The return of the bug queen

Chrysalis continued to sleep undisturbed while the night passed. her body and mind finally getting the rest they needed. She didn't stir until the morning sun shined in her face through the tent, slowly she opened her eyes, wincing slightly at the bright sunlight coming through the tent. She stretched her limbs, feeling a bit sore after sleeping on the ground but overall well-rested. She sat up in her sleeping bag, looking around the tent to see if the fillies were awake yet. noticing that one of the fillies was missing. She felt a pang of concern, wondering where the filly had gone. She got up from her sleeping bag and stepped outside the tent and spotted the filly throwing wood into the fire to keep it a blaze, the blizzard still going.

Chrysalis approached the filly "Good morning. You're up early..."

"for you maybe, but for me this is normal..." replied the filly as she threw more wood into the fire.

Chrysalis chuckled at the filly's response. "I see. I suppose it's all relative, isn't it? Morning for me might be night for you." She looked out at the blizzard, the storm still as fierce as ever. "It doesn't seem like the storm is going to calm down anytime soon..."

"Since when is it not like this?" replied the filly, throwing more wood into the fire.

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow at the filly's response. "Wait, you mean this storm has gone on for a while? Since when?"

"I... don't know, this blizzards been around before I was born." Replied the filly once more.

Chrysalis’s eyes widen hearing that, "That's... well, that's not normal. No storm should last this long. What do you do when the storm gets this bad? Do you just stay in here?"

"We do move the camp around sometimes looking for shelter, take the fire with us, then use it to start a new one" The filly explained.

Chrysalis was impressed by the filly, "That's impressive. You and the other filly seem to handle yourselves quite well out here. But I have to ask... why are you out here all alone? Where are your families?"

The filly stayed quiet…

Chrysalis furrowed her brow in concern. It was clear that the question had touched upon a sensitive subject. She softened her tone and spoke gently, "I apologize if that question was too personal. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. But I can't help but wonder... Why are you and the other filly out here alone? Don't you have any family or adults looking after you?"

The filly snapped at her, "BECUSE OUR PARENTS ARE GONE!"

Chrysalis flinched, She knew she had touched upon a sensitive topic, but she hadn't expected such a strong reaction. She took a moment to compose herself, "I'm... I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't mean to upset you. I didn't know your parents were gone..." -She paused herself for a bit, thinking on what to say next- "If you don't mind me asking... what happened to your parents?"

The filly teared up, "my mother was used as an incubator for one of those monsters in the caves, while my dad was killed by some subjugated frozen Timberwolves"

Chrysalis's heart sank as she listened to the filly's story, "Oh... Oh my god. I'm so, so sorry to hear that. That's... that's awful. I can't imagine losing both your parents like that..." She paused for a moment, not sure what to say. "You said your mother was used as an incubator for one of those 'monsters'? What do you mean by that?”

The filly attempted to recall what the monsters looked like, "Black bug like monsters with wings and horns, twisted, sharp fangs and green eyes."

At this point Chrysalis felt a little offended, after all with the exception of the twisted part she was practically describing Changelings, "I... I see. And these monsters... They're living in caves, you said?"

"Not just in the caves, according to my dad, they live anywhere outside of the blizzard" explained the filly.

She felt a shiver run down her spine before turning to the filly. "And you and the other filly... You've been staying in this blizzard all this time to avoid these monsters... Haven't you?"

The filly pulled out an old map, "just anywhere out of the blizzard without those monsters..."

"Is that a map? Can I see?" Chrysalis reached out and took the map to look at it more closely. Most places were crossed out, especially 4 parts of the map that looked like they were scribbled out, however there was once place that Might be safe, one that doesn't appear on any map, but she does know the way to, her old hive she used to rule over. A sudden wave of nostalgia washed over her as she stared at the unmarked spot on the map. Was it possible that her old hive was still standing? That it hadn't been destroyed or taken over by the monsters...

"Umm... can I have my map back... please?" asked the filly.

Chrysalis snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at the filly, holding the map carefully in her hoofs. She felt a pang of guilt at holding onto something so important to the filly. "Oh... I'm sorry. Here you go." She handed the map back to the filly, feeling a bit conflicted. She knew the location of the old hive, but should she really lead the fillies there?

Chrysalis was torn at the decision, but her own survival instincts told her that going to the old hive might provide safety and shelter for them all. She sighed and spoke to the filly again, "Listen, I might know a place that could be safe... Somewhere the monsters might not be."

The Filly’s eyes lit up "Really?!"

Chrysalis nodded, feeling both hopeful, and yet hesitant at the same time. "Yes, I think I know a place where we could be safe... But it will be a long journey, and we'll need to be careful on the way there. Are you and your friend up for it?"

"She will be, once she wakes up..." the filly exclaimed.

Chrysalis chuckled softly, "Ah, right. Shall we wake her up then? The sooner we get going, the better."

"o-ok" the filly says before running into the tent to wake them up, and after a few moments, the other filly emerged from the tent, rubbing her eyes tiredly, almost immediately, they started to pack their camp up, putting the wood not used into the tent

"Alright, I think we're ready to set off," -Chrysalis turned her head to the fillies- "Are you both feeling up for the journey?"

"YesYesYes!!!" the first filly quickly replied.

"the sooner we get there, the sooner we sleep..." replied the second.

Chrysalis chuckled at the filly’s responses, "Hehe, well alright then. Let's get moving." She gestured for the fillies to follow her as she started to lead the way.

A figure wearing a suit walked through a blizzard, unphased by how cold it was. When they got to the castle in Cantalot they placed their hoof on the door and knocked three times…

After awhile the door opened, but the figure didn’t walk inside, instead simply knocking on the other door until 2 green eyes peered from the darkness before the twisted version of Celestia leaped out, teeth trying to bite down on the pony’s hoof… nothing happened. The twisted Celestia stopped and backed off, still keeping eye contact.

In a low, raspy voice. “What…you…want?”

The pony cupped their head in their hoof and shook their hand. “How many times do I have to tell you? Is ‘What DO you want’ and I’ve been sent back here to see how your food supply is going”

the twisted Celestia growled a little. “Much food, very much”

The pony sighed, “its ‘a lot of food’ clearly you didn’t copy enough brain cells from your host, anyway’s we may need to take a body or two to feed those in rainbow falls.”

The twisted version of Celestia growled before backing off in the dark, the sound of chains being ripped echo throughout the Castle, as 2 bodies are dragged to the pony.

“This will service.” They said using their horn to lift up the bodies and packing them onto their back before turning to leave.

“Don’t go yet” the twisted version of Celestia yelped.

they looked back “hmm? What’s wro-”

The twisted Celestia bit down on their hoof again, they proceeded to nibble on the suit. “Suit so strong. Suit help sharpen teeth.”

The figure stays quiet. Before pulling their hoof back, the twisted Celestia pulling back, before the figure pulls their hoof out, “Why do you always bite MY suit?! Why not the other three?!”

The twisted Celestia drooled “other’s too silky, this one scaly.”

The figure sighed, “Note to self, if we kill a dragon again to turn some scales into a dog toy for Celestia.” they turned around and walked away.
As they continued to walk through the snow they paused and looked at the statie, one with a centaur and a pegasus filly… yet something seamed off… after freezing for a bit they turned and walked away.