Chapter 3: Bringing My Selves Together
I gasped, raising my head off of the sand.
My hooves were sprawled out, and my head was spinning. I drew ragged breaths as I tried to sit up, before falling back down in exhaustion.
Note to self: don’t crash in the future.
I moved around to check if anything was broken. Back legs? Ok. Front legs? Check. Right wing? Great. Left wi—Ow ow ow. Ok, left wing out of commission.
There goes my newfound ability to fly. Probably for the best though. Don’t want any more accidents if I can help it.
I laid there for a while, catching my breath and trying to not move my left wing. Eventually, I staggered to my hooves, wincing in pain as my left wing instinctively raised, ready for flight. I shook off some of the sand and looked around. It was just as barren as before. However, thanks to the slightly hilly terrain, I was out of sight of the minions from before. I also couldn’t see the cliffside from where I was. There was only rocks, sand, and hills, as far as the eye could see.
And heat, I thought, as the burning sun locked on to my black carapace like a magnet. This will be a problem if someone doesn’t come along soon enough. But who would want to help me? I must’ve done something horrible to be running away in this state. Didn’t queens have kingdoms and castles? Servants and worshippers? Even if I was tyrannical —
A thought hit me. Was I chased out of my kingdom? By those other horse creatures? What were they? Elements of… something. No matter what they were called, they must’ve been powerful.
At the thought of power, I felt a surge of electricity through my body. Not painful, but… good. Really, really good.
Holy shit.
I slowly raised my eyes. Something was on my head. Something long. Something... pointy.
Am I a unicorn?
My eyes widened at the prospect of magic. Magic. Real, actual, tangible magic.
Am I dreaming!?
A sharp jolt of pain from my left wing shot through my torso.
Ow! Ok, not a dream. But still…
I thought back to the other creatures on the top of the cliff. I think one was orange, and it looked like a horse.
Horses? Why horses of all things? Of course, that was one question, along with the other 20 fucking questions. Do I wish to retake “my” kingdom? Pondering the question, my thoughts drifted and wandered to the creatures that apparently drove me from my kingdom.
I thought back to what I had seen; the orange one had an apple on the side of its flanks, which I personally thought of as hips, seeing as I didn’t have too much experience with horses. I kept thinking back to every detail of the small horse, the blonde mane, the orange fur, the large green eyes… oh, what the fuck, why am I on fire fire and why is it green?!
I panicked, yelping at the fact that my body had caught aflame in gre-..wait. Hang on. I’m not on fire. It’s not hurting. I looked down at my black hoof — orange. Orange hoof. With an inkling of what had happened, albeit still panicking slightly about the fact there was fucking fire on myself previously, I theorized.
The fact that my entire body seemingly changed form from the previous insectoid-like horse shape to the orange horse’s form… intrigued me. Do I have an ability that allows me to change shape? Was it related to magic? These questions flooded my mind; but I had more things to think about..
Like...like the fact I’m not on Earth. The fact I won’t see my mother again. I’m in a new body, I’m now a female, I’m something similar to a horse, I have a royal stature among those insects, and I have no semblance of friends, family, or acquaintances anymore. I slumped, thinking about how I previously looked, and, lo and behold, I returned to my previous form. So that’s how it works. My injuries stay, but my form changes. Interesting.
I decided to think aloud. “So, I’ve got nowhere to run except with those insects, my family is gone, I’m now a girl… oh, wow, that’s… that’s really weird. Hearing my own voice like that, hearing my own words coming out in a completely different voice than I thought they would.”
Am I monologuing? I think I am… well, I have nothing better to do. “Perhaps I should go back to those technicolor horses; or at least attempt to, what with these injuries.” I muttered to myself, before something crossed my mind.
Kill them. Run back to the hive. Take back what is rightfully yours. You are the Queen of the Changelings. Destroy the traitors; leave nothing of them.
I shook from my inner monologuing, questions, and plans, having heard a voice. One with a tone of malice behind it, along with anger… hatred… fear. There was some sort of buzzing sound behind the voice. I could practically feel the emotion. Shaking my head, I immediately responded, if this truly was a voice within my head. If you are really inside my head, the answer is a flat no. I’ve been mean for too long; it’s time to put my han-err… hoof, forward, and step up to the plate.
I waited. I continued to wait, for at least ten minutes, if the way time passed here, wherever here is, was the same as it did on Earth. I heard no further comment from the voice. Managing to rise shakily from the sandy ground, I began to limp forward. The adrenaline having worn off, it was so much harder to do every action. My left wing caused pain with every step, and I had to find out a way to walk in this new body, properly, with as little pain as possible.
I felt another headache form, very similar to the painful feeling I had felt the day before, before I blacked out. Wait. I felt the headache the day before that day, and then I felt the headache again today, or is it yesterday… no matter, but it can’t be a coincidence!
I had been brought here, in some shape or form, and it happened when I had a headache. An arbitrary signal of something, but it was a signal. It was related, and I didn’t know how.
The headache stopped. I continued to walk until my front hooves suddenly slipped on the sand. I grunted as my head slammed against a rock, ears ringing, and pain swelled. That was going to bruise. The one thing that cut through the ringing was laughter. Maniacal laughter, in the exact same voice as before, with the same tone and effect behind it. It echoed throughout my head, and I had only one thought:
What was this voice?
~~~
My hooves hurt.
I’ve been walking for what felt like an hour, but might’ve been much less in my injured state. Sand also wasn’t the most comfortable thing to walk on. I’d fly if I could, but one-wing flying isn’t that viable right now. Hell, two-wing flying is still a mystery to me.
Something in the distance peeked over the crest of a nearby dune. I halted in my tracks, recognizing the cliffside from miles away.
That’s where they are.
Would any of them want me back? Did I want to go back?
I inspected my hole-ridden hooves, hard shell exterior and wispy mane, before flashing in a wave of green fire into the orange mare from before.
Soft fur. Colors. Thick, coarse mane. Hat.
I flashed back to my insectual form. My hooves dragged along the sand, leaving trails for the wind to blow over. The voice echoed in my head, from before.
“Destroy the traitors; leave nothing of them.”
I sighed. I don’t belong with them. My hooves turned to walk away from the mountain—
“Hey!”
Someone else! My ears perked up, swiveling to face the source of the sound.
A light purple horse emerged over the crest of a nearby boulder. She — I think it’s a she — had a teal and purple mane and something on her flank. Her head was tilted in confusion, and she walked slowly and cautiously. Sat on the top of her head was a horn, just like mine.
Wait, is that a—
“Chrysalis? What are you still doing here?” She stepped forward, eyeing me up and down. “Shouldn’t you be, oh, I don’t know, running away?” Her voice dripped with malice and — wait, was that… regret?
Shit! Well, at least I have a name now. “I-I was doing exactly that!” My wings unfurled, or at least they tried to, until my left wing’s pain caught up to me. “J-just a— ow. Heh, just a little probl—”
A smirk. “Aww, did sumwone teawr dewr wing?” she mocked.
“None of your business.” I spat, sneering at her. “Shouldn’t you be frolicking with your friends back at the cliff?”
Her eyes went wide. “Oh ho ho, look who's talking about friends.” She smiled wide, almost uncannily. “I bet you have a whole lot here.”
I looked around dumbly.
She sighed, kicking her hoof into the sand, letting her smile droop into an uncertain expression. “I’m sorry. I can’t keep up that façade.” Her eyes locked onto mine. “I… well, the others won’t agree with me,” she glanced at the mountain, “but I think you still have a place with us.”
Huh. Is she acting? Is this some sort of a trap?
“I mean, it’s not going to be as easy as teleporting back and shaking hooves. You’ll still have to give up your love, as your hive did.”
Love? My hive? Wait. I can telepor—
“And of course,” she turned, “You’ll have to drop the whole evil-tyrannical-queen thing too. I doubt we could assimilate you as a princess, at least immediately, but Twilight would love to see what you could do. Changeling magic is rare as it is, and Thorax… ”
I shuddered involuntarily.
“... well, Thorax has been a bit busy since he was reformed, being on the run and all. From you, no less.” She giggled darkly, and her gaze drifted up in thought. “I wonder how the Elements would react to you being so close to them.”
“Elements?”
Her head whipped towards me, eyes wide in concern. “The Elements… of Harmony? Are you OK, Chrysalis?”
Better now than never.
I moved to stand in front of her, lowering my head to hers. “Y-you don’t know who I am,” I stammered.
She waved her hoof. “Pshh, you’re Chrysalis, queen of the changelings! The one and only.” Her eyes darted around. “Or at least, I hope so—”
“I’m Alex,” I deadpanned. “Alex Barton. Not a changeling. Not a horse. And most certainly, not a queen of anything. I don’t know who you are, or where the fuck I even am. All I know is that everybody else knows me, and I don’t think that’s a good thing, considering I got put in this stupid body mid-flight off of a cliff!”
She laughed. “If you didn’t look as vulnerable as you do, I’d honestly think you were joking!” Her voice turned serious. “I can take you back to Twilight for a quick check up. You must’ve hit the ground pretty hard on the way here.”
I reared my head in panic. “N-no, I think I’ll be fi—”
“Nonsense! Actually, I can bring her here!”
Uh oh.
Two bursts of light later, and a slightly-darker-shade-of-purple unicorn stood in front of you.
“Starlight? Why’d you bring me he—” Her eyes met mine. “ Starlight! Why is Chrysalis here!? And why are you here? We’ve been looking for you for the last thirty minutes!” She crouched down with a determined expression, her horn pointing directly at me. “We gave her a chance. If she wouldn’t take it before, now she— “
I stiffened up. This is how I die.
“— s-she can, uh…” Her eyes caught my torn wing, and flitted up to see the bruise on my head. “Starlight?” She spoke slowly. “Why does Chrysalis appear to have concussed herself, torn her wing, and not teleport away or kill you yet?”
Starlight shrugged.
“L-Look! I’m not who you think I am!” I pleaded, turning to Twilight. “I don’t know what Elements of Harmony are, I don’t know who you are, or—”
Twilight looked sideways at Starlight. “Scratch that, she definitely concussed herself.”
Starlight nodded, and walked up next to her, facing me. “Look, why don’t we just head back to the Kingdom, make amends, and everypony can be happy?”
I hesitated. This all seems too easy. Why would they just take me back? I don’t even know what I did! Well, apart from lose a kingdom. Did they take it from me? I’m powerful enough to warrant the status of a queen, and on top of that, be valued by my own enemies. At this point, I didn't even know who to follow. I might as well go with what they wanted. It’s not like I have any choice except to wallow around in the desert. Injured. Alone.
I nodded with a weak smile. “Alright. I… guess I’ll join you.”
Starlight smiled warmly. “Great!” She turned to Twilight, glancing at my injuries. “I think you should fix her up before we get back to the Princesses. Wouldn’t want to make it look like we forced her to reform.”
Twilight nodded with a determined gaze. “Got it.”
She stepped in front of me and lowered her head, horn facing towards my wing. It glowed with a faint purple light, and a beam of energy shot forward and struck my wing, enveloping it in the same color. It felt cold and numb, and seeped through the tear, building up at the edges and pulling it closed. Twilight paused, refocusing on my head. Another pulse, this time blue in color, swelled around the bruise on my head. It felt much warmer, soothing the welt.
I sighed in relief as the magic faded away, spreading my wings experimentally. “Thank you, Twilight.”
“No problem! It’s… what I do.”
“Now then.” Starlight moved to my right. “Should we be getting back?”
I walked with the group, feeling very relaxed. My body felt like my movements were uninhibited by anything. Perhaps the spell did more than just heal me. Maybe it increased my vitality all together? Magic is confusing…
After thinking about that for a short time, we made our way back, taking a nearly swept-over path almost halfway back to the mountain before we stopped to recuperate from the long walk, mostly by my request after 20 minutes of walking. Even with a healing spell, it still didn’t make my exhaustion come any slower.
“We should really get going...” Starlight muttered.
Something caught my eye. I whipped around to see — a changeling. It was of the same appearance as me, and it was staring directly at me. Its horn lit up as it teleported away in a brilliant flash of green.
I rule over those. I rule over a kingdom. The ones I made.
Wait… I didn’t make these. I began to hyperventilate; these aren’t my memories! My memories were on Earth, with my dad, my mom, my family and f-friends!
My breaths came out quicker and quicker, and each gasp was heavier, bringing more air into my lungs. Cadence. Shining Armor. Starlight Glimmer, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Thorax, Canterlot. My hive. No. No! I don’t want this! I locked up. Too many things were going on inside of my head. I can’t handle it, I can’t take it! I don’t want to be Queen Chrysalis!
I heard two sniveling, nasally voices, but in the position I was in, it looked like it came from those two ponies—that’s what they were called— in front of me.
My Queen. Are you well? The voice hadn’t sneered, but it was close enough to a sneer, but with a light tone of worry behind its voice.
It seemed like the ‘direction’ the voice had come from was my right, where Starlight was.
On my left where Twilight was,I heard another voice, but this voice was disapproving and upset.
No, she’s too weak to lead. The voice had anger behind it’s tone, and it definitely had sneered at me.
I… so many things were going on. I could hear more than just one voice in my head, and I had a unknown amount of new memories within my mind. My thoughts were jumbled, and my movements were sluggish as I kept breathing… I took in one large gulp of air, before letting it out, eyes frantically darting around. I can’t do it!I can’t go back like this!
And with a flash, I was gone.
~~~
I took a sharp breath, squeezing my eyes closed as I cowered flat against whatever ground I teleported on. The scent of flowers hit my nose, and my fur was buffed by a cool breeze. Fur? Cool breeze? Where am I? I raised my head, slowly opening my eyes before they shot open.
A lush, hilly landscape rolled out to the horizon, bordered by mountain ranges that were covered, foot to peak, in trees. The hills obstructed a clear view in all directions, but the occasional large shrub and wild plant ended up finishing the job. A brook trailed its way across the landscape, swerving to where I lay before continuing aimlessly towards a nearby cluster of vegetation. The air was warm, if not a little hot, even though the sun was well below its reach.
I stood up, looking further outward until something blue caught my eye against the green foliage all around me. It was my hoof.
Great, another transformation.
This time, however, I didn’t recognize who I’d become. I was shorter than before, and had a light blue coat with no holes in my hooves. An orange, braided mane flowed around the right side of my neck, and there was… a picture of fruit on my flank. I turned to inspect it, but I wasn’t sure what kind of fruit it was. For all I know, it could’ve been a new species of plant. Stuff’s weird on this planet.
Granted, I didn’t know who Chrysalis was either. Maybe this time, nobody would be around, and I could have some time to think. Some time to find help. Some time to—
“Hello?”
Another one. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.
“Is somepony there?”
I shut my eyes and sunk to the ground, whimpering.
Not again.