Slivers of light filtered through the thick forest canopy. A tall, lone figure wandered aimlessly in the woods. Her black carapace was coated in muck and grime. She was covered in bruises from her ‘not so graceful’ fall. She would be surely disgusted by what she saw, if she had in fact a manner in which to see herself. Queen Chrysalis dragged her hooves along the ground, panting softly. She’d been wandering this forsaken forest for days on end. Her insectoid wings were uselessly hanging at her side, since she had no energy to lift them up and fly. Her energy reserves were depleted, which she found utmost illogical. ‘I had power that rivaled Celestia’s own and even defeated her. Yet, here I am, wandering about a forest, close to death.’
Upon thinking about death, a realization hit her and hit her hard. None of the raiding swarm she had led into Equestria would not have survived that blast, thanks to both its strength and ferocity. Scattered to the winds, the remaining changelings had no chance to make it back to the hive. For it took them a few weeks to arrive in Equestria. Chrysalis had led them to their deaths. Imagery of their lifeless corpses popped into her head. She felt sick to her stomach. She swore vengeance upon the newly-wed couple for slaughtering so many of her children.
She growled, baring her teeth. ‘Why? Why did it come to this? I’m the Queen of the Changelings. I should have seen this coming. I should have prepared, but Armor’s love was just so…so intoxicating. I couldn’t stop.’ She wanted to beat herself for such stupidity. To take her own life, like she had done to her children by leading them astray on this fool’s errand. How could she fall for the one failing of her race: Love Addiction? She had it bad and now, look where it got her. Only young Changelings fell for that, not her. Not the original. She’d lived for thousands of years, seen things no creature had ever seen, and she fell for the oldest thing in the book.
Love! The strongest force in all the world. Yet, also the most cliché. ‘Oh, I can hear the others laughing at me now.’ She started thinking about the other lords and kings, supposedly, on her side. Their jeers filled her ears. They would never let her forget her utter failure. Her fellow rulers would use this as an opportunity to encroach on her lands and seize her resources. The Changelings would be hard pressed to find anything to feed upon and starvation would take its toll. Of course, that didn’t matter. She doubted she would ever see them again and her race was doomed to extinction. The Changeling race was hated and despised by everyone and everything. Foreign nations would gleefully hunt down and destroy what they thought of as a parasite race. ‘Have they no heart?’
She stopped in her tracks and just stared at the ground. Her mind went blank and not a stray thought passed within her skull. Her legs gave out on her and she fell to the ground with a loud ‘thud’. The changeling mare could feel her energy fade into nothing. She closed her eyes and whimpered, something she hadn’t done in such a long time.
“This day was supposed to be perfect.
The kind of day I had dreamed of since that fateful day.
My revenge would taste so sweet,
But good fortune I did not meet,
Instead, I’ve been cast so far away.”
Tears fell down her cheek. She allowed this display of weakness because she knew that there was no way out of this. She was going to die. Alone and empty inside.‘Father, my children, I’m so sorry. I failed you.’ She closed her eyes, letting darkness take her….
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And then she felt something wet swab itself across her brow. The first thought that came to her mind was some predator was tasting her. She scowled.‘As if I would allow such a thing.’ She thought. As long as she took breath, she would see to it that no living creature could feast upon her flesh. The Changeling Queen prepared a spell that would crush the creature’s skull in, than opened her eyes.
What she saw surprised her. Instead of the savage face of a Manticore, or the long snout of a Timber Wolf, she saw a unicorn mare smiling at her sweetly. She was light green, with a messy, short mane. A little wet towel was hanging in the air, held by her magic. She looked around her surroundings. She was in some dirty brown tent, hardly befitting someone of her stature.
“Oh, you’re awake.” The brown unicorn pulled the towel away from her. Her long brown mane was held in a cowgirl like fashion. ‘I never understood cow fashion styles.’ “I was getting worried that you’d never wake up.”
Chrysalis glared at her. ‘What is this pony up to?’ She thought, mistrusting this seemingly nice pony already. She had just attacked the capital of their stupid little nation a few days ago, and now, she was being taken care of by one of those insipid creatures. She found it odd. “I don’t need your sympathy.”
“Well, if it wasn't for my sympathy, you’d be dead.” The unicorn smirked. “And probably in the belly of some random creature of the forest. I thought you Changelings knew better than to go wander off by yourselves.” She shook her head.
Chrysalis snarled. “How dare you make such a remark? Do you know who you are addressing?”
“I’m guessing some monarch or higher cast.” The unicorn mare said, studying her. Chrysalis could see a spark of curiosity in her eyes. “Since you look far different than the ones I’ve encountered. Am I far off?”
“You impudent mortal,” Queen Chrysalis held back the urge to harm her. “I am Queen Chrysalis, mother of the Changeling race, commanding general of the entirety of our army, and of course the most captivating creature this planet has ever seen.” She gloated. In retrospect, she knew that telling this mare who she was a bad idea. But she was a pony. They were peaceful by nature.‘Strange how times have tamed them.’
“I knew I didn’t miss my mark.” She bowed her head. “Well then Queen Chrysalis, my name is Rove.”
Chrysalis bowed hers as well. “Well, than miss Rove.” She gulped, knowing what she had to do. ‘Curse you father.’ She thought. “I th-th-”
“Thank you.” Rove said slowly, for her to catch on.
“I can say them just fine, without your help.” The Queen shot at her. She cleared her throat. “Thank…you.” ‘You just thanked one of your mortal enemies. How can you live with yourself?’
“Now, was that so hard?” The mare giggled when she glared at her.
Before she could scold the unicorn’s attitude, a little filly came barging into the tent. She was an bright pink, light blue maned, Earth pony. A giant smile plastered her face. “Mommy, look. I found a pretty flower.” She held up what appeared to be a beautiful blue flower. Chrysalis and Rove’s eyes widened when they saw it.‘Poison Joke. How stupid is that foal?’
“Sugar Rush, where did you find that?” Rove questioned, lifting the flower away from her daughter with her magic.
“There was a whole field full of them, mommy.” Sugar Rush’s smile faded when she saw the look of concern on her mother’s face. “I thought you’d like one.”
Rove smiled. “I do love it, darling, but this is a bad flower. Ponies shouldn’t touch it.”
Sugar Rush’s ears went down and she lowered her head. “Does that mean I’m a bad pony?”
“No, Sugar.” Rove chuckled. “But you do need a bath.”
“But I don’t want too.” Sugar whined. Chrysalis’s ears fell to her sides, as she tried to block out the child.
“You will, if you know what’s good for you.” Rove gave her daughter a hard look, to which Sugar cringed.
“I’ll go take a bath now.”
Rove smiled. “Good,” She stroked a hoof through the filly’s mane. “And if you be a good girl, and don’t splash mommy, I’ll let you pick out a treat in the next town we come across.”
Sugar Rush smiled. “Really? Anything I want?” When her mother nodded, she started jumping up and down in joy, yelling ‘yes’ repeatedly. She finally stopped when she noticed Chrysalis, who was covering her ears with pillow. “Mommy, who’s she?”
“Sugar, meet Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings.” Rove said.
Chrysalis couldn't help but feel some pride return to her when the mare called her by her title. ‘Maybe not my entire title, but it’s a start.’
“A Queen?” Sugar Rush pointed to her. “Does that mean she’s a big meany?”
Chrysalis glared at the filly. How dare she? “Sugar Rush!” Rove scolded her. “That’s rude.”
“But those stories…” Sugar started.
“Are just stories.” Rove finished for her. “Just because the Queens in those fables were evil, does not mean that real Queens are. Now apologize.”
Sugar Rush slowly trotted over to her. “I’m sorry, miss Queen.”
Chrysalis put her snout in the air. “Apology accepted little one,” She leaned her head down to the filly. “But make sure that it does not happen again. For your sake.”
Sugar Rush’s eyes grew wide with fear, before she rushed out of the tent. Rove glared at her, as she took off after her filly. Chrysalis chuckled, pleased with herself. She reveled in the fear she saw in the young one’s eyes. It always pleased her to sense that emotion. As she thought of emotions, she couldn’t help but think about the connection she sensed between the two. A feeling she also reveled in: Love. But this was no ordinary love. No, it was the strongest variety out there. The love between a mother and child.
With something like that, she’d be up to full strength in no time. Or, at least have enough to get back to her swarm. ‘But how to get it?’ She pondered.