A Flare of Light

His mother had told him once that the journey was always better than the destination, but Flare had ignored the green fields and majestic mountains as he passed them. All he cared about was getting where he needed to be.

He must have flown for several days by now, but he wasn’t keeping track. The voice of the hive called to him, beckoning him closer. It was much weaker than it had been before, its words unintelligible, but Flare could still tell what they meant nonetheless.

It used what energy it did have left to change some of Flare’s mind. Still wary of what Chrysalis had done to his other mind before, Flare was cautious, constantly observing it, making sure it stayed in line.

Which it did. And over time Flare started to feel affection for the dying changelings, and understanding of what they were. She was not altering his mind much, just giving him specific memories and feelings.

Finally, after an eternity of flying, Flare rounded the top of a mountain and saw what he had traveled all the way for: the changeling hive. It was a black cave opening amongst the mountains. It looked almost sculpted into the mountain.

It looked deserted. Posts where soldiers should have been guarding were empty, abandoned. When Flare approached them he realized they were not abandoned, but the guards were simply dead. They lay at their posts, still clutching their spears, loyal to the end. Flare looked into the hive. A faint glow lit the caverns, reflecting off of the glossy black walls. The voice called out to Flare from the end of the cavern.

”Come,” it called. ”Come to me at last.”

Flare began to walk into the cave, glancing around, taking it all in. And he was horrified at what he saw.

Changelings lay on the ground, dead. They were thin, their ribs visible through their chintinous abdomens. Some were still alive, and several recognized Flare. They stared at him in terror, wondering if he was here to finish them off. Most simply curled up against the walls, crying and moaning. It was all saddening and heart wrenching.

But one sight stopped Flare in his tracks. A changeling sat against the wall, holding a small limp bundle in its holed hands. Tears flowed from its blue eyes as it sobbed, a sick, twisted wailing noise. Looking closer at the bundle in its arms, Flare realized it was a young changeling, a child. Flare was transfixed on this, watching the grieving changeling and its child.

”Yes, it is sad, isn’t it?” Chrysalis’s voice said. ”This is how the hive has wilted. We are fading away, all of us. That is why you are here. To see what needs to be seen, to remember these horrors, and ensure that the ponies know what they have done to us.”

Flare broke his trance, turning and continuing towards the opening at the end where her voice was coming from. He ducked under the entrance and gasped at what he saw.

Chrysalis lay in the middle of the room. She smiled at Flare as he entered. She had cuts all over her body, stretching from her jaw all the way to her flanks. One of her legs appeared to be broken, it was wrapped in a green bandage that seemed to ooze a green goo. She only had one wing, the other was missing, a stump remained where it was supposed to be. Her chintin was cracked, split down the side. But she still smiled at him, and he smiled back.

”Welcome home.” She said to him. ”I have missed you. Now don’t stand there all day, come here.”

She beckoned him over, and he complied. He walked to her, laying down and coiling his body around her. She leaned against his side and sighed, seeming to be genuinely happy for once.

”Thank you for doing this.” She said into his ear. ”I have been so lonely, it feels good finally having someone to be with. Even if I am about to die.”

“All things die eventually.” Flare said, quoting his father. “There is always a beginning and an end to everything. Learning to except this and enjoy the time you have left is what truly matters.”

”I know” She said. ”I wasn’t always like this, you know. I wasn’t always a changeling.”

Flare was shocked. “If you weren’t always a changeling, then what were you?”

She sighed leaning farther into his side, savoring his warmth. ”Changelings are parasites, as you know. We feed off of the emotions of other creatures, eating it like honey. But they don’t actually have feelings themselves, they need a creature capable of feeling emotions to channel it all into, to lead them, whether it be a king or queen, it does not matter. Before I was this, I was a pony, an alicorn, but of no relation to the princesses.”

“So how did you become this?” Flare asked.

”When I was young, I was foolish and stupid. I went where I wasn’t supposed to be, and I got lost. I had been living off of nothing for a month, and was dying of starvation when they found me. I was forced into this role, and at first I resented it all, but slowly it began to grow on me, and I began to love the hive. I never had a family, and they comforted me and protected me. They had saved me when I was in my hour of need. So I stayed with them. Before when I thought of losing the hive, I had hoped that I would return to my old form and be a pony once more. But I have lost hope of that ever happening.”

She brought her horn to his forehead. ”Let me show you what I once was and what I have now become.” She filled his head with images of her as a pony. She was beautiful. She was snow white, almost as pure as Celestia. Her eyes were a deep blue, a little lighter then Flare’s. her mane was the color of the sea, an amazing blue color. Her cheeks had a light blue hue. Her cutie mark was of several long, elegant blue butterflies. Then the memories flashed to when she was in a forest, starving and lost. She was brought to the hive and was there changed into her current self. During her transformation a single sentence was said in a cold voice. “You are…becoming.”

“Who’s voice is that?” Flare asked.

”The previous queen’s. She gave me her role then perished herself, leaving me to raise the changelings.”

She continued to show him things, filling his mind with her memories. Raising the hive, leading it to prosper and thrive. And all the while, she still missed her pony self, turning into it when she could. But that would just make her sadder, and eventually she simply stopped thinking about it. Flare looked down at her. He could still see the pony in her.

A crackling gasp was heard outside of the room. Chrysalis flinched and a tear rolled down her cheek.

”There goes the last one. They’re all gone now, every single one of them. It was sad feeling them go. But they didn’t mind, I didn’t mind. Changelings have always been rejected and hated by the world…” She coughed, shaking. Flare realized she did not have much time left. He rested a wing over her.

”Flare, promise me, please, promise me. The world always despised us, but please make sure they do not forget us. Make sure all my effort throughout my years will not be for nothing.”

“I promise. The world will never forget what you’ve done and who you were.”

She smiled, a lone tear on her cheek. She raised a hoof to his cheek. His raised a scaled hand and gently gripped it. ”Thank you.” She said, no more than a whisper. Then she slumped back, her eyes looking straight ahead at nothing, a smile still on her face. She was gone. Flare held the limp form of Chrysalis in his arms. In death, he finally saw her for what she truly was, a confused mare who just wanted what was best for the beings that saved her. Tears flowed down his face.

Finally an idea entered his mind. He slowly stood, careful not to disturb her form. He then turned and exited the cavern, returning with a pile of sand in his hands. He gently positioned Chrysalis in a comfortable stance, then covered her with the sand.

He took a step back, then turned and blasted the mound with fire. He circled the pile, making sure every side got the same amount of fire. His flames were no longer the red and orange fire he had before, but these were white, along with the spikes on his back. His fire was much hotter, and the process did not take long. The light of his flames reflected off of the glossy walls and the cavern was enveloped in white light.

As the flames died down, Flare inspected his work. Chrysalis lay in the center of the glass dome, curled up. She looked so peaceful, just like his father when he had done it for him. He dropped down and carved into the cooling glass.

Here lies Chrysalis, Queen of the changelings and a mare who did not feel true love until her final moments. May she always be loved and never be forgotten.

It was all Flare needed to say about her. He was sure there would be entire books about her. Of course there would be, he would write them. He would ensure that she was immortalized in writing just as other famous beings had. He had made her a promise, and he intended to keep it.