//------------------------------// // Early Years and now. // Story: The Forgotten Invasion // by zoruatrainer66 //------------------------------// As Chrysalis lay in the mud. She thought of what she had done in her life. Being an immortal was an experience entirely different from before. In her childhood she was a happy filly. Always having imaginary adventures of pirates and sea monsters, knights and dragons, treasure hunters and ancient ruins. Playing with paper hats and toy swords. Letting the world around her be anything she desired, a rock could be a compass or ancient relic. A tree could be a fortress or crows nest, a tent could be a castle or cave! All of this and more were at her disposal and the only things that could stop her were her imagination and dinner-time.(which always tasted new and great even if she had tasted it before, as is common with a mothers cooking.) Playing the days away until early winter when she had to stay inside the house more often in fear of frostbite, which for a flutterpony was like getting a broken leg or cracked horn. She could play outside like any other foal, it was just that over the last few years winter had been getting worse, mom and sis said it was because windigoes were appearing more often, chrysalis didn't care for that. She just wished they would stop soon. This was getting annoying. She wanted to play in the snow! She wanted to make snow ponies and lines of snow butterflies. She wanted to get just cold enough and drink a hot cup of chocolate, feel it warm her from the tips of her wings to the bottom of her hooves. She wanted to play with her friends and cousins, having snowball fights and going sledding. Winter was the best! But then something happened... One day while she was sledding with her friends everything suddenly turned to fudge, well at least thats what it looked like.(upon closer inspection the fudge only reached the ground or hung on the trees, this led the flutterponies to believe that something had turned all the snow in a mile wide radius into chocolate.) as she and her friends curiously prodded and wondered what it was, they heard a commotion coming from the town. As they galloped into town what they saw confused them. For before their eyes was the weirdest creature they had ever seen, and this was coming from ponies who were friends with seaponies! This creature was a hodgepodge of animals and monsters. There were signs of pony, dragon, lion, goat, and even griffon and deer too! The foals stared in befuddlement as the creature caused untold things to happen in the town, all while rambling about cupcakes and the various shades of pink. After hearing the creature voice it's opinion on the color chartuse. The colts and fillies gathered themselves and looked to the town... What they saw horrified them. For while they stood and watched the creature ramble and snap it's various limbs, the town was in chaos! There were quite a few jello buildings, a few made of what smelled like pumpernickel and Chrysalis home appeared to be made of fruitcake. The ponies of the town were in no better shape, some were shrunk down while others were grown to behemoth sizes. Some that stood up to the creature were turned to plants and various furniture. Others were crazy or being forced to do some inane act endlessly. As the children watched Chrysalis gasped when she saw her mother and sister exiting the house and looking at their poor town in panic. "MOTHER QUEEN!" A rush of hooves came closer to her as she was interrupted on thinking of her past. Opening her eyes she saw the source of the voice as one of the four she had protected. Lifting her head as she came closer, she lightly nuzzled the other in greeting."Mother Queen are you alright?" Scarlet asked quietly."Are you hurt anywhere?" She asked while looking her queen over. "Sigh, I'm fine Scarlet. Just sad is all." Chrysalis answered quietly."Sad that so many are gone, lost or hurt. And mad at Discord for putting us in this sorry state. Happy that you are alive, and that at least I could save four." "It's good to see your not hurt Chrysalis, I don't know what we'd do without you. You're everything to us." Scarlet stated with emotion that surprised herself."Sorry about the way that came out, I was just so scared!" Scarlet said as she quivered in place. Chrysalis blinked as she saw her changeling shivering in fear, eyes snapped shut against the world, shifting her weight so that she was on her stomach, she rested her head on Scarlets."Your okay now, I'm here." She said as she realized just how shaken she was as well. As she sit there comforting the changeling, she thought on how it felt to see Cadance scream and cry out her name as she careened out the window. How after seeing those eyes fill with fear for HER life and those of her subjects, and sensing her desperate need to get away from the one she loved. And how as she flew out the window Cadances eyes were filled with sorrow and what looked like loss. She thought of what that meant to her. And what might have been if discord hadn't ruined everything. "What do you think of me Scarlet?" The question slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it, her breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes went wide as she realized her slip. After taking a moment to blink away some tears, look at her comforter and process the question she answered. "Wha-what? What do you mean? You are my Queen. You take care of and guide us. You protect and teach us, and you help raise the newborns as often as you can." She answered steadfastly, not understanding her leaders question. Looking away Chrysalis replied."I... I-I mean after this whole wedding scheme, after losing so many, what do you think of me now?" Chrysalis asked forlorn."Do you hate me now for leading you all to this... ? "M-my Queen? Are you ok? Of course I don't hate you! You do so much for us, telling our children stories and making sure they know right from wrong. Healing those who are injured when you can, and protecting our lands from invaders along with the guard. Even if this mistake was big, it isn't something to hate you for. Your a good Queen. Don't let this get you down. Now, we should get back to the Hive yes?" As Scarlet said this she gained conviction. Chrysalis slowly started to smile as she listened to her changelings words."Yes. Yes you're right, we should get back to the Hive. But first, how are Buzz, Zix, and Velvet?" She said with rising confidence, though still tired from her ordeal."If they are hurt I'll heal them here as best I can then we'll see about getting home." "Well Buzz is knocked out with his head stuck in a bush and Zix is slighty wounded, cuts and bruised chitin from falling through tree branches. Velvet has her hoof caught in a high branch and can't get down with out getting hurt, and I'm pretty sure her shoulder and ankle are dislocated as well." Scarlet listed off while looking back in their direction. "Well at least they're alive, Velvets leg worries me. It won't be fun to relocate it, we might have to put her to sleep before we put it back into place, then we have to make a sling... How are her wings?" Chrysalis spoke while going over the process needed for setting dislocated joints safely. "Her left wing is caught in a branch, but her right is fine. Like I said, she can't get down without hurting herself." Scarlet explained. "Well, that's a problem. Well have to fly up there and get her wing unstuck before getting her leg out of the branches." Then we can take care of her and Zix together." Chrysalis explained. As she said this, she got up and motioned for Scarlet to lead the way. While walking Chrysalis took in her surroundings. Realizing she recognized the area she gasped and quickened her pace... They were in the Everfree, and the sun was going down.