The sun has nearly set over Ponyville. For a Friday afternoon, it’s eerily silent outside of the feared household of the ex-queen of the changelings. This isn’t helped by the five children standing motionless in front of the door, their eyes unfocused and their expressions hesitant and fearful.

Out of the silence, Tarsus clears his throat.

“W-well, Seta?”

“Well what?”

“This whole operation was your idea. So… go ahead. Open the door.”

“Oh, uh… I-I would, but you see, I… hurt my hoof.”

“You hurt your hoof?” he asks, unconvinced.

“Yes, it’s quite swollen. Wh-why don’t you open it?”

“Ah, well, you’re… you’re all in my way, so I can’t–”

Tarsus is interrupted by his siblings parting to give him a perfect path to the door.

“...Right.”

He takes a deep breath as he slowly trudges towards the door, doing his best to look cool and focused. Carefully, he brings a shaky hoof up to the doorknob. He swallows hard as his hoof reaches the smooth surface and begins to turn.

“What are you all doing out here?”

“AHH!”

Five panicked voices yelp at once as an older, familiar voice calls out from behind them. One by one, they each turn around to see their father approaching them, a paper bag in each hand.

“Woah, jumpy! Did something happen?”

“D-Dad!”

“Hi, Dad.”

“Er, we were just…”

“Playing outside!”

“Y-yeah, and we were… trying to catch our breaths before coming in!”

“Really? You were playing outside?” The children nod, causing Anon to narrow his eyes, an amused smile on his face. “All of you?” Another set of nods. “Isn’t it a Friday? I thought it was Sugarcube night.”

“...Eheh,” Seta anxiously chuckles as she rubs the back of her head. “It was… too crowded.”

“Ah. Well, that was bound to happen at some point.” Anon smiles at his children, who let out a few obviously forced laughs. “...Soooooooo are we gonna go inside or what?”

“Oh. Right.”

Tarsus clears his throat as he finally opens the door, allowing the group to funnel inside one at a time. Anon tilts his head as he realizes that none of his children are going up to their rooms, opting instead to leave their saddlebags on and generally stand around awkwardly.

“Seriously, are you guys alright?”

“Y-yeah! We just…” Seta glances between her siblings, who simply shrug or look even more panicked than she does. After hesitating for a moment, she closes her eyes and sighs. “Actually, we wanted to talk to you. A-and Mom.”

“Oh?” Anon’s voice quickly goes from humored to serious as he places the bags of groceries down on the kitchen table. “What’s wrong?”

“...”

“...M-maybe we should grab Mom first. So we don’t have to explain twice, I mean.” Terga taps the floorboards beneath her, unwilling to make eye contact with her father.

“I’m in here,” a voice calls from the living room. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that it belongs to Chrysalis. “If you’ve got something to say, then out with it.”

“Chryssi, they’re clearly bothered by something. Let’s try to be a bit more gentle, alright?”

After a moment of silence, a sigh can be heard.

“Very well.”

Anon looks down at the children and nods, prompting them to slowly make their way into the living room. After taking their usual spots on the sofa and various other seats (making sure to leave Anon’s recliner and Chrysalis’s spot on the sofa alone), a heavy silence fills the room. There are a few anxious breaths and more than a couple nervous coughs.

“So? What’s on your mind?” Anon asks as he folds his arms over his chest. “I haven’t seen you get like this since that time you burned Starlight’s house down.”

“We said we were sorry!”

“I know, I know. I’m just saying, you’re obviously upset. You know you can tell us anything, right?”

“Easy for you to say,” Canthus mumbles, his eyes briefly darting towards his mother.

“...D-Daddy?” To everyone’s surprise, it’s Gena who speaks up. Her eyes are misty, and she looks to be on the verge of tears.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

“A-are you… I mean, did you…” She clenches her eyes tight as she forces the words out. “Are you our real dad?”

Silence. Gena’s words hang heavy in the air as Anon simply stares at her. No one dares to move a muscle, and with every passing second, it feels as though an eternity is going by. Finally, Anon blinks. His eyes glance towards Chrysalis, who returns his stare. The silence continues, every moment feeling like absolute agony for the children.

Eventually, Chrysalis breaks the silence.

“What brought this on?”

“W-well…” Seta struggles to find the right words. “We never really thought about it, but we just reached the part of our biology classes where we learn about anatomy. A-and reproduction, and all that. We talked about mammals, and then I remembered that Dad is a mammal, and that we’re NOT mammals, and… and…”

Seta trails off, unable to hold in her tears. She sniffles, doing her best to maintain her composure as much as her body will allow her. She shuts her eyes tight and looks to the floor, her tears falling onto the carpet below. There’s the sound of movement in front of her, but she dares not look.

At least, not until she feels a hand begin to gently pat her head.

She opens her eyes once more. Through her tears, she sees the familiar figure of her father kneeling down in front of her, a warm smile on his face.

“Seta. Let me show you something.”

Anon shuffles from a kneeling position to a sitting one. As he does so, he gestures for everyone to gather around him. With a bit of hesitation, they do so. Seta and Gena attempt to dry their tears so they can get a better look at their father. Once everyone is in place, he rolls up one of his sleeves and twists his arm, confidently showing off the back of his left arm right above his elbow. There, a darkened bit of skin stands out, a birthmark vaguely shaped like a question mark.

“H-huh?”

Anon’s smile grows as he gently reaches for Seta’s hoof. Carefully, he turns her arm over and points to the same spot above her elbow. Despite her chitinous body, a darker bit of green can be clearly seen against the rest of her light green arm, its shape quite familiar.

“The old ‘question birthmark.’ My grandma had it, your grandma had it, I have it… and you have it.”

“W-wait, but… th-that doesn’t make sense! How can I have your birthmark if you’re not–!”

Seta stops speaking, her voice catching in her throat as the tears return.

“I am your dad.” He smiles as he looks at the wide range of expressions his progeny are giving him. “Though, I understand if you’d prefer someone else. Even if you’d be missing out on the chance of inheriting my incredible sense of humor.”

“Shut up, Dad!”

Anon is suddenly bowled over by his eldest child throwing her arms around him, knocking him to the floor. He begins to laugh as she squeezes him very tightly. It isn’t long before her sisters and Canthus join her, leaving only Tarsus sitting on the sofa next to his mother. They glance at each other and simultaneously raise an eyebrow.

Whether or not they were her kids was never in question.

It takes a solid minute for everyone to get comfortable again, with Anon reclaiming his recliner. Once they’re in position, Canthus’s confused voice speaks up first.

“You’re still a mammal though, right? How are you our dad?”

“That’s… an interesting story. You know how most creatures in Equestria have some form of magic?”

“Yeah, and you said humans don’t.”

“Well, that was a bit of a fib. See, we do have our own brand of magic. We like to call it the ‘indomitable human spirit.’”

“Woahhhh, what does that mean?!”

“It means that if a human puts their mind to something, they will accomplish it, no matter how impossible it may seem!”

“That’s dumb.”

“That’s untrue.”

“You’re lying.”

“Harsh!” Anon laughs at his daughters’ skepticism. “It is a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s mostly true. And, well, that’s where you all came from! Your mother and I wanted kids very, very badly, and I wasn’t about to let her down just because of my species! Right, dear?”

For the first time in a while, all eyes fall to Chrysalis. She appears completely unimpressed and almost bored by the conversation.

“Ugh. Yes, like it or not, this dork is your father. With how much you all love to cry and hug over every little thing, I’m amazed it took you this long to figure that out.” She rolls her eyes, prompting an unhappy “ahem” from Anon. “Anyway, I don’t know about that whole ‘human spirit’ thing, but I do know that he pinned me down and yelled ‘get pregnant’ over and over ag–”

“Can you not repeat that to our children?!”

“What? You asked.”

A variety of emotions fill the five young changelings as each and every one attempts to erase the mental image from their heads.

“Anyway, even I have to admit that this whole thing is a little silly. You all really thought I wasn’t your dad?”

“We wanted to believe, honest!” Terga’s voice is open and pleading, catching Anon’s undivided attention. “But… well, humans don’t lay eggs.”

“No, we don’t. Let me tell you, your hatching was an ordeal for me.”

“Ah!” Seta excitedly gasps as she leans forward. “Are you finally gonna tell the story of our hatching?!”

Anon glances up at Chrysalis, who simply shrugs in return.

“Hmhm. Alright, alright. It was almost time for bed one evening.”

“Ahh. You don’t get evenings this pleasant very often.”

“Hey, Nonny.”

“Hiya, Chryss– WOAH! What happened to you?”

Anon looks up with surprise as Chrysalis emerges from the basement. In a manner entirely unlike her, she’s drenched in sweat and trembling, like someone who just finished running a marathon. In spite of that, her expression is completely neutral like nothing is wrong.

“Five.”

“Five?”

“We’re having five.”

“Five what, Chryssi?”

“Five children, genius. I just laid our eggs.”

“Oh, that’s nice.” He briefly turns back to his book before unceremoniously dropping it as his eyes go wide. “EGGS?!”

“Did I stutter?” she stutters.

“What do you mean, ‘eggs?!’”

“I mean I laid our eggs. You know, that thing I just said. I don’t know how to make that any more clear.”

“Like… egg eggs? The type of eggs that newborns come out of?”

“Newborn changeling grubs specifically, yes. Five of them.”

“And you didn’t say anything?!”

“I just did say something.”

“I didn’t even know you were pregnant!”

“Well, with how fat you’ve been keeping me with all of your love, I didn’t know either. Changeling gestation isn’t nearly as long as with you mammals.”

“I didn’t even know I could get you pregnant to begin with.”

“You sure as shit tried.”

“That’s…. true. W-wait, where are the eggs?”

“Basement.”

“Why are our children in the basement? By themselves?!”

“Calm down.” Anon leaps to his feet just as Chrysalis presses a hoof against his chest. Despite her nonchalant nature, her voice turns warm and soothing. “They’re safe, I promise. I’ve been making the basement into a proper changeling hive for a reason. Breathe.”

Anon takes a few moments to control his breathing, though his eyes remain shaky and unfocused.

“S-so we have five children.”

“We will once they hatch properly.”

“How long will that take?”

“Depends on how well-fed their mother is.” Chrysalis glances down at her own figure. Although still healthy, she’s definitely put on a few pounds since getting married. Plenty of love to go around in this household, that’s for sure. “Judging by this belly of mine, I’m gonna guess… eh, a day or two.”

“WHAT?! That’s no time at all!”

“True. We’d better get those renovations done soon, now that I think about it. We’re gonna need four more bedrooms.”

“Oh gosh, oh gosh.” Anon begins to pace back and forth around the living room, the living embodiment of a nervous wreck. “We’re gonna need to buy so many things, we need to pick out names, I don’t even know how to care for a human baby, let alone a grub! What are we gonna… do?”

Anon is interrupted once again by Chrysalis, who rests her tired, sweaty head against his chest. It’s comforting, and slowly he feels his breathing starting to return to normal.

“This might be my first time laying my own eggs, but it’s far from my first time raising a few grubs. Just follow my lead and we’ll be fine.”

“...Right. Right.” His voice is quiet, almost like he’s trying to reassure himself with his own words.

“I can make sure they stay healthy, but I’m gonna need you around to make sure they grow up right. Historically, I’ve been pretty bad at that.”

Anon remains silent for a moment, but he eventually rests a hand on Chrysalis’s head and begins to stroke her mane.

“I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit, but I’ll do my best.”

“You’d better.” She gently nuzzles him before backing away. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I did just give birth. I’m so thirsty.”

“Oh shit, my bad!”

“As a father, I understand that it is my responsibility to say something along the lines of ‘they’re beautiful.’ Now that I’m looking at them, though…”

“Changeling eggs are anything but beautiful. You’re not offending anyone.”

“They’re a lot goopier than I was imagining.”

“Spoiler alert, grubs aren’t exactly cute either. I know ponies love to walk around with their little strollers showing off their newborn foals, but changelings don’t really do that. Besides, grubs bite.”

“They what?”

“Never mind.”

Anon sits on the floor. Surrounding him in various puddles of green goop are five eggs, each about four inches long. They’re a pale green color with dark green swirls along their surfaces. Every now and then, a fluorescent green light seems to shine from within, showing the clear outline of a soon-to-be-hatched grub. Chrysalis sits to the side, a proud, almost smug look on her face.

“Having second thoughts yet?”

“No.” There isn’t even a hint of hesitation in his voice. “As alien as this all is, I don’t think I’m ever gonna forget this moment.”

“Ugh, you’re such a sap.”

“So, we don’t even have to keep them warm?”

“Changelings were made for cool, damp areas like this. Believe me, even if I didn’t have the know-how, I have the instincts. They’re fine.”

“Neat. What about– oh good lord!”

Anon’s eyes go wide as an egg sitting about a foot away from him tips over. Chrysalis rushes to his side, her eyes glued to the egg.

“Was it supposed to–”

“It’s hatching, doofus!”

As if on cue, a crack forms on the surface of the egg. Both parents watch with bated breath as the crack widens. Then, another crack forms. Then another. Then another. Finally, a river of goop begins to pour from a newly formed hole in the egg’s shell, and a small green head pokes out of it.

“Oh...”

“It’s a girl.”

The egg splinters as the newborn changeling wiggles onto the floor, her green body covered in a layer of white aside from her front legs and face. She rolls onto her back before righting herself again, her massive blue eyes squinting as she takes in the world around her.

“Seta.” Chrysalis’s voice is quiet, almost anxious.

“Seta?”

“A good name for an eldest daughter. She’d make a fine queen one day.”

“She’s only been in the world for ten seconds.”

“And?”

“...Heh. Somehow, I can’t help but agree.”

The newborn Seta hisses, prompting Chrysalis to reach out a hoof. The grub instinctively grabs onto her mother, her sticky body helping support her lack of grip strength.

“She’s beautiful.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll admit, I’m not used to seeing light changeling grubs. They’re usually much more temperamental than this.”

“We should probably take that as a blessing. Otherwise, we’d– oh gosh there’s another one!”

Sure enough, a second egg topples over. Within the span of a few seconds, a golden grub has wiggled his way into the world.

“Tarsus.”

How Chrysalis keeps coming up with these names, Anon doesn't know. Still, he can’t deny that they seem to fit perfectly with his newborn children. This thought is reinforced as, within the next five minutes, Canthus, Gena, and Terga all open their eyes for the first time in their lives. The next thing he knows, he has his arms wrapped around his wife, who in turn holds their five babies against her chest. They’re very wiggly, and unlike human babies would likely be, they don’t seem to have any intention of sleeping.

“They might not be as aggressive as dark changelings, but they’re just as full of energy.”

“Are, uh, are we supposed to feed them? You don’t exactly have–”

“They feed on their… what did you call it? ‘Goop?’ That’s what the sacks are for.”

Sure enough, littered across the floor between the eggs are several green sacks that are filled with a mysterious, mucus-like substance. How Chrysalis made those, Anon dares not ask.

“They don’t need love?”

“There’s love in their food, courtesy of yours truly.”

Anon blinks.

“What? Dark changelings or otherwise, mothers need to feed their young.”

“Couldn’t they just eat my love?”

“Eating love directly from a victim, or in this case a donor, would be too much for them. They’d probably explode.”

“Explode?!”

“I’m joking, Nonny,” Chrysalis chuckles, her gaze never lifting from the grubs in her grasp. “Though it would be unhealthy.” Slowly, she begins to turn around. “Do you want to hold them?”

“C-can I?”

She nods as she holds out her arms. Anon does the same, unsure of how to remove them from her grasp. He doesn’t have to think for very long, as the grubs gradually let go of their mother and begin crawling into his arms of their own free will.

“They’re… not conventionally ‘cute,’ but still precious.”

“Hmhm. Never thought you’d take the role of a changeling dad with such ease. Even actual changeling fathers tend to have trouble with–”

“OW!”

“The grub phase. Hah.”

Anon winces as Tarsus and Terga each chomp down on his arms. They might be newborns, but their fangs are already in perfect piercing condition.

“I think I have my work cut out for me.”

Anon forces a smile, but that smile is interrupted by Chrysalis pressing her lips against his own. The kiss is brief and chaste, but it’s warm and meaningful, able to convey thoughts and feelings better than words ever could.

“You’re gonna do great.”

Grubs still in his grasp, Anon leans on his wife, who smiles as she presses her own weight back against him.

“We’re gonna do great. Together.”

“Aww!”

“That was so sweet!”

“I liked the part where I bit him.”

“I didn’t! Sorry, Dad.”

Anon lets out a hearty laugh as his progeny react to the now-finished story.

“And your mother wasn’t lying, you kids were not kind to me in your grub phase. Still got a scar on my shoulder to prove it.”

“And who caused that one?”

“Gena.”

“Gena?!”

The room is filled with laughter as Canthus and Terga begin to tease their sister, causing her to laugh right along with them. The energy in the room is high, and the tensity that filled the space not too long ago has long been forgotten. It isn’t until Chrysalis clears her throat that everything begins to calm down once more.

“It’s getting late. I’m going to bed.”

“This early?”

“I’m… tired.”

“Oh. Goodnight, Mom!”

“‘Night, Chryssi!”

With a nonchalant nod, Chrysalis stands from her seat and begins heading upstairs. The children continue to tease and roughhouse with each other for some time, occasionally grilling their father for more details about their time as grubs. Eventually, however, even they begin to feel fatigued. One by one, the children all retire upstairs for the evening. When Gena finally pries herself from her father’s lap, only Anon and Seta are left in the living room. Seta lets out a yawn before looking back at her father, a warm, comforted look on her face.

“Hey, Dad?”

“Hm?”

“I’m proud to have you as a father. I, er, just wanted you to know that.”

Anon is quiet for a moment as a smile slowly spreads across his face. When he speaks, his voice is very quiet, but it couldn’t be more genuine if he tried.

“Seta, when I first laid eyes on you, I knew that being your father was the greatest job I’d ever have. You kids are the most important thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“Dad?”

“I’m proud of you, too. And I know she doesn’t say it much, but I promise that your mother feels the same way.”

“...Eheh.” Seta blushes at her father’s sudden sentimentality. Unsure of what else to do, she turns away from him and begins to walk towards the stairs. “G-goodnight, Dad.”

“‘Night, Seta.”

Seta scurries up the stairs, unable to contain the smile on her face. In hindsight, she’s not sure why she ever questioned if Anon is her father. Even if he didn’t raise her as a grub, even if she didn’t inherit his birthmark, even if Chrysalis made the stupid decision of cheating on him or something, she’s always known that he loves her. He loves all of them, and there’s nothing in the world that can take that from them.

What could be more precious than that?

Author's Note

I've gotten so many requests for a hatching scene that I've lost count. So... here ya go!