Forbidden Friendship

Chapters

Chapter 1: A Strange Encounter
Chapter 2: The Corruption
Chapter 3: Don't Worry, Be Happy
Epilogue

Chapter 1: A Strange Encounter

Forbidden Friendship

Chapter 1: A Strange Encounter

Cadance was walking through White Tail Woods; it was her favorite forest. The rays of the sun would shine through openings between the leaves of the trees, and they would warm her coat. Little creatures would come out of their homes to say hello to Cadance; she represented love after all.

White Tail Woods represented peace and serenity. Little birds would sing their songs to the occasional pony who traveled through the Woods. The sound of a little stream would break the silence if the birds wanted to take a day off. Everything about the forest seemed calm, it was a place where one could forget their worries and just enjoy nature. The Woods would take good care of the occasional visitor.

Today, Cadance was its visitor. She needed some peace and quiet, she needed to be away from the Palace of Creation for once. It all became too hectic for her. Discord was always trying to get on Celestia’s nerves, Luna and Dream were always playing with each other. Cadance just wanted some rest and she knew that she wasn’t going to get it in the palace. Not even staying in her room would bring her some peace.

Her choice for some calmness was White Tail Woods. She knew that not many ponies traveled through the Woods, since it was quite some distance away from the civilized world. Not many ponies traveling through White Tail Wood meant that she didn’t have to change into her disguise; her Pegasus form. She didn’t know why all the ponies were afraid of Alicorns. Her mother, Light, and at the same time the almighty Fausticorn, never told her about that and from the looks of it she wasn’t going to do it anytime soon.

She shrugged it off, she knew that sometime in the future the ponies would begin to approach Alicorns… or she hoped that they would that. Truth be told, she was lonely. Sure, Celestia and the rest were always there for her and always made time to play with her, but she wanted somepony else. She wanted to meet new ponies and try to befriend them. She didn’t want to live her life in the palace, she wanted to be free. She needed some love from another pony, and not just from her family… she needed a friend.

She didn’t know that today was her lucky day.

*****

Chrysalis was walking through White Tail Woods, it was a new forest to her. The Badlands were completely different from this new country. The Badlands were dry, it was a dessert with no trees as far as the eye could see. In this new, strange country there were plenty of trees. The only creatures that inhabited the Badlands were Changelings - her own race - and dragons; and dragons were known for their inhospitableness. Here, the creatures even said ‘hi’ to her. Well, they didn’t speak, but they waved at her, and some squirrels even offered their nuts. She declined their kind offer, but thanked them nonetheless. She had eaten some strawberries a few minutes ago and while they tasted good and satisfied her hunger for some time, she knew that she had to find her real source of food… love.

That was the bad part of being a Changeling. You needed to find a pony to feed on, and Chrysalis actually didn’t like doing that. She hated having to disguise herself and search for an unsuspecting pony to feed on. To Chrysalis, it was like stealing something that wasn’t yours. That was one of the reasons why she decided to leave her father’s hive, but that’s a story for another time. She had taken a small hive, consisting of just 20 changelings, with her. She had ordered them to stay in a cave near the forest. She thought it was wise of her to order them to stay in that cave, it was better to do some recon when you’re alone. She didn’t want to endanger her hive, as they were her responsibility now.

Her ears perked up when she heard some humming, and it was coming closer. She waited for a moment, she needed to make sure it wasn’t just a little creature of this forest. She could feel the link with her Changelings, they were becoming restless. Due to the link they could feel that their Queen was in some kind of danger and they wanted to help her, but Chrysalis told them to stay put, she told them that it was nothing. With much resistance they calmed down again.

The humming was very close now and Chrysalis had to do something fast. She knew that it wasn’t a creature of the forest, it was a pony. She could just keep standing there and try to talk to the pony or maybe disguise herself, but being the shy soul she was, she decided to hide in the bushes.

When she jumped into the bushes, they made some noise, it was the leaves brushing against her exoskeleton, and now she really hoped that the pony who was coming didn’t hear or see her.

Chrysalis was really conflicted right now. She wanted to meet the pony who was coming towards her so that that pony could help her and her hive, but her shyness prevented that. Always being locked up in a cave with her father and the rest of the changelings didn’t really help her social skills. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to go back to her father, but she knew that going back wasn’t a possibility. Her father would kill her, just like he did with her mother. He was a tyrant, he ruled the changeling race with an iron hoof and if Chrysalis ever became Queen then she would run things very differently. She would be kind, she would try to establish a good relationship between the changelings and the ponies, and she would create a new rule: Changelings can only feed on ponies who are willing to give a part of their love to the Changelings.

She could hear the pony, it was very close now. She could even feel the pony’s love radiating towards her. That was something that was very strange for Chrysalis. Normally you had to have a good relationship with a pony before you could feel even a little bit of love, but it seemed that this pony was the incarnation of love itself. She pushed some leaves out of the way and she immediately laid eyes on a beautiful light-rose pony. She had a mane that consisted of three colors: dark violet, moderate rose and pale gold. She had a horn and wings, just like the Changelings. Maybe she’s a Changeling in disguise. Still, I don’t know if she is, so it’s better to just stay put.

Cadance, just a couple of feet away from the bushes where Chrysalis was hiding in, levitated a nice little yellow flower towards herself. She really enjoyed this spot in the Woods, it was always different. Sometimes a nest of squirrels inhabited the trees around this spot and on other times, very rare flowers decided to grow around this spot. She sniffed it and it smelled wonderful. A nice sweet scent invaded her nostrils and she cursed herself for not bringing a flower pot to put the flower in, so that she could take it with her. It was also then that she heard a rather quiet sound.

“Shhooo.” Something said, barely a whisper.

Her ears perked up and she dropped the flower. She was the mare of love and as such she could feel almost all of the emotions a creature had in its voice, or in its behavior. The creature that spoke to her was terrified. Cadance didn’t know what do to. The best choice of action was to leave the creature alone, since it was terrified, but her curiosity wanted something different. It wanted to look at the creature, maybe it was in danger. In the end her curiosity won.

Very quietly she walked towards the bush, where the sound originated from. She avoided stepping on leaves from the oak trees, maybe sound scared the creature, and she didn’t want that. She wanted to have a good look at the creature before it escaped, so patience and carefulness were her best friends right now.

For Cadance, the bush in front of her was the same bush as the one next to it. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and she really began to think that she had scared the creature, and that it ran away, or that the creature just didn’t exist and she imagined the sound. She thought that, but then she locked eyes with a green pair of eyes.

Those eyes, those green eyes. They had something mystical, like an ancient magic that nopony knew of. But there was something else in those eyes, it was fear. The creature in front of her was scared, and if she had to believe the motions in the bush then the creature was shaking like an earthquake.

She lowered herself to be as friendly and unintimidating as possible and spoke. “Hello? Are you a pony?”

Oh why didn’t I disguise myself? Stupid, stupid, stupid. I might as well answer and talk to her. She could become my first friend… if she doesn’t run away, that is. Chrysalis mustered up all her courage, she was going to talk now, and then there’ll be no way back.

“I-I am… k-kinda.” It was a whisper, a whisper of timidness. That was one trait Chrysalis hated. How was she going to lead her hive if she was as shy as a mouse.

Cadance, on the other hand, was surprised. She thought that it was just a squirrel or something like that, but the creature said that it was a pony. The ‘kinda’ that the creature used made her feel a bit uneasy though.

“Could you come out? I won’t bite.” A little giggle escaped her lips. It was on purpose, she knew that body language played a major part in a conversation, and especially if you are trying to comfort somepony. She held out her hoof and waited for the pony in the bush to grab it.

Chrysalis really wasn’t sure. Yes, the pony in front of her was friendly and rather nice, but her shyness wanted her to stay in the bush. The bush was like a safe haven for her. She was safe in the bush, safe from the big bad world that wanted to hurt her. But then her mind focused on the love that was radiating of the pony, and she immediately calmed down. The love told her that the pony in front of her wasn’t going to hurt her. She could feel that she was a good pony, so she took the plunge.

“O-okay, just don’t be scared alright?” She extended her hoof and grabbed the pony’s hoof.

Cadance snickered. “Why should I be afraid of… you?” She stared at the… creature that slowly came out of the bushes. From what Cadance could see it had a horn, but it wasn’t a horn like unicorns had, it was more… demonic. It had little fangs, which Cadance associated that with vampony’s. It had an exoskeleton, which hardened at the place where its insectoid wings were. And lastly she looked at the creature’s hooves and she saw that they had holes in it.

It was a rather sickening image and Cadance just said the first thing that came to her mind. “Your hooves, they have holes in them.”

Chrysalis felt the love diminishing and she knew that this was the situation that she feared. The pony in front of her was scared of her, but she couldn’t blame her. She knew that she was abominable with those holes in her hooves, with her coat as black as death itself and her tattered hair. Why didn’t I change into a pony? I’m a Changeling, for Goodness sake. Chrysalis was sure that this was the worst case scenario, so she just waited for the finishing blow: the pony in front of her running away.

“You’re scared.” She broke contact with the pony and took a step back, at the same time her expression was saddening.

Cadance just kept staring at the thing in front of her. It wasn’t a pony, but it looked like a pony, only a bit different. Her mind couldn’t process the image in front of her and it took a while before she even registered the sentence from the creature, ‘You’re scared.’ It said and it was right, she was scared. Maybe she was scared because of the rather sickening creature in front of her, or maybe she was scared because she was a bit shy. It didn’t matter and her mind told her to run away, and that was what she did.

“I’m sorry.” She quickly said, and ran away. It wasn’t a gallop, but it wasn’t a trot either, it was something in between. She took a quick glance at the creature, and she saw that small tears began to form in the its eyes. With a large amount of guilt, she disappeared behind some bushes.

Chrysalis still looked at the bushes where the mysterious, yet friendly pony had disappeared behind. She kept staring at those bushes for several minutes, constantly hoping that she would return, but she knew that she wouldn’t return. She broke her trance and looked down. There, just in front of her hooves, lay the small yellow flower that was being sniffed by that mysterious pony just a few minutes ago.

Chrysalis picked it up with her magic and brought it to her nose. She never really experienced the scent of nature. The Badlands were dead, nothing could grow there. Once, many years before she was born, the Badlands were alive. There used to be green fields as far as the eye could see, but a volcano eruption changed that. The ash of the volcano blocked out the sun rays and the plants died. The volcano transformed a beautiful piece of land into a barren wasteland, but that’s nature, and nature is still the mightiest force in the world.

She sniffed at it and it smelled wonderful, a bit sweet actually. Then her mind went back to that pony and she really wished that things could have gone differently, but she didn’t have the power to turn back the hooves of time. She pushed the flower against her face and opened the flood gates. She knew that nopony was around, but crying in public was still something she was ashamed of.

“What did I do wrong?” She asked the flower, but, naturally, the flower didn’t answer. She was about to release the flower from her magic and go back to her Changelings, but suddenly she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She sighed, it was just another pony who wanted to hurt her, but she turned around nonetheless.

Chrysalis was surprised, and that’s putting it lightly, because in front of her stood that mysterious pony from a few minutes ago. “Wha-?” She started, but she was interrupted when that pony in front of her placed a hoof against her mouth, silencing her. The pony then smiled and hugged her.

“It’s not your fault, I was just shy. I’m Cadance by the way.” Cadance said while she hugged the thing in front of her. It felt good to give some love to this creature, it looked like it needed it.

Chrysalis just kept staring at Cadance, she wasn’t even hugging. Her brain still had to recover from the shock and it hadn’t even registered that Cadance was holding her tight. After a second or two her brain finally shot into action and she wrapped her forelegs around the pink mare. It felt good to receive love, but it felt even better to give it to somepony.

“Don’t worry, I’m also shy. I’m Chrysalis.” Chrysalis said. She was still crying, but right now they were tears of happiness. She hugged Cadance tighter, she never wanted to be left alone again. “Are we friends now?”

Chrysalis could feel Cadance nodding. “Of course, that is, if you want to be friends.” Cadance said hesitantly. Cadance really wanted a friend, somepony different than her family, and now she had found one, if she accepted her friendship.

“I’d love to be friends.” Chrysalis answered. Her dream came true, she had a friend. They broke the hug after a couple of seconds and sat down next to each other. They both wore a smile and Chrysalis' tears had dried. Still, there was a question on Chrysalis’ mind and she needed that question answered. “Why did you come back?” She asked, breaking that silence between them.

Cadance’s smile wavered a bit, but it returned after a second. “I guess I should explain that one. Alright, try to make yourself comfortable and I’ll start…”

A/N: This is the start of a ‘What if Chrysalis and Cadance were friends’ story. They are each other’s greatest enemies, and yet I think they would be great friends if things took a different path. This is part of the Team Awesome comic on DeviantArt of Bonaxor. You should check it out, it’s awesome. I also think that Cadance and Chrysalis as foals are just adorable. Cadance is 12 and Chrysalis is 13 years old.

E/N: Arandompenguin here, I would also like to recommend you to the comic, it is a unique idea and I thoroughly enjoyed it. As to this story, I liked it and I hope you guys stick around for the later chapters.

Chapter 2: The Corruption

Forbidden Friendship

Chapter 2: The Corruption

“Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.”

― Albert Camus

I was running away from you, you scared me. Your tattered mane, the holes in your legs, and your charcoal coat; it was just too much to handle. I know what I did wasn’t the best course of action, but it seemed the best at that moment. Fear can do crazy things to you, so you act without thinking.

I ran away, trying to get as far away from you as possible. I was scared you were going to eat me or something. Yes, I know that sounds silly, but that was going through my mind at that moment. You seemed so strange, and those fangs surely didn’t help to calm me down. Anyways, back to my story.

As I was running away, I began to think. What if you weren’t what I thought you would be? What if you were actually a very nice… mare who wanted nothing more than having contact with somepony? Slowly, my guilt began to take the place of my fear. I began to feel bad for leaving you there like that in the woods. All other ponies would have helped you, but I just worried about myself and fled.

I stopped and stood in the middle of a clearing, that’s where I saw a little squirrel. He was so cute, but the squirrel wasn’t nice to me. He had its arms crossed and gave me a disapproving look. I lowered myself to be less intimidating and began to crawl towards him.

I didn’t see it coming, it happened really fast. One moment the squirrel was several meters away from me, the next he gave my muzzle a smack with those little paws of his. It wasn’t really painful, but it shocked me nonetheless.

I stumbled back and fell on my haunches, I’d never seen a squirrel do that before, and most of the time the little critters loved me. “Why did you do that?” I asked, while rubbing my nose with my hoof, but of course the squirrel didn’t - and couldn’t - reply. Instead, he motioned to me to follow him, before disappearing behind some bushes.

Not wanting to be left behind, I began to follow him. He was fast and I had trouble keeping up with him, but when he saw that I was losing him, he stopped for a moment so I could catch up. It went on like this for five minutes until he stopped in front of another bush. He walked into it, and I did the same, since the bush was large enough for me. Through the leaves I could see a scene that broke my heart.

Sitting on the ground, while crying against a yellow flower, was you. I didn’t know you, and I was scared, but it pained me to see you like this. It felt like I was the bad pony, and I had hurt somepony else beyond measure. By then I knew why the squirrel had led me back to you. He wanted us to start over.

Fear still resided in my mind, but I knew I had to make things right. I had pained you, so I had to undo it. I lowered my head and sighed, I was about to step out of the bush. Several scenarios played in my mind, from you being angry at me, to you running away and never coming back. I dismissed all those scenarios and stepped out of the bush. Well, you know the rest.

*****

Chrysalis stared with disbelief at Cadance, though a small smile could be seen on her face. “So a squirrel convinced you to come back?”

Cadance nodded, grinning cheerfully, all her fear gone. By now she knew that the creature, whatever it was, wasn’t a threat. Actually, she was very nice and friendly, and she knew she could create a wonderful friendship between them. “Yeah, If I ever see him again, I’ll make sure to thank him properly,” Her attention was once again pulled to Chrysalis’ rather horrifying appearance. It seemed like, how bad it may sound, Chrysalis was a spawn of Tartarus, a demon walking on Equestria’s soil. But she knew Chrysalis wasn’t a demon, because a demon wouldn’t be this friendly with anypony. “Say, you never told me what you actually are.”

That was the sentence Chrysalis dreaded. She had to tell the origin of her species, the tale of her evil father, and why she had left him. It was a long, depressing story, and she really didn’t want to tell it, but when she looked at Cadance who had curiosity in her eyes, she knew that telling her story was the least she could do. “Alright, fine. Sit back and relax, because it’s going to be a long story,” With that, she began to tell about her species, and how one twisted mind created the Changelings.

*****

Changelings weren’t always Changelings, you know. We used to be ponies, just like you, but we were still a bit different. We had wings and horns, so we were technically Alicorns, but our magical abilities weren’t strong, we could only levitate, and our wings could only carry us for a couple of seconds before we would receive a shock of pain. Those little dysfunctions didn’t stop us from enjoying our lives though. But then He came, Equinox.

He was a Draconequus, one of the oldest there was, and maybe that took a toll on his mind, because he was crazy. He came to us, preaching about how he would be our savior. He would give us more magical power, and strengthen our wings so that we could fly. We were gullible, so decided to believe him, and he screwed us over real good, pardon the language. Instead of healing us, he made it worse. He transformed us into what we are now, a twisted, scary species, stealing love from ponies who - in the end - become one of us. After our transformation, we didn’t have the power to defeat Equinox, so he teleported away and never showed his face again. He died a few months later from old age, thus our hope to transform back to the species we once were died with him.

Back then we used to live in a little village not far from the Northern Mountains, but the Queen who reigned during that time decided it was best to leave and avoid any form of contact with ponies or other living beings. She chose the Wastelands as our new home, since it was so inhospitable that only a few ponies dared to cross that dead place. The few ponies who crossed the Wastelands were food for our kind because we needed love to survive, normal food didn't suffice anymore. That’s the worst pain our kind has to suffer through, we technically kill ponies in order to stay alive, we became predators due to Equinox... That was the story my mom told me before she put me to sleep, so that I never could forget that deep inside, we were still ponies.

*****

Chrysalis couldn’t stop the tear that escaped her eye and went down her cheek. Just at the moment it was going to drop to the ground, Cadance wiped it away with her hoof, before giving her new friend a warm hug. The Changelings had to endure a cruel fate and she could see that it still hurt many generations later. She just couldn’t imagine her own race going through that, it would be hell.

“Shh, it’ll be alright, I’m here with you now,” she softly told her Changeling friend. She knew she couldn’t change the past, but at least she was comforting her.

“Thank you,” Chrysalis quietly murmured. She was glad Cadance was comforting her, but she was disgusted at the same time. Disgusted of herself, because the love Cadance was giving her went straight to her belly.

Cadance released the hug, but stayed seated near to Chrysalis in case she needed some support again. “You said something about your mother?” Cadance watched both a flash of sadness and happiness cross Chrysalis’ features, but she eventually settled on a small, sad smile.

“Yeah, she used to be both queen and a loving mother, but a disease took her away from me - from us - a few years ago. Since then my father rules the hive with an iron hoof. Some Changelings call it The Corruption, the day my father took power. It’s highly unusual that a male Changeling leads the hive, it only happens when the daughter of the queen isn’t ready yet to ascend to the throne. I was still too young.

“The Changelings called it The Corruption because…”

*****

“But father, we can’t kill ponies just like that. Please, let them go, or at least turn them into one of us. We’re Changelings, we aren’t murderers. Mother wouldn’t have wanted this,” I pleaded on my knees, trying to save the lives of the three ponies restrained behind me. Those three unfortunate souls were on a camping trip in the Wastelands when they were captured by my own kind. Why they wanted to venture through the Wastelands was a mystery to me, but I was going to do everything I could to save them.

“Silence!” My father bellowed, creating a silence in the progress so one could only hear some water dropping down from a stalactite. When he was pleased that there was no more noise, he turned to me, eyes narrowing in the process. “Your mother was weak, she couldn’t reign, and now I will correct all her mistakes. My name will shine in the annals of history whilst Andradite will be forgotten. Now, I ask you one more time. Are you going to kill them? Or do I have to do it myself?”

I could sense that my father was on the verge of eruption, but I just couldn’t kill those ponies. My father may not have loved my mother and respected her ways of dealing with issues, but I did, and I knew that killing ponies wasn’t the way. “But father, aren’t we ponies? If we kill them, we’re killing our own kind, that’s what mother used to say.” I looked straight in his eyes and saw the hatred burning.

“Enough about her! She was too merciful, too compassionate, and too much of an idiot. Her preaching about us being ponies is just some little bedtime stories for little Changelings! We aren’t ponies, we haven’t been since Equinox payed us a visit,” He always hated it when I disobeyed him. The other Changelings were as docile as can be, but I always tried to stop him. “Chrysalis, go to your room.”

“But, father, I-”

“Now!” He stomped his hoof against the armrest of the throne, and it sent a light shockwave through the hive.

I knew that I had lost the battle and lowered my head in a submissive manner. I turned and slowly began to walk the three captives. They all stared at me with puffy red eyes, probably fearing for their lives. Sadness overwhelmed me, for I knew I could not save them. “Sorry,” I said quickly, before running away, not wanting their responses. Still, I heard one of them shouting ‘it’s alright’, which was quickly replaced by a gurgle.

I arrived at my room not much later and closed the door behind me. I had to calm down, so I looked at my room. My books, filled with information about the pony world, were stacked neatly on their respective shelves at the end of the room. My bed was placed against the right wall of the room and on it lay a small cube of amethyst. That cube was the last gift my mother gave me before she departed to the next world. That was my room, just some shelves and a bed, just the way I like it.

I had calmed down a bit when there was a knock at my door. Afraid that it was my father, I opened the door just slightly and peered through. On the other side, however, was not him, but my own personal nurse - the one whom had helped my mother raise me. “Yes?” I asked, in a rather shy tone. I could see that the nurse wasn’t calm either.

“Can I come inside? It’s urgent,” she asked, looking behind her.

Seeing no problem with that, I opened the door for her to come in. She was my nurse, so I knew I shouldn’t be afraid of her. She hastily stepped through the portal and I closed the door behind her. She was still nervous, so I was about to offer her some rest on my bed, but she cut me off.

“Your father wants to kill you.” It was a hasty response.

I needed a moment to process that sentence. My own father wanted to kill me: his daughter, and heir to the throne. Now I knew why some Changelings called this The Corruption, my father had been corrupted. “But why?” Was all I could ask, the shock was still present in both my mind and body. The nurse saw that I was going to lose my balance and quickly stood by my side, trying her best to stop me from falling to the ground. I gave her a little smile and a nuzzle as a sign of gratitude. Father may call them obedient pets, but to me they’re ponies with feelings. We can receive love, but we can also give it.

“Some Changelings picked up him talking to himself, apparently you have been too much of a problem, so he wants you dead.” She guided me to the bed and made me lie down on it.

I needed a few moments to calm down. I knew father wasn’t exactly a saint, but I never expected this. It all didn’t matter now, father wanted to kill me, and I had to find a way to save myself. “What can I do?” I asked the nurse, and she gave me a small reassuring smile, but I knew that she too was very nervous.

“What can we do? You’re not alone in this, never forget that.” She walked towards the wall of the bookshelves and gave it a little buck with her hind legs. A second later, a part of the wall - which seemed to be a hidden door - opened and I could see a large dark hallway. She turned back to me. “You are going to leave the hive, some Changelings volunteered to go with you, they’ll protect you.”

“But what about the hive? If I go, then there’s no female heir; the hive will go extinct,” I was the only female heir, and the only female capable of creating more Changelings.

She glared at me, something I totally didn’t expect from her. “So what, if he manages to kill you, we’d also be without a female heir. If you manage to escape, you can start anew somewhere else. We’re doomed, Princess, you’re not.”

I wanted to protest, to see if there was another way that didn’t involve abandoning the hive, but just when I wanted to open my mouth, there was a knock on the door. “Chrysalis, we need to talk,” It was the voice of my father.

“Oh no,” I whispered. Fear began to nestle itself in my body, I couldn’t move my legs, I was immobilized on my bed.

The nurse looked at the door, took a deep breath in, and let it out. “Just a minute, my King, the Princess is a little bit sick now. Could you wait there for a moment, I only need to give her some love and she’ll feel a lot better,” My nurse motioned with her hoof to me, probably to get me moving, but my limbs were frozen from fear and shock. She looked at me, cast a quick glance at the door, and helped me get up.

Slowly, I began to feel and move my legs again. I lowered my head towards her head so we could whisper, we couldn’t risk father hearing us. “What about you? When he opens that door and sees that I’m gone, he’ll kill you for sure. Please, come with me,”

My nurse gave me that reassuring smile of hers and shook her head. Even with that smile on her face, I could sense the sadness and regret behind her façade. “No, Princess, I can’t. Somepony has to buy you some time so that you can escape, and that somepony will be me,” She began to push me towards the hallway, but I planted my hooves firmly against the ground. I wasn’t leaving without her. “Please, Princess, I need you to cooperate. You’re the last hope the Changelings have, just accept the fact you can’t save us all and enjoy the rest of your life,” And with that, she gave me one final push, and I found myself in the hallway. I looked at her, tears streaming down both her and my face, we both knew what was going to happen now. “Enjoy life. Goodbye,” She bucked the wall again and the door closed.

I saw the door close and jumped towards it, but it was too late, I was too late. On the other side I could hear the door opening and the voice of both my nurse and my father. I couldn’t hear what they were saying due to the thickness of the walls, but it didn’t sound good because I could hear the volume of my father’s voice rising. Once again fearing for my life, I began to walk through the hallway. After a few seconds I came at some stairs and that’s when I heard it, my nurse’s scream. I knew what my father had done, and from that moment on, I promised myself one thing: I was going to kill my father in order to save the hive. The time for tears was over, it was all about revenge.

*****

“So, what happened then?” Cadance asked with a voice that had a mixture of fear and pity, but mostly the latter.

“I continued climbing the stairs and eventually it lead to an abandoned building in the middle of the Wastelands. Outside the building I met up with twenty Changelings, together we came here to create a new life for ourselves,” Chrysalis said as she watched the sunset through the trees. It felt really good to tell her story to somepony else, she felt more free and happy.

“Are really going to do it?” Cadance asked with a timid voice, and rather afraid of that delicate subject. Chrysalis cocked her head and raised one of her eyebrows, signifying that she didn’t understand Cadance’s question. Cadance then reformulated her question. “Are you really going to kill your father? I know he’s a bad pony and all, but he’s still your father,” Cadance was against killing and everything that had to do with fighting, but she knew she couldn’t stop Chrysalis if she really wanted to commit the act.

Chrysalis sighed. “It’s gruesome, isn’t it? Sitting next to a Changeling who wants to kill her own father, but to me he stopped being my father a long time ago. Besides, I need to kill him if I want to save the hive. I know they’re still alive, I can sense them, but they won’t stay this way if my father still lives,”

Cadance knew she couldn’t talk her new friend out of it, it was going to happen no matter what. Still, she could show Chrysalis some love before she departed. “When are you going back?”

Chrysalis shrugged. “I don’t know, somewhere between now and six months, I think. Why?”

Now Cadance began to smile, it was almost creepy to Chrysalis. “Well, now that we have six months, we can enjoy ourselves during that time, and you can sleep in the Palace of Creation, my home. How does that sound?”

It sounded wonderful to Chrysalis. Six months of no worries and cares, just enjoying life. Still, there was one problem. “But what about my Changelings? I can’t leave them here in the forest.”

Cadance waved a dismissive hoof at her. “They can come too, the Palace has enough rooms for twenty Changelings, and you’ll sleep in my chamber.”

Chrysalis could only laugh at that, she was really glad she had found a pony like Cadance. “Alright, I bite, I’ll stay with you for six months, but first allow me to gather my Changelings.”

Cadance nodded and Chrysalis began to walk towards the place where she had hidden her Changelings. Meanwhile, Cadance watched the sky and the clouds drifting by, she was going to give Chrysalis the best six months of her life and, hopefully, they wouldn’t be the last.

Chapter 3: Don't Worry, Be Happy

Forbidden Friendship

Chapter 3: Don’t Worry, Be Happy

“Here’s a little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note. Don’t worry, be happy.”

-Bobby McFerrin

Two weeks later

“Alright, Cadance, just tell me where we’re going, and what’s with the blindfold?” Chrysalis complained as she took another hesitant step. She might have been a creature of darkness - as the ponies had named her kind - but she didn’t actually like the dark. She could feel the sweat on her forehead and the wobble of her insecure legs, but every time she heard the angelic voice of her friend, she smiled and the fear passed for a few seconds. Cadance was her friend, she would guide her, she would protect her.

Cadance chuckled playfully. “I can’t tell you, silly, otherwise It’d spoil the surprise. The only thing I can tell you is that you’ll enjoy it, I guarantee it.” She took her friend’s hoof and continued guiding her towards her destination. She smiled at her reflection on the beautiful, white walls of the palace, she just knew today was going to be a perfect day.

Chrysalis gave her friend a smile, though it was an unsure one. Her mind just couldn’t calm down when being enveloped by darkness. She thought about the caves in the Changeling Hive. They too were dark, but at least the crystals gave some form of light. She noticed something, as long as she kept picturing the crystals in her mind, she was calm and tranquil. A soft sigh escaped her lips, the crystals of her mind and her friend Cadance would be her guides.

Cadance grinned at her friend’s behaviour, it seemed she was somewhere distant and far away. She wondered what Chrysalis was thinking about, probably something happy if her smile was anything to go by.

Chrysalis still had those crystals in her thoughts, but now they were accompanied by a group of five changelings. They smiled and leaped at her, eager to be reunited with their big sister. She would have accepted them with open arms, but an invisible wall stopped the little reunion. She reached out for them, but they were quickly dragged away into the darkness by an invisible force, their cries for help piercing her ears. The crystals slowly dimmed, and fear began to settle in her mind; but before the crystals had died out completely, she saw a face in front of her. The face was her father’s, and he smiled wickedly at her, his evil laughter booming in her ears. Then the crystals faded away.

She yanked the blindfold off her face and threw it on the ground, her breaths had changed into ragged gasps. She kept staring at the blindfold on the ground, and slowly realization began to creep into her mind. It was just a daydream, though it had seemed so real to her. She could feel the desperation of her Changelings, her father’s anger, and her own fear.

Cadance, who had jumped back a few meters from Chrysalis’ sudden outburst, walked back to her friend and held her, trying to calm the shaking mare down. “Shh, it’s alright, I’m here with you.” She gently sat down with Chrysalis and rocked back and forth, a technique Dream used on her when she was having a bad dream, and it did really help. The effect was the same this time. Slowly, Chrysalis’ breaths steadied and her shivering became less noticeable. “What happened?”

Chrysalis sighed and looked away. “I don’t want to talk about that right now, maybe later, okay?”

Cadance wanted to inquire more about her friend’s problem - she wanted to help her, but if she didn’t want to talk about it, then Cadance would respect her wish. “Okay, but if you need anything, anything at all, then don’t hesitate to ask me. I’m here for you, and my only wish is to help you.”

Chrysalis looked at her with a tiny, but genuine, smile. “Thanks, I’m really lucky to have a friend like you... Now, I believe there was something you wanted to show me. But please, no more blindfolds. As you have seen, I tend to freak out when faced with darkness.” A light chuckle managed to escape her lips, even though she could still feel the remnants of the fear from her daydream.

Cadance chuckled and stood up, Chrysalis doing the same. “No more blindfolds, I promise. If you’d follow me;” Cadance continued walking down the hall, Chrysalis following suit, “I’ve already made plans for tomorrow, you’re going to love it,” Cadance said with a skip in her step, just imagining the fun things she would do with her friend gave her such joy.

Chrysalis couldn’t force herself to smile. I’m sorry, Cadance, but this is the last day we’ll be together.

*****

“So, what do you think?” Cadance asked, as she laid the scissors, comb, and spray back on the table behind her.

Chrysalis looked at her reflection in the mirror and was flabbergasted by what she saw. Staring back at her was not the Chrysalis she knew. Her mane had been combed and cut, giving her a refreshed look. It also shone more than it used to, which was probably the effect of one of Cadance’s sprays. In general, the makeover made her feel relaxed and at ease. “Oh Cadance, it’s lovely. I really like how my mane shines. Thank you.”

Cadance blushed at the compliment. “Don’t mention it, I just saw you had a little bit of tension in your body the last couple of days, so I wanted to take your mind off of things for a while. I’m not a masseuse, so I thought a makeover was a pretty good alternative.”

Chrysalis froze for a second. Has it been so clear that there was something on my mind? Sure, Cadance knows about my father and the little situation in the hallway certainly didn’t help, but it wasn’t that obvious, was it? “So... you noticed?” Chrysalis stared at her hooves, an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

Cadance nodded and stared at her friend. Chrysalis was just slightly larger than her, but she seemed so fragile, like she could shatter at any moment. “Yes, I started to notice just a few days ago. You see, I know a lot about beauty, and when one’s coat loses it shine, that means the pony - or in this case Changeling - is under great duress.” She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her coat was the complete opposite of Chrysalis. It had a nice vibrant, pink color with a beautiful shine, and it saddened her. While she was living a very enjoyable life with not a care in the world, her friend had to deal with problems beyond measure. Life could be so cruel and it just didn’t seem right.

She sighed and turned back to her friend, a gloomy expression managed to plaster itself on her face. “It doesn’t seem fair, does it? I live here in this palace and enjoy life, while you need to worry about your species’ survival.” She could see her friend was at the verge of tears, so she placed a comforting hoof on her friend’s shoulder.

Chrysalis gave her friend a small smile, but that couldn’t stop the tears from escaping her eyes. She knew she had to tell Cadance about her plan of leaving, even though she was afraid of hurting Cadance in the process. “Cadance... I-I have to tell you something.” Cadance’s ears perked up, showing Chrysalis that she had her friend’s full attention. Right, no turning back now. “I... need to leave you... today. It’s just like you said, my species needs to survive, and in order to do that I need to go back to my hive and defeat my father. I can’t stay here, Cadance. The longer I stay here, the less chance of survival my species has.” She looked at the ground, not wanting to look Cadance in the eye. She had expected Cadance to shout at her or to cry and bawl, but the only noise in the room was her own sniffing.

Cadance wiped a tear from her eye. She knew Chrysalis had to leave one day, and she had mentally prepared herself, but it still hurt to hear that her first and only friend had to leave. Still, it was something Chrysalis had to do, so she had accepted the fact that she and Chrysalis would have to go their own ways for a while. “I understand, and I’m not going to stop you from doing what you have to do, but do you want to go kiting with me before you leave?” She gave her friend a hug which Chrysalis gladly returned.

“It- it would be my pleasure,” Chrysalis said as she cried into her friend’s coat.

*****

“Okay, now when I say go, you just push the kite into the air with you hooves. Got it?” Cadance asked as she stared at Chrysalis, who was trying to find her balance now that she could only stand on her two hind legs. They were standing in a lush green field next to the palace, ready to launch the kite into the air.

When Chrysalis was sure she wasn’t going to fall over, she nodded. “Okay, but could you hurry up? I don’t think I can keep this up much longer.”

Cadance nodded and took the wooden stick into her mouth to which the kite was attached. The kite itself had the shape of a rhombus, and had a pastel pink color. It was a gift she had received from her mother on her birthday, two years ago. She pulled a bit on the stick to test the strings that were attached to the kite and was glad that they didn’t come loose after a year of gathering dust in the attic. Now that she had checked everything, they could start with flying the kite.

“Go!” she shouted, the stick in her mouth muffling her voice a bit. Even though the sound was a bit muffled, Chrysalis heard the word and launched the kite into the air. Cadance began to run immediately while Chrysalis lost her balance and fell on her back with a thud.

Cadance began to run faster and faster, and she could feel the kite going higher. She ran for a few more seconds and stopped when she felt the kite pulling at the stick, indicating that it had reached its maximum height. She turned around, stick still in her mouth, and looked up at the kite. It flew a good twenty meters above the ground in a perfect breeze that wasn’t too strong, nor too weak.

Chrysalis joined her friend a few seconds later, when she had recovered from her fall to the ground. She had seen Cadance running past her, trying to get the kite higher, and it seemed like fun. Now that the kite was flying, however, it seemed so boring.

“So, ponies enjoy staring at a piece of fabric that flies above them?”

Cadance spit out the stick and caught it with her magic, so that her kite didn’t fly off. “It’s not just that, you can steer the kite to the left or the right, you can lower it if you want to, some ponies even do tricks with their kites. Why don’t you try it, you’ll see that it’s actually good fun.” She levitated the stick in the direction of Chrysalis who caught it in her own levitation field.

Rolling her eyes, Chrysalis bit on the stick and looked at the kite. Slowly, she began to move to the left and then back to the right, the kite following her every move. She once again moved to the left, only this time a little bit faster. Feeling a bit more bold, she gave the stick a quick pull, and the kite went down. For a moment it seemed that the kite was going to fall to the ground, but luckily the wind managed to steady the kite.

Cadance, who was more focused on Chrysalis’ face than on the kite, saw that a small grin was beginning to form on her friend’s face. Once again she was right, Chrysalis did enjoy flying the kite. They’ve only been friends for two weeks, but she already knew her friend inside out. “I told you you’d enjoy it. Nopony can resist the fun a kite brings.” She gave her friend a smug grin.

Chrysalis spit out the stick and held it in her magic. “Well, I have to admit, it’s pretty fun. So, do you want to fly it again?” Chrysalis asked as she levitated the kite towards Cadance.

Cadance wanted to accept the offer, but when she saw that the blue sky was being mixed with an orange hue, she changed her plans. “No, just let it land, I want to show you something.”

Chrysalis did what she was told and slowly began to pull the kite down, bit by bit. The lower the kite went, the harder it became for Chrysalis to maintain control. The moment the kite went below the crowns of the trees, the kite fell to the ground like a brick. She and Cadance quickly ran towards the place of the crash and were relieved that the kite didn’t receive any damage from the fall. Together, they dismantled the kite and placed all the parts in Cadance’s saddlebags.

“So, what do you want to show me?” Chrysalis asked as she followed Cadance, who seemed to be headed towards the giant cliffs that neighboured the palace. She had seen those cliffs the first day she arrived in the palace, because she had gotten a room that had had a breathtaking view. She could see forests, towns, mountains, and the cliffs. It was an amazing experience and each day, just when she got out of bed, she’d step out of her room and onto her balcony and just stand there for a few minutes, enjoying the view. She was going to miss Cadance the most, but the view would also be missed.

“Just wait, we’re almost there,” Cadance said as she continued leading her friend towards their destination. Chrysalis was going to leave tonight, but the least she could do was show her friend the most beautiful view in the whole world. If money could buy views, then this particular view would cost millions and millions of bits.

They walked for a few more minutes, passing trees filled with healthy and juicy apples; blueberry bushes as far as the eye could see; and this was accompanied by the lovely songs of the birds. Cadance had to admit, this was a wonderful environment to end their chapter with.

“We’re here, feast your eyes on this,” Cadance said as she waved a hoof in the direction right in front of her.

Chrysalis passed Cadance to take a better look, and her mouth went agape. They stood on a huge cliff which made the ponies below seem like ants, and the hills and mountains were nothing compared to the sheer size of this cliff. She could even see the Wastelands, near the horizon, and she swallowed, fearing what awaited her in that dreadful place.

“Do you like it?” Cadance asked as she sat down near the edge of the cliff. Not too close, of course, she didn’t want to fall off.

Chrysalis sat down next to her friend and stared at the sunset in front of her. The beautiful sun cast the whole valley into an orange glow as the ponies below prepared for a good night’s rest. It was wonderful, and she hated it that she had to give this up, that she had to say goodbye to her only friend. “I love it.” She couldn’t say more. She wanted to thank Cadance for her hospitableness, for trusting such a disgusting being, and for giving her the time of her life, but the words were stuck in her throat.

Cadance decided to get straight to the point. She wanted a short pain, like pulling a splinter out of her body. “So, did you like it here?”

Chrysalis eyes almost came out of her sockets. Finally, the words she wanted to speak so desperately managed to find their way out of her mouth. “Like it? Cadance, I loved it here. You didn’t know what I was when you found me. For all you knew, I could have been a vicious predator, but you decided to trust me. You gave me the most enjoyable two weeks of my life, and you gave me and my Changelings, it might sound disgusting, your love to feed on. I have to thank you, Cadance, for you have showed me the magic of friendship.” A tear went down her cheek, but it wasn’t pure sadness that created the tear. No, it was the bittersweet feeling inside her.

Cadance wiped Chrysalis’ tear away and smiled. She looked directly into Chrysalis’ eyes, her own eyes a bit watery, just like her friend. “Well, I have to thank you too. It was nice to play and talk to someone other than my family. You taught me more about the Changeling race and cheered me up when I felt a bit down. So, I have to thank you too, for teaching me the magic of friendship.” To put the emphasis on friendship, she hugged her friend who hugged her back immediately. After a minute, Cadance let go of the hug, but with a lot of reluctance. She just wanted to stay with her friend forever, but sadly that wasn’t an option. Chrysalis had a family to look after, which demanded more attention than friendship.

“So, will you ever come back?” Cadance asked as she stared at the sunset that had progressed quite a bit. In just half an hour, the whole valley and the palace would be cast in darkness. They had to return before the dark, that was the time the most vicious beasts came out of the woods looking for an unsuspecting snack.

Chrysalis nodded, but a sigh managed to escape her lips. “I will, eventually, I just don’t know when exactly. I first need to defeat my father, then I need to find a new home, and lastly, that new home has to thrive well before I can manage to come back. Of course, this can only happen if I manage to defeat my father. If I don’t... well, I’ll wait for you in the Endless Pastures.”

That had completely slipped Cadance’s mind, she didn’t know if Chrysalis was going to survive. If she didn’t, she would have to live her life without her best friend, that was something she didn’t want to happen. “Well, could you atleast send me a message that you’ve survived, otherwise I’ll keep worrying about you.”

“I will. Now come, let us enjoy our last moment together.” Chrysalis placed her hoof on her friend’s shoulder, and together they watched the sunset until it was time to head back.

Author notes is acting up again... piece of shit.

Anyway: Next up: the epilogue which has already been written. I will publish it when my editor has gone over it. Seriously, this story wouldn't have been, according to me, this good if it wasn't for him. Thanks again, Arandompenguin!

Epilogue

Forbidden Friendship

Epilogue

Chrysalis walked out of her hive’s cave and stared at the open endlessness that was the Wastelands. Everywhere she looked, it was black and dead. She didn’t know how her species had managed to survive in this dead place, but she knew that she was going to find a better place for her Changelings, one where they could prosper and live in harmony with the ponies around them.

While she looked at her environment, she thought about her friend, Cadance. It had been six months since she had left the palace, but she didn’t have the time to send a letter to her friend to tell her that she was still alive. Well, barely. She had managed to defeat her father, since Cadance’s love had replenished her power, but the fight with her father had drained a lot of that power. Right now, they had to leave the Wastelands and search for a better place. She could always go back to Cadance and feed on her love, but she would only so that as a last resort. For once, she wanted to do things on her own. Once she had regained her powers, then she’d surprise Cadance with a visit.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when one of her Changelings stood next to her and spoke, “My Queen, everything is ready for the Great Trek, What do you want to do with the prisoner?”

“Ah, yes, my father.”

She thought back to the day she first met Cadance and the question she had asked her. ‘Are you really going to kill your father?’ Chrysalis had been convinced that killing her father would be the best thing to do, but when he lay there on the ground, defeated and pathetic, she just couldn’t kill him. No matter how evil he was, he was still her father, that was something Cadance had told her. So, instead of killing him, she had imprisoned him. He had been very vocal the first few days, but eventually he accepted that he had been defeated. Cadance was once again right, violence didn’t solve everything.

“Free him from his prison. If he wants to follow us, let him follow. If he wants to stay, let him stay. Frankly, I don’t care anymore.” The changeling nodded and shouted the order to two other Changelings, who immediately went to do their duty. “Wait,” Chrysalis said when she saw the Changeling trotting back to the cave. “You’re not coming with us.”

The Changeling stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, surprise and fear visible on his face. “Um, my Queen? Did I do something wrong? Are you disappointed in me? Whatever it is, I can make it better, just don’t leave me here.”

Chrysalis beckoned him to come closer, which the Changeling did. When he was once again standing next to her, she spoke, “Shush, little brother, I didn’t mean it like that. I have task for you, the most important task I have ever given to some... pony. I want you to fly back to the palace where my friend Cadance resides.

“Cadance? You mean that nice, pink pony who cared for us?”

Chrysalis nodded. “Yes, she. Your task is to fly to her and stay with her. She will care for you and will give you a better life. I also want you to tell her that everything’s fine, and that I’ll visit her when everything is back to normal for the Changeling race.”

“But, I want to stay here with you, with the rest of my brothers and sisters.” He could feel himself becoming distressed, he couldn’t even imagine a life without the hive.

Chrysalis noticed his distress and gave him a pat and a kiss on the forehead, hoping that it would calm him down a bit. It seemed to do the trick, since she saw a small smile forming on his face. “I know, my little brother, but somepony has to tell Cadance that everything’s alright, she’s probably worried sick about us. She was nice to us, and you wouldn’t want her to be worried about us now, would you?”

The Changeling shook his head. “No, of course not.

Chrysalis smiled and looked back at the barren Wastelands. “Well then, I want you to leave and stay with her. You don’t need to worry, though, I’ll visit you as much as I can.”

The Changeling nodded and understood what was expected of him. Even though he had to leave the hive forever, he would make sure that he completed his last task so that the Queen would be proud of him. He bowed and got ready to take off, his wings would take him to the edge of the Wastelands, the rest he could walk. “Farewell, my Queen,” the Changeling said.

“Please, from now on, call me ‘big sister’,” she said as the Changeling took off. Before it left, however, it turned back to her.

“Farewell, big sister!’ he shouted and continued to fly towards the edge of the Wastelands.

Chrysalis felt a tear rolling down her cheek and smiled, soon she’d meet her little brother and Cadance again, she couldn’t wait until that day came. Wiping the tear away, she walked back into the cave to see that the preparations were in order.

*****

Cadance sat on the cliff, the same cliff she sat on a little over six months ago with Chrysalis. She was worried about her friend, but somehow she knew that Chrysalis was alright, she only hoped that she’d hear something from her soon. It was then that she heard a rustle in one of the bushes behind her. Not wanting to be caught by a vicious predator, she opened her wings and flew away. She did want to get a good look at the predator, so the turned around and to her surprise, she saw a Changeling. It was however, not in good shape. It had bags under its eyes, and it looked extremely underfed.

Now concerned about this little Changeling, she landed near him and spoke, “Um, are you alright?”

The Changeling, who had fallen to the ground when Cadance flew away, opened its eyes and looked at the pink alicorn. “I bring a message from my big sister, Chrysalis. She ordered me to tell you that everything’s alright, and that she’s going to visit you as soon as she can. She also ordered me to stay with you.” The Changeling coughed and his head fell back to the ground.

Cadance gasped and placed the Changeling on her back with her magic. She was glad she got a message about her friend, but right now this little Changeling was more important. Chrysalis had given him to her, and she was going to take care him. As she was flying back to the palace, a question came to her mind. “Say, do you have a name?”

The Changeling once again opened his eyes. “We Changelings don’t need names, only the Queens and Kings deserve names.

Cadance blew a raspberry. “Bah, that’s a stupid rule. Well, not here, here you deserve a name.” Cadance thought about a suitable name for a moment. “How about Kyan?”

The Changeling thought back to the hive and its minerals. He had seen some kyanite minerals and the deep blue color always fascinated him, it was his favorite mineral. Kyan smiled, “Kyan, I like that name.”

The End