Deep Breath

Well there was another lucid dream done. You have no idea what people mean that they can take wild and cool trips when lucid dreaming. Yours only keep you conscious to remember and sometimes feel the logical conclusion of “What could possibly go wrong?” Now, you are dead...

Well, there is the black nothingness that you exist sensationless in. Your mind always needs to catch up with what comes next since you can never remember when you are back here. Hey, there’s something. And there it is again. And again. What is that? It reminds you of an alarm. That usually snaps you to waking up, but you know that you don’t have an alarm here. Here? Where is that? Oh yeah, the changeling hive. Come to think of that, that last thing sounds like Chrysalis saying your name. Light might be there too. They just said your name for the third time that you can tell. You better open your eyes and wake up. Your body is at rest; you will need to start actively breathing to be able to do that.

Your head tilts up immediately as you take as deep a breath through your nose, your lungs go from completely deflated to completely inflated, allowing your still waking up body to say something on exhale.

“Hmn? What’s going on?”

“You’re alive!” Gentle jumps back. Chrysalis can’t because your arms are still wrapped around her where you left them.

“I was dead?” Now understanding the situation, you decide to play along to see how they react.

“We were trying to wake you up for an hour. You wouldn’t let me go even if I tried to get out.” Chrysalis answered.

“How did you try to get out?” Chrysalis moved her head from side to side as your arms tensed effortlessly in reflex to keep the object of their desire from escaping. Her begging whimper portraying how she was unable to move anything from the base of her neck down. “That is adorable.”

“Can you let me out now?"

“Here you go.” You open your arms and she thanks you. Once up, she notes a coldness now that the two of you are separated. The feeling is mutual, but you get up anyways as it is time to get moving. Today is the day you prepare for the big meet. You need your teeth cleaned, you need your only clothes washed, and you need your body bathed. All of which can be done out of bowls (of which you have none) or in the nearest stream, which means you must go out and once again be a denizen of the sun.

After a stretch right outside the hive entrance, your eyes adjust and you proceed to the nearest part of the Everfree Forest. Changelings encircle an area, keeping watch in bushes. although hydras and chimeras do not typically frequent this part of the forest, everyone always feels safer while keeping watch. At least that is what made sense when you arrived at the stream.

“So why is privacy when not clothed important to humans?” Chrysalis asked.

“Part of it is that human skin is not as tough as equine skin. Part of it is that it is impolite to be naked in polite- stop peeping, pervert! The bush rustled behind you furiously, as did several along the “protective perimeter.”

“You weren’t even looking this way!”

“But I still caught you!” You say teasingly. Manually scrubbed, you hang your garments to dry. “Now toss me the toothbrush and toothpaste. I definitely don’t want the smell of meat on my breath on this peace mission.”

“What will you do when you run out of jerky?”

“Well you see,” You list the mixes of vegetables that would suffice for proper protein synthesis, and how you plan to compare recipes that you know to ones that others know, then see what is easiest to procure on Equus. Of course, you are on a bit of a time limit as you only have about one meal left, but you will cross that hydra when you get there. You say this with your left hand moving to put emphasis on what you say, and your right hand muffling every word as you brushed your teeth. “Ok, I’m ready for the soap.” A bar of soap is thrown lightly, making a thud on the ground halfway. You would have to get completely out of the water to get it.

Man is it refreshing to be bathed and walking in fresh clothes. You walk with purpose along the tracks that circle the west side of the Everfree forest. After studying the maps, the sane and completely expected thing would be to go through the forest. You would have been able to take Zecora’s passage as a safe shortcut and get to Ponyville early, but you needed a way to safely and easily allow the elements of harmony and the princesses to get to the hive, and you just now memorized where the hive is in Equestria. How does one make good on a promise to walk into Ponyville in the morning when the walk is eight hours away? Human stubbornness and changeling magic. The two of you talk while going along the tracks. Your hands behind your head as you pace.

“Even after I give you energy, I can still accompany you to Ponyville.”

“Me going alone is the best way to surprise them with my out-of-this-world tactics, plus you are the best one to ensure the safety of the hive as most of our changelings hibernate. Not to mention the weapon that I have not been able to destroy yet.”

"Very well. So tell me, after this is all over, what are your plans?"

"To see and spread happiness. I look forward to seeing our changelings and the other ponies prosper and celebrate. There could be parades and festivals, concerts and parties. Of course, such things don't taste as sweet without working for it. Our changelings will find their place in the world in various careers, and I intend to be working alongside them. We'll build a new hive under the sun and moon, and when the work is done, we'll enjoy our time together."

"With the way you work, are you sure there will be time for fun?"

"Absolutely. There will be arts and music, some from my world too if I can help it."

You breathe in the fresh morning air and exclaim vigorously.

“Ah, this is just the energy I love to march through life with.”

“You mean on an eight-hour hike into intentionally getting harmed in others' stead?”

“How did you figure that part out?” Surprise shows on your face.

“You've discussed everything but that part with me. The way you approach possibilities to mitigate all harm to others, that others can cause, or be driven to cause. Reading your emotions brought me halfway, and then I figured out the rest.”

“You are a fast learner. Good on you. Please don’t tell our changelings.”

“I’d rather not scare them or give them any ideas before you are able to teach them how to safely use such madness. So why are you going to great lengths to harm yourself?”

“If Twilight Sparkle does have a truth spell, I will tell a couple lies so that the full truth is clear.”

“Will explaining the whole plan make me worry less?”

“Probably not. Until then, I think it’s been a good four hours by now. At least my feet tell me so.”

“I will wait for you to return to tell me the full story then.”

Chrysalis pulls you into a hug, her horn glowing against your forehead while the exhaustion you feel now drains away. Smiling, she turns back to the hive and takes flight. You continue silently along the tracks. Your next destination lies along the tracks, around the forest, and across the fields. The nearly full moon glows low in the western sky. You must return with help for the sake of your changelings. Hopefully, you don’t scare Fluttershy.