As the black queen graced upon the place, all of those soulful eyes were laid on her, each one waiting for something to happen. After their last unsuccessful invasion, they have grown weak due to hunger and many have grown sick. Chrysalis just watched as her subjects moaned in agony and was saddened that she could do nothing to cure their torment.
“My queen we are so hungry, it has been days since we have been last fed. Some of us are dying, what should we do?” A changeling asked their leader.
With a grievous sigh she shook her head and her green mane waved as she did. The asker was left dismayed and was forced to tend those who are sick with a heavy heart. The other changelings were frowning at her incompetency to take care of those loyal to her. The queen shied away and fled deeper into the confusing labyrinth constructed by the cave.
Glowing crystals illuminated faintly the pitch-black caverns. Her defeat seemed to be very ironical, she was bested by the thing that she fed on, and it was like losing to your own sandwich. But it was no laughing matter, as they grow hungrier and hungrier she knows more problems will soon arise. She sat down and began to ponder of a solution but their location seemed to be against her plans.
The black pegacorn’s eyes were getting teary as it feels like hope has abandoned them all. She began to roar aloud in anger and suddenly the ground began to quake. It seemed like someone or something has awoken and she had disturbed it. She let her gnarled horn glow, spending more of her valuable and scarce energy.
“It seems like somepony got lost.” A mare’s voice remarked.
Chrysalis began to look around; there was nothing except for the darkness that covered the place. Even though she was alone she felt that somepony was accompanying her, hiding and spying on her. Surely none of her changelings would dare to pull of this folly.
“Who are you and what do you want? Are you a friend or a foe?” The queen questioned.
“Calm down, I am but a stranger in this strange place. I mean no harm.” It replied.
“We come here only to find shelter; we mean no disrespect whoever you are.” She responded.
The pegacorn suddenly felt that something was creeping behind her back and when she turned around, the sight caught her by surprise. Out from her own shadow, a jet black equine contorted out of her own shadow. Both of their eyes met and they froze there, quiet and unmoving.
“You must be quite desperate to even dare to reside here.” The black figure hissed.
“Please, we mean not to intrude this place, we are weary and hungry and we are tired of travelling. We ask for a truce.” Chrysalis solemnly pleaded.
“Oh don’t worry, I can’t do much anyway, I just wander these caves endlessly. I would like to help in any way possible.” The creature replied.
“We are in dire need for a source of food.” The queen stated.
“Well after exploring this maze for at least three-hundred twenty years, there is hardly anything to eat here except for these crystals.” The creature answered.
“No, we don’t eat like the others; we survive on feeding on them, feeding on their love.”
Her newfound companion suddenly turned quiet, with a stern look on her face. She didn’t quite appreciate the reply when Chrysalis uttered the word love. Admittedly, anypony would be disturbed if you hear that you feed on love and much more if your whole race does. The black pegacorn felt bad upon seeing her acquaintance unpleased with her response.
“Love, how long did I not use that word? Oh, such wonderful memories and tragic experiences that word brings to my mind. How I wished I could have felt that from him.” The entity suddenly burst out.
“Really? You must look at me with scorn and hate.” The queen reacted to her outburst.
“Not really, I can relate deeply to you. My thirst for his affection kept me going, we are the same in many ways. You do this because you want to live; because you want to love, right?” The figure replied.
Queen Chrysalis only nodded as a response; it was nice that someone understood her position. Not like those stupid Canterlot ponies, they only thought of themselves, forgetting the fact that they are leading genocide against the changeling kind. They could have lived together in harmony, that thing most of them blabbered about over and over again.
“You have felt how to love and to be loved right?” The being asked continuously.
“Indeed I have, I love my subjects and they also loved me back. We look out for each other like a big family.” Chrysalis said.
“Your loyal subjects? You must be a queen then, sorry if I misaddressed you. My line of work is far off from royalty.” The dark equine worriedly replied.
“What is your occupation if I may ask?” The queen inquired.
“I worked as a simple assistant of a researcher; he was the stallion I was telling you about. A sweet yet sick pony he was, and I liked him because of that. His ways of conducting his studies was indeed twisted but his beliefs about life were fascinating.” The thing narrated.
“He seems to be an interesting character to meet.” The pegacorn remarked.
“Yes he was, but unfortunately he was sickly or even dying. He did his best to live as long as he could, but unfortunately died soon later. He always complained why those who are powerless die first and vowed to change that, then he suddenly went missing.” The figure continued.
“He’s right, power is one of the greatest factors of survival, and it simply predicts the conclusion of any war and the victor lives longer than the others.” Chrysalis responded.
“That’s funny; he also told me once that there is no such thing as a winner in war. There is only a loser, and the one who loses more.” Evelyn replied.
“If we were the ones that lost more, please tell me, what have they lost?” The queen asked.
“They lost a chance to meet a great friend like you.” Evelyn replied with a smile.
She offered her hoof and the queen took it and firmly shook it. They shared happy looks; each one was satisfied with their little conversation. Then the black pegacorn remembered something, she still has that problem, their talk didn’t help her think, it just made her more confused.
“What’s the problem?” The entity questioned.
“Still, our problem bothers me. As we speak, more of my kind are dying and soon enough the grasp of Death will be on to me.” Chrysalis replied.
“I sense that you are overflowing with love, would you mind if we-.” She stopped her question.
“Feed on me?” The dark mare placed her head down. “I would if I could, if you haven’t noticed I am long dead. I died of starvation looking for him in this labyrinth; it was nice that somepony spared me a moment of her time to talk to me. It’s quite lonesome here.”
“I’m sorry, it’s just, I am getting desperate in my situation.” The queen apologized.
“How much do you love your people? What will you give to save them” The figure asked.
“I love them with all my heart, more than myself actually. And I’ll do anything; even sell my soul to spare their poor, unfortunate souls.” Chrysalis answered.
“I see, you too are overflowing with love for them, I was just thinking.” The entity wondered.
“That I-. Are you mad? Why would I want to do that?” The pegacorn angrily snorted.
“Would you like to see them suffer and die while waiting for your own demise? Or you would you do a valiant deed and save them all?” The entity inquired.
“Don’t think of me as a cold and heartless pony, I am just trying to be practical. If you think of a better idea, please, do tell me.” The mare continued.
Chrysalis turned silent and thought of her suggestion. Would she really do that? What would her parents, the previous leaders think? Would she live to see her fellow changelings die right before her eyes? After giving it consideration, she finally made up her mind.
“Thank you, stranger. You have given clarity in this clouded mind of mine. I shall never forget you.” Chrysalis bowed down in respect.
“Thank you too, may we see each other again, somewhere, sometime.” The creature smiled and disappeared back into the shadows.
With a life changing decision, the queen attended back to her people. Some of the changelings looked angry, others were flustered and some were even crying. She looked around with a self-assuring smile on her face and slowly took off her crown.
With this action, all of her subjects stood up and gazed in awe. Why is there queen removing her symbol of authority? Is she going to abandon them all? Maybe she got tired of attending to each of their petty needs every now and then? These questions ran through their minds.
“All of you should know that I love you deeply and now we are in the midst of this cataclysm.” Chrysalis started.
“My queen, why have you suddenly turned melancholic, this is not like you.” A changeling worriedly asked.
“I have given time on thinking of a solution and with a mysterious friend I have realized a final and just answer.” The pegacorn continued.
She suddenly turned silent and so did the other changelings. With her eyes getting heavy and teary, she gestured her holed hooves up and with a mighty yet heartfelt yell she shouted:
“My loyal subjects-. “
“EAT ME!”
After the unexpected announcement, all of her followers started whispering to each other. Their leader seemed to have gone mad, who on Equestria would want to have herself get eaten?
“Queen Chrysalis, what kind of sick joke is this?” A changeling angrily responded.
“My dear, I am not joking. This is the worst time to show my ridiculous sense of humor.” She replied.
“B-but why, why must you do it? There has to be another way!” A changeling protested,
“No my children, this is the way it has to be. My love for you should be sufficient until you find another place to live on. Our kind must survive, we are unique, different from them, and we are a rare jewel midst this wasteland!” The queen roared.
The changelings started looking at each other and nodded, agreeing on one single objective. Chrysalis closed her eyes, as her cold tears rolled down her cheeks, her followers started to march toward her. She felt happy, for this was the greatest sacrifice she could do for her race.
“Mother, father, look at your little Chrissy, she had grown into a fine mare and queen. Are you happy to see your little girl following your footsteps to greatness? I can’t wait to see you soon.” Those were her final words.
From a distance, a sick and dying changeling watched the horrific sight. Their queen being engulfed by her own legion, just to save their lives, the sight tasted like bitter honey. He began to whisper to himself.
“Why must we suffer like this? Is it because we are different, is it because we are not like them that you should take away our right to live? Our right to exist in this world like they do?
Indeed, they are not like them.
Not like those ponies.
Not like those dragons.
They are unique, just like all of us are.
They are different, but necessary.
For they are the winds of change.
For they are Changelings.
