Chapter Music

"Principles of Magic: Law of Equivalent Exchange. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, this was discovered by Starswirl the Bearded. At its core, it means that to make something happen, something else needs to happen as a result. If you shoot a magic beam, you lose a bit of magic, and there's recoil. This coincides with the second law of thermodynamics as well. If you were to close off the system, perform the same actions, then measure the total energy in that system, you would find that it would be the same as when you started."

I closed another one of Twilight's books, placing it down on the table. Leaning back in my seat, I stretched out my limbs, now noticing that there were no other ponies in the library with me. I guess it was still pretty early. Pushing myself away from the table, I stood up out of my chair, returning my books to their respective shelves. I know Starlight said magic would take care of it, but I was going to be caught causing a mess.

Staring at the top shelves, I realized just how much I had been through. "Mom?"

"Yes? What is it?" Chrysalis responded.

"What's going to happen?"

It wasn't really a question I expected to get an answer to, but I needed something. I needed to believe that things would work out, but here I am. I'm an amnesiac masquerading as someone I'm not, who has several hits out on them and has no idea how to accomplish his main goal.

Chrysalis didn't immediately respond, taking time to process her answer.

After maybe fifteen seconds, she replied. "I'd be lying if I said that it would all be alright because there are just too many variables now to make such a prediction. However, I will say this, you're doing great taking care of yourself. At the very least, you'll survive all of... this."

I'll survive all this? Faust, all mighty. I sighed, turning my head away from the top shelves and looking over the library once more. Still quiet, still nopony else. What I said next was something I didn't even expect myself to say.

"Mom, could you tell me a story?"

I meant what I asked, I genuinely wanted to hear a story.

Chrysalis sighed. "Can't you just read one of those books on the shelves?"

I pouted to myself. "I guess."

"Fine, but just one. I'm not very good at these things," Chrysalis said, sounding defeated.

"Deal," I said, taking a seat, and resting my head in my hooves.

"Alright, give me a second," Chrysalis said before she started her tale.

Long ago, there were four races, thriving in the harshest, and most expansive environment in all of Equestria, together. There were the changelings, the unicorns, the earth ponies, and the pegasi. However, none of the other races knew of the changelings due to their unique ability to change shape. At first, there was strife between the pony races, but after seeing the potential they had in working together, the tension quickly faded.

Magic was rudimentary back then, so the ponies had no way of telling themselves apart from changelings, not that they were initially aware of their existence in the first place. Changelings slowly and seamlessly infiltrated each race of pony, it was necessary to survive. Perhaps this was their first mistake.

There wasn't much love in Equestria at the time, after all, life was difficult for everyone. Despite this, however, changelings were still able to survive, although, their population was quite small.

Yet, after the three pony races united, and magic began to develop, everything changed. The unicorns, excited by their ever-evolving magical abilities, began testing out all manner of spells. It just so happens that one of those spells, the spell that changed everything, would be the downfall of a great society. A single dispel was all it took to destroy a changelings' disguise. As soon as the first changeling was outed, the three pony races started a hunt for every changeling they could find.

Families... broken apart, friendships shattered, loves forgotten. The changelings were exiled to the Badlands all because the ponies were too scared of their nature. Creatures that feed off love, could never understand love themselves; creatures that could read emotions would surely become dangerous to a society for all manner of reasons, right? Ponies that could see past the changeling's exterior, who disagreed with the decisions their society made, were exiled alongside the changelings.

Although the ponies hadn't killed anypony themselves, they had practically condemned the changeling race to death. The ponies exiled alongside the changelings were the first to die off. There was simply no way for them to survive without the aid of other ponies. The changelings had no way of helping them either as they could only feed on love at the time.

The Badlands were even more harsh and unforgiving than the changeling's previous home. Pushed to the edge of extinction and knowing that they would not all survive, the remaining changelings sacrificed their lives, feeding all of their love, magic, and knowledge into a single changeling egg. Their last thoughts, filling the hive mind.

"Our child...You are our pride, our last hope."

The child awoke in a dark underground cavern, freshly hatched from her shell, but she wasn't alone. The first sight she saw upon climbing out of her shell, were the corpses of her fallen family members. Their bodies malnourished, and riddled with holes. It was a sight the pupa would never forget, how could she? Due to the hive mind, she felt a personal connection to every one of the fallen individuals.

The pupa had no idea what she would do all by herself, but she swore that she wouldn't die, for the sake of her race, that she wouldn't be extinguished without a say in this cruel and callus world. She promised herself that she would never forgive the ponies for what they did. At first, she blended into families that were not her own, posing as infants of that race. This generated quite a bit of love, but as she grew, this became harder to accomplish. Slowly, she began building her race back up, breeding with all manner of other sapient creatures. Luckily, changeling genes seemed to be dominant over all other species. Her race was saved.

Sure changelings would die every so often, but if the birthrate exceeded the death rate, then there was nothing to fear. Nopony dared step up to her, she ruled over the Badlands with an iron hoof, and her name was... Queen Chrysalis. Her name would strike fear into the hearts of even the bravest of kings and most violent of warlords. Eventually, Queen Chrysalis came to learn of her infamy and took advantage of it.

But, as Queen Chrysalis came to realize that she was both feared and respected, there were those who began plotting her downfall. Many races, stricken with grief, fear, and anger, attacked Chrysalis' hive, killing most of the changelings in a bloody struggle.

The Queen, narrowly escaping with her life, went into hiding for many millennia, biding her time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to reclaim her title as Queen of the Badlands, as Queen of Equestria.

As my mother finished her tale, I couldn't help but feel somewhat angry at the actions of the ponies in the story. So many unnecessary deaths, all because they were scared?

I hadn't noticed it while she was telling the story, but my eyes were leaking tears.

"Was that all true?" I asked, wiping my tears away.

"Yes, but it seems that the memories have long since faded in the hivemind. I, as an individual, am the only one who completely remembers that past," Chrysalis stated solemnly.

It's no wonder she's like this, and I gave her such a hard time because of my own petty feelings.

"Why didn't the history books mention anything about it?" I asked, desperately searching for an answer to this injustice.

"Because the ponies would much rather forget their dark past. Honestly, I can hardly blame them. Ponies don't have a hive mind as changelings do, so the actions of their ancestors don't weigh as heavily on them as they do on changelings. The sins of their forefathers don't transfer over as easily. I'm older than Celestia and Luna themselves, so I shouldn't be surprised, it all happened thousands upon thousands of years ago," Chrysalis confessed.

What my mother said made sense, but I wasn't feeling any less upset. Against my better judgment, I asked another question.

"Mother, when you escape your prison, what will you do?"

"I don't know. For the longest time, all I wanted was to conquer Equestria, to avenge my race, but now there's nothing left to avenge. I suppose all I want now is peace, freedom, and..." she said, trailing off.

"And what?" I prodded.

"Nevermind, it's nothing," she claimed dismissively.

Though she didn't say it, I felt that her future plans had something to do with me.

Author's Note

This one really tugged at the heartstrings.😭