Inherited Crown, Obligatory Traumaby TundraStanzaChaptersCh. 1: New Life, New ObstaclesCh. 2: Time Heals Wounds...Ch. 3: ... But Scars RemainCh. 1: New Life, New Obstacles"When Twilight and her friends defeated me, I chose to run away and seek revenge! You don't have to! You can be the leader your subjects deserve." This was what I woke up to. For a split-second, I gaped. I was ready to cry out in excitement from seeing an actual unicorn in the flesh. But then, a million pictures flashed in my mind all at once. I closed my eyes in pain. When I opened them back up, I felt a huge weight of realization. These memories belonged to Chrysalis, the changeling queen. I was in her body. I... she... had kidnapped several citizens and powerful rulers in an attempt to take over an entire kingdom. All of my... her... subjects had just turned around and accepted the idea of giving love freely instead of stealing it to survive. In doing so, they had destroyed my... her... throne and effectively won for the ponies. The unicorn standing in front of me was Starlight Glimmer, apprentice to Princess Twilight. I felt a pit against my stomach, or whatever the changeling equivalent of a stomach was. These crimes may as well have been my own, because that was how guilty I felt. Everyone else present looked like they were ready to punch, kick, and blast me into next year. Yet in spite of everything I recalled doing, this one unicorn wanted to give me a third chance. It seemed like a merciful offer. I mean, the fastest pegasus in the world and the embodiment of chaos were right there. Running simply wasn't an option. Yet, there was a hint of an objection. A small voice in the back of my head insisted on living to seek revenge another day. I had spent so much time and lost so much just to try and take over the world. How could I let it all go to waste? ... I brushed the voice into an imaginary corner. That was the voice of someone using the sunk cost fallacy. So, there I stood. Starlight Glimmer's hoof was still outreached. Her violet eyes were, for lack of a better phrase, glimmering with hope. I slowly reached the hole-ridden hoof I now possessed. But, I hesitated. I closed my eyes, turned around, and felt a drop of water pass my chin. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that." I heard her step closer. "What do you mean? Of course you can!" My head ached. "I've already driven my subjects to near starvation twice over. And for what? My own power and legacy, pretending it was for their own good? Pathetic." I marched over some debris. "I've made the same mistake!" Starlight's voice insisted. "I know what it's like to lead others so far away from their best selves! But some pony found me during my state of vengeance and helped me understand that there's a better way. You can still change." I forced out a chuckle and nearly choked on my own breath. "With speeches like that, maybe you should be queen." I held my hoof over the edge of the plateau. "You couldn't possibly do any worse than I did with the title." After that, I let the rest of myself roll forward. "Chrysalis!" Instinct was telling me to use my wings to slow my descent. I refused to listen. The wind seemed very strong for what was likely the rest of my life. I waited patiently to crash and lose all of my senses. And I waited. ... And I waited. Gee, it was taking a lot longer to reach the bottom than Chrysalis's memory told me it should have been. I risked opening my eyes a bit. The lack of wind resistance pushing up was a clue that something was off. I glanced left and right, and I was surprised to see a couple different glows of light. This was magic, if this body's memories were correct. The ground was getting further away. I tried swimming against the magic's lift, but it was no use. Some pony was levitating me back to the roof. I sighed. I guessed they weren't satisfied with a guaranteed victory over their enemy. I was going to have to suffer for a bit longer. When I arrived back on the plateau, I was surprised that it wasn't just Starlight Glimmer that was casting her spell. The Princess of Friendship and even Celestia were pulling me. When their respective casts faded, I was standing on all fours. I looked at my "saviors". What did they intend to do with me? "You mustn't be so quick to throw your life away." Celestia stepped forward. "You don't have very many to lose." I couldn't meet her eyes. "Why are you of all ponies telling me that? I've trapped you in a cocoon twice now. Shouldn't that warrant some desire for retaliation?" She slowly motioned a hoof across her face. "An eye for an eye would leave us all blind. True, the temptation to avenge past misdeeds is constant, but we must make an effort to avoid losing ourselves to that vicious cycle." "You're just saying that." I bit my tongue after that slip. While that statement was in-character, it also wasn't what I meant to say out loud. Discord leaned in uncomfortably close. "Oh, believe me. I'd know if she were just spouting hot air. Her genuineness is actually suffocating right now." Starlight's magic glow managed to shove him back a little. "What he's trying to say is that there's a better way to make up for your past than to rob yourself of a future. You're still the crowned queen, after all. They need you." "Is that so?" I channeled some magic to my horn. "Then allow me to rectify that." "Starlight, look out!" called out... that blue street performer unicorn. There was a tearing noise. I felt like I was ripping out multiple hair follicles at once. Yet, I kept casting my spell. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how loudly I screamed, I kept casting. Then, with a loud shred and a splat, it was over. I sat down, breathing heavily. My crown was laid unceremoniously on the floor. There was definitely some pus running along the bottom of it. I think I was sweating along the top of my mane. I didn't particularly care at that moment. "Wha...? Why did you do that?!" Thorax was freaking out. "You're bleeding!" I kept my gaze on Starlight Glimmer. "How about this?" I fired a different spell at the crown. What was left of the fleshy black ornament was reduced to a pile of dried ashes. "Do you see a crown? I don't see a crown. I'm unfit to be queen." "Chrysalis, stop!" Mi Amore Cadenza stepped forward. "You're hurt!" "This is nothing compared to what I've already done to you, Princess of Love." I stomped on the ashes. "I need more pain." Luna shook her head furiously. "Punishing yourself won't resolve your feelings of guilt!" "You should all hate me." I flew over to a nearby boulder in the debris. It must have been raining, what with the small streams running down my forehead and around my muzzle. "Get away from me or take a swing at me. I don't care which!" Water leaked from Starlight Glimmer's horn, and she whispered, "I'm sorry." Then, darkness shrouded my vision. ---(Third-Person POV) After casting her "sleep" spell, Starlight levitated Chrysalis safely off the tall boulder. The spot from her missing crown was running green liquid. It was streaming along her mane and face quickly enough to alarm most of the changelings that saw it up close. "Quick!" Thorax directed a couple nearby changeling drones. "Get her to the healing chamber!" "Where is it?" Discord asked. "I can save you a run, now that her magic-stealing chair is gone." Thorax tapped his head. "Um... two floors underground, and the first open hole to the left." The draconequus snapped his fingers. His power poofed himself, Thorax, the two changeling drones, and the unconscious Chrysalis away from the plateau. Some of the other changelings took the long way down. The rest shook in place or galloped around, not sure exactly what to do. Meanwhile, the ponies gathered around into an impromptu circle. Flurry Heart tried to lighten the mood by babbling cute nothings. But, she could tell that her parents and the others weren't exactly relieved. Shining Armor patted his foal until she burped. Cadance took her back and rocked her around. Shining Armor scratched his mane. "Is it weird that I thought that was going to go very differently? I thought Chrysalis would've sworn revenge and flee for her life, not hurt herself." "No, I was thinking that too." Rainbow Dash crossed her front hooves while flying in place. "Oh, if only I had been more convincing!" Starlight rubbed her temples. "I'm not as good at Twilight speeches as the real thing." "I don't think that's the point." Twilight raised her brow. "But... thank you?" "Let me know when it's over." Fluttershy was covering her face. "I can't watch anymore self-inflicted pain today." "There, there..." Applejack slowly rubbed Fluttershy's back. "What are we going to do?" Pinkie Pie looked wildly among the other ponies. "The other changelings will know how to treat her injuries better than we would." Luna rolled her hoof around. "We should probably head home for now to assuage the fears of our fellow ponies." Rarity tapped her hooves together before holding them up. "But who will lead the changelings in the meantime?" A few of the changelings, still on the plateau, stopped panicking long enough to perk up. One of them said, "We should let Thorax lead us." Another changeling nodded. "He was the first to propose the idea of sharing love and the first one to show that we can survive without stealing it." Celestia smiled gently at their suggestions. "I'll drop by later with an assistant to finalize the recognition of the changeling hive as its own nation, and its nominated leader." Discord popped back up on the plateau. "Well, now that that's all tidied up, are you ready to go home, Fluttershy?" He picked her up and squeezed. "Y-Yes. I think we all are." She strained against the sudden restriction to her windpipe. Twilight Sparkle stood up. "Alright, every pony. Let's go home!" Nods went around the group. Horns lit up and teleportation spells were cast. Author's Note I figured if I jotted this all down, I could move on from this particular train of thought. Anyway, here's a deleted future scene: Cozy Glow held Tirek's hand against her hoof. "Come on, Tirek. We're the three amigos. ... Well, I guess it's dos compadres now." Ch. 2: Time Heals Wounds...---(Chrysalis P.O.V.) "What are you doing?" I was looking at a mirror. The reflection of my face was not happy. It scowled and its eyes were narrow while staring at me. I should have been surprised when its face emerged and it walked out. But I couldn't bring myself to feel anything. I was drained. "You had them right where you wanted them! Why didn't you strike?!" I blinked. "There were too many. Without the love reserves, I would get struck down as soon as I attacked one of them." "You're not a coward! You're a queen! Act like it!" I glanced up at the crown still on the reflection's head. "I resigned from my position. That authority is dead." "Minor setback!" It slapped me in the face. "Get back out there and bide your time for revenge!" I lightly rubbed my cheek. "Now you're talking in circles. Am I supposed to attack now when I'm weak or attack later when I have even less magic to work with?" "Don't change the subject!" "You're changing it right now." I deadpanned. It channeled magic into its horn. "If you're not going to do anything, then I will!" As soon as its spell was unleashed, it fizzled out. "What? What's going on?" I shook my head and placed my hoof against its chest. "I, Queen Chrysalis, have been defeated. It's time for me to accept the consequences that entails." The reflection shattered. The pieces turned green and flew past me on a nonexistent wind. I breathed in deeply and exhaled. My head hung down as my eyes closed. When I opened them again, I was on a bed of moss. My head was pounding. I reached up a hoof and felt some cloth gauze. So, someone had decided to bandage me and keep me alive. I miscalculated how far they would go. I turned my head to the side. There was a gasp. A bucket of water fell to the floor and spilled its contents. A young female changeling took a couple steps back. I tried to recall which one that was. The color of her shell and tail was throwing me off, but her shaking eyes couldn't be anyone else. She was my contingency. At least, she was before I "woke up" on that plateau. In my fatigue, all I could do was whisper, "Ocellus?" She turned around and ran for an opening. "She's awake! Chrysalis is awake!" I tried to reach a hoof in her direction, but she had already left the room. I quietly groaned as I rolled to the opposite side. I was alone, which left me with only my thoughts for company. If my hive had gone to all his trouble just to keep me from going under, then I had an idea of what would happen next. First, they'd bring in one of the equivalents of a doctor to make sure I was physically stable. Then, they'd make me stand trial for my transgressions. This was what I speculated, based on what the human world did for criminals that were injured before arrest. ... That world wasn't mine anymore. Chrysalis's memories were too ingrained in me for me to be anyone else. Perhaps it wasn't right to draw comparisons to my past life, but the ones I had of Equestria were skewed by years of my hatred and pride. At the sound of multiple footsteps echoing, I tried to sit up. My front legs ached, my wings were slow to respond, and my tail felt numb. I gritted my teeth and hissed instinctively. I sighed and looked at the room's opening. I was surprised it didn't alter size since I last looked. Then again, my magic throne was gone. Maybe that was why all of the surrounding rock looked more stable. I saw Ocellus stick her head around one side. A green changeling, wearing a pair of glasses, trotted into the room without hesitation. This was Laneiya, one of the nursing changelings. The jewel-like protrusions in her neck couldn't fool anyone. She was right next to the bed before she stopped walking. She pulled out a clipboard and looked it over. "How long was I asleep?" I managed to mutter. "Six and a half days." Laneiya responded without losing her place on the paper. "Severe exo-skull injury, self-inflicted. Major bleeding. Unconscious for one hundred thirty-six hours. Concussion: likely. Atrophied limbs: also likely. Brain damage: verification pending." Yep, that was Laneiya alright. She was a blunt individual with everyone except the newborn changelings. I would have laughed at this truth if I didn't hurt so much. She poked and prodded at various parts of my body, telling me to move every so often. She jotted down some notes to herself. I always left the medical and anatomy studies to her. That was outside my expertise. She pulled out an ink-stained page. "What do you see here?" I stared at the abstract illustration for a bit. "It looks just like you." I chuckled until a twinge of pain hit my head. Laneiya put the paper away and wrote something. "Ability to mimic a sense of humor: still intact." She took a couple steps to the side and looked up. "Try to stand." I lowered my hooves to the floor. The sudden weight on them nearly tripped me up. I took a few breaths to try and steady myself. The involuntary shaking slowed down significantly. Instinct was urging me to hold my head up high like always. Stiffness in my neck prevented me from doing so. "Follow me, please." Laneiya trotted toward the exit. "Our leader wanted to speak with you as soon as you woke up." I ended up moving my legs pretty slowly. Laneiya stopped trotting every few steps. She probably already knew I wasn't going to run marathons. As soon as I was out of the room, Ocellus slowly trotted next to me. She was shaking all the while. "Who is in charge now?" I asked my daughter. She braced herself while she walked, as if she expected to be slapped. I couldn't blame her. I was a terrible person. I saw her move her mouth, but her voice was so quiet. I didn't catch what she had said. After a long silence, we arrived up in the open. I tried to move my hoof to shield my eyes, but I lined up the holes just right that it didn't work. I ended up sneezing a bit in response to the temporary blindness. After blinking a couple times, I saw several changelings of various colors hurrying away in one direction or another. When I saw who owned the hive's throne, I was whelmed. The one that I called a traitor, the one that sympathized with ponies first, and he was the one that had the courage to share all of his love in one blast. He looked like he was having trouble getting comfortable on his seat. At least, that's what I gathered from all of the readjustments of posture, folding and unfolding wings, and the occasionally unintelligible grunts. But as soon as Laneiya whispered a word to him and she stepped back, he sat up with an air of confidence. "Hello, Chrysalis." Thorax kept his expression as even as possible. "Thorax. I mean..." I took a bowing posture. "... Your Highness." "I... wow... I wasn't expecting you to call me that." He blinked twice. "Pretty surreal when the roles are reversed, isn't it?" I stood back up. "Uh... yeah." He held his front hooves together. "Maybe we could stick with a first-name basis for the time being?" "As you wish." I nodded. "You wanted to see me when I woke up. Now what happens?" "I'm not entirely sure." He held up a hoof. "How are you feeling?" "Do you really want to waste pleasantries on someone that was ready to suck you dry last week?" I raised what would have been a brow if I had one. "Ah, business first. Got it." He turned to face his left. "Laneiya, what's her state of health?" "Physically, she's capable of recovering in a matter of days." Laneiya rolled a page up on her clipboard. "However, she is likely to develop scar tissue permanently where her crown used to be. I have yet to determine if her mental state is on par with where it was prior to her coma." "I see." Thorax nodded and looked back to me. "Well, what do you want to do now?" I blinked twice. "I beg your pardon?" "I mean, you did kind of rule the hive before. So, did you have any ambitions about taking that position back in the foreseeable future?" He shrugged his shoulders. I lifted a hoof to point at my bandages. "As I recall, I figuratively and literally gave up the crown. I'm in no position to take that back. I mean, if you made the same mistakes that I did as queen, I'd be disappointed. But that's your right." "Huh." He paused, at a loss for words. I shook my head. "But enough about my reign, what's my sentence?" "Your what?" I swiveled my hoof a bit. "You know, for crimes against Equestria and putting the hive at greater risk than necessary?" "Oh! That!" He scratched under his right antler-horn. "See, a lot of us gathered together and thought it over. After a bit of debate and tossing some ideas out, we decided you purposefully injuring yourself was punishment enough." It was my turn to imitate a deer staring at headlights. "Heh?" "Yeah, the jury unanimously decided that your physical assault on your own body is far worse than anything we could come up with. So... you're free to go as soon as you've recovered." He smiled gently. I sat down. "You can't be serious." "I wish he wasn't." A scratchy voice walked out from behind the small throne seat. "I find his compassion quite disgusting." "Pharynx?" I looked him over carefully. "Wait, you still look like you did before the turnaround." "A hoof full of us chose not to switch." He trotted close with his back turned to his egg sac brother. "We'll take this pretender down on your command, My Queen." I sighed. "I don't have that authority anymore. It sounds like the hive follows his orders now." "Sure, I'll follow his rules." Pharynx spat. "But that doesn't mean I have to like them." He sniffed in my general direction. "Ugh, you lack your compulsion pheromones. I guess you weren't kidding about abdicating." He sighed and walked away. "Fine, long live Thorax, weakest changeling of the tarring century." "You ought to do something about that brother of yours." Laneiya leaned toward Thorax. "His bad attitude isn't healthy for the rest of the hive." "He just needs time to adjust." Thorax twiddled his hooves. "It's a big change for an army-minded changeling to accept an era of peace." "Not to interrupt, but I just want to make sure I'm not hallucinating what I've heard." I stood up and moved my hoof around for emphasis. "I'm... 'free to go' as soon as I've healed up completely?" "That's correct." Thorax nodded. "Go where?" I asked. "I doubt many creatures outside of here would just accept that I'm getting off scotch-free. Shell, I can't believe it." He spread his front hooves to either side. "I mean... you can stick around the hive until you find somewhere else you want to settle down." "Are you sure my presence won't be the cause of some local unrest?" I pointed a hoof behind me. "Pharynx sounded like he wanted me to start a coup." "This is still a home for changelings." Thorax looked dead serious. "I may ask them to accept changes, but I will never force them to leave their home." Something in his tone convinced me to take a step back. There was a feeling that he had inadvertently fed me. It wasn't a full-course meal of love. It was a taste of something else. What was that? Thorax's expression softened to normal. He motioned toward Laneiya and she nodded in understanding. She made a gesture toward me to follow her. I rubbed my head a bit before doing so. I hadn't seen Ocellus leave, but she was nowhere in sight. Author's Note Do you think the tags match the story? I can't always pinpoint which ones fit best. Ch. 3: ... But Scars Remain---(Chrysalis P.O.V.) The next few days were simultaneously long and blurred. There were several hours when I was unable to move from the bed, yet I was wide awake. Occasionally, one of the changelings peeked into the room. They scurried off as soon as I glanced in their general direction. Others stared for longer. The ones that held their ground when entering were either Laneiya or one of the former style. Among the old variety was a rumor and a question they only passed via thought waves. When was I going to take back rule of the hive? I silently shook my head. This was usually enough to make them walk away, looking dejected or frustrated. Pharynx looked the most frustrated at my answer. Sometimes, I closed my eyes and heard the distinct walking pattern of Ocellus. Her lack of running proved she didn't know that I was aware of her presence. She set a couple buckets down near the bed at the end of each day. I waited until I heard her hoof steps grow distant before looking. I had taught her too well back when she had some resemblance to me. I had showed her every single one of my personal tunnels, explained to her the importance of a hive's queen, and the basics of what she'd have to do in my stead if I ever fell. In one bucket was some water. In the other, a portion of my stash of royal jelly glowed faintly. My body was already as royal as a changeling could become. Eating it didn't enhance my growth or strength. Still, in the absence of a pony to absorb love from, it was okay at satisfying the munchies. Considering I didn't have enough love energy reserved to cultivate any more jelly, my stash would last less than one month. If I stayed here at the hive, I wasn't thrilled about my options: Starve without outside love, go out and find a pony to feed off of (likely drawing the ire of Equestria again), or... try to join Thorax's hive the way he started it. Well, I still had a month. The day came when Laneiya cleared me to leave the healing chamber. My exo-skull had covered over the missing piece of my head and hardened. A circular scar was the only proof that anything had been there before. My limbs were mostly capable of normal movement after the days of physical therapy. I absentmindedly trotted toward my old resting quarters. About halfway there, I remembered that was one of the floors that had been destroyed. After mentally kicking myself, I walked over to the now open throne room. But Thorax wasn't there. Actually, none of the changelings that were there a few days ago were present. There was, however, some chatter echoing faintly. I shrugged and used my wings to slowly descend the height of the mountain. Through some of the holes, I saw some of the changelings chatting with each other. Every so often, I saw one of the older style leaning against a wall by their lonesome. At about the seventh floor from the ground level, I spotted Pharynx. I hovered close to that window. "Where did Thorax go?" Pharynx snorted. "Off to visit that runt of a friend he calls a dragon." He shook his head. "It doesn't even have one wing!" My thoughts immediately went to Eastern style dragons, but I decided against voicing them. "Are you doing anything today?" He raised the equivalent of a brow. "No offense, Your Former Highness, but you're not my type of feeding victim." I blinked twice. "I never knew you had a sense of humor." "Who's joking?" He growled and hissed. I rolled my eyes. "Please, I practically invented that tough-bug look. You don't impress me." He deadpanned. "It's not like your approval matters anymore." "Good talk, Pharynx." I continued my slow, buzzing descent. "Whatever." He resumed his loner routine. There was more plant life surrounding the base of the hive than I remembered. I wasn't even sure what some of the flowers and bushes were. The colors were nearly as various as those of the reformed changelings. The nearest patch of desolate wasteland was a mile away. As I took a moment to look at the scenery, my scar felt itchy. I imagined Laneiya saying, "Don't scratch. That would open up the wound again." I groaned quietly. As a reflex, I breathed in through my mouth. I was surprised by a pleasant taste flowing past my tongue. There was... love magic in these plants. For a second, I thought I had found a solution to my inevitable starvation. But a glance down at the surrounding flowers shut down that train of thought and my feeding immediately. The plant life wilted, as if rapidly aging and drying up. I tried to cough back up, but I had already absorbed that magic into my very being. Within ten feet of where I was standing, an entire circle of dry rock and dirt was all that remained. Despite my satiated appetite, I felt wrong. All of this damage, all of this destruction, all of this greed... all my fault. I didn't remember walking back toward the hive's mountain. I also didn't remember dozing off at the base. Yet the vague sound of someone calling my name brought me back to reality. I pushed some mane hair out of my eyes and looked around. A rock rumbled nearby and blinked. "Ocellus?" I stared at her. A flash of bluish fire restored her current default colors. She shivered in place. "I was worried you'd wake up with a nasty spine cramp if you napped outside. I mean, scoliosis is unlikely at your age, but you can never be too careful." After processing what she just said to me, I couldn't help but chuckle. "My, oh, my... I'm glad you've been keeping up your studies." "Huh?" She blinked twice. "You're... not mad I woke you up?" I shook my head. "That's nothing to be sorry for. Thank you for reminding me of the hazards of sleeping outside." She sat down, almost dumbfounded. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Chrysalis?" "I'm an alien named Guilt, and I kicked Chrysalis out after her second defeat to the ponies." Ocellus leaned back. "Wha...?" "That was a joke." I chuckled. "I guess it didn't land very well." She scratched her head. "Did your crown contain some chemical imbalances that made you reckless and insane?" "A good question, but that wouldn't explain everything." I waved a hoof dismissively. "I think losing control of what I thought was my domain helped start the process I needed to see things differently. I haven't lost the dream of leaving a legacy and conquering an enemy, but that won't happen if I'm stuck on vengeance. I need to figure out what really matters in life." Ocellus looked like she was mulling over her thoughts. "I want to believe this is really you, but I can't be sure." I shrugged. "I don't expect you to believe me. There's too much evidence that says I'm probably putting on an act, right?" She practically jumped onto all fours and backed up. "St-Stay out of my mind!" An earthquake interrupted our conversation. Both of us took to the sky. However, a mound was rising faster than we could fly. It soon parted ways to reveal... a giant blue monster with beaver teeth, wolverine claws, and eyes that looked like they hadn't slept in hours. It thrashed about, crashing into the side of the mountain we had just flown away from. I heard a few screams while several worried changelings were revealed at once. Next thing I knew, it clenched its giant arms together and slammed down. Those arms hit Ocellus. She cried out at the impact and went tumbling along the dirt. My mouth and eyes gaped. Time seemed to freeze, and I couldn't move. It was like the world decided to dampen the colors and trap everyone in their current positions. Despite the fact I felt frozen, I heard a beating heart. It was slow at first. But with each passing second, maybe more like a millisecond considering the sensation, it beat a little faster. Each time the rate increased, my vision was covered in a brighter shade of red. The little movement I got back was used to clench my fangs. In that split-second, I turned my gaze at the abominable beaver-tooth, and time continued. "How dare you strike my daughter, you dick!" ---(Third-Person P.O.V.) Any changeling in that ground-level room immediately woke up from their stupor. They saw their former queen cover herself in red magic fire as she dive-bombed into the Maulwurf's chest. The beast roared and slapped a paw against itself. Chrysalis shook herself and flew up. She shape-shifted into the form of Cadance and blasted green missiles at the Maulwurf's face, over and over again. Two of the changelings galloped out and retrieved Ocellus. The rest flew out of the hole and spread into a defensive swarm. While Chrysalis's blasts were forcing the Maulwurf to slide backwards, they didn't seem to be leaving much of a mark on the creature itself. Eventually, it managed to make a slashing attack, knocking Chrysalis into one of the third-floor windows. She shifted back to her default form. She groaned, trying to lift her face out of the new impression in the rock. There was a loud whistle. The Maulwurf looked behind itself. Thorax was flying at about its eye level, levitating a mass of leaves and grass. "Hey! You want this, big guy?" He taunted. The beast roared, thumping its chest before running toward the leader changeling. "Well, go long!" Thorax's levitation spell tossed the plants toward the horizon. The Maulwurf took a dive in that general direction and dug into the earth. It shook the ground a bit until it was completely out of sight. Thorax sighed, flying down toward his hive. A round of cheers washed over the changelings. He flew close and pulled Chrysalis off the wall. Whatever kind of emotional rush she had was quickly fading to fatigue. She grumbled unintelligibly as her eyes slowly closed. "Don't worry Chrysalis." Thorax personally carried her in front of the crowd. "Your daughter's going to be fine." ---(Chrysalis P.O.V.) My head hurt when I woke up. I moaned as I rolled onto my side against the bed of moss. I saw Laneiya step in with her typical, stoic face. She scribbled something on her clipboard. "You're awake," she commented. "I had hoped you wouldn't need to come back to this chamber so soon." "Ugh, what's the damage?" I rubbed my hooves behind my ears. "Briefly knocked unconscious by a combined impact of Maulwurf paw and a rock wall." Laneiya flipped a page. "Light sprains healed up fairly quickly. Horn was overheated. I recommend you stop casting twenty of the same destruction spell in the span of five seconds." "Twenty?" I looked at her funny. "I only remember shooting five." "Stressful situations can alter memory and recognition significantly." She adjusted her glasses. "It's fascinating how trauma can affect both physical and mental health." I put my head down and looked at the ceiling. "I'm so happy you're enjoying yourself." "If work is pleasurable, it never feels like work." She deadpanned. "Heyyyy!" Ocellus came galloping into the room. "Are you alright?! I came running as soon as they cleared me for good health." "Um, yes." I nodded slowly. "I thought I was hallucinating, but after I heard from the others, it actually registered." Hope glistened in the little changeling's eyes. "You protected me. You tried to save me. You... called me your daughter." "Oh, that was... the rush of the moment." I blushed. "I can stop if you want-" "Please, don't ever stop!" She slapped both of her front hooves against the moss. "I...I love you, Mom." I hesitated. Then, I slowly reached out a hoof. I ended up petting her on the head. She smiled and purred. I had few words to describe this situation except unreal, confusing, and nice. "I love you too, my little girl." Laneiya's eyes actually opened wider. "Your wings..." "Hmm?" I looked up at the nursing changeling before turning to look behind me. I blinked at the sight. I was certain my wings used to have holes in them. Now, they looked completely whole and in a different shape. I flapped them once, and they shimmered, as if they were giving off their own light. Laneiya cleared her throat. "Just for the record, do you feel hungry at all?" I held a hoof under my muzzle for a moment. "No... I don't." Author's Note I started writing a potential B-plot involving "Grogar" and his puppets. But, then I thought, if I can't make the A-plot at least somewhat interesting by itself, then what would be the point of writing that story in the first place? For better or worse, I'm taking the Season 9 buildup off the table.
Ch. 1: New Life, New Obstacles"When Twilight and her friends defeated me, I chose to run away and seek revenge! You don't have to! You can be the leader your subjects deserve." This was what I woke up to. For a split-second, I gaped. I was ready to cry out in excitement from seeing an actual unicorn in the flesh. But then, a million pictures flashed in my mind all at once. I closed my eyes in pain. When I opened them back up, I felt a huge weight of realization. These memories belonged to Chrysalis, the changeling queen. I was in her body. I... she... had kidnapped several citizens and powerful rulers in an attempt to take over an entire kingdom. All of my... her... subjects had just turned around and accepted the idea of giving love freely instead of stealing it to survive. In doing so, they had destroyed my... her... throne and effectively won for the ponies. The unicorn standing in front of me was Starlight Glimmer, apprentice to Princess Twilight. I felt a pit against my stomach, or whatever the changeling equivalent of a stomach was. These crimes may as well have been my own, because that was how guilty I felt. Everyone else present looked like they were ready to punch, kick, and blast me into next year. Yet in spite of everything I recalled doing, this one unicorn wanted to give me a third chance. It seemed like a merciful offer. I mean, the fastest pegasus in the world and the embodiment of chaos were right there. Running simply wasn't an option. Yet, there was a hint of an objection. A small voice in the back of my head insisted on living to seek revenge another day. I had spent so much time and lost so much just to try and take over the world. How could I let it all go to waste? ... I brushed the voice into an imaginary corner. That was the voice of someone using the sunk cost fallacy. So, there I stood. Starlight Glimmer's hoof was still outreached. Her violet eyes were, for lack of a better phrase, glimmering with hope. I slowly reached the hole-ridden hoof I now possessed. But, I hesitated. I closed my eyes, turned around, and felt a drop of water pass my chin. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that." I heard her step closer. "What do you mean? Of course you can!" My head ached. "I've already driven my subjects to near starvation twice over. And for what? My own power and legacy, pretending it was for their own good? Pathetic." I marched over some debris. "I've made the same mistake!" Starlight's voice insisted. "I know what it's like to lead others so far away from their best selves! But some pony found me during my state of vengeance and helped me understand that there's a better way. You can still change." I forced out a chuckle and nearly choked on my own breath. "With speeches like that, maybe you should be queen." I held my hoof over the edge of the plateau. "You couldn't possibly do any worse than I did with the title." After that, I let the rest of myself roll forward. "Chrysalis!" Instinct was telling me to use my wings to slow my descent. I refused to listen. The wind seemed very strong for what was likely the rest of my life. I waited patiently to crash and lose all of my senses. And I waited. ... And I waited. Gee, it was taking a lot longer to reach the bottom than Chrysalis's memory told me it should have been. I risked opening my eyes a bit. The lack of wind resistance pushing up was a clue that something was off. I glanced left and right, and I was surprised to see a couple different glows of light. This was magic, if this body's memories were correct. The ground was getting further away. I tried swimming against the magic's lift, but it was no use. Some pony was levitating me back to the roof. I sighed. I guessed they weren't satisfied with a guaranteed victory over their enemy. I was going to have to suffer for a bit longer. When I arrived back on the plateau, I was surprised that it wasn't just Starlight Glimmer that was casting her spell. The Princess of Friendship and even Celestia were pulling me. When their respective casts faded, I was standing on all fours. I looked at my "saviors". What did they intend to do with me? "You mustn't be so quick to throw your life away." Celestia stepped forward. "You don't have very many to lose." I couldn't meet her eyes. "Why are you of all ponies telling me that? I've trapped you in a cocoon twice now. Shouldn't that warrant some desire for retaliation?" She slowly motioned a hoof across her face. "An eye for an eye would leave us all blind. True, the temptation to avenge past misdeeds is constant, but we must make an effort to avoid losing ourselves to that vicious cycle." "You're just saying that." I bit my tongue after that slip. While that statement was in-character, it also wasn't what I meant to say out loud. Discord leaned in uncomfortably close. "Oh, believe me. I'd know if she were just spouting hot air. Her genuineness is actually suffocating right now." Starlight's magic glow managed to shove him back a little. "What he's trying to say is that there's a better way to make up for your past than to rob yourself of a future. You're still the crowned queen, after all. They need you." "Is that so?" I channeled some magic to my horn. "Then allow me to rectify that." "Starlight, look out!" called out... that blue street performer unicorn. There was a tearing noise. I felt like I was ripping out multiple hair follicles at once. Yet, I kept casting my spell. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how loudly I screamed, I kept casting. Then, with a loud shred and a splat, it was over. I sat down, breathing heavily. My crown was laid unceremoniously on the floor. There was definitely some pus running along the bottom of it. I think I was sweating along the top of my mane. I didn't particularly care at that moment. "Wha...? Why did you do that?!" Thorax was freaking out. "You're bleeding!" I kept my gaze on Starlight Glimmer. "How about this?" I fired a different spell at the crown. What was left of the fleshy black ornament was reduced to a pile of dried ashes. "Do you see a crown? I don't see a crown. I'm unfit to be queen." "Chrysalis, stop!" Mi Amore Cadenza stepped forward. "You're hurt!" "This is nothing compared to what I've already done to you, Princess of Love." I stomped on the ashes. "I need more pain." Luna shook her head furiously. "Punishing yourself won't resolve your feelings of guilt!" "You should all hate me." I flew over to a nearby boulder in the debris. It must have been raining, what with the small streams running down my forehead and around my muzzle. "Get away from me or take a swing at me. I don't care which!" Water leaked from Starlight Glimmer's horn, and she whispered, "I'm sorry." Then, darkness shrouded my vision. ---(Third-Person POV) After casting her "sleep" spell, Starlight levitated Chrysalis safely off the tall boulder. The spot from her missing crown was running green liquid. It was streaming along her mane and face quickly enough to alarm most of the changelings that saw it up close. "Quick!" Thorax directed a couple nearby changeling drones. "Get her to the healing chamber!" "Where is it?" Discord asked. "I can save you a run, now that her magic-stealing chair is gone." Thorax tapped his head. "Um... two floors underground, and the first open hole to the left." The draconequus snapped his fingers. His power poofed himself, Thorax, the two changeling drones, and the unconscious Chrysalis away from the plateau. Some of the other changelings took the long way down. The rest shook in place or galloped around, not sure exactly what to do. Meanwhile, the ponies gathered around into an impromptu circle. Flurry Heart tried to lighten the mood by babbling cute nothings. But, she could tell that her parents and the others weren't exactly relieved. Shining Armor patted his foal until she burped. Cadance took her back and rocked her around. Shining Armor scratched his mane. "Is it weird that I thought that was going to go very differently? I thought Chrysalis would've sworn revenge and flee for her life, not hurt herself." "No, I was thinking that too." Rainbow Dash crossed her front hooves while flying in place. "Oh, if only I had been more convincing!" Starlight rubbed her temples. "I'm not as good at Twilight speeches as the real thing." "I don't think that's the point." Twilight raised her brow. "But... thank you?" "Let me know when it's over." Fluttershy was covering her face. "I can't watch anymore self-inflicted pain today." "There, there..." Applejack slowly rubbed Fluttershy's back. "What are we going to do?" Pinkie Pie looked wildly among the other ponies. "The other changelings will know how to treat her injuries better than we would." Luna rolled her hoof around. "We should probably head home for now to assuage the fears of our fellow ponies." Rarity tapped her hooves together before holding them up. "But who will lead the changelings in the meantime?" A few of the changelings, still on the plateau, stopped panicking long enough to perk up. One of them said, "We should let Thorax lead us." Another changeling nodded. "He was the first to propose the idea of sharing love and the first one to show that we can survive without stealing it." Celestia smiled gently at their suggestions. "I'll drop by later with an assistant to finalize the recognition of the changeling hive as its own nation, and its nominated leader." Discord popped back up on the plateau. "Well, now that that's all tidied up, are you ready to go home, Fluttershy?" He picked her up and squeezed. "Y-Yes. I think we all are." She strained against the sudden restriction to her windpipe. Twilight Sparkle stood up. "Alright, every pony. Let's go home!" Nods went around the group. Horns lit up and teleportation spells were cast. Author's Note I figured if I jotted this all down, I could move on from this particular train of thought. Anyway, here's a deleted future scene: Cozy Glow held Tirek's hand against her hoof. "Come on, Tirek. We're the three amigos. ... Well, I guess it's dos compadres now."
Ch. 2: Time Heals Wounds...---(Chrysalis P.O.V.) "What are you doing?" I was looking at a mirror. The reflection of my face was not happy. It scowled and its eyes were narrow while staring at me. I should have been surprised when its face emerged and it walked out. But I couldn't bring myself to feel anything. I was drained. "You had them right where you wanted them! Why didn't you strike?!" I blinked. "There were too many. Without the love reserves, I would get struck down as soon as I attacked one of them." "You're not a coward! You're a queen! Act like it!" I glanced up at the crown still on the reflection's head. "I resigned from my position. That authority is dead." "Minor setback!" It slapped me in the face. "Get back out there and bide your time for revenge!" I lightly rubbed my cheek. "Now you're talking in circles. Am I supposed to attack now when I'm weak or attack later when I have even less magic to work with?" "Don't change the subject!" "You're changing it right now." I deadpanned. It channeled magic into its horn. "If you're not going to do anything, then I will!" As soon as its spell was unleashed, it fizzled out. "What? What's going on?" I shook my head and placed my hoof against its chest. "I, Queen Chrysalis, have been defeated. It's time for me to accept the consequences that entails." The reflection shattered. The pieces turned green and flew past me on a nonexistent wind. I breathed in deeply and exhaled. My head hung down as my eyes closed. When I opened them again, I was on a bed of moss. My head was pounding. I reached up a hoof and felt some cloth gauze. So, someone had decided to bandage me and keep me alive. I miscalculated how far they would go. I turned my head to the side. There was a gasp. A bucket of water fell to the floor and spilled its contents. A young female changeling took a couple steps back. I tried to recall which one that was. The color of her shell and tail was throwing me off, but her shaking eyes couldn't be anyone else. She was my contingency. At least, she was before I "woke up" on that plateau. In my fatigue, all I could do was whisper, "Ocellus?" She turned around and ran for an opening. "She's awake! Chrysalis is awake!" I tried to reach a hoof in her direction, but she had already left the room. I quietly groaned as I rolled to the opposite side. I was alone, which left me with only my thoughts for company. If my hive had gone to all his trouble just to keep me from going under, then I had an idea of what would happen next. First, they'd bring in one of the equivalents of a doctor to make sure I was physically stable. Then, they'd make me stand trial for my transgressions. This was what I speculated, based on what the human world did for criminals that were injured before arrest. ... That world wasn't mine anymore. Chrysalis's memories were too ingrained in me for me to be anyone else. Perhaps it wasn't right to draw comparisons to my past life, but the ones I had of Equestria were skewed by years of my hatred and pride. At the sound of multiple footsteps echoing, I tried to sit up. My front legs ached, my wings were slow to respond, and my tail felt numb. I gritted my teeth and hissed instinctively. I sighed and looked at the room's opening. I was surprised it didn't alter size since I last looked. Then again, my magic throne was gone. Maybe that was why all of the surrounding rock looked more stable. I saw Ocellus stick her head around one side. A green changeling, wearing a pair of glasses, trotted into the room without hesitation. This was Laneiya, one of the nursing changelings. The jewel-like protrusions in her neck couldn't fool anyone. She was right next to the bed before she stopped walking. She pulled out a clipboard and looked it over. "How long was I asleep?" I managed to mutter. "Six and a half days." Laneiya responded without losing her place on the paper. "Severe exo-skull injury, self-inflicted. Major bleeding. Unconscious for one hundred thirty-six hours. Concussion: likely. Atrophied limbs: also likely. Brain damage: verification pending." Yep, that was Laneiya alright. She was a blunt individual with everyone except the newborn changelings. I would have laughed at this truth if I didn't hurt so much. She poked and prodded at various parts of my body, telling me to move every so often. She jotted down some notes to herself. I always left the medical and anatomy studies to her. That was outside my expertise. She pulled out an ink-stained page. "What do you see here?" I stared at the abstract illustration for a bit. "It looks just like you." I chuckled until a twinge of pain hit my head. Laneiya put the paper away and wrote something. "Ability to mimic a sense of humor: still intact." She took a couple steps to the side and looked up. "Try to stand." I lowered my hooves to the floor. The sudden weight on them nearly tripped me up. I took a few breaths to try and steady myself. The involuntary shaking slowed down significantly. Instinct was urging me to hold my head up high like always. Stiffness in my neck prevented me from doing so. "Follow me, please." Laneiya trotted toward the exit. "Our leader wanted to speak with you as soon as you woke up." I ended up moving my legs pretty slowly. Laneiya stopped trotting every few steps. She probably already knew I wasn't going to run marathons. As soon as I was out of the room, Ocellus slowly trotted next to me. She was shaking all the while. "Who is in charge now?" I asked my daughter. She braced herself while she walked, as if she expected to be slapped. I couldn't blame her. I was a terrible person. I saw her move her mouth, but her voice was so quiet. I didn't catch what she had said. After a long silence, we arrived up in the open. I tried to move my hoof to shield my eyes, but I lined up the holes just right that it didn't work. I ended up sneezing a bit in response to the temporary blindness. After blinking a couple times, I saw several changelings of various colors hurrying away in one direction or another. When I saw who owned the hive's throne, I was whelmed. The one that I called a traitor, the one that sympathized with ponies first, and he was the one that had the courage to share all of his love in one blast. He looked like he was having trouble getting comfortable on his seat. At least, that's what I gathered from all of the readjustments of posture, folding and unfolding wings, and the occasionally unintelligible grunts. But as soon as Laneiya whispered a word to him and she stepped back, he sat up with an air of confidence. "Hello, Chrysalis." Thorax kept his expression as even as possible. "Thorax. I mean..." I took a bowing posture. "... Your Highness." "I... wow... I wasn't expecting you to call me that." He blinked twice. "Pretty surreal when the roles are reversed, isn't it?" I stood back up. "Uh... yeah." He held his front hooves together. "Maybe we could stick with a first-name basis for the time being?" "As you wish." I nodded. "You wanted to see me when I woke up. Now what happens?" "I'm not entirely sure." He held up a hoof. "How are you feeling?" "Do you really want to waste pleasantries on someone that was ready to suck you dry last week?" I raised what would have been a brow if I had one. "Ah, business first. Got it." He turned to face his left. "Laneiya, what's her state of health?" "Physically, she's capable of recovering in a matter of days." Laneiya rolled a page up on her clipboard. "However, she is likely to develop scar tissue permanently where her crown used to be. I have yet to determine if her mental state is on par with where it was prior to her coma." "I see." Thorax nodded and looked back to me. "Well, what do you want to do now?" I blinked twice. "I beg your pardon?" "I mean, you did kind of rule the hive before. So, did you have any ambitions about taking that position back in the foreseeable future?" He shrugged his shoulders. I lifted a hoof to point at my bandages. "As I recall, I figuratively and literally gave up the crown. I'm in no position to take that back. I mean, if you made the same mistakes that I did as queen, I'd be disappointed. But that's your right." "Huh." He paused, at a loss for words. I shook my head. "But enough about my reign, what's my sentence?" "Your what?" I swiveled my hoof a bit. "You know, for crimes against Equestria and putting the hive at greater risk than necessary?" "Oh! That!" He scratched under his right antler-horn. "See, a lot of us gathered together and thought it over. After a bit of debate and tossing some ideas out, we decided you purposefully injuring yourself was punishment enough." It was my turn to imitate a deer staring at headlights. "Heh?" "Yeah, the jury unanimously decided that your physical assault on your own body is far worse than anything we could come up with. So... you're free to go as soon as you've recovered." He smiled gently. I sat down. "You can't be serious." "I wish he wasn't." A scratchy voice walked out from behind the small throne seat. "I find his compassion quite disgusting." "Pharynx?" I looked him over carefully. "Wait, you still look like you did before the turnaround." "A hoof full of us chose not to switch." He trotted close with his back turned to his egg sac brother. "We'll take this pretender down on your command, My Queen." I sighed. "I don't have that authority anymore. It sounds like the hive follows his orders now." "Sure, I'll follow his rules." Pharynx spat. "But that doesn't mean I have to like them." He sniffed in my general direction. "Ugh, you lack your compulsion pheromones. I guess you weren't kidding about abdicating." He sighed and walked away. "Fine, long live Thorax, weakest changeling of the tarring century." "You ought to do something about that brother of yours." Laneiya leaned toward Thorax. "His bad attitude isn't healthy for the rest of the hive." "He just needs time to adjust." Thorax twiddled his hooves. "It's a big change for an army-minded changeling to accept an era of peace." "Not to interrupt, but I just want to make sure I'm not hallucinating what I've heard." I stood up and moved my hoof around for emphasis. "I'm... 'free to go' as soon as I've healed up completely?" "That's correct." Thorax nodded. "Go where?" I asked. "I doubt many creatures outside of here would just accept that I'm getting off scotch-free. Shell, I can't believe it." He spread his front hooves to either side. "I mean... you can stick around the hive until you find somewhere else you want to settle down." "Are you sure my presence won't be the cause of some local unrest?" I pointed a hoof behind me. "Pharynx sounded like he wanted me to start a coup." "This is still a home for changelings." Thorax looked dead serious. "I may ask them to accept changes, but I will never force them to leave their home." Something in his tone convinced me to take a step back. There was a feeling that he had inadvertently fed me. It wasn't a full-course meal of love. It was a taste of something else. What was that? Thorax's expression softened to normal. He motioned toward Laneiya and she nodded in understanding. She made a gesture toward me to follow her. I rubbed my head a bit before doing so. I hadn't seen Ocellus leave, but she was nowhere in sight. Author's Note Do you think the tags match the story? I can't always pinpoint which ones fit best.
Ch. 3: ... But Scars Remain---(Chrysalis P.O.V.) The next few days were simultaneously long and blurred. There were several hours when I was unable to move from the bed, yet I was wide awake. Occasionally, one of the changelings peeked into the room. They scurried off as soon as I glanced in their general direction. Others stared for longer. The ones that held their ground when entering were either Laneiya or one of the former style. Among the old variety was a rumor and a question they only passed via thought waves. When was I going to take back rule of the hive? I silently shook my head. This was usually enough to make them walk away, looking dejected or frustrated. Pharynx looked the most frustrated at my answer. Sometimes, I closed my eyes and heard the distinct walking pattern of Ocellus. Her lack of running proved she didn't know that I was aware of her presence. She set a couple buckets down near the bed at the end of each day. I waited until I heard her hoof steps grow distant before looking. I had taught her too well back when she had some resemblance to me. I had showed her every single one of my personal tunnels, explained to her the importance of a hive's queen, and the basics of what she'd have to do in my stead if I ever fell. In one bucket was some water. In the other, a portion of my stash of royal jelly glowed faintly. My body was already as royal as a changeling could become. Eating it didn't enhance my growth or strength. Still, in the absence of a pony to absorb love from, it was okay at satisfying the munchies. Considering I didn't have enough love energy reserved to cultivate any more jelly, my stash would last less than one month. If I stayed here at the hive, I wasn't thrilled about my options: Starve without outside love, go out and find a pony to feed off of (likely drawing the ire of Equestria again), or... try to join Thorax's hive the way he started it. Well, I still had a month. The day came when Laneiya cleared me to leave the healing chamber. My exo-skull had covered over the missing piece of my head and hardened. A circular scar was the only proof that anything had been there before. My limbs were mostly capable of normal movement after the days of physical therapy. I absentmindedly trotted toward my old resting quarters. About halfway there, I remembered that was one of the floors that had been destroyed. After mentally kicking myself, I walked over to the now open throne room. But Thorax wasn't there. Actually, none of the changelings that were there a few days ago were present. There was, however, some chatter echoing faintly. I shrugged and used my wings to slowly descend the height of the mountain. Through some of the holes, I saw some of the changelings chatting with each other. Every so often, I saw one of the older style leaning against a wall by their lonesome. At about the seventh floor from the ground level, I spotted Pharynx. I hovered close to that window. "Where did Thorax go?" Pharynx snorted. "Off to visit that runt of a friend he calls a dragon." He shook his head. "It doesn't even have one wing!" My thoughts immediately went to Eastern style dragons, but I decided against voicing them. "Are you doing anything today?" He raised the equivalent of a brow. "No offense, Your Former Highness, but you're not my type of feeding victim." I blinked twice. "I never knew you had a sense of humor." "Who's joking?" He growled and hissed. I rolled my eyes. "Please, I practically invented that tough-bug look. You don't impress me." He deadpanned. "It's not like your approval matters anymore." "Good talk, Pharynx." I continued my slow, buzzing descent. "Whatever." He resumed his loner routine. There was more plant life surrounding the base of the hive than I remembered. I wasn't even sure what some of the flowers and bushes were. The colors were nearly as various as those of the reformed changelings. The nearest patch of desolate wasteland was a mile away. As I took a moment to look at the scenery, my scar felt itchy. I imagined Laneiya saying, "Don't scratch. That would open up the wound again." I groaned quietly. As a reflex, I breathed in through my mouth. I was surprised by a pleasant taste flowing past my tongue. There was... love magic in these plants. For a second, I thought I had found a solution to my inevitable starvation. But a glance down at the surrounding flowers shut down that train of thought and my feeding immediately. The plant life wilted, as if rapidly aging and drying up. I tried to cough back up, but I had already absorbed that magic into my very being. Within ten feet of where I was standing, an entire circle of dry rock and dirt was all that remained. Despite my satiated appetite, I felt wrong. All of this damage, all of this destruction, all of this greed... all my fault. I didn't remember walking back toward the hive's mountain. I also didn't remember dozing off at the base. Yet the vague sound of someone calling my name brought me back to reality. I pushed some mane hair out of my eyes and looked around. A rock rumbled nearby and blinked. "Ocellus?" I stared at her. A flash of bluish fire restored her current default colors. She shivered in place. "I was worried you'd wake up with a nasty spine cramp if you napped outside. I mean, scoliosis is unlikely at your age, but you can never be too careful." After processing what she just said to me, I couldn't help but chuckle. "My, oh, my... I'm glad you've been keeping up your studies." "Huh?" She blinked twice. "You're... not mad I woke you up?" I shook my head. "That's nothing to be sorry for. Thank you for reminding me of the hazards of sleeping outside." She sat down, almost dumbfounded. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Chrysalis?" "I'm an alien named Guilt, and I kicked Chrysalis out after her second defeat to the ponies." Ocellus leaned back. "Wha...?" "That was a joke." I chuckled. "I guess it didn't land very well." She scratched her head. "Did your crown contain some chemical imbalances that made you reckless and insane?" "A good question, but that wouldn't explain everything." I waved a hoof dismissively. "I think losing control of what I thought was my domain helped start the process I needed to see things differently. I haven't lost the dream of leaving a legacy and conquering an enemy, but that won't happen if I'm stuck on vengeance. I need to figure out what really matters in life." Ocellus looked like she was mulling over her thoughts. "I want to believe this is really you, but I can't be sure." I shrugged. "I don't expect you to believe me. There's too much evidence that says I'm probably putting on an act, right?" She practically jumped onto all fours and backed up. "St-Stay out of my mind!" An earthquake interrupted our conversation. Both of us took to the sky. However, a mound was rising faster than we could fly. It soon parted ways to reveal... a giant blue monster with beaver teeth, wolverine claws, and eyes that looked like they hadn't slept in hours. It thrashed about, crashing into the side of the mountain we had just flown away from. I heard a few screams while several worried changelings were revealed at once. Next thing I knew, it clenched its giant arms together and slammed down. Those arms hit Ocellus. She cried out at the impact and went tumbling along the dirt. My mouth and eyes gaped. Time seemed to freeze, and I couldn't move. It was like the world decided to dampen the colors and trap everyone in their current positions. Despite the fact I felt frozen, I heard a beating heart. It was slow at first. But with each passing second, maybe more like a millisecond considering the sensation, it beat a little faster. Each time the rate increased, my vision was covered in a brighter shade of red. The little movement I got back was used to clench my fangs. In that split-second, I turned my gaze at the abominable beaver-tooth, and time continued. "How dare you strike my daughter, you dick!" ---(Third-Person P.O.V.) Any changeling in that ground-level room immediately woke up from their stupor. They saw their former queen cover herself in red magic fire as she dive-bombed into the Maulwurf's chest. The beast roared and slapped a paw against itself. Chrysalis shook herself and flew up. She shape-shifted into the form of Cadance and blasted green missiles at the Maulwurf's face, over and over again. Two of the changelings galloped out and retrieved Ocellus. The rest flew out of the hole and spread into a defensive swarm. While Chrysalis's blasts were forcing the Maulwurf to slide backwards, they didn't seem to be leaving much of a mark on the creature itself. Eventually, it managed to make a slashing attack, knocking Chrysalis into one of the third-floor windows. She shifted back to her default form. She groaned, trying to lift her face out of the new impression in the rock. There was a loud whistle. The Maulwurf looked behind itself. Thorax was flying at about its eye level, levitating a mass of leaves and grass. "Hey! You want this, big guy?" He taunted. The beast roared, thumping its chest before running toward the leader changeling. "Well, go long!" Thorax's levitation spell tossed the plants toward the horizon. The Maulwurf took a dive in that general direction and dug into the earth. It shook the ground a bit until it was completely out of sight. Thorax sighed, flying down toward his hive. A round of cheers washed over the changelings. He flew close and pulled Chrysalis off the wall. Whatever kind of emotional rush she had was quickly fading to fatigue. She grumbled unintelligibly as her eyes slowly closed. "Don't worry Chrysalis." Thorax personally carried her in front of the crowd. "Your daughter's going to be fine." ---(Chrysalis P.O.V.) My head hurt when I woke up. I moaned as I rolled onto my side against the bed of moss. I saw Laneiya step in with her typical, stoic face. She scribbled something on her clipboard. "You're awake," she commented. "I had hoped you wouldn't need to come back to this chamber so soon." "Ugh, what's the damage?" I rubbed my hooves behind my ears. "Briefly knocked unconscious by a combined impact of Maulwurf paw and a rock wall." Laneiya flipped a page. "Light sprains healed up fairly quickly. Horn was overheated. I recommend you stop casting twenty of the same destruction spell in the span of five seconds." "Twenty?" I looked at her funny. "I only remember shooting five." "Stressful situations can alter memory and recognition significantly." She adjusted her glasses. "It's fascinating how trauma can affect both physical and mental health." I put my head down and looked at the ceiling. "I'm so happy you're enjoying yourself." "If work is pleasurable, it never feels like work." She deadpanned. "Heyyyy!" Ocellus came galloping into the room. "Are you alright?! I came running as soon as they cleared me for good health." "Um, yes." I nodded slowly. "I thought I was hallucinating, but after I heard from the others, it actually registered." Hope glistened in the little changeling's eyes. "You protected me. You tried to save me. You... called me your daughter." "Oh, that was... the rush of the moment." I blushed. "I can stop if you want-" "Please, don't ever stop!" She slapped both of her front hooves against the moss. "I...I love you, Mom." I hesitated. Then, I slowly reached out a hoof. I ended up petting her on the head. She smiled and purred. I had few words to describe this situation except unreal, confusing, and nice. "I love you too, my little girl." Laneiya's eyes actually opened wider. "Your wings..." "Hmm?" I looked up at the nursing changeling before turning to look behind me. I blinked at the sight. I was certain my wings used to have holes in them. Now, they looked completely whole and in a different shape. I flapped them once, and they shimmered, as if they were giving off their own light. Laneiya cleared her throat. "Just for the record, do you feel hungry at all?" I held a hoof under my muzzle for a moment. "No... I don't." Author's Note I started writing a potential B-plot involving "Grogar" and his puppets. But, then I thought, if I can't make the A-plot at least somewhat interesting by itself, then what would be the point of writing that story in the first place? For better or worse, I'm taking the Season 9 buildup off the table.
