Chrysalis landed hard outside the den, the faint glow of the day crystals illuminating the floor. She stood quickly, as the red titan stomped out of the dimly lit entrance. “You’re exactly how you were last time we fought, half-breed.”

Tirek looked down upon her, not with disdain, but pity. “You’re right. I’m still a fractured being. I’m still a harbinger of death and destruction with a penchant for violence.” His hand whipped out suddenly and grabbed the fallen queen’s horn. Tirek’s grip tightened, the sound of bone creaking in his grip, as thin streams of dark blood welled up from between his fingers. The insectoid queen’s eyes widened as she struggled to escape his grip, pain shooting down to her chitinous hooves as the crimson centaur began to pull.

“You have remained a selfish, over ambitious and arrogant bug who cannot see the folly of her ways and plans before they happen.” His hand went to her throat, and slammed her muzzle into the packed dirt, onlookers peeking out from their self-dug caverns. Neon mixed with crimson in the gloom, as his repeated bashing drew more. “You failed to account for the Elements each and every time you encountered them. You were given more chances at redemption than any other here, and you spat in the face of the ponies who saved your entire species from the curse they bore.” Tirek threw her into the far wall, a sickening crunch of shell, bone and wing.

“But I will give you mercy. I will let you suffer your wounds, and find your own group in this hell.” The centaur turned away, only for a bolt of lime magic to strike him in the back, harmlessly dissipating. The bloodied changeling stood on cracked hooves and torn wings, with hate in her teal eyes. “Do you really think you can continue this fight, Chrysalis?”

“I will fight until you kill me, Tirek. There’s nothing left.” She snarled, the other convicts shying away or losing interest in the oncoming massacre.

Tirek slowly closed the gap between them once more. Slow, methodical breaths left him as his steely gaze locked onto her. “Chrysalis, your pride will kill you. Welcome to the pit.” His hands latched around her throat and horn once more, and snapped the jagged horn off her forehead, to the screams of intense pain. “Now. Survive.” He stomped back to his shared den and sealed it off with a makeshift door, leaving the bug to writhe in her own worthlessness.

“Was that really necessary Tirek?” Grogar peeked from one eye, his chin resting over the sleeping Innocence. Her shivering had stilled, and light snores could be heard from the pale human.

“Perhaps not, but it will be a valuable lesson.” The tired centar settled in next to the two, as the glow of the daylight crystal began to fade, the deeper shadows inviting the nocturnal residents out to play. “I’ll go check on her in a few hours. I’m positive Ahgg will take care of her, and hopefully humble her a bit.”

“Well, she won’t be able to brainwash anyone there without her horn, so it should be a very humbling experience.” Grogar snorted, closing his eyes once more. “The heavens know we all need that once in a while.”

Hoof held to the bleeding stump, the cracked ponykin limped along the edge of the ring, refusing the few invitations for shelter by softer residents, while stone and wood walls were placed up with the coming ‘night.’ I don’t need their friendship, I need a hive. I need willing subjects, not some friendly acquaintance. Her thoughts ran parallel to the shooting pains of her fractured carapace. Chrysalis leaned against the wall as more of her precious lifeblood dripped in a bright trail behind her. “Fucking Tirek, I will find a way to end him.” Pushing against the wall, she continued to hobble away from her former ally.

“And what will you do when you accomplish that, hm?” She first heard the skittering, whirling around to face the voice from behind her. Fur and chitin mixed in asynchronous chaos, held aloft by a multitude of appendages, while the near constant chittering of mandibles and teeth forced her attention up to the single, baleful red eye. It’s gaze was fixed on her, glowing red in the gloom of the artificial night. “Will you continue to seek vengeance for the sake of filling that void you feel?” It’s rough, clipped speech punctuated by the clashing of lip, tusk and shell, as it slowly descended from the upper wall.

Chrysalis shuddered “W-What in the world are you?” She reeled back away from it, wincing as the fissures in her own shell widened.

“Ah, I am but a remnant of the humans of old, my name no longer means much to the surface world. One may even call me a spider.” A soft chuckle escaped the ‘spider’. It’s voice was strangely comforting. A husky, even smoky tone, not unlike a parent’s. “However, little kinfolk, I know your kind quite well from my own time in the tunnels beneath the land.”
The more it spoke, the more she could taste it’s emotions. Kindness? What kind of trap is this..

Her thoughts would be interrupted once more, as it beckoned to her. “If you’d follow me, we can see about getting you all fixed up.” The 8-limbed monstrosity strode into the nearest cave, watching her as she carefully descended the steep slope. “I can at least help you make a little den of your own while you recover.”

Chrysalis grimaced. “What’s the catch?” It’s aura’s still tasting of kindness, and even hospitality. There has to be something.

“Oh, it’s quite simple. I help you make a den and recover, and you retrieve food at feeding time for me, like the others do. Corpses do wonders for my diet, but I do dabble in a bit of cooking for those entangled in my web.” Another chuckle.

The injured queen rolled her eyes. “Fine, I’ll be your little drone while I recover.” Pulling her hoof away, she sighed. The bleeding finally stopped, and the lack of adrenaline finally set in. “However, I want to be clear. I want to make a hive of my own.”

“Of course, as a queen of a species should desire. But, first thing is first, you need to be taken care of. I have plenty of silk I’ve spun for the residents here, that we use for clothing, bedding, and most importantly for you now, medical binding. I’ll have a good friend of mine get you settled in. All I ask is you keep your word once you’ve recovered some, and we can get you fed proper afterwards.” Using a leg, it pushed back a sticky curtain, leading her deeper into the steep tunnel before it opened up into a warm burrow, where dragon, pony, gryphon, and even a stray kirin gathered, chuckling and laughing amongst each other.

The light, airy emotions washed over her weary mind, drawing her in like a breath of fresh air. “Very well, I accept your proposal. Who, then, am I working with?”

“Oh, I am Ahgg, one may call me a fixer in this little hole, trading food and information alike. Sometimes, I even play a bit of matchmaker for some of the lonely hearts down here. I’m also a bit of a den-father to the softer souls, or those who need more help.” Ahgg waved to the little collective, and they hailed back in return. A crimson dragon approached Ahgg and began gesturing quickly, before pointing out a pair of bulging bundles. “Thank you, Taji. I’ll be sure to get Raien awake before dinner.”

Chrysalis’ gaze traced over the coming and goings of nearly a dozen moving bodies as they moved about the burrow, with tunnels marked with faintly colored strands of spider silk. “This is almost hive-like.” And the emotions here are delectable, and free flowing. Especially compared to that insufferable child.

“Indeed. You changelings had some very impressive architecture, so I simply replicated it for efficiency. Although my charges tended to get lost at first, so I made a few guides for them.” Ahgg turned down a tunnel with a green guide line, leading to a quieter quadrant of the burrow. “You will stay here in the verdant quarters, where our new arrivals and injured guests stay, at least until you’ve healed. Viri, can you lead our new guest here to a den?”

A small, crystalline, spider-like being approached and chittered, offering a strand attached to its thorax to the injured queen. Chrysalis only sighed and took the strand, following the dog-sized vermin. “Please, make yourself comfortable Chrysalis. I’ll bring someone to feed you soon. Do you have a preference?”

“Male, ponykin, perhaps on the gentle side considering my condition.”

Ahgg chuckled once again. “I did not mean sexually, but I do understand. I’ll see who I can rustle up for you.” Ahgg waved her off as he retreated back to the main room, his words echoing faintly in conversation with the ones outside.

What a doting fool. I’m positive now this place is designed to make you weak now. No matter, I’ll simply establish my hive and proceed from there. Her thoughts were stopped short as Viri chittered again, his multitude of eyes furrowing at her. “What?” The emerald spider pulled gently, agitating the crumbing shell more. Chrysalis growled, but followed the little creep regardless.

Viri led her to an empty den, and guided her to the bed amongst the barren room, motioning her to lay down. “Fine…” She groaned, before climbing up. It’s.. surprisingly soft, and not sticky like I expected. Viri motioned her to lay down, as he produced more silk and looped it over one of his legs. Chrysalis complied, laying on her side. “Just make it quick, will you? I wish to sleep.”

The iridescent spider saluted, and quickly spun the silk around her cracked body, binding her chitin back into place with a few careful adjustments. The searing pain the ex-royal felt returned in sharp, sudden bursts, only to immediately be dulled by the gentle pressure provided by the spider bandages. Even her wings were pieced together by the tiny surgeon, and encased in a much thinner silk to heal. Once finished, the little spiderling motioned once more at the changeling, mimicking a sleeping pony.

“Yes, yes, I know I need to heal after that beating I just took.” Viri eye’s locked on her face, before grasping her muzzle between two legs. “What are you doing, you little cretin?” She asked, before a fresh strand of silk was wrapped around her fractured stump. “Oh.”

Viri’s chittering echoed faintly, before spinning close the entrance, leaving a triangular entry way. A quick salute, and Viri was gone. Was that.. Giggling? No matter. At least I can get some actual sleep now. I wonder if I can get my new hive to spin silk like this… Her curious thoughts wandered into oblivion as exhaustion claimed her, and the plush bedding lulled her to the first true sleep she’d experienced in years.

Author's Note

Chapter at the beginning of the month! Woo!

This is not an April Fool's joke, I swear to god.

Edited by Timeless Lord Slayer, the amazing writer he is.