Project: Chrysalis

4. Love? How Do You Feed On Love?

Smoke poured forth from the funnel, an omnipresent sign of the tireless work the firepony exerted stoking the boiler. Minute after minute he would stab his spade into the pile of coal and toss the fuel into the fire, covering his brow in soot and perspiration. The reward was the high pitch sounds of water boiling, turning into steam. Music to his ears. It was a tough, thankless job; his kind of work.

Meanwhile several cars behind the engine, five mares slept soundly in their bunks. Twilight Sparkle, however, chose to stay up, thinking about whom this "Dr. Antlion" was, and why he lived out in the middle of nowhere. The train was headed to some out-of-the-way town in the Northern Plains. Twilight knew the province was huge from her studies, and had some decent sized cities. But this doctor apparently lived further north of those populated counties, where in the middle of winter days were only at most 8 hours. The unicorn certainly wouldn't have wanted to live there. A trip there alone took nearly a day by train.

She looked up down at the table inside her car, and studied a note for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was a short message sent earlier that day, written in a messy fashion, though it still could be read relatively easily.

Dear Miss Sparkle,

I have seen the ad you posted in Equestria Daily requesting an expert in Changelings. I believe I can help. I have made some interesting discoveries here, where I reside. No need to bring anything, for I have plenty of food and such for a guest. I shall be at the Train Station tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock in Felicity, NP. I will pay you the cost of your ticket, with interest. I apologize for asking you to come so far north, but I can assure you it will be well worth it as far as Changeling research goes.

Best Wishes,

Dr. Antlion, Ph.D.

The letter seemed innocuous, and a background check verified this pony as one of the most respected students at Manehattan University. His doctoral thesis was also an entertaining read, Twilight thought, possessing a delightful element of humor. Dr. Antlion was young and enthusiastic, so the peer reviews said.

The other five ponies accompanying the lavender filly could not have cared less about such things. Applejack had heard Twilight talking about her trip while visiting the orange pony's apple farm, and insisted she came with, in case the "doctor" wasn't who he said he was. Pinkie Pie, always so jovial, was thrilled to meet a new friend, and asked if she could tag along. Against her better judgment, Twilight agreed to bring the sugar-fueled energy juggernaut. So long as she paid for her ticket.

From Pinkie, three other mares heard of the journey, and were essentially shanghaied aboard the expedition. When Twilight said goodbye to Spike, left in the care of a reliable schoolteacher-turned-foalsitter Cheerilee, the purple librarian saw Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash with bags, in addition to the other two attendees. Rolling her eyes, the studious pony led her friends to the train station to catch the next locomotive to Felicity.

Now, standing outside, her hoofs on the guardrail, Twilight Sparkle wasn't sure what to expect from this guy, and she was certain he wasn't expecting six mares, only one of whom was actually interested in what he had to say. She dreaded the thought of entertaining all these ponies in such an isolated place. Hopefully they would find their own activities while she was doing hers.

All uncertainties aside, she was excited to know all she could about these Changelings. They were an odd bunch, looking like ponies yet behaving similarly to a hive of insects. And the way they could change their appearance. Was it biological or magical in nature? Was there a king Changeling? Were they inherently vicious and hostile, or were the Changelings just hungry at Canterlot, desperate for a meal or love? And above all, the question that really burrowed into her mind was what did it mean to eat "Love"? How could they sustain themselves on an emotion?

All these queries bounced around brain, and before she knew it, the clock read 2 am. Twilight wanted to be well rested for the morning, and crawled into her bunk, laying her head down on the soft pillow. Before she knew it, her eyelids became heavy, slowly closing as she drifted off into dreamland.

The engineer slammed on the brakes, grinding the train to a halt. The inertia caused all the sleeping passengers to shift in their beds, causing them to wake up in an awful mood. The six mares were part of this group, and grumbling gathered their things and got off the train. Rarity had to wipe off her mud mask, and "freshen up", though this largely meant hogging the restroom for at least half an hour. When the white unicorn was done, she joined her friends on the platform.

"Now what took y’all so long?" Applejack asked, annoyed at the prissy pony's unnecessary prepping.

"One cannot simply rush perfection." She retorted, "Although...some try." AJ merely snickered.

"Alright enough, girls. Let's go find this doctor guy." Twilight began looking around the station. Much to her dismay, there weren't very many ponies there at all. Most were passengers who had just gotten off or were about to board. Frustrated, she led the group under the canopy as a little sprinkle began to fall. Rarity was caught in the rain.

Shrieking, she suddenly found herself sheltered by an umbrella levitating over her. The aura surrounding it came from a tan scruffy-looking stallion unicorn with a messy orange mane. He wore a woolen coat and wide-brim fedora.

"Such a gentlecolt." Rarity remarked, fluttering her eyes. He tipped his hat with a hoof, smiling.

"You must be Twilight Sparkle," He said turning to face the unicorn. "I am Dr. Antlion, PhD. You can call me Antlion. No need for titles here."

"Hello Doctor. You would be correct. These are my friends," She said, pointing to each one. "Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and the flying one is Rainbow Dash."

"Pleasure to meet you a―"

He was cut off from the pink one rushing into his personal space, shaking his hoof and smiling frighteningly. "Ooooh Hello! I'm Pinkie Pie and I'm going to be your new best friend! We're going to have sooo much fun!"

Recomposing himself after the assault, Antlion replied. "I look forward to that, but Miss Pie...was it? Miss Twilight and I have work to do."

"Yeah! Twi and her egghead friend need to do research and stuff." Rainbow Dash wasn't quite sure why she was here. She was not somepony for science. But there was a lot of open room for stunts.

"Rainbow! Don't be so rude!" Twilight scolded the blue pegasus. I'm terribly sorry about that, Doctor. Now if you would direct us to your home."

"Of course. Hope you all like walkin'." He laughed, leaving everypony confused. "It's a good distance from here, but we all could use the exercise."

An unenthused "yay" came from the group. Regardless, they began walking to the edge of town, to some small old looking homes. Twilight thought for sure on of these houses belonged to Antlion. Her notions were shattered when he led them further and further from town. After what seemed like thirty minutes, the seven ponies came to a small building in the middle of nowhere.

"Wow, you sure live far away from everypony else! Don't you ever get lonely?" The party pony asked him, again invading his bubble. He however didn't appear to mind.

"Why would I be lonely? I've got a whole town of ponies over there." He unlocked the front door and welcomed the six mares inside. The house was filled with strange machines, like some sort of mad scientist's lair. Against the wall were several types of firearms, all a heavy caliber. In the center of the room was a table covered with books and sketches, various instruments like a compass and forceps, as well as a large map with markings on it. But what really caught everypony's attention were a series of jars filled with...pony organs??

Five jumped back, much to the Doctor's and Twilgiht's delight. Applejack was first to speak.

"What the...hell! Twi! Get away from him. He's one of them serial killers!"

"Oh good heavens, I feel faint..." Rarity was swaying back and forth.

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie sat on their haunches, wearing a "Why would you do that?" face.

But Rainbow Dash flew closer and poked the jar. "Cooool."

Twilight was well aware how...different a biologist's workplace could be. She tried her best to calm down her friends.

"Relax, everypony. These are just specimens. Not ponies!"

"She's right. Changeling specimens." Immediately after he finished, Antlion saw the expression on Fluttershy become one of deep sorrow.

"B...but...why would you kill...a changeling...they may be...mean...but..."

The doctor's heart hurt as soon as she opened her mouth. "Oh nonononono I didn't kill them! You see, about three years ago, I found two of them in the mountains. I tried to communicate, but I guess they were too weak and just died. Honest. I don't kill ponies."

The group accepted his appeal, and calmed down.

"Good. Anyway is anypony hungry? I wasn't expecting six of you but I'm sure I can prepare a meal if need be."

"No need to fix anything, Doc. Y’all and Twi get to work."

"Alright. You can help yourself to anything in my fridge. Just...watch what you pull out." The five gave a weak laugh, still a bit disturbed.

Twilight watched her friends canter to the kitchen. She then turned to Antlion. "So anyway, Doctor. Mind showing me your research?"

"Of course not! Come on."

He grabbed a book with his magic and gave it to Twilight. He began to lecture as she looked through its contents. "When I was a colt, there were stories of strange creatures in these mountains. So when I got my doctorate, I decided to come and investigate. Eight years I've been here and not much has happened. I did find these two specimens, however."

"Where are they? Could we take a look at them?" Twilight did her best to not show it, but she was as giddy as a schoolfilly.

"Over here." He walked to a large white box and lifted up the lid. It was a freezer in which two black bodies in plastic wrapping were stored. One had clearly been dissected. He lifted that one out and placed it on a metal table.

Twilight was still looking through the book of sketches. "From what I gather here, you are a talented artist."

Blushing Antlion responded. "Oh no, I just draw what I see."

After unwrapping the corpse, he levitated the jars onto the table. From the kitchen Rarity shouted out to the doctor. "Ew...Whatever is that smell!"

"Formaldehyde."

"Woah...freaky." said Rainbow Dash. "Are you uh sure it's dead?"

"Pretty sure. Well seeing as I removed the heart and lungs, it should be."

That sense of humor was communicated well into his thesis, Twilight thought. She placed the book on the table and examined the body. It was identical to the creatures that had attacked Canterlot. Black, with blue eyes, insect-like wings, a small upturned horn, and strange holes in its legs.

"So this is a Changeling...what do you know about them?"

"I'm afraid this it pretty much it. I know nothing of behavior other than what I can deduce from anatomical study. I've cut open and drawn almost every inch of this thing. It's really quite fascinating. I removed a select few organs, preferring to leave most of the abdominal cavity intact."

"In that jar is the heart, right?" She said pointing to one of the containers.

"Yep. Four-chambered. Isn't that odd? This thing resembles a pony tremendously on the inside. Aside from the exoskeleton, everything matches up pretty well. Insects don't have lungs, but this creature did. Insects also have six legs, not four, as is the case here."

Fluttershy heard this and interjected.

"Um if it's ok I'd like to say something...I take care of butterflies and butterflies are insects but they only have four legs. I checked."

"That's a valid point. Actually, many common genera of lepidopterans do possess a much reduced pair of forelegs, giving the appearance of only four. It's a very easy oversight to make."

"How is the brain on this thing?"

"There isn't one. Just a ganglion cluster."

"Then how could it act so logically? At Canterlot these things could change on a whim and clearly demonstrated higher level thinking."

"I believe the 'queen' emanated a collected hive mind. Alone a single Changeling could be about as sophisticated as an individual ant. United, and they could indeed show more signs of intelligence."

Twilight studied the corpse even more. She noticed the presence of a well-developed digestive tract. "Doctor, the alimentary canal seems too complete for a Changeling."

"What do you mean?"

"Well during the Canterlot invasion, the Changeling Queen mentioned that her species feeds on love. I don't think a stomach would be needed."

"Love? Who do you feed on love?"

"Well...I...uh...I don't know. But the queen became more powerful with more love."

"Hm...I have no way of verifying that, but I can assure she doesn't feed on love."

"What...she?"

"Yeah. She's female. There's a vagina, strangely just like a pony. See the uterus and ovaries?" He pointed a scalpel at the creature's nether regions. Everypony else in the room was made slightly uncomfortable. "She’s sterile though. I've checked and she has no eggs. Maybe it's a disorder or the mark of a hive warrior."

"That's fascinating. But what do you mean 'she' doesn’t eat love?"

"Because I sifted through her stomach contents, and found remnants of her last meal."

"And what was in it?"

"Oh some meat...I can't verify species with my limited equipment, but I did do a protein analysis. Muscle fibers, no doubt about it."

"Uh...ohh..."

"Is something wrong?"

Applejack butted in this time. "So you're sayin' these things...eat meat?"

"Certainly. The intestine is shorter than a typical pony and she has four enlarged canine teeth. Good indications of a carnivorous diet."

Twilight pondered the implications of this. If Cadance and her brother had not stopped the Changelings, would they have devoured everypony? Shaking her head, the unicorn decided to refocus on the corpse.

"Are you the only pony who has studied these creatures?"

"Well now that you mention it...you better look at this."

Antlion opened a drawer and pulled out a single sheet of paper. He levitated it to Twilight. She began reading the page. It didn't say much she understood, as it was likely out of context. But several sentences talked about a "black exoskeleton" and "shape shifting abilities". There was no mistaking the subject of this paper.

"Who wrote this?"

"I got it at Lab 28 over that way. They threw it out, though something tells me that's not what they meant to do. Mentions keratinous plates. Now as far as I know, and all the books I've read, exoskeletons in the arthropod sense aren't made of keratin. Hers are."

"What's keratin?" Asked an intrigued Rainbow Dash.

"The stuff in your mane and hooves. Strong material."

"How do you know this, Doctor?"

"I analyzed it."

"And what's Lab 28 got to do with it?"

"I don't know. Maybe they could just be doing their own research. But I have another theory. You see I found this paper shortly after my discovery, and soon some ponies from the lab came, demanding me to leave. That's why I have weapons. Also yesterday I saw body bags coming from the lab. Something is going on. I can feel it."

"Oh my...anything else?"

"Yes actually...I found the hive."

"Really?? Was it dangerous? I'd love to go."

"I wouldn't worry about that."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Twilight went outside, gesturing her friends to follow. Antlion then began to lead them to where he found the dead hive.

"Oh no...this is awful."

"It was worse yesterday. The carrion birds must have cleaned up most of it."

The seven looked onto the extinct crater at the remnants of the swarm. Black dots littered the ground as wild animals moved around, feeding on the corpses.

"Do you have any idea what killed them?"

"I'm afraid not. If it's a disease, then it isn’t airborne. I took a blood sample of myself. Clean. What do you say we go harvest one?"

"...I suppose we should."

They walked down the sides of the crater, looking for the most whole-looking individual.

Meanwhile, at lab 28, the guards were preparing to kill whatever had attacked. While they handled that, Celestia would personally see to it that this "interloper" was stopped.

She had invested too much time and money making everything clandestine. Difficult decisions had to be made.

Antlion studied the cell sample under his microscope. In the frame were massive amounts of dead tissue, showing advanced stages of decay. But it was isolated and not natural looking.

"No doubt about it. Advanced necrosis. Bacteria had nothing to do with it. Some parts have colonies but much is clean."

"Can you do some DNA testing? Maybe it's a genetic disorder."

"I don't have any equipment for that. And if I did I wouldn't know how to use it. I don't know much about genetics."

"Hm....Fluttershy! You have experience with medicine. Any ideas?"

"Oh no Twilight. I've handled some severe cases before, but I've never seen anything like this. Poor Changeling must have been in agony."

"I saw one die yesterday. It was awful...all―"

Just then a knock on the door was made. Antlion ordered everypony to hide, no matter what. He grabbed his rifle and opened the door. What stood before him wasn't whom he expected. Towering above the doctor was Princess Celestia herself. Twilight peeked enough to remain unseen, but still spot her mentor.

However stunned he was, Antlion still held up his gun.

"How dare you threaten your Princess. I hear you have been giving the ponies at Lab 28 trouble."

"And just what do you know about the Lab, Princess? Lot of commotion yesterday."

"That is classified. Now move! Or I will be compelled to use force."

"Don't make me shoot. I'm not going anywhere." He pointed the barrel straight at Celestia.

"I simple bullet will not kill me, Dr."

"But it will hurt like hell." He prepared to shoot as the alicorn's horn started to light up. Before either shot, however, Twilight rushed out in front of the Princess.

"Stop! There's no need for violence!"

Celestia was shocked to see her star student here of all places. "Oh! Twilight Sparkle how good to see you. Step away from this stallion. He's dangerous"

"No! What's going on? What's this talk about body bags and threats?"

Rainbow Dash was next to come out, followed by Applejack. The rest soon followed. "Yeah! We want answers Princess!"

"You all are being very rude. There is nothing going on. Everything is perfectly safe. Don't listen to this pony. He's obviously a compulsive liar."

"Then I reckon you got nothin' to fear. What say we go check out the Lab?" Antlion began showing his rustic heritage.

Celestia hesitated for a few moments, debating in her mind on what to do. There was so much at risk. Finally, against better judgment, she agreed.

"Very well...follow me." As much as she wanted to avoid it, Celestia knew she had to bring these ponies with her. The Princess needed to retain their trust. Besides, the guards promised they would have it killed by the time she returned. The more...sensitive areas of the lab could be sealed off.

Celestia could pull this off. Nopony needed to know.

Her eyes scanned the table, concentrating on a limp, dead creature. Once it wore a shiny carapace, and was so full of life. Now its shell was broken, blood encrusted in the joints. Its eyes were empty. It was falling apart. In many ways the Changeling's state resembled her own.

She placed her perforated hooves under the creature, mentally noting the similar cracks and injuries. Soon she would suffer the same fate. Soon she would join them. Her mane had alright begun to fall out, strand by strand. He bones became more and more brittle every hour. Her jagged wings constantly shed their scales. Even her gnarled horn grew weaker.

She needed more power. But that was second. She needed to restore her form. She looked at the creature, her eyes watering up, and embraced it. She poured her love forth to a creature that in life could never have returned it. It was mindless. A simple minion. She was alone. She was always alone. The sorrow in her heart was too much. Her eyes erupted into a flood of tears. She stood holding the creature, sobbing as it crumbled away.

When she regained her composure, she whispered to the Changeling, as if it could have ever understood; "Forgive me, my child."

Once more overcome with sadness, she devoured the insect. Her body began to reform slightly. She needed more. She needed to prolong her diminishing time. She had to accomplish one final goal.

The door opened. Three large stallions armed with weapons came in. Her eyes, adept to the darkness, saw what they could not. She stared at one. She opened her mouth in anticipation, saliva dripping from her fangs. Fresh meat.