From Chrysalis to Butterfly

Chrysalis knew she'd never been loved as a ruler, not by her subjects and definitely not by outsiders. They thought her cruel for draining extra emotion to feed to her Changelings. They thought she had a choice, but no, emotion was the one thing Changelings needed to survive. The rest of their meals were optional, but a month without love or confusion or even anger would kill one easily.

When everyone treats you like you're evil, eventually you start believing it. You simply aren't able to help it. And after a while of that, you even start to act a little sinister. Until you turn completely. Which really doesn't take long.

But once in a while, when you're alone, you remember who you used to be. Especially when you're alone in the woods. Which was where Chrysalis was headed.

The trees are whispering to me. The Changeling queen smiled to herself and imagined the possibilities. What would her mother say if she could see her now? Would she be proud? Angry? Disgusted? It was a known fact that Changeling royalty often felt more emotion than the commonfolk. Perhaps because a good leader needs a good deal of empathy to understand hers subjects. Perhaps not.

Chrysalis kicked at the ground self-consciously. She knew no one was around to see her alone in the woods, but acting so . . . so pitiful, so pathetic was shameful no matter who saw her.

Chrysalis gritted her teeth, hissing at herself angrily. Royal behavior was not necessary now. And in order to appear dignified in public, she would need to appear undignified in private. She needed to relax, she needed to unwind, and after that that she could finally pull herself together.

Maybe I'll just spend the night here, thought the queen to herself. Get away from the palace for a while. Return before they know I'm gone. She liked the idea of it. And when she got back, she would be a different queen altogether, someone truly worthy of the title. She would be herself again.

The queen sighed happily. The sun had fallen and the moon was the only thing guiding Chrysalis' hooves as she struck a match, watching as the sparks lit the pile of leaves and branches in front of her. She popped a cherry into her mouth and chewed nonchalantly--although the royal gardens grew only weeds, the forest was untamed and filled with desirable plants, fruit trees and wildflowers. They might not look pretty, but the taste was worth it.

The spark quickly sprouted into what was practically a bonfire, chasing away mosquitoes and warming up the frosty night. Pausing to stack more rocks around the flames to prevent their spreading, Queen Chrysalis carefully spread out thin blankets of moss on the ground. She rested on her makeshift mattress, nibbling at a pile of fruit stacked near where her pillow might have been. The crickets' excited chirping faded to a contented chorus as the minutes stretched into hours and the moon stretched higher into the sky, shedding white light as the fire's orange glow dissolved into darkened coal and ash.

The sound of cicadas and crickets humming softly to themselves easily took the place of a lullaby in the Changeling Queen's mind, and, singing softly along with them, she drifted into the first peaceful sleep she'd had since she'd returned from Equestria. Uninterrupted by nightmares.

Of course, sleep uninterrupted by nightmares doesn't mean sleep uninterrupted.

Of course, sleep uninterrupted by nightmares can also mean sleep interrupted.

Of course, sleep uninterrupted by nightmares can also mean sleep interrupted by a few things.

Of course, sleep uninterrupted by nightmares can also mean sleep interrupted by many other things.

Like shouting.

And cheering.

And search parties.

Queen Chrysalis woke to a shout. It was shortly followed by half-hearted cheering. Oh, and then the search party showed up.

Hooray.

"My queen! My queen!" a young Changeling—he couldn't have been older than a year—gasped, fluttering his wings nervously. At an annoyed glance from his comrades, he laid his ears back meekly and corrected himself: "I mean, er, our queen. We've been searching for you through the whole night, Your Majesty."

Chrysalis smiled—a genuine smile, one she rarely showed her subjects. She'd always loved the younger ones, before they became too dull and robotic. It never lasted long, but she enjoyed it when she saw it.

But at the serious glares of the older Changelings, the queen's amused smile turned guilty. She stood up hastily, her good mood replaced by something much more common and a bit more pleasant: responsibility. The hive depended on her. She couldn't just take a day off and pretend they'd ignore it.

"I apologize for my absence," said the queen formally, dipping her head slightly. They wouldn't ask questions, she knew. They never did. "And when will we be returning to the palace?"

"Whenever you are ready, Your Majesty." One of her personal guards had apparently joined the search, and he now spoke, his voice twisted by frustration. The queen hadn't been herself lately, leaving many of her choices resting on his shoulders. He was not of royal blood, and not only was he uncomfortable with it, but also inexperienced when it came to royal decision making.

Sensing what was on his mind, the queen nodded respectfully, and—what was that in her eyes? Shame? The guard blinked. Such emotion was rarely witnessed unless they were feeding on it, sucking it away from those who had experienced it originally. But no, all traces of shame were gone now, replaced by Chrysalis' quiet words of, "That would be now."

The Changelings parted in front of her, gesturing for her to take the lead.

And the party made their way back through the gardens, eagerly awaiting the drama and false cheers that awaited them inside.