A Life, for A Life

The sun rays shined though the blinds of the window sills as a birds song reached my ears. Another dreamless night.. Without opening my eyes I let out a quiet yawn, and brought a hand up to stroke Fizzlepop's mane without looking. Finding my target, the petting commenced and I heard a satisfied sigh of approval as a small smile of victory touched my face.

"Mornin'." I greeted simply.

"Good morning.." Fizzlepop sighed in return.

"Oh, you two are awake." I heard Twilight call from the doorway. "I was just about to come and wake you three for breakfast. Everypony else is already up in the dining hall."

It was then I decided to crack open an eye, and look to the side of me. As Twilight had said, everyone was awake, other than Valkyrie who was still asleep with a slight snore. I also saw that Valkyrie was in a most peculiar position in her slumber. She looked like she had somehow managed to sleep with her head and forelegs hanging off the bedside, with her back hooves on the pillow.

"Alright, we'll be up in a minute," I assured Twilight.

"Okay, see you there." Twilight walked out of the room, her hoofsteps echoing down the hall until it dissipated completely.

Sitting up, with a little bit of protest from Fizzlepop, I pulled out my phone and looked at the time. 9:14 AM. My eyes caught a new icon at the top of the screen, with three Z's in different sizes. Huh. I guess that means Harmony is still asleep. I figured. I put the phone away and decided I'd let her wake up on her own, assuming she didn't really need breakfast, being inanimate and all.

I got up and did some stretches, Fizzlepop doing much the same. Walking over to Valkyrie's prone body, I gave her a couple of gentle, but firm shakes.

"Val, rise and shi-ine~" I said in a sing-song voice. Valkyrie proceeded to groan in protest, flipping over so that her stomach was showing. I raised an eyebrow in surprise at that. I would assume that she would have woke up almost instantly and be at attention, if not already awake before us. I guess she's started to warm up to me. I smiled in satisfaction and amusement, but she had to get up sooner rather than later.

"Valkyrie, com' on." I said as I prodded her again. "Time to wake up." Valkyrie gave out another noise and waved her hoof in the air before it fell limply back to her side. I had an idea that would probably get her up, and she's either going to hate me for it, or find it funny. However the former option was more likely.

Slowly, I brought my hands up with an evil smirk filled with anticipation. As my hands began to reach for Valkyrie's form, I looked at Fizzlepop who had a skeptical eyebrow raised. I clenched and relaxed my fingers in rapid succession in the air, gesturing my intent. Fizzlepop stifled some laughter after she understood, making my smirk grow more as I closed in on my intended target.

"You go ahead and have fun with that. I''ll head up now." Fizzlepop stated as she went into the hallway.

"Oh don't worry, I plan to savor this." I called back to her.

As soon as I made first contact with Valkyrie's exposed tummy, I began my assault. I got the desired effect, as her eyes shot open and she started laughing hysterically, limbs flailing about.

"Hahahaha! W-What are you- No, Sto- Stop, Haha!!" I didn't relent however, and I leaned in farther with a smug grin.

"What's the magic word~?"

"P-Please!! I'm begging- HAHA- I'm begging you please, b-before I-"

Before she could finish, a bright green flash enveloped my vision for a moment, momentarily blinding me. Backing away, I blinked several times to get my vision cleared from the after image. Valkyrie was catching her breath, and she eyed.. me.. with...

"Valkyrie..?"

I breathed in disbelief at what was in front of me. The eyes that stared back at me were the same, brilliant emerald gems that I knew, but her pupils were slit and had a glow to them. Her form looked nothing like what she did before, the first thing I noticed with the black chitin that her body was now made up of, and her hooves were riddled with holes.

She now had a crooked horn protruding from the base of her forehead, and where her leathery wings had been before, a pair of tattered bug like wings now replaced them. She even grew in size considerably, if she were standing I think she'd be taller than Celestia.

"What.. What happened?" I asked with concern.

"Shit.." I heard her say under her breath. To my further surprise, her voice now had an extra tone in it, and she sounded completely different. "Shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!!" I reeled back at her sudden increase in volume, but my worry only grew at her response.

"Whoa, hey calm down. It's alright," I tried to comfort her and I placed a hand on her shoulder. She immediately jerked away, and scooted back until her back was against the wall.

"Please, don't hurt me!! I-I'm sorry, just please.." Her voiced hitched, and she started cowering. Was she crying? "I don't want to die.."

"Hey now, I'm not going to hurt you!" I said as I waved my hands disarmingly. "I only want to help you, so please calm down.."

She eyed me with abject fear and trepidation, not daring to blink. After a moment though, she sniffled again, and gave me a confused but still frightful look.

"You.. you aren't upset with me?"

"No, I have no reason to be upset with you." I walked back over to her and sat down. She tried to scoot away again, but I placed a hand on her hoof and gently took in it my hands. "It's okay. I promise I'm not mad."

"..Not yet anyway.." I wasn't sure what she meant by that, but regardless it didn't change how I felt.

"Alright, so.. talk to me. What happened to you?"

She let out a sigh and sagged, looking crestfallen and guilty. I let go of her hoof and sat back, giving her some room to calm herself.

"You see," She began, looking up at me through strands of green hair. "This is.. this is my true form, Zale." I cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

"Your true form?" I echoed. "So, you mean that you aren't actually a pony Val?" She shook her head in confirmation.

"Yes, I'm not actually a pony. Also, my name isn't Valkyrie Skyline." Her head turned to face me fully, and the expression she gave me made my heart melt at the sight. She looked not only tired, but guilty and stressed beyond anything I could comprehend, fear completely vacant.

"My real name.. is Queen Chrysalis."

After a moment, I nodded slightly in understanding. Yet that only left me with more questions.

"So.. Queen Chrysalis," I eyed her with curiosity. "If you aren't a pony, then what are you? And why were you pretending to be one under a different name?" She sighed again, looking down at her hooves.

"I'm what's called a changeling. A race of creatures that have the powers to shape shift at will." She explained. "However queens have more freedom when it comes to that power. We can change our shape, weight, size more so than a normal changeling, and even gain some of the strength and abilities of what we turn into. As for why I was impersonating, well.."

"It's alright, you can tell me the truth." I said softly. "I'll hear you out." She paused for a moment, and looked at me with slight worry.

"After I say what I have to say, I understand if you never want to see me again." I shook my head, and gave her a small smile.

"It won't come to that. I promise."

"..If you say so." She shuffled a bit in the sheets, getting a bit more comfortable and sitting on her haunches. "You remember how I said that I was captured a while ago?" I nodded. "Well, I was captured for a reason. He wanted to use me for his deeds, and I had no choice in the matter because he would kill me if I refused. It was around 2 weeks ago when I started working under him, always preparing for whatever he had planned, stealing artifacts, capturing other innocent creatures and ponies.. and then.."

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"You have done well for me so far, Chrysalis."

Chrysalis handed him the last artifact she had collected, and he took it in his magic. She backed away and eyed him curiously.

"So.. that's it right?" She asked hopefully. "That's the last one?" He laughed at her question, and shook his head.

"No, no there is still one more thing I need you to do. This time however, I shall accompany you personally." The beast put the artifact down alongside the others on a pedestal, casting a protective spell over it. He stalked towards the other occupants in the room, bound and restrained to the wall. He took his hoof and lifted the chin of a white unicorn filly, who scowled back at him. She said nothing however, and he smiled.

"You shall go into the town of Ponyville, and disguise yourself as one miss 'Sweetie Belle'." He said without looking back at her. "With one of their kin missing for too long, they'll get suspicious. Just do what you do best. Pretend."

"Y-Yes.. and then what?"

"When I give the signal, I want you to turn into something big, and noticeable. You'll know what it is when you hear it." He let go of Sweetie Belle's chin and stalked back towards Chrysalis. She cowered before him, backing away a few paces.

"What do you want me to do then?" She asked skeptically.

"Cause a ruckus. Maybe take a hostage. Use brute force, if you so desire. In the midst of the panic, I'll sneak to where I need to go, and retrieve what I'm after." Sweetie Belle's eyes widened in shock and horror.

"No! Don't you dare hurt my friends or Rarity!" She shrieked out, fighting against her restraints. The beast sighed, and he rolled his eyes. Chrysalis didn't seem to like this plan very much however, and frowned.

"But the element bearers reside in that town! I can guarantee that they will notice me almost immediately when-" A gust of wind blow Chrysalis back several feet, crashing into a wall. Almost instantly, the monsters face was in front of hers, showing it's fangs with hostile intent.

"That's the point, Chrysalis." He spat. "That's exactly why I want you to be the decoy. With you being the center of attention, I can do what I need to do and be done with it. Whatever happens to you, is none of my concern past that point." Chrysalis gulped down a lump that had formed in her throat. "Is that clear?"

"..Understood." She relented, and he released his grip on her, and she fell back onto her hooves shakily. "So, when are we going to execute this plan of yours?"

"Right now." He stated with finality. His horn went alight with a spell at the ready, he released Sweetie Belle from the wall, and cast a sleep spell on her, causing her to fall to the floor. He cast another spell that encircled her head, and let out a small pop sound. "I just cast a sleep spell on her and preformed a 'Forget Me' spell for the both of us. Take her with us and just leave her somewhere close to the town, but keep her out of sight. She'll wake up on her own." Chrysalis nodded, and with her magic she put Sweetie Belle's body on her back.

"Get ready. I'll transport us in the Everfree." A few moments later, they vanished in a flash of orange, and reappeared surrounded by flora and foliage. They were near Sweet Apple Acres, still hidden in the tree line. The changeling queen placed Sweetie Belle under a nearby apple tree, and then was enveloped by green flames before her form was an exact replica of Sweetie Belle. She looked around, seeing that he had vanished. I guess everything's already in place.. she mused, and trotted her way towards Ponyville.

I just have to go into town, and wait for the signal. Should be easy enough. She thought as she went onto the main road towards her destination. Luckily Sweet Apple Acres wasn't that far from the rest of the town, it only took a few minutes to get within the outskirts of town and along the road to the town hall. Chrysalis had mapped out this town long enough to know exactly where everything is, and who lived here. At first it was supposed to be part of her plans of revenge on Starlight glimmer, but the fire and rage she felt has long since dissipated, and she was contempt with living alone in the Everfree.

That is, until..

"Oh, hey Sweeite Belle!" A voice from behind her shouted, breaking her thoughts. The false Sweetie Belle turned to face to new arrivals. Applebloom and Scootaloo. She put on a forced smile and waved at them. "Where were ya yesterday? We couldn't find ya at Rarity's, and y'all weren't at the clubhouse neither."

"Oh, that's because I went camping in the woods," The disguised Chrysalis said without missing a beat. "I just wanted to explore alone for a little while, that's all. Sorry I never told you." Scootaloo raised an eyebrow, but shrugged.

"Meh. I can understand. But next time you go camping, I wanna tag along!" Scootaloo pleaded. Chrysalis just nodded awkwardly in response. Holy shit, that actually worked.

"Hey, what's all the hubbub about over there?" Applebloom asked the two. They all looked over to where Applebloom was pointing, their interest peaked when they saw a crowd start forming and walking towards town hall. They couldn't see who it was they were following, but Applebloom and Scootaloo went to check it out, with the changeling queen having no choice but to follow as well.

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"..And then after you introduced yourself to us, that's when I saw the signal he gave.. and well.." Chrysalis inhaled deeply, and let it out in a slow, agonizing breath. "Then.. I transformed into that Ursa Major. I took the first hostage I could find and.. you know the rest. As for why I was here as a lunar guard, well.. It was out of fear mostly." I didn't say anything, waiting for her to clarify.

"Well, you royally handed my ass to me, and that's why I was so scared of you. And also.. he tried to kill me anyway, even when the mission was a success.. I don't know what it was he was after, as he never told me about his plans clearly, just gave me the orders to carry out his deeds." She sighed, looking downcast.

"So I ran away. I wanted to start anew, out of fear and in the hopes of ever forgetting that experience, even if I knew it would haunt me. Lunar guard 'Valkyrie Skyline'. But then as luck would have it, the very next day I get placed under your orders. I thought you would have been cruel, a tyrant, or at least a jerk. But.. you've shown kindness and trust. Even it's been a little over a day, I can see literally how true your feelings are." Chrysalis looked away, a guilty expression on her face.

"I didn't want to lose that, to lose.. a friend. I thought if I just had kept pretending, eventually I wouldn't have to, and I could start a new life being your personal guard. But then the most unceremonious thing that could have broken my disguise was tickling." Chrysalis looked back at me, and said nothing for a moment. I said nothing once more, and that's when she got up and started to walk out the door.

"I'm so sorry Zale.."

I sat there for several moments, processing Chrysalis's recounting of what she did. I was feeling.. conflicted. I felt anger because not only had she put other ponies in danger including Sweetie Belle; only now realizing I haven't actually met the real one; and Derpy. I also was grateful that whoever this 'He' character was didn't actually harm Sweetie Belle, and actually let her go, I can only hope that the other ponies she had captured for him was treated with such restraint as well. I felt my blood broiling, and I gave Chrysalis a scrutinizing glare, and I was about to yell something, but..

When I look into her eyes, I can just see how guilty she felt, and how sorry she really is. She was trembling, she looked tired, and just an overall wreck. My expression softened, and I let out a sigh.

"Chrysalis." I called. She stopped and her ears perked up at the mention of her name.

"..Yes?" She asked after a moment of hesitation.

I looked at her for a few moments, before sucking my teeth and scratching the back of my head. "Listen. As long as you're willing to make up for the things you have done, then I'll forgive you." I closed my eyes and looked down.

"I'm not mad mind you; I'm just.. disappointed. Although I understand your position and that you really had little to no choice." I put my hand over my heart, clenching my chest. "I can understand not having control over things in your life, and it sucks balls." I opened my eyes in surprise, and slightly confused. Where did this.. feeling of helplessness come from? I thought to myself. I shook those thoughts out of my head however, and kept my focus on the situation.

"But, I really only wish you were honest and open about who and what you actually are earlier, rather than hide it away. However I can understand why you did so." I got up and walked over to the changeling queen, who was now sitting on her haunches in front of the doorway, and I scooped her up in a hug. She looked confused, and mouthed for a few moments, before a sniffle escape her, and she leaned into the embrace.

"Even after all of this though I still trust you, Chrysalis. That's just what friends do, right?" I asked, a small smile touching my face. Chrysalis then returned the embrace fully, and tears began to fall as a 'Thank you' came from between her choked sobs. I thought about what I had just said. It was true, that I still have faith in Chrysalis. But I couldn't help but wonder if the feeling was mutual. I decided not to ponder on it for too long, and just sat there with her in this moment.

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"Alright Chrysy, I think it's time we went up for breakfast." I said, standing back up. We had been like that for a couple of minutes, although I'm not sure how long we had been down here in total. She stood, and green flames enveloped her again, and Valkyrie Skyline was back. I raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"I thought you were done with the whole pretending thing?" I asked curiously. "Why go back in that form?" Chrysalis shuffled on her hooves uncomfortably.

"Well you see, I don't exactly have the best history with the others as Chrysalis, and that's an even longer story in of itself, so.." I sighed, but decided to not press the matter further and began to walk out of the room towards the dinning hall.

"Fine, but I do want you to come clean with the others eventually." She only nodded in response, following behind me. We passed by nurse Snowheart, who had just checked in for the day. She waved at us in acknowledgement, and we waved back with a smile.

"Good luck in your investigation!" she called after us before walking into a room with an awaiting patient. I like her. She's nice.

It didn't take very long to get to the dinning hall, although we were met with confused and slightly annoyed faces. I let out a yawn as I made my way over to an empty seat next to Fizzlepop, and Chry- .. 'Valkyrie' taking the one following that.

"What in the Sam Hill kept y'all?" Applejack asked. I chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of my head.

"Uh sorry, it was my fault. I was having too much fun messing with Val, and I might've gotten carried away." Fizzlepop rolled her eyes at that, but smiled all the same.

"You were having fun!? Without me!?" Pinkie exclaimed, hurt in her words. I chuckled, and gave her a quick boop from across the table.

"Don't worry Pinks, I'll be sure to invite ya next time." I smirked in amusement when she giggled like a mad filly.

Twilight poked her head out from the book she was reading. "Are you going to do that with all of us?" Twilight asked wearily. "The whole shortened nickname thing?" I actually had to think about that one. I stroked my chin in thought, and just shrugged after a moment.

"Honestly, it just comes naturally. It isn't something I can really force out, especially if the name is hard to shorten, or if I can't make a pun out of it." It was true. I found it especially hard to think of a nickname for Applejack and Spike, because 'Apple' is shared between members of her family, and Spike is already one syllable. Twilight simply shrugged in response, and went back to reading.

Celestia came into the room, with several bowls in her magic. With slight tilt of the head, the bowls found themselves in front of me and the rest around the table. Instead of pancakes again, this time it looked like oatmeal, rich and creamy. A simple, nice change of pace.