Everypony was chatting happily, basked in the pure white light. There were smiles, laughter, and joy – not a care in the world. Chip was happy. He felt light, filled with the omnipresent radiance…in a way, he felt really clean. Not scrubbed/polished/waxed clean, just…clean. The kind of clean you feel when exiting a really relaxing bath, or dancing in the summer rain. From where Chip knew how those felt was a mystery in its own right.
The changeling didn’t notice when he and his company reached a giant, majestic gate. It was made out of white marble, with winged ponies at each side, carrying strange stringed instruments in their hooves. Harps or something like that.
“Chip, we’re here!” squealed Heart, trotting over to the doors. “C’mon everypony! Let’s get inside! I bet all the ponies would love to meet you!”
“Meet me? But I’m…I’m a changeling! Wait, let me just put on-”
“There is no need for that,” whispered Celestia at his side. “Here, everypony knows who you are. They’ll grow to love you for who, not what, you are.”
“L-Love me? But they don’t even know me! What if I do something stupid or-”
“Don’t worry. Here, nopony judges,” Luna assured the colt, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “This is the place you have always dreamed about…”
As she said those words, the gates opened soundlessly. Behind them…a whole village. No, it was bigger – many, many times bigger than Ponyville. It was a gigantic field of cottages, hovels and homes, surrounded by green fields and ancient trees. The sun was shining through the thick crowns, giving the whole setting a magical feel to it. And amongst all that, ponies – every kind Chip ever read about. There were Pegasus, flying up high, greeting each other like old friends; Unicorns, laughing with their friends or performing tricks; Earth Ponies trotted about, some of the younger ones playing games with balls or other items.
“They are all here. And I’m sure they’ll like you, like all of us did,” smiled Cadance. “I bet they’re eager to meet you – why won’t we go inside?”
“I don’t know…” hesitated Chip. This was all that he ever wanted. The dream of being with ponies, getting to know them. Of being understood and liked for who he was. These friends of his told him all would come true; all it took was a step over the doorstep of the giant gates…
But somehow…somehow, that small simple move felt like it was important – final, in a way sealing all that was behind him. What was it that he left way back there? He couldn’t remember…he couldn’t recall what was just before Silver Heart and the rest came to pick him up and…
“Is something wrong Chip?” asked a worried Silver Heart. All of them were already on the other side with concerned faces.
“I…I don’t know…”
“Don’t you want to play with me? Spend some time together? Meet new friends?”
“Of course I do! It’s just that…”
“If something is bothering you, just tell us, Chip. We’re here to listen,” said Night Star.
“Why can’t I remember?”
“Remember what, Chip?”
“How I got here...there is nothing…nothing before now…”
“Well, there was nothing before now, silly. Even if it there was, it doesn’t matter here.”
“Where is here?” pursued the changeling. He felt compelled to just shut up and take that step…but why did his mind refuse, why did it keep showering him with doubts?
Silver Heart looked around and shrugged.
“Well…here is here. There is nowhere else, at least not now.”
“So there was something else earlier?”
“It doesn’t matter. Come on Chip, stop fooling around and come play with us!”
“I…no, it does matter. Something is…is…”
“Is what, Chip? Spit it out!” chuckled Gustav.
“Wrong.” As Chip whispered those words, he suddenly felt a pull from below. The force knocked him off his hooves and left him sprawled on…were these clouds? Puffy, soft…how could he have not noticed before?
“Chip, nothing can be wrong here!” exclaimed Celestia with a nervous smile. She shuffled on her hooves a bit before extending her forehoof towards the changeling. The rest did the same.
“We’d hate for you to miss out on anything – you’ll have all the time in the world to figure out what’s wrong, just come with us, okay?” Was that the voice of Autumn Leaf? It sounded like him, but…something was…
Wrong
Another violent pull from below made Chip sink into the clouds, submerging his legs in a liquid below the puffy cloud surface. The fluid was sticky and uncomfortably hot; it churned beneath his hooves, not burning, but definitely heating his skin.
Why didn’t he have his chitin?
This time, only his head was left above the cloud. His friends at the portal gasped and reached out even further. Why didn’t they cross the doorstep to help him!? He was sinking!
“Help!” he gasped, feeling as the hot liquid rolled over his body in sticky masses, burning and squeezing.
“C’mon Chip! Just make a step! You must make it! You have to, or we won’t see each other again!” yelled Silver Heart, tears in her eyes.
“Chip! Please! Just come over here! Everything will be alright!” Who was that? …
Chrysalis?!
Why was she here?! Why…how…
A sharp pain went through his shoulder – the blade hit deep, probably piercing a lung. His head hurt and he felt it crack, but he kept on butting, full of rage and grief, each blow sapping his strength and delivering a wet splatting sound
The colt’s eyes opened wide. His view was being obscured by more and more white fluff. Memories flooded his head with pain and fear; he felt dirty, his whole insides were being burned alive by the molten fluid around -- it was squeezing itself into him, seeping through the thin skin.
Soon, all he saw was darkness. Darkness that gradually changed to red. Whatever he was in was hurting him. It burned, it stung; he just wanted it to go away. What did he do to deserve such pain? All the changeling could do was curl up into a shaking ball of misery and mind-numbing agony.
He wished he could slip into unconsciousness. But he was wide awake, feeling every inch of his body burn. His mind was being invaded as well. Some sort of growling, some sickening shrieks, and above all a murmuring. It sounded like an angry mountain was chanting a mantra – the kind of incantation that brought about bad luck and grief.
“Chip” said the mountain, blowing away the changeling’s mind with the multitude of meanings that simple word had. “So be it” Each single syllable was packed with knowledge and ancient power – Chip was sure he didn’t understand whatever the voice said, and nopony else in his place would either. This…this sound. It was above all that everypony ever knew…
* * *
Celestia walked into a simple room with a bed, some medical aperture and one chair. On the bed, lying unmoving for three days straight, was Chip. It was hard getting him here unnoticed – he was heavy and not responsive most of the time, slipping in and out of consciousness several times before reaching one of the Canterlot guest rooms.
Doctor Hoffenweiser was another problem to be dealt with – time was running critically short and there was not a moment to spare on explanations. As a few of Celestia’s guards tried opening up the thick carapace to reach the two wounds the colt suffered, the medical pony was told that he would be rewarded dearly if he managed to save the life of Chip.
Fueled by greed and the obviously distressed Princess Celestia and (surprisingly) Luna, the doctor did whatever he could to stitch the wounds and keep the colt alive. The changeling’s heart stopped so many times Hoffenweiser was ready to quit on the second day, but the regal mares pressed and pressed, going so far as even mildly threatening the pony to not even think about letting Chip’s life slip away.
By the end of a very stressful third day, Chip stabilized – there was no way to replenish the blood loss he suffered, as all tests (despite being conducted in an ugly and fast manner) confirmed his organism would refuse any type of pony blood. It was a matter of time now – the doctor swore on his life that there was nothing else he could do but wait and pray to the sun and moon that the stallion woke up.
* * *
It was beginning to dusk and Celestia was ready to leave the room, having wasted her free day on watching over Chip, when a faint sound caused her ears to twitch. She turned around, nearly winding a hoof…
The changeling’s forehoof moved. Just a little bit. As little as the tear of joy and relief that formed in the royal eye.