for love. “Spike, Celestia?” Twilight observed as she trotted over. Once she was close enough, she saw Chrysalis. “What's she doing here?” She was less surprised, more confused. There was lots of confusion to go around, it seemed. “Just in time, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia acknowledged. “I was just granting Spike's friend citizenship.” That threw her for a loop, all right. She was about to protest when she just clamped her mouth shut for a few seconds. “You'll need to tell me this one in detail, Spike.” She sighed before going to the library's front door, unlocking it, opening it, and walking inside. “Its a mess in here, Spike.” She called from inside. Spike just groaned in response. “If you'll come with me, Chrysalis. Or do you prefer 'Chrysie?'” Celestia joked. “We have some paperwork to iron out, and I think we should leave these two to their mess.” The next day, Chrysalis trotted down the road at a leisurely pace, heading toward the library. The air smelled fresh and clean, and though she got a few looks from the ponies she passed by she wouldn't let that dampen her good mood. Upon arrival at the library, she knocked thrice and was soon greeted by a grinning Spike in a frilly pink apron. She snickered, covering her mouth with her hoof, it being the only thing she could do to hold back the torrents of laughter. “Hiya, Chrysie.” Spike greeted. “I didn't expect you this early.” “Obviously, unless you planned on going out in that gaudy thing.” She teased, pointing a hoof at his apron. As soon as he noticed it was on, he let out a sound of dismay before hastily untying it and throwing it across the room. He'd retrieve it later. “Hmm, sad. Pink is certainly your color.” She wouldn't relent. “Ah, who asked you.” Spike waved it off, motioning for her to enter the library. They walked through the main section and into the back, where the living quarters were. There, was a kitchen/dining room combo off to the side. Spike hopped up on his stool at the front of the stove and continued to cook. It was then that she noticed that Twilight was no where in sight. “Where's Twilight Sparkle?” Chrysalis questioned. She didn't really care, but it would be best to know where the slightly hostile mare was, just in case. “Out with her friends. She usually leaves me to myself.” He lamented, she guessed he got lonely easily. “It sucks sometimes, but at least I get peace and quiet when I want it.” He went on. It wasn't long before whatever he was cooking was finished. He set two plates down and put two unidentified slabs of meat on them. Chrysalis poked at hers with her hoof, was it edible? She waited for Spike to take a bite of his before doing the same. All ranges of flavors danced across her taste-buds, spicy, tangy, and sweet. “Whats in this?” She asked, amazed. “Its delicious!” “Its those rabbit I caught in the forest, I sauteed them in a little olive oil with some herbs and spices.” He boasted, a slight blush apparent on his face. She could get used to this whole 'friendship' thing, and maybe even-. She stopped that train of thought where it was. In the shadows deep in Everfree Forest, a circle of drone changelings stood around a large mark on the ground, chanting in an ominous fashion. Green slime oozed from the mark on the ground, pooling. It moved as if alive. The chanting increased in speed and pitch. “I am free at last.” A deep, rasping voice rebounded off the trees themselves. From the pool of slime a figure rose, a tall, lithe changeling in equal size to Celestia, though his legs were skinny as twigs and his neck much the same. His wings spread wide, they looked like that of a dragonfly. His black carapace hard as steel and his eyes florescent green. The changelings stopped their chant and bowed before their king. Author Notes: This story was a lot of fun to write, and I got way more feedback then I expected. Though I didn't go it alone, my proof-reader helped a great deal. He's a budding writer himself and would really appreciate a little attention. While he doesn't write Pony fiction, he is a pretty credible original author. Check him out on DeviantArt, his ID is Spenc53. Special thanks to the commenters who inspired me to continue writing! A sequel to this is already in the works!
Getting to Know You“So whats your name, anyway?” The dragonling's question caught her off guard, how could he not know her name? She was the most feared being in Equestria! Or, at least, she was. She was next to nothing now, having nothing but this baby dragon's emotions to feed on, and they weren't even enough to give her the strength to walk. The only reason she was talking to him in the first place was because he was her life-line now, considering how low she was on 'Love.' That, and because he wouldn't leave. “Chrysalis.” She muttered her answer, not quite understanding why she would bother giving him her name. Perhaps it was simply her desire to be known and feared by all, even this little dragon who had found his way to her in the Everfree Forest. It was completely by chance that he found her, hiding in a very small and cramped cave, trying to rebuild her power from the local wildlife. She was a queen no more, her army of Changelings was gone, her powers were gone thanks to that lovey-dovey couple. It was almost ironic that she, the one who calls emotions food, would be defeated by love. It was like a child's adventure book, really. Cliché. “I'm Spike.” The dragon said simply, jabbing his thumb to his chest. She really didn't care. She could feel something coming off of him in waves, and that's where her attention lay. “You have pretty eyes, Chrysalis.” That caught her off guard. Was he teasing her? If she had the power to, she'd smite him where he stood! “Whats that supposed to mean?” She snarled, fangs bared. He didn't even flinch, the dragon, Spike, it sounded like a pet's name. “If you're making fun, then go find it elsewhere. I'll not be bullied by a insignificant baby dragon.” He just laughed it off. This enraged her more. “I'm not teasing you, its called a compliment. When you live around women as long as I have, you tend to pick up on things. Like how they like compliments about their good features. Your eyes are pretty, so I said so.” With his mouthful finished, he nodded sagely. This seemed strange, lived around nothing but women? Her curiosity was nagging at her to find out more. Her rage gone, she pressed on into the conversation. “Women? Anyone special?” She couldn't keep the venomous hint out of her voice, as well she couldn't help but give in to her curiosity. “A lover?” She emphasized. The blush that came to his cheeks told her everything she needed to know. But perhaps not. “Love is a way strong word. I would say I like her, and could love her. But she wouldn't accept me anyway. All she sees in me is a kid, a baby. And why shouldn't she?” He stared at the ground as she processed this. It wasn't often a child would be able to discern love from infatuation. “You're wiser then she gives you credit for.” She looked away from him, did she just pay someone a compliment? Throwing caution to the wind, she kept going, seeing his confused look. “Love isn't something that builds in a day, or a moments notice. Love takes time, and it grows stronger every passing day.” Spike looked at her for a while in silence, and she kept her gaze occupied by things such as the grass on the ground outside the cave. How the mighty fall. She was once a queen of the Changelings, but now here she was, giving a baby dragon advice. It was almost enough to make her cry, but tears would solve nothing. “Where will you go?” The armor piercing question shook her from her stupor, her thoughts swirling, where would she go? She didn't know. The Changelings were gone, and she was the last left of her fallen kingdom. She was powerless and at the mercy of any passing wildlife that thought of her as a tasty snack. She actually felt rather lucky to be found by this young dragon first, since he seemed harmless. “I don't have a home anymore.” She said, adding a sigh at the end. She didn't want to look so useless. “All my subjects are gone, and my kingdom is surely empty. I have no way to get back even if it wasn't.” She lamented further. It struck something in Spike, something that he didn't like about himself. “I could help with that.” His overwhelming urge to be a nice guy. The town of Ponyville was a lively, happy place. The very sight of the bright colors and cheerful inhabitants made her stomach churn with anger. Emotions were thick in the air, almost overwhelming her senses, but a palm on her side calmed her down. Spike, that little dragon had proven to be very kind, almost to a fault. The black coated unicorn struggled to regain her self control, with all the love and happiness floating about the town, she had almost gone into something akin to a blood-lust rage one would associate with a dragon greedily stealing anything and everything he sees. Then there was Spike himself. Here he was, offering a known criminal a place to stay. It baffled her, and made her feel a bit strange, but she wasn't going to decline. Not when this was a prime opportunity to regain her power. Chrysalis herself had regained some power simply by being near the town, using the energy she had left to shift her form. Though she couldn't change her fur color, she had made her wings disappear, gave herself a cutie-mark in the shape of a treble clef, and made her horn shift to look like a unicorn's. Her eyes had stayed the same green color, though they were no longer slitted. She looked almost normal, though if you strayed long enough, you'd notice the off features, and sunken cheekbones, the greasy hair, and even the tiniest of fangs in her mouth. Spike just hoped this would be enough to fool Twilight. As they made their way into the Ponyville library, made of a hallowed out tree, Spike made sure to close the door behind them, and the sight shocked the young dragon even though he should have expected it. Books everywhere, cluttering the floor, tables, counters, and a purple unicorn with her face so deep into a large tome that one would think she was trying to merge with it. “Twilight!” He groaned out loud, vocally pulling the girl from her reading. “Can't I leave for an hour without coming back to find you've destroyed the whole library?” He was exasperated, Chrysalis guessed this happened a lot. “Oh, uh. Right, I guess I got carried away with my research?” She grinned sheepishly, even though her answer was more of a question. “Can you give me a hoof with this mess?” She asked, turning back to her book. Spike knew what that meant. By 'give me a hoof' she meant 'do it all yourself.' It was then that he remembered the Changeling he had brought with him. How did Twilight not notice her? “Yeah, whatever, I'll do it.” He didn't even put up a fight, it'd be useless anyway, and would probably end with him going to bed early. “But, uh, first, I'd like you to meet someone.” Spike motioned to the unicorn beside him, who seemed to be preoccupied with her thoughts. Twilight nodded, still not looking up from her book. “That's nice, Spike, but we have work to do, so if you could send her home, that'd be great.” She was impossible sometimes, that Twilight Sparkle. Spike knew she wasn't being rude on purpose, but that didn't change the fact that she was, well, being rude. Spike threw his hands into the air as if begging whatever greater beings there are up there, Celestia, Luna, anyone to give him aid with this insufferable book worm. “That's just it, Twi! She doesn't have a home!” He practically screamed. This broke Twilight from her book, her head snapped to look at the pair at the doorway. She seemed to just now notice that this unicorn was strange. Something was off. She was a bit ugly, at least to Twilight, and her eyes held something that made her skin crawl. Twilight suddenly felt very protective of her surrogate little brother. It took some time and a lot of convincing, but finally Twilight had relented. But Spike's request, to allow Chrysalis to stay in their tree/library/home fell through, and the purple mare wasn't budging an inch on the subject. Chrysalis wasn't exactly surprised, she knew this plan was stupid, but followed through with it anyway to her great confusion. Usually she was so calculated on what she did, but this time it was on a whim. “Don't worry, Spike, we'll find a place for her to stay. I mean, someone will take her in for a few nights until she gets her bearings, right?” Twilight didn't sound to sure herself, but Spike trusted her, even if he thought she was a bit scatter-brained sometimes. Chrysalis on the other hand, only knew this pony was the one that helped that wretched little goody-goody Cadence. But she surprised her anger, if she was going to last long, she'd need to fool them all again. Maybe there was a way to get that delicious love after all? “Whatever you say, Twi.” Spike waved it off, his confidence in his plan to bring the so-called villain into town growing. “I'm going to make some daisy sandwiches, then I'll get cleaning.” He walked into the kitchen, unintentionally leaving the two mares alone together. This would not end well. “So, where are you from?” Twilight glared daggers at the Changeling, her obvious disdain for Chrysalis was showing through clear as crystal. “Whats your name? How'd you meet Spike?” Her rapid fire questions all were making Chrysalis feel uncomfortable, she'd need to think of some lies, and quick. “I'm from, uh, Fillydelphia.” She answered the first question hesitantly under the scrutinizing stare. “My name is Chrysa- er, Chrysie.” She almost slipped up there, she congratulated herself on her quick save. “And he found me lost in the Everfree Forest.” She finished simply. Twilight's right eye twitched slightly. Just then, Spike decided to reenter the room with a plate on claw, piled with sandwiches. “Spike, you wandered into Everfree Forest again?! How many times have I told you it was dangerous?” The purple mare's sisterly instincts kicked in. “There are wild animals, poisonous plants, and all sorts of dangerous things out there!” She took a sandwich off the plate as she scolded him. “What would I do if you got hurt, huh? Or worse!” She took a bite. “Oooh, this is good. What did you put in it?” Chrysalis was beginning to question her sanity. Maybe she was bipolar? “I added some extra seasonings.” Spike spoke proudly, he presented a sandwich to Chrysalis, who took it in her magical grip and eyed it wearily. Changelings don't normal eat anything other then emotions and meat. But looking down at Spike, who stared up expectantly with his eyes large and innocent, she felt she was hungry enough to eat this sandwich, so she did. She took a bite and chewed it slowly, it tasted like old socks if you asked her. She swallowing the large lump of bread and assorted pony-foods. It sat in her stomach like a brick. Spike looked at her still, the same way as before, like he was expecting something. “Uh. Yum?” Chrysalis turned her gaze away, unable to look him in the eyes. Why did she care that he wanted her opinion, and why did she not want to hurt his feelings? This sandwich was disgusting! She took another bite, then another, and finally the sandwich was gone. “I knew you'd like it, I don't usually use my special herbs and spices.” Spike boasted, unaware of her actual thoughts on the food, as he busied himself. She raised an eyebrow. What was so special about this occasion, then? She cast the thought aside, deciding she didn't really care. It was a stupid sandwich anyway. “You finish cleaning and I'll take Chrysie to a place she can stay.” Twilight called as she walked toward the door, beckoning for Chrysalis to follow her. If Spike had been looking at Twilight when she said that, he'd have noticed her grin. It wasn't a happy grin, it was a grin that you get when you're planning something. Chrysalis knew it well. “Okay, Twi. I'll see ya, Chrysie.” He waved at her and she felt strange again. Something compelled her to play nice with Twilight, for a time at least. “Bye, Spike.” Chrysalis said, feeling a bit weird about leaving the dragonling. The only one who made her feel comfortable in this town. Twilight led Chrysalis from the library, and headed for Sweet Apple Acres.
A New HomeThe trek to Sweet Apple Acres was a very quiet one, with only the sounds of their hoofs touching dirt road to keep the hum of silence from their ears. Of course, this just gave Chrysalis more time to think, and the more she thought, the more confused she got. Why would she go along with this? It had bad idea written all over it! Sure, there was the chance she could get some nourishment from it, that stupid sandwich was still sitting heavily in her belly, making her feel slightly nauseous. Why did she even bother eating the thing, just for that dumb little dragon? She'd step on it sooner then eat it, had it been anyone else! Anyone else? She almost tripped over her own hooves. What made that brat so special? He could be the nicest guy in the world and she's just feed on him until he was nothing but a husk! Yet, she didn't. That's what confused her. “We're here.” Twilight said simply as she pushed through the gate. What was once a speck in the distance was now a large farm. Was she really that lost in thought that she'd traveled all this way without realizing it? “Hey, Big Mac!” Twilight called at the large stallion. He was huge! Dwarfing even her, who stood heads taller then most ponies! He was busy hauling a cart full of red apples, and he didn't even look strained. “Hi there, Twilight.” He greeted as he passed by. His voice was gruff, and even slightly aloof. “If'n yer lookin' for AJ, she's in the barn, eattin' dinner.” He called over his shoulder before setting his eyes forward and continuing to the dirt road. Twilight was already on her way towards said barn, almost leaving Chrysalis in the dust. Twilight banged on the front door with her hoof and waiting patiently as Chrysalis trotted over. Just as she got to the door herself, Chrysalis was greeted by the sight of a mare of similar age to Twilight. The differences between them were stark, however. While Twilight's mane was straight and purple, this mare's mane was braided into a pony-tail and golden blonde. Her fur color was tangerine, or to the less articulate, orange. “Hey there, Twi.” Applejack greeted warmly. Her eyes were mostly on Twilight, and didn't notice how off the other pony's features were. “Come on in, bring yer friend!” She threw the door open wide. Inside the barn house was, in Chrysalis' own opinion, a dump. Of course, to someone who wasn't a complete jerk 95% of the time, it was cozy. They both trotted inside, the remains of dinner strewn about the dining table. An old mare was rocking back and forth in the corner of the room, crocheting what looked like a scarf, even though it was the dead of spring. Chrysalis knew these were the ponies who killed her subjects, but she struggled to keep herself in check. She was in no state to fight either of these mares, and she knew that. She had to keep a low profile. “This is Chrysie, Applejack.” Twilight motioned to Chrysalis, who was broken from her thoughts by the sudden conversation. “She's from Fillydelphia.” “Well, nice t' meet ya, Chrysie.” Applejack's accent was starting to get on Chrysalis' nerves, and she hasn't even been with the mare for 30 seconds. “What do ya'll need?” “Actually, she needs a place to stay for a few days.” Twilight smiled nervously, this wasn't a very light request, and she knew what would happen to the changeling if she were to stay here. Work. “We were hoping you'd take her in.” Applejack looked nonplussed by this. But seeing the pleading look on her friend's face, her stern look slowly softened. “Uh, sure, Twi. I got a free bed here in the barn. But she's gotta work for her room.” She finished harshly. Applejack got a good look at Chrysalis now, noticing her strange features and thin form. She raised an eyebrow, and decided to ignore it and not judge a book by it's cover ,but she did doubt the changeling could get any real work done by herself. “I'll have to find something for her to do.” The tangerine mare relented. “Oh, thank you, AJ! You're the best.” Twilight gushed. “Think nothin' of it.” Applejack laughed it off. Chrysalis felt very detached from the situation, like she was on a railroad and she had no control now. She decided to follow this shoddy plan through, however, what did she have to lose, besides everything? Sitting alone in her rented room, Chrysalis was finally given some peace of mind. Though it was fleeting, as soon her own thoughts bubbled to the surface to torment her. The room was ragged, by her standards. But, again, to anyone else it would appear to has some rustic appeal. A soft bed was all Chrysalis really wanted right now, though. That, and for the pounding in her head to stop. What if she never regained her power? What would she do, live this ruse forever? She knew she couldn't do that, even with the young dragon's help. There she went again, bringing up Spike! His friends were the reason she was in this mess in the first place, if they hadn't ruined her plans, she'd be feasting on all that delicious love right now, her and her subjects. She already missed them and how they would do her every bidding. If she wanted something, they got it. And now they were all dead. The realization was finally sinking in. All dead. They weren't coming back, even if she regained her power. She was the last changeling. Rage built inside her stomach, churning and her blood boiling. She wanted to hit something, kill somepony, blow something up! But she couldn't. And that made it all the worse. But she knew one thing, tears would solve nothing. She collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to pull the covers over her, and slowly drifted into a fitful, restless sleep. She was awoken by a pounding at the door, her eyes fluttered open. She allowed them a moment to adjust to the new light pouring in from the window. She had somehow managed to work herself under the covers during her sleep. Her head ached and she was unused to her surroundings, but quickly the memories of the previous day rushed back to her. “Ya'll awake in there?” A voice called, and she took a few seconds to place where she heard it before. It was that Applejack character she met yesterday. “I'm comin' in.” Applejack called. The door opened just as Chrysalis was getting out of bed. The orange mare waved a hoof in front of her nose. “No offense, darlin', but you could use a shower.” That struck a nerve, but she knew the mare was right. When was the last time she had a wash? Probably sometime before the wedding, two days ago. No wonder her hair felt especially greasy right now. “Where's your bathroom?” Chrysalis questioned, wasting no time. “Just down the hall there, on the left.” Applejack motioned to the left of her. With that, Chrysalis was off. She didn't sprint, exactly, but she wasn't taking a leisurely trot either, it was somewhere near a power-walk. “Meet me outside the barn in fifteen minutes!” the freckled mare called. Chrysalis pushed the door opened, and when she saw the shower, her eyes practically shone with anticipation. She closed the door behind her and locked it before stepping into the shower and turning the nob. Warm water cascaded down upon her body and it felt wonderful. She scooped up a bottle of shampoo with her magic and set to washing herself of the grime of Everfree Forest and the past days. It wasn't long before she was completely clean, the fifteen minutes flew by and she wished she could just stand there in the water forever, but she knew if she did she'd get nothing done. “Whats the point?” She muttered dryly as she turned the water off and magically grabbed a towel to dry herself. She didn't know the point of all this, but she knew one thing. She wasn't going to give in. She was to strong for that, to proud. Even if she had no real plan as of yet other then 'empower herself' she would press onward. She walked out of the bathroom, through the barn, and out into the yard with a sense of listlessness. Applejack either didn't notice, didn't care, or ignored it. “Alright, time for some work. I don't think ya'll can buck them apples to well with those scrawny legs, or haul the cart very far either. So I guess if'n you aren't up to the heavy stuff, I could have you paint the barn. It's due for a new coat anyway.” She said with an ever-present smile. She seemed nice, everyone seemed nice around here, and it made her feel a bit queasy. It was sickening, all this happiness. It tasted like sugar. To much sugar isn't a good thing, and neither was to much happiness. “I guess I could do that.” Chrysalis said tiredly. Even though she had a full night's sleep, she was still exhausted, mostly from the lack of food. She needed love, sorrow, anything besides happiness. If happiness was candy to her, then love was a thick, juicy steak, and sorrow was something akin to a prime rib. All these thoughts of food were making her even hungrier. “After ya'll finish, I'll have some lunch setup for ya.” Applejack seemed to be reading her mind, but not fully. “If'n ya do your job right.” She added harshly, pointing a hoof toward a stack of paint buckets and a paint brush. Chrysalis sighed inwardly as she levitated the brush into the air and looked at the barn. It was huge, this would take all morning. Or, at least, it would. If a certain purple dragon didn't suddenly show up carrying a paper bag. Her nose twitched, her heightened sense of smell detected something she could actually eat in there. She almost started drooling, but stopped herself. No matter how hungry she was, she wouldn't make a fool of herself. “Hiya, Chrysie, Applejack.” Spike waved. Chrysalis was almost happy to see the dragonling, but Applejack just looked confused. “What're ya'll doin' up this early, Spike?” She interrogated. “Ain't you usually sleepin' right now?” She raised an eyebrow. “Well, yeah, but I thought I should come by and see how Chrysie's doin'.” He answered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. “Maybe give a helping claw, ya know?” “Well if'n you came to help, I guess you could get paintin'.” She picked up a brush with her mouth and dropped it into his waiting claws. “Just try not to mess up, ya hear?” And she meandered off to her own work, leaving the pair to their job. “Whats in the bag?” Chrysalis was dying to know, and she said the words so fast that it almost gave Spike vocal whiplash. “I smell it, is it meat? How did you get meat, here of all places? What kind is it?” “Uh, its nothing special.” He looked a little ashamed, she wondered why, and why she cared. “Just some wild boar from Everfree Forest.” He spoke in a hushed tone and handed her the bag. She looked around to make sure no one was watching before opening the sack. Inside was freshly cooked meat, slightly burnt on the outside. It looked delicious. She didn't even question it, just wolfed it down like a hungry animal, taking large bites and gulping it down. He was right, it wasn't anything special. Just some cooked meat, and not even high quality. “Sorry about making you eat that sandwich yesterday. I had no idea you wouldn't like it.” He said sadly. She finished her meal and dropped the bag onto the ground, leaving it there. She wondered, how did he find out that she was a carnivore? “I read up on Changelings.” He whispered the last words, and spoke as if reading her mind. A lot of these Ponyville residents seemed to do that. “Don't worry, I know what its like.” He said, his mood shifting to happiness. It tasted sweeter then Applejack's. But she had no idea what he meant. They set to work on the wall as they spoke. “Know what it's like? What do you mean?” She questioned, she was getting more comfortable with talking to the dragonling, much as she hated to admit it. She wasn't even this close with her counsel. “Being a carnivore.” He was speaking quietly again. “I mean, you can't like eating meat, right? But you have to.” Did she like eating meat? Well, it was nothing compared to emotions, but meat was essential to a changeling's diet. It gave them the required minerals to function correctly, and just because it wasn't as tasty as love, didn't mean it wasn't good. She couldn't place where Spike was coming from with this. “I do, actually.” She affirmed. He looked at her with a mixture of horror and confusion. She felt her stomach knot up, had she said something wrong? The look hurt her, but she didn't let it show. “That's not wrong, it's nature.” Then it clicked. This was a dragon, raised by ponies, who are vegetarians. It was against everything he knew to eat other animals. “Oh my.” If it were anyone else, she'd have laughed right then and there. But it wasn't anyone else.
The Forsaken Forest“Its not wrong, its nature.” Chrysalis informed. On their patch of grass by the side of the barn, the changeling attempted to defuse whatever situation she had caused. “Oh my.” She had said quietly, the realization striking her. Here was a child who was conflicted inside. His natural instincts suppressed by years of pony culture telling him eating meat was wrong. What did he live off of then? Surely a carnivore couldn't eat these grasses and flowers like those ponies. “I think I should go.” Spike said, his voice sounded detached. She could even feel the fear coming off of him in small waves. He was afraid of her. Why did that feel wrong? Before Spike even took his second step, she stopped him. “Wait,” she sounded a bit desperate there, better adjust her tone. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Wait, Spike. You can't think that eating meat is wrong, can you?” She needed confirmation on this. Spike looked up at her, he didn't even need to think it over. “Of course it is, its murder.” His voice was strained. He thought he was a murderer, a killer, and the worst part? “I just can't help it, I need to eat and the food Twilight feeds me, it makes me feel sick now.” He couldn't control it. “Listen, Spike. Take me into Everfree Forest after we finish this barn. I'll show you that it is just nature's way.” She ordered, not knowing why she really cared. That seemed to be a growing theme with her now. Hunting was a vital part of survival for a dragon, and it was with much despair that Spike himself would need to partake in such a ritual. The dragonling was at that age where he was to begin hunting and finding their own food. Gems could not sustain him, they were more like a treat then a meal. Meat was the only option left. So he went to find it. The Everfree Forest was a prime hunting ground, despite its various dangers. Small woodland creatures and larger carcasses he found would make up his diet. It had been a month since he first started doing this, and it disgusted him every time he was forced to kill. However, it was this or die of starvation. He chose the first option. He had company on this foray into the forest, however. Chrysalis had reverted to her true form after leaving Ponyville, it felt good to be back in her old body again. He wasn't sure how he felt about this whole thing. He had found someone else who shared his diet, sort of. But she had a completely different view point on it. While he considered this all to be a crime, she thought of it as nature's way. Maybe it was and he just wasn't seeing it, but he decided he really didn't want to see it. This was kill or starve. Chrysalis was struck by that feeling of strangeness again. Why was she bothering to go so much out of her way to help him? Was it because he was trying to help her? That couldn't be it, she didn't care if she owed him. Spike stopped walking and stood stock still. Chrysalis was pulled from her thoughts by the sudden motion. Ahead of them, just through the trees, was a clearing. A beautiful field of grass and flowers this deep in the Everfree Forest? That wasn't why they stopped moving, however. On the edge of the field was a rabbit hole with a tiny bunny sticking his head out of it. Spike was on the move again, this time he walked on all fours. He moved faster then Chrysalis expected of him as he wandered through the underbrush, around the field and behind the rabbit hole. The small bunny never saw him coming. He thrust his arms down into the rabbit hole and tore the bunny from it. It struggled in his grip, but he wouldn't release the small creature. Spike closed his eyes, what came next was the hardest part. With a quick jerk, and a pop like a stick just broke, it was over. The bunny was motionless in his claws. Chrysalis was amazed at how efficient a hunter a dragon could be, even one so young. She had merely come along to spectate, but her stomach growled, telling her she hadn't eaten since the meat Spike had given her earlier that day. “Psst, your highness?” She hadn't heard anyone call her that since those few days ago, which felt like a long time now. Her heart leaped for joy when she saw him, buzzing just above the tree branches. The chitinous form of a changeling drone. They weren't all dead! “I've finally found you.” He seemed relieved, flying down to her. She quickly composed herself. “What news of the rest of my subjects.” She questions, looking back at Spike, who was breathing fire into the rabbit hole now to scare out any other bunnies. “Quickly now.” “They're gathering in a large cave in the Everfree, my queen. We've sent search parties out for you-” He was silenced by a hoof to his mouth. “Take me to this cave, now.” She ordered in a strong tone, she didn't want to leave Spike behind, but her people needed her and they were more important then a dragonling with some pony problems. With that thought in the back of her mind and her heart heavy, she spread her wings and flew, allowing her minion to take the lead. By the time Spike realized she was gone, it was too late. The cave was alive with activity. Changelings buzzed this way and that, all attempting to get ready for whatever their queen would require of them. The air was thick with the acrid stench of decay and rotting meat. The cave wasn't glamorous and had a lot of off-shoot tunnels, but it would do for the time being. A long table had been setup, where they found it she did not know, and it was covered with a wide assortment of dishes. Roast boar, crow-kebabs, and fish stew were just a few of the woodland delicacies that she had relentlessly tore with her fangs. “Ah, this is much better.” She sighed in contentment, even if this wasn't a meal of royal proportions, it was a start. Much better then trying to survive off of any emotion that came her way, or whatever Spike could cook up. She wondered if he was okay, she did leave him all alone in the middle of Everfree Forest. He probably just went home when he discovered she had disappeared. She felt a bit bad for leaving him out there, but there were more important things to attend to. She didn't have time for friends anyway. “A message, your highness.” A drone approached, bowing before her. She waved a hoof absentmindedly, to busy with her meal to really care. “Your counsel has sent a detachment of drones to to the small village on the other side of the Everfree Forest. They, or he, requests your presence for the next course of action.” She nearly choked on a piece of steak at that. Sending soldiers to Ponyville? Without her consent!? Those old fools! Normally she wouldn't get this worked up over something like this. They usually did things like this without telling her first anyway. But something about this time made rage flare in the pit of her stomach. She shot up from the table, causing the lone messenger drone to cringe. Paying him no heed, Chrysalis took off at a gallop. The changelings that saw her were dumbfounded by the sight of their queen, dashing through the cave's tunnels and eyes burning with anger. The councilor, that is to say the only one left, was thin for a changeling and slightly taller then a drone. He went by the name Alate. “Alaaate!” And when Chrysalis found him, all hell broke loose. The changeling councilor stopped in his tracks, looking back at his ruler with confusion. “Whats this idea of sending soldiers to Ponyville!?” She screeched, fangs bared and wings flared out behind her. A natural effect of anger, trying to make herself seem bigger and more menacing. “Ponyville?” He asked, still dumbfounded by his queen's anger. “You mean the pony village? Why?” He didn't know how deep a hole he was digging himself. “Tell me!” She roared, drawing the attention of every changeling in the tunnel, which is to say a lot of them. “Food, your highness.” He responded with a calmness that gave her an eldritch feeling. “They were sent to take prisoners so we could extract their emotions.” He was cold and the air stunk like old gym socks mixed with fish guts. That was the first thing that registered in his mind. His eyes opened to darkness, slowly adjusting to the low lighting, what he saw through the shade was definitely not his library home. Ponies shivering, chained to the walls and floor of a cell made of stone. There were no bars, but he could tell this was a prison. A black pony rubbed up against a blue one and signed in contentment, as if taking a sip of a nice, cool drink on a hot summers day. At first he thought this was just somepony comforting another, but then he noticed the hard shell that took the place of fur. A changeling and there were more of them, they were feeding on the ponies. He wanted to scream for it to stop, maybe to distract it, but he rarely thought these things through. It was then that he noticed he had green slime covering his mouth. “The dragon is awake.” A changeling drone hissed, and any who were feasting stopped, all turning to look at him. “Mmm, smell that fear.” There was nothing he could do but shudder as they converged on him. He felt weaker then before and his muscles seized in his limbs. “I've never had dragon fear before.” One of the changelings said with delight clear in his voice. To them, the most accurate description of the taste would be beef tenderloin. “Ah, do I detect a hint of despair?” They relished the meal. Spike's mind was foggy, he could barely form coherent thoughts. Darkness started to over-take his vision. Then he heard a familiar voice.
FalloutSpike's vision was slowly returning as the changelings circled around the six intruders, there weren't as many of them as there was in Canterlot those short days ago, but changelings weren't renowned for their great intellect. “Rarity, you take care of the prisoners, we'll handle these guys.” Twilight ordered, being a natural leader when the time called for it. Each of the mares affirmed in their own way. “You think you can just sneak into our town and kidnap ponies?” Twilight growled at the changelings, who just snarled and hissed back as they circled. It wasn't long before one of them got to eager and jumped at the mares, fangs bared and jaws gnashing. He received a swift hoof to the head for his trouble, compliments of Applejack. That's when it the tension boiled over. Each of the changelings lunged and attacked. Rarity busied herself by freeing the ponies. She pulled on them with her magic, trying to break them. It was no good, if one of the trapped unicorns couldn't do it, how could she? Then, while looking for something to smash the chains with, she noticed Spike. She couldn't hold back a gasp at his sorry state. She rushed over to him, her mission and the fight forgotten. Spike was cold to the touch. He stared ahead through half lidded, sickly green eyes that made Rarity's heart sink. “Ooh, my Spikey-wikey. What did they do to you?” She lamented in an over dramatic fashion, raising a hoof to her forehead and looking toward the ceiling. Once she centered her eyes back on him, she grabbed the sticky, semi-solid slime around his mouth with her magic and tore it off with all her might. It slid off with relative ease, but left a red mark on his scales like duct tape. Spike didn't even flinch, not from lack of pain, but in his near unconscious state, he couldn't work up a response. A changeling slammed into the wall right beside Spike with a sickening crack, it was covered in confetti. Pinkie Pie had her Party Cannon out, they would surely win. “Who...?” Spike's eyes started to fade back to their usual coloring. How did he get here, where was here? Rarity pulled him into a hug. He melted into the embrace and decided where 'here' was, it was awesome. “R-Rarity?” He was dumbstruck. Rarity, the mare of his dreams, was hugging him. Twilight tapped Rarity on the shoulder. When the pale mare dropped Spike and looked at her, the purple unicorn didn't seem to pleased. “You call that taking care of the prisoners?” She asked harshly. While Rarity tried to think up a response, Twilight just smirked at her, causing the pale unicorn to huff. “Pinkies got it handled anyway.” Sure enough, all variety of ponies were free from their bonds. All stretching their legs, rejoicing, and dancing about. Pinkie Pie approached the dragonling and stuck a key in the shackles, twisting and unlocking them. Spike just slumped down onto the ground, still weak. “Where'd you get that key?” Twilight asked, amazed. “Found it!” Pinkie Pie said happily. That's when a figure approached. Chrysalis didn't know what to feel at the moment. Happiness that Spike wasn't injured? Anger that those wretched ponies had hurt her changelings? She decided on the latter. “You horrible little ponies!” the changeling queen cried, her voice shrill with rage. Twilight stepped in front of the other mares, her horn aglow with magical intensity. “You attacked us first!” Rainbow Dash yelled angrily. She had a rather large rock thrown at her in rebuttal, forcing her to jump to the side, letting it hit the ground harmlessly. Of course, this didn't go over well with the rest of the ponies in the room. The freed ponies each gathered around the Elements of Harmony, glaring at Chrysalis. The queen knew she wouldn't be able to win against these odds as low on power as she was. But she was so angry she just didn't care. Chrysalis lowered herself and pointed her horn at the group of ponies and the dragon. She fired off a blast of green magic, which Twilight deflected with ease. “Is that the best you got?” Twilight crowed. “I've seen better magic from fillies.” Another shot, just as easily send back at her. Chrysalis twisted out of the way of her own attack and snarled. This wasn't working. “Give up, you can't beat all of us!.” Spike's mind was working in overdrive. What could he do? He just wanted to go home, but Chrysalis was in danger. Why did he care? She was the reason he was a prisoner in the first place, she probably even wanted to feed off of his emotions too, just like the other changelings. His anger welled in his chest as he struggled to stand up, letting it fuel him. Leaning against the wall for support, he rose. No one noticed him, they were to busy watching Chrysalis and Twilight duel it out with magic. Part of him wanted to see this too, but he couldn't with all these ponies in the way. He pushed his way though the crowd, stumbling now and then, tripping over hooves and his own feet in his exhaustion, until he came upon the edge of the string of ponies. He watched through tired eyes as his surrogate sister attacked his so-called friend. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Chrysalis stopped her assault when she saw Spike stumble over to Twilight. He placed a hand on her side for stability, and she turned her head to look at him quizzically. “Spike, not now, I'm kind of in the middle of saving you.” She said, looking back to her opponent. “Kick her flank.” He muttered just loud enough to be heard by all. He sounded so resolute, even though he knew he wasn't. He was letting his emotions control his actions, just like any other child would. Chrysalis felt her heart break, her friend was blaming her for his imprisonment. She felt defeated. One look at her told him he was wrong, she wasn't behind his kidnapping. But it was too late to stop Twilight now. “Will do.” Twilight said through a smirk. She proceeded to lower her horn and start firing off bursts of purple magic. Chrysalis dodged them as best she could, but she couldn't get out of the way of them all. Magic seared her fur and flesh, forcing her to skid backward. Twilight was holding back, and it was evident now. She ran. It was all she could do, lest she be killed. The ponies rejoiced once more, cheering and singing praises toward the Elements of Harmony. Spike, however, didn't join their celebrations. He felt low, lower then he had ever felt before. That night, a party was held. It was, of course, a Pinkie Pie party. Everypony and their grandmother was invited. The music was loud and pumping, the food was good, and most importantly, they were all having a great time. Save for one dragon. Spike just stood by the food table, ignoring everything that went on around him. Ever since they scared off Chrysalis, he'd been feeling bad. This didn't go unnoticed by the others, and soon, they were plotting to help. “What do you thinks the matter with him?” Twilight asked, levitating a glass of punch in front of her mouth. “You don't think he was really hurt by those changelings, do you?” She took a sip. “No, I doubt it, darling. The way he's acting, I think he blames himself for something.” Rarity informed, doing much the same as Twilight, only her glass held wine. “Like what?” Twilight was genuinely surprised by this news. “Not being able to help the ponies before we got there?” She took a stab into the dark. “Ah think its 'cause his friend left.” Applejack cantered over. “That Chrysie girl?” She reminded them. “Oh, that's right! What happened to her, Applejack?” Twilight didn't care for the mare, really, but it was apparent that Spike did. “She just plum vanished.” Applejack answered. “Ah'm sure Spike knows where she went, though. He left with her.” That was odd, maybe they had a falling out, Twilight wondered to herself, she didn't notice Rarity had wandered off. Spike looked up from his cup of punch to see Rarity trot over to him. She smiled down at him, how alluring she was. He remembered a time when he imagined they'd be together, but such dreams were shattered a long time ago. “Spike.” She started, trying to keep her voice composed. “How come you aren't enjoying the party?” She asked, thinking she might as well get the answer straight from him, rather then speculate. “Its nothing.” Spike answered sadly. He hated lying to her, but he couldn't tell her the truth. He helped a criminal, and even if she wasn't wanted, it still would've felt wrong to tell her he was so hung up on another mare. “It's not nothing if it has you so sad.” She replied, a little more forcefully then she wanted. She reached out and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “You can tell me anything, Spike. You know that.” She asserted. He was relenting. “I hurt a friend.” He had to be vague. “And she's gone now. I feel like dirt, and its my own fault.” He was on the verge of tears. “I have no idea where she went, so I can't fix this.” Rarity was surprised by this. Who was this friend he spoke of? She wasn't aware he had other friends, besides Snips and Snails, but they only hung out on occasion. Before she could ask more, Spike had started to walk away. “Spike, wait, I'm not done talking to you.” She called, but he had already disappeared into the crowd. Spike left the party, deciding all the noise wasn't helping with his mood. The night air was chilly for Spring, but that didn't stop him. He approached the library door and grabbed the nob. He jiggled it a bit, only to discover it was locked. He released a sound of aggravation, as he had no keys, so he decided to just loiter outside the library until Twilight showed up. She wasn't exactly sure why, but Chrysalis had the overwhelming urge to make things right with Spike. There were a lot of things lately she wasn't sure of. It had been so easy before, then he came into her life and turned it on it's head. So there she was, sneaking into Ponyville in the dead of night in an attempt to fix everything. The town was more somber then she remembered, but she attributed that to the fact that it was nighttime now. She heard an aggravated groan as she sneaked around back, it sounded very familiar. Chrysalis peeked around the bend, and saw just the dragon she was looking for. How could she go about this? He was most likely still mad at her for the whole kidnapping thing. She decided to do one of the things she tried to never do. Wing it. “Hello.” She said. Well, that was a great start. Spike practically jumped out of his scales when he heard her voice. He twisted around to look at her to see she was in her true form, but stuck to the shadows. Her green eyes seemed to glow through the darkness. “Chrysalis?” He asked, amazed that she would actively seek him out after what happened. “Oh man, am I glad to see you.” Her heart jumped at that. He was glad to see her? He ran over and hugged her foreleg, much to her surprise. She nearly backpedaled, but stood her ground. “The feeling is mutual.” She said with a smile.
ApostleQueen Chrysalis, current leader of the Changelings, took a deep breath and savored the taste of Spike's happiness. It wasn't overly sweet, like pony's happiness, and tasted faintly of strawberry. She could get used to this, she thought. Spike released her leg from his embrace and looked up at her with a smile. She beamed back down at him, but it wasn't long before the grin turned upside down. The news she needed to tell him. “Spike, I'm so sorry for what happened. I had no intentions of an attack on Ponyville.” She started sadly, the dragonling's smile disappeared at the tone. “But, I can't stay long.” She forced the words out. The look of hurt on his face was enough to shatter her resolve, but she pressed on. “I'm a criminal, and just talking to you puts you in danger.” She was doing this for his own good, she told herself. “But, we can hide you!” he wanted desperately for her to stay. She was the only one who understood his carnivore nature without fear. “You can shapeshift and live with Applejack-” she silenced him with her hoof, smiling down at him sadly. “I can't keep hiding forever, Spike.” Her changelings would surely turned their back on her after the scene she caused leaving them. “I have nowhere to go now, but I can't stay here.” She had decided on what she would do now, with no home to go to. “I have to turn myself in.” She spoke calmly. Spike forced her hoof away and opened his mouth to protest again when the unexpected happened. “I think I've heard enough.” A gentle voice said. Shocked, they turned to it's source, and there she stood. Princess Celestia walked toward them, head held high and a serene smile on her lips. “Celestia,” Chrysalis regained her composure first. “I didn't expect you to find me before I went looking for you, but it does save me some trouble.” The Changeling met the Alicorn's gaze. “Allow me to formally apologize.” Chrysalis bowed her head. “There is no need for any formal apologies, or for anyone to turn themselves in.” Celestia said with a tinge of pride in her voice. Chrysalis was just confused. “I see the bond you've formed with Spike is special.” She spoke as if she knew it all and it made Chrysalis slightly uncomfortable. “And I will allow you to live in Equestria as a citizen.” “What?” Chrysalis could barely handle this news. This was just to much to take in, what was she playing at? “That's awesome!” Spike declared, jumping in the air with joy. “Wait, what do ya mean by 'special?'” Now it was his turn to look confused. While he had the utmost faith in the physical goddess, her cryptic ways still got to him. “In time, you will come to understand. I think you understand already, Chrysalis. If you look at it closely, you'll find it's quite simple.” Celestia added with a wink. What could she possibly mean by that? Chrysalis was getting more and more befuddled by the second. Then, it struck her, like a bolt of lightning, and her heart jumped into her throat. She couldn't be infatuated with the dragon, could she? Such a thing was unheard of, not to mention she had no room in her heart. She looked down at Spike, who was looking at Celestia with confusion written all over his face. Maybe there was room in her heart for love. “Spike, Celestia?” Twilight observed as she trotted over. Once she was close enough, she saw Chrysalis. “What's she doing here?” She was less surprised, more confused. There was lots of confusion to go around, it seemed. “Just in time, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia acknowledged. “I was just granting Spike's friend citizenship.” That threw her for a loop, all right. She was about to protest when she just clamped her mouth shut for a few seconds. “You'll need to tell me this one in detail, Spike.” She sighed before going to the library's front door, unlocking it, opening it, and walking inside. “Its a mess in here, Spike.” She called from inside. Spike just groaned in response. “If you'll come with me, Chrysalis. Or do you prefer 'Chrysie?'” Celestia joked. “We have some paperwork to iron out, and I think we should leave these two to their mess.” The next day, Chrysalis trotted down the road at a leisurely pace, heading toward the library. The air smelled fresh and clean, and though she got a few looks from the ponies she passed by she wouldn't let that dampen her good mood. Upon arrival at the library, she knocked thrice and was soon greeted by a grinning Spike in a frilly pink apron. She snickered, covering her mouth with her hoof, it being the only thing she could do to hold back the torrents of laughter. “Hiya, Chrysie.” Spike greeted. “I didn't expect you this early.” “Obviously, unless you planned on going out in that gaudy thing.” She teased, pointing a hoof at his apron. As soon as he noticed it was on, he let out a sound of dismay before hastily untying it and throwing it across the room. He'd retrieve it later. “Hmm, sad. Pink is certainly your color.” She wouldn't relent. “Ah, who asked you.” Spike waved it off, motioning for her to enter the library. They walked through the main section and into the back, where the living quarters were. There, was a kitchen/dining room combo off to the side. Spike hopped up on his stool at the front of the stove and continued to cook. It was then that she noticed that Twilight was no where in sight. “Where's Twilight Sparkle?” Chrysalis questioned. She didn't really care, but it would be best to know where the slightly hostile mare was, just in case. “Out with her friends. She usually leaves me to myself.” He lamented, she guessed he got lonely easily. “It sucks sometimes, but at least I get peace and quiet when I want it.” He went on. It wasn't long before whatever he was cooking was finished. He set two plates down and put two unidentified slabs of meat on them. Chrysalis poked at hers with her hoof, was it edible? She waited for Spike to take a bite of his before doing the same. All ranges of flavors danced across her taste-buds, spicy, tangy, and sweet. “Whats in this?” She asked, amazed. “Its delicious!” “Its those rabbit I caught in the forest, I sauteed them in a little olive oil with some herbs and spices.” He boasted, a slight blush apparent on his face. She could get used to this whole 'friendship' thing, and maybe even-. She stopped that train of thought where it was. In the shadows deep in Everfree Forest, a circle of drone changelings stood around a large mark on the ground, chanting in an ominous fashion. Green slime oozed from the mark on the ground, pooling. It moved as if alive. The chanting increased in speed and pitch. “I am free at last.” A deep, rasping voice rebounded off the trees themselves. From the pool of slime a figure rose, a tall, lithe changeling in equal size to Celestia, though his legs were skinny as twigs and his neck much the same. His wings spread wide, they looked like that of a dragonfly. His black carapace hard as steel and his eyes florescent green. The changelings stopped their chant and bowed before their king. Author Notes: This story was a lot of fun to write, and I got way more feedback then I expected. Though I didn't go it alone, my proof-reader helped a great deal. He's a budding writer himself and would really appreciate a little attention. While he doesn't write Pony fiction, he is a pretty credible original author. Check him out on DeviantArt, his ID is Spenc53. Special thanks to the commenters who inspired me to continue writing! A sequel to this is already in the works!
