Farewell to the Moon

Far from Canterlot, in a dark and cursed place where nopony dared go if they wished to live, other inhabitants were reacting to the incident with the Equestrian moon. The Queen of the Changelings paced her chamber, her thoughts on her horde, her children. They were already weakened from being denied food from Canterlot, and the moon crashing didn’t help matters much either.

Chrysalis sighed, her hoof steps echoing off the dimly lit chamber. After such a time in Canterlot, so full of comforts, the chamber now seemed abysmally bleak in comparison. That familiar anger begin to return over  that infernal unicorn who had figured out she wasn’t the real Cadence - the mere thought of the purple unicorn causing her horn to light up with unstable magic. She stomped her hoof and forced herself to relax, taking deep slow breaths to calm herself. Closing her eyes, she brought up the old memory of her former lover. Oh, how long ago that had been, and she could just lose herself in his eyes before-

The sound of hoof steps yanked her out of her nostalgia, and Chrysalis quickly composed herself for her returning scouts.

As she opened her eyes, three changelings entered the chamber, all disguised as various ponies. The changeling on the left was in the form of a tan stallion with a basket on his flank and the one in the middle was disguised as a bright yellow Pegasus with a lightning bolt for her cutie mark. Chrysalis felt a scowl appear at that last changeling, who was prancing happily around the room, humming something contentedly. Her eyes were closed in happiness, the magenta mane bouncing around in her wake, her yellowish-white coat gleaming in the dim light.

Chrysalis stomped her foreleg on the ground, scaring the prancing changeling back into position. The three changelings stood at attention, rigid and unmoving. She smirked at them and gestured for the three of them to begin their reports. As she settled herself into her throne, the first scout began, and she listened attentively as he described the situation in Manehatten,

Everything was beginning to devolve into chaos, ponies with abilities fighting with each other and the rule of the Equestrian government. It was dangerous to walk the streets at night now that so many ponies possessed abilities. There were a few intellectuals who were proposing theories that the dark moon magic had been released from the crash into Equestria, and had somehow bound itself to the denizens.

This isn’t good, Chrysalis thought. If the ponies are busy fighting each other, then what will I sustain my horde upon?

A few moments passed before a sound interrupted her thoughts. She looked up and saw that the same prancing changeling from before was eating a muffin. Her two siblings were staring at her with horror, but her eyes were closed in pleasure, chewing happily. Chrysalis stood up and  growled at her. “What are you doing?”

The changeling looked startled and tried to answer. “M'eatin uh maffin.”

Chrysalis’s gaze alone was enough to cause any normal being to want to curl up and die. The changeling she had her gaze fixed upon at the moment, however, seemed oblivious  Stuffing the entire muffin in her mouth, she grinned at her Queen through a full mouth, crumbs dropping onto the floor. Swallowing with difficulty, she spoke again.

“I was eating a muffin!” She smiled, her fangs gleaming. The disguised forms of the other two wavered and disappeared as they backed away from the other. Chrysalis paid no heed, looming over the pale mare. Her grin faded a little at the severity of the look from her Queen.

“Where did you get this muffin from?” Chrysalis’ tone was deathly quiet yet managed to echo through the small cavern. “Who gave it to you?”

The changeling paused for a moment, putting a hoof up to her mouth. “She was a grey pegasus, and very nice. Oh, I know!”

With a burst of green flame, she shifted to a perfect replica of the grey pony, with yellow eyes looking in different directions. “This is what she looked like!”

Chrysalis groaned, holding her face in her hoof. Her patience was running thin extremely quick this week on this particular changeling. This one had been a first hand victim of the psychotic pink pony who had been in charge of the decorations at the wedding - her antics had defied all logic of the pony world. Chrysalis shook her head, putting all immediate little problems aside.

“Forget the muffin giving pony!” She snapped, the grey pony flinching. “I want your report on the Canterlot situation.”

“Oh, ok.” She sat down and took a deep breath. “The princesses are busy dealing with the moon fragments, and there are ponies beginning to show signs of special abilities. The first case reported was of an earth pony named Crescent. He was in the hospital being treated for dust exposure but halfway through the second night, he just disappeared with a nurse in tow. I looked into it and it turns out his family lives in a manor on the edge of the city but I didn’t have time to investigate the building completely. The city still seems to be under strict guard but I was able to get in pretty easily along with the refugees. The problem is that once you are in the hospital, the nurse ponies start looking up your information.”

Chrysalis blinked, impressed with the knowledge given to her.  The changeling looked pleased with her- itself, Chrysalis corrected mentally.  This particular changeling always seemed to have a semblance of sentience when compared to the other drones under her control, and Chrysalis on more than one occasion had to strengthen her telepathic hold on her.

“Anything else I should know of?” Chrysalis asked, examining her hoof. More chewing brought her attention to the childish changeling. She had somehow produced more muffins and was eating them again.

“Tos ponees tat ‘ere ah eh-”

“Swallow before you address your Queen!!” Chrysalis yelled, her temper instantly fanned back into an inferno. She found herself on her feet and inches away from the source of her anger. The changeling swallowed, her form wavering in fear, and she tried to smile but stopped at the look received.

“Um… the Elements of Harmony are in Canterlot…” She murmured, sinking lower at the piercing glare of the Changeling Queen.

“Are they now…?” Chrysalis asked, turning away and walking towards her throne deep in thought. “Interesting…”

Hiding a grin, the mischievous changeling pulled out her last muffin and was about to take a bite before a burst of green magic turned it to ash. She froze, on the verge of tears, and bent down to examine the small pile of ash.  As she was about to sift through the pitiful pile for any hope of a surviving morsel, a blackened hoof scattered it everywhere.

“Focus, you fool!” Chrysalis growled at her, the changeling squealing and hiding under her hooves. She felt her eye twitch at the effort of not hitting her, but she managed to restrain herself before taking a deep breath. The Queen looked at the other two changelings who had assumed their natural forms, and back at the cowering pony changeling. Chrysalis sighed and looked at the two others once more.

“I need you two to investigate Canterlot and find where the Elements of Harmony are being held.” Chrysalis ignored the changeling who looked up from under her hooves as her Queen addressed her siblings. “If we can capture at least one and learn everything about them, we will be able to infiltrate the castle again, and perhaps take Celestia once more. Time is of the essence because even though Shining Armor’s love is still strong inside me for now, it is growing weaker with each passing moment. Therefore, if we can imitate the Elements of Harmony, we can feed off their love for each other. It won’t be as strong as normal love, but it will suffice for the time being.”

She stomped her hoof again. “Go and hurry.”

The two changelings nodded and shifted to pegasi before turning to leave. The changeling on the floor made to follow before Chrysalis’ voice stopped her. “Wait, little one.”

Looking fearfully over her shoulder, the changeling flinched as Chrysalis came closer. She covered her face again as her Queen raised her foreleg. The next thing she knew, the changeling found herself in a tight embrace, the queen stroking the transformed creature’s mane.

“You’ve been around those ponies too long.” Chrysalis murmured, her tone almost motherly. “All the energy has changed you. Especially being exposed to that pink one.”

The changeling’s mind instantly flashed back to the battle with the Elements of Harmony, when she and her siblings had transformed to fight them, but had been surprised by their tenacity. She herself had stood face to face with the pink pony. After being told repeatedly to mimic her form, the changeling had  simply given in to shut her up, only to be blasted aside moments later by the same pony, who was using her unicorn friend to fire magic at the horde. The changeling had been hit hard and had remained unconscious for the rest of the invasion, which she found later had failed.

The changeling snuggled closer to Chrysalis, enjoying the embrace of her Queen. Chrysalis pressed her horn to the changelings head and a soft green glow issued from it, bathing her in a green aura. The changeling pulled away and hissed, rubbing its head with its hooves from the strange sensation. The Queen watched with worry, it had been many years since she had cast that particular spell. She used it only very rarely, the last time being nearly three centuries ago.

Every so often, there were changelings who became too pony-like for the horde, and began to disrupt the activities that were needed to survive. While it would have been easier to eliminate the weak link, Chrysalis saw the entire horde as her children, and couldn’t bring herself to end the existence of even one of them.

The changeling paused its frantic movements and looked at Chrysalis with wonder. She hugged the young changeling once more, feeling emotions of this creature slowly stirring to life. It was afraid of being free. All its life had been to serve her Queen, and now she had no purpose.

“I’m sorry.” Chrysalis whispered, releasing the free changeling. “But you have become too much like the ponies for me to allow you to remain with us.” The changeling shook her head, recalling very little of her Horde memories. All she had was her own. She looked at Chrysalis, her pony form shaking with fear and uncertainty.

The Queen placed her hoof on the changeling’s head. “You have your freedom to do as you please and to pursue all the muffins you want.“ The changeling’s eyes lit up at that, and the shakes faded. “The only I have left to give you is a name.” Chrysalis pondered names, few of them appropriate. After a few moments, she smiled and spoke once more. “Ophelia.”

A tilt of her head in confusion, as the changeling repeated the name in her mind. Ophelia? Yes, she liked that.  “Ophelia…” She murmured, her voice surprisingly soft for a changeling.

Chrysalis smiled sadly. “Go. Enjoy the world and be free. You don’t belong with the Horde anymore.”

She gently nudged Ophelia, who took a few steps away before looking back at her former Queen. Chrysalis smiled again and gestured towards the exit. The changeling glanced at the door, before running back and hugging the Queen around the middle one last time. With one final look, Ophelia ran from the chamber.

Listening to her freed child run and take flight, Chrysalis focused on removing her memory of this place as she flew off towards Canterlot. Ophelia couldn’t remember the Changeling Queen’s plans for Canterlot, or how she had gotten the information.

When the aura of Ophelia finally vanished from the Hive, Chrysalis felt a sigh escape her. It was always difficult to lose a child.

* * *

Ophelia felt pure joy in her heart. She was free to do whatever she wanted now! But… what was she going to do? The only thing she knew was hiding her form and blending with ponies.

Maybe… she could ask friendly ponies what she could do with her life? Surely somepony could point her in the right direction?

She nodded at that, her form shifting unconsciously to a white pegasus with a light red mane. After a few moments of pondering, Ophelia shifted her cutie mark to resemble a puzzle piece. That would suit her for now. At least until she found where she belonged in this world.

*Author's notes!*

Apologies for the delay but there will be TWO more chapters released the following days. I hope you accept this as an apology for the one month hiatus.

My editor ended up stabbing herself in the hand and was unable to write her chapter up for a very long time. Again, my sincerest apologies. I know it seems slow at the moment but things will begin to pick up soon, I promise!

Cheers.

Zaki