The Scarred King's Return

by Evan Chance

Rating: teen
Tags: Death, Sad, Main 6, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Queen Chrysalis, Violence
Length: 2960

Once long ago the Changelings were divided but one king managed to unite all the hives. Now with Equestria being riddled with corruption, fear, and suffering. He and his new hive need to find a way to help ponykind so they don't starve.

After Nightmare Moon and Celestia disappeared during their fight the void of power needed to be filled, so who better to do that than the noble ponies that were already governing over regular ponies. After all, it's only till Celestia or Nightmare Moon returns, that was almost a thousand years ago. A lot has changed. the elements of harmony and what they represent have become objects of myth. Due to the lack of harmony in Equestria, a changeling myth has reawakened and he has a plan. Granted he doesn't have a good plan but it's a start. With help, King Chrysilix The Scarred King of the Changelings might just be able to save Equestria before all of the Changelings starve.

Published 2021-09-23 01:10:00 UTC
Last updated 2021-10-21 03:00:20 UTC

Chapter 2: Awakening

All that could be heard beyond the dim static in his mind was the faint crack of earth as it fell through the holes in his hive. To the casual observer, it would appear that he was a simple statue due to how little he moved and how much dirt and dust had accumulated over the years. To a more serious observer, the difference between statue and body would still be difficult to see. His mind drifted in a dreamless sleep as time itself passed him by, suddenly a faint tickle was felt in the back of his mind. It was so small that he wasn’t even sure that it had happened. But just as he was about to dash his hopes he felt it again only stronger, much much stronger.

Inside the tunnels, a team of fifteen changelings worked with a steady pace that over the weeks had slowed considerably. One particular changeling, who had a long scratch going down her right side, was tiredly chipping away at a wall when her pick fell through the dirt wall. The wall trembled and cracked as it tried desperately to hold its shape while the scratched changeling stared at the hole in shock. After a few moments, a couple of nearby changelings gathered to help open the wall. Once the hole had grown large enough for a changeling to fit through it all fifteen squeezed their way in with the scratched changeling leading.

As they wandered through a large cavern they could see similarities to their hive although this hive was in far worse shape. The walls didn’t shift, there were no eggs or cacoons, and the hive had shifted to an ugly charcoal color instead of the natural dirt color it is supposed to have. The only sources of light were various green crystals that protruded from every angle. As the changelings looked around, the scratched changeling looked to the northern wall to see a set of steps leading to the throne that was just barely holding its form. On the throne was a grey-colored changeling with a horn that stood nearly nine inches tall and gently curved towards the changeling's flank. This changeling was caked in dust and dirt, yet it still sat with a regal look to it. The scratched changeling walked up the steps leading to the throne each step sending out a sharp CLOP.

The other changelings turned their attention to the scratched changeling and the grey changeling on the throne as news of this discovery quickly spread through the hivemind. The scratched changeling stood in front of the grey changeling with a look of curiosity and wonder on her face. “What happened to you?” She buzzed as she gently put a hoof on the grey changeling’s shoulder and brushed some of the dirt off of it. Just as she was about to remove her hoof the grey changeling shuddered and while the dirt and dust fell off quietly before a new presence entered the hivemind. This presence didn’t say anything but the other changelings could feel the emotions that the presence carried. Finally, the grey changeling opened its bright orange eyes to stare at the scratched changeling for a few moments before its eyes drooped shut once more.

Chapter 4: Intro to Politics

Author's Note

italics for buzzing in changeling speech

BOLD for deeper/distorted speech

regular for regular speech

Chapter 4: Intro to Politics

After another week had passed he opened his eyes and gazed around the small room he was in. With great effort, he managed to stand up on his own four hooves. His steady breathing was deafening against the silence of the room. He carefully turned around as he slowly worked the knots out of his muscles by stretching and curling his limbs. He gingerly moved his wings to try and get the knots out of them as quickly as possible. Once his muscles were a bit more limber he walked towards a hole in the wall that nearly shut on his hind legs. He indulged in his petty desire for revenge and gave the wall a glare that would make an Ursa Major take a few steps back. With his petty urge taken care of, he continued on his way to the throne room of the changeling queen and gave a mental prayer that she would be more bearable than some of the previous queens he had spoken with.

He suppressed a shiver at the memory of those encounters and summoned his best court face before rounding a corner. Around the aforementioned corner was a pair of changeling drones that were standing guard to the throne room, both of them were not expecting to see their guest up and about so soon. “I shall wait for one of you to inform your queen of my presence before entering.” He said as he stared at them with unblinking orange eyes as they stood in place simply staring at him in shock. After about a minute of them staring at each other one of the guards told Queen Chrysalis of their guest and his intention of speaking with her. “Thank you, I hope that this will not take too long.” He said as he passed by the guards and entered the throne room.

He calmly walked towards the throne where Queen Chrysalis sat looking like a gem on top of a crown. He noticed that while her throne was almost identical to his hers was much higher up than his ever was. He resisted the urge to shake his head at her pettiness and instead got ready to deliver his greetings. “I see that you recover quickly. Everypony thought it would take another few months for you to wake up, I’m glad to see that they were wrong.” She said with a smile. “I’m sure that you would prefer to rest some more so I will leave you to enjoy your rest.” She quickly added as if she had suddenly remembered that she wanted to say that.

“With all due respect I have rested for long enough. What I want is answers and information.” He said as he slowly shifted his hooves but he never took his eyes off of Chrysalis. “I’m sure that my advisor can help you with everything you need answered Mr.“ Chrysalis said as she gazed expectantly at him.

“Chrysilix, King Chrysilix.” He said causing her eyes to widen.

Chapter 5: Learning and Food

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Chapter 6: Ensnaring the Slavers

He could see a group of five griffins with large burlap sacks; he assumed that they were formerly used for storing grain before being repurposed for storing colts and fillies. That is what he and his changelings were met with upon entering the town, a griffin slaver party getting new “merchandise” for their loyal customers. “We are going to help them but we are going to be smart about it. I will distract them while all of you sneak behind them when I tell you we will attack and subdue them.” Chrysilix said over the hivemind before he straightened himself and boldly marched out of the shadows and into the sight of the griffins and ponies.

“Well don’t you look fancy? You should fetch a nice price.” A griffin with speckled rust-brown feathers said with what he assumed was the griffin equivalent to a smirk.

“I ask that thou taketh thy friends away and leave what is not thine. Do so and mine wrath shall not descend upon thou, griffin.” Chrysilix said this with neither confidence nor fear, this threat however was met with laughter from the griffins.

“I don’t know what got into your head but thy petty threat and thy fancy talking do little to impress thine.” The speckled griffin said before barking out a laugh with his companions soon copied.

“This is thy last warning griffin, abandon thy assault upon this village and release the colts and fillies before it is too late,” Chrysilix said with a focused expression as he shifted his stance into a more defensive one, the griffins once again laughed at him. They then noticed that while they were focused on him the ponies had gathered the colts and fillies that had not been captured and fled to their homes. “Now you shall face mine wrath,” Chrysilix said before his horn lit up with a bright green and several copies of himself appeared. They all charged at the griffins as a group of five ponies attacked from behind. The fight was brief but the changelings disguised as ponies managed to push the griffins back. Once the griffins started to retreat Chrysilix dispelled his copies.

While one of the changelings was busy opening the various sacks that the griffins dropped in the fight, the other changelings stood ready to continue the fight should the griffins try again. After five minutes all the colt and fillies were free and the ponies of the town had come out of their homes. What followed was a very heartfelt reunion one that the changelings recognized as a chance to get love for the hive. Chrysilix considered aiding his changelings in gathering love but he decided against it as he would attract too much attention. Various families thanked him for helping to save their colts and fillies.

Finally, the mayor of the town walked up to Chrysilix with a nervous smile on his face. “May I ask the names of the heroes who save our town?” The mayor said with a shaky quiver in his voice, Chrysilix could tell that the mayor was only a few more incidents away from having a nervous breakdown.

“I am Diamond Scratch, me and my friends have journeyed to your town to procure supplies for our families but then we saw the griffins attacking your town. We simply could not allow you all to suffer like that.” Chrysilix said with a faint smile that the mayor returned.

Chapter 1: Backstory

Once upon a time, the Changelings were made up of hundreds of small hives each competing for love. One day a ruler of a hive tried to make peace between the various warring hives and the nations that they raided. He was eventually able to keep all of the hives in line long enough to lay down proper rules for how his race would interact with others, alas his efforts to make true peace were cut short when the Minotaurs and Griffins allied to destroy him and his race. With the survival of the Changeling race at stake, he gave his life to allow his hive to escape, and now over five thousand years later changelings continue to abide by the rules he put down in life although few changelings can remember who put them in place.

To most, this would have been the end of the story. The noble king died to give his subjects a chance at survival, he has then begun to be lost to the mists of time, and now he has been forgotten with his lessons being remembered for generations to come. But changelings are strange creatures capable of many impressive feats that other races can’t hope to achieve, and while many assumed that he had died, The Scarred King of the Changelings is not one to give up on his dreams so easily.

So he sits on his ancient throne in his ruined hive, which had become buried over the centuries, slumbering and waiting. For what or who anypony could guess but soon he will be forced back into Equestria and once he does he will annoy the current Queen of the Changelings to her wit’s end. So listen well to the tale of the return of sanity in the war-torn and corruption-filled land of Equestria.

Chapter 3: Recovery

From the various chatter of the drones, he could gather a few things. One, the support of the queen was starting to wane. Two, love was becoming far too scarce for his or the hive’s liking. Three, the changelings had remained unified after he was defeated. And four, the changelings are somewhere that has few loving creatures. This was a serious predicament and one that needed a solution fast, thankfully he had experience dealing with dangerous situations before.

He had also learned how much the common language had changed over the years. High Equestrian appears to have fallen out of style and has been replaced with a combination of mid and low Equestrian. Although his main source of information was from drones so the accuracy of said information is up for debate. While he was recovering and subsequently learning more about this time, Queen Chrysalis was trying to figure out how he had survived in a dead hive for Celestia only knows how long. To her knowledge, he couldn’t have survived in there for more than a few hours but there were no entrances or exits that any of her changelings could find which suggested that he had been there for a long time.

She also had to figure out who he was but she and her advisor’s efforts were met with little success due to not having any name or emblems to focus their efforts on, all that they had was the scar on his face which did help narrow down the list of possible changelings he could be. Though it didn’t narrow it down enough, turns out facial scars used to be quite popular among ancient changelings, especially among royal changelings. So both of them would simply need to wait for him to recover on his own.

Chapter 7: Celebration and a Problem

The town gave Chrysilix and his changelings a significant discount on everything that they bought, the mayor wanted to simply give away the things that they needed but Chrysilix refused to accept without some form of payment for the supplies. They finished shopping at midday and with many thanks and goodbyes, the six changelings began to walk back to their hive. It was near sunset when they reached the entrance to the hive and with a bit of difficulty, they managed to get all the supplies inside. Finally, they reached the throne room where most of the changelings had gathered, and as expected Chrysalis was sitting on her throne-like a dragon on a treasure hoard. “I bring good news Chrysalis,” Chrysilix said as he dropped his disguise, his clear voice became garbled with the buzzing that was common for his race.

“That’s Queen Chrysalis, and I’m grateful for your efforts to our hive.” She buzzed from her throne, her tone said that she was pleased but her eyes told a different story. Her eyes told a story of fear and treachery with a hint of malice on top, because of this Chrysilix decided to trust her eyes over her words.

“You are the same rank as me. I can call you by your name as you can call me by mine. You also led your hive to near ruin so consider this a bit of your punishment Chrysalis.” He buzzed with a hint of annoyance before turning to the supplies that he and his borrowed changelings had gathered. “We have gathered a lot of grain-based food as well as many vegetables, we also gathered enough love to feed the hive for a little bit, however, we will need to get more.” Chrysilix then turned back to Chrysalis quickly noticing that many changelings were now drooling and those that weren’t were cheering. Chrysalis had a look of fear on her face that quickly became shadowed by the look of anger that appeared silencing all of the changelings that were celebrating.

“I think it is about time to settle a problem that this hive now faces. Only one royal changeling can rule at one time and it seems like you covet the throne.” As she finished saying this her horn lit up with a dark green light and she took a defensive stance.

Chapter 8: Plans

Chrysilix stood at a table that had three maps on it. The first map was newly made and showed various resource deposits that were being mined, harvested, or collected. Chrysilix then turned to the second map that displayed the borders of various races before turning to the third map. This one held the locations of many towns along with their names. Chrysilix had a plan for his new hive but he needed supplies and resources to pull it off. He had narrowed down his choices to two towns that would allow him to gain access to these resources while still being remote enough to allow for a quick escape.

“Chrysalis, could I have your help with this?” He asked calmly, Chrysalis walked over with a grumble of annoyance and a slight limp on her left foreleg. Their battle was swift but he had emerged the victor, allowing chrysalis’ wounds to heal over time was her punishment for trying to attack him.

“What do you need help with Sir.” She asked with sir being growled out. Chrysilix was going to keep an eye on her because while she may not be stupid enough to sell out the entire hive for her own petty revenge he was not sure just what she would turn to to get rid of him.

“I am trying to figure out which town we should visit to acquire more resources. Thus far I have only two towns that fit the criteria necessary for us, Ponyville and Appleoosa. I simply need to decide on which we should pursue first. Ponyville has many rock and gem deposits and plenty of forests to go around but it is closer to Canterlot. Appaloosa on the other hand is far more remote but it has far less resource diversity.”