The Half Changeling: Isabella's story

by Sdlghskjvnkj

The Climb

"When do we plan to move out?" asked Chrysalis. She was becoming impatient. She hated waiting and in this case, time was of the essence.

"When we have a report. None of the teams have returned yet, but I believe we will receive news very soon." said Sir Roderick.

They were in his study once again and Chrysalis had forsaken her disguise. She was sitting next to the window glaring out of it while Sir Roderick sat in his large chintz chair.

Sir Roderick had become even more cock sure after Chrysalis had sent her "children" to assist his men. From what She had told him, changeling could sense each other, so if she was in any of the places they were patrolling, she would definitely be found. In this, he had faith.

Chrysalis was about to speak when there was a heavy beating on the door. Her form shifted and twisted quickly before Sir Roderick yelled "Who is it?"

The doors flew open and slammed against the walls, making several books fall from their places and making the windows shudder. It was one of the changelings. She was breathing heavily and trying to speak, but Sir Roderick cut her off.

"There were three others with you when you left. Where are they now?"

The changeling took several deep breaths before replying "Dead! They're all dead. I'm the only one that got away."

"Dead?! Where were you posted?! Who killed them?! Why didn't you stand and fight?!" yelled Sir Roderick, rising from his chair and advancing on the changeling.

She shrank before him.

"W-we were ambushed. The attack was not expected. It was her. Isabella. We found her. She's in Ponyville." replied the exhausted changeling.

The room went quiet. Chrysalis walked forward, closed the door and changed back to her normal form before she approached the changeling.

"Tell me. Did you or did you not remember that the mission was supposed to be discreet? And did you did you not remember that you were to come straight back here when you discovered her?!" asked Chrysalis, her voice building in a crescendo and reaching a bellow.

"I.... I.... We tried to..."

Chrysalis slapped the changeling before she could continue.

"If you can not follow simple orders, then you have no place here. You are banished, like your sister Isabella. Now get out." said Chrysalis as she turned away from the changeling.

She sat there in shock for several seconds before she turned and threw the doors open, dashing out of the room.

"Do you really think it wise? Letting her leave?" said Sir Roderick, looking at the opened doors, which Chrysalis shut quickly.

"I see no problem. There is nothing else she can do. Even if she attempts to warn Isabella, it is folly. Isabella has no doubt left Ponyville by now and if she couldn't find her in Ponyville, she won't be able to find her in the wilderness." said Chrysalis, approaching Sir Roderick, and placing a hoof on his cheek. "We must hunt her now. They have failed us and now it is time to take matters into our own hooves."

He pulled his face away from her hoof and nodded.

"Yes. I agree. But now that she knows we're coming, we'll have to travel in the shadows. She can not know we are coming or she'll simply flee again." he said, turning to the door.

Chrysalis morphed again and followed him, smiling. Finally, she would get to participate in the hunt for her mistaken heir.

Isabella finally opened her eyes to see Big Macintosh eyes wide open, staring at her. Now instead of feeling romantic, she just felt awkward. She pulled away and arched an eyebrow at him.

"What?" she asked, looking into his emerald green eyes.

He said nothing and they just sat there for several seconds, gazing into each others eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but seemed to think better of it, as he shut his mouth. Isabella was just about to turn away when Big Macintosh leaned forward and kissed her back.

She was startled and tensed for a moment, but relaxed almost immediately and leaned into the kiss.

"It''s about time." thought Isabella as she felt him wrap his good hoof around her, pulling her closer.

This embrace last much longer than the last. Isabella sat down so she was at a better angle. Their lips seemed to meld together as they moved in synchronization. Isabella wrapped both of her hooves around Big Macintosh's neck and she twisted her hooves into his mane, holding him as close as she could.

After what seemed several hours, but was mere minutes, they separated. Isabella was out of breath and they were both blushing deeply. She leaned up and kissed him again, just a simple peck this time and hugged him, her head leaning against his neck.

"Th...that was incredible." said Big Macintosh. He too was breathless and Isabella could feel his heart racing. Her own was fluttering madly, but it wasn't a bad feeling. It was good. Better than good. It was something she had never known she could feel.

"Yes. Yes it was." she agreed, smiling as she rubbed her head against his neck.

They sat in the cave, silence rolling over them as they caught their breath. Isabella would have been content to sit there, holding Big Macintosh, but he shifted and she looked up at him.

"We gotta get up the mountain before night fall." he said, pushing himself up slightly.

Isabella helped push him up and ducked under his wounded leg.

"What's the rush?" she asked, her mind still on their kiss.

"Well, the cottage needs some work, but also, if your mum is really looking to find you, we don't want to be caught on the side of a mountain in the middle of the night. Very dangerous." stated Big Macintosh, the smile that had been in his voice disappearing as he spoke.

Isabella nodded and said "Good point.", as she and Big Macintosh limped together, out of the cave.

Tentra sat by herself in the clouds. She was sulking deeply. She had no where to go and no one to go to. She was alone now that the Queen had banished her. She was a changeling out on her own and would parish soon unless she ventured forth and found a target.

She lay her head down on the cloud and sighed. Why was it her fault if she was had been detected and attacked by the target? It's not like she had expected to run into her there. They had just started looking so she hadn't figured they would find even a slight trace of Isabella, if any, until several days had passed.

Tentra's thoughts wondered onto her sister in banishment. She was now in the same boat as Isabella, but she was normal changeling. She wouldn't be considered a threat to the queen's position on the thrown like Isabella was. All changelings could challenge the queen for the right to the thrown at the proper age, but most, including Tentra preferred following. It made things easier for them. But Isabella was rebellious. She had never liked taking orders.

Tentra's mind swam into the deep memories of her earliest years in the hive.

She could remember once being out with Isabella. They had been told to scout out a city that had been recently discovered by the changelings.

"Why do we even have to do this? Why doesn't the Mighty Queen do this herself?" asked Isabella, saying the words 'Mighty Queen' with as much sarcasm as she could muster.

"You do realize that if you keep acting like this, you're going to get put back in solitary again when we get back, right?" asked Trenta, walking along in the form of a white pegasus with violet eyes and a jet black mane and tail.

"Like I care. I'm just here to have some fun. The only reason I leave the hive when I'm told to is so I can do something enjoyable. Haven't you ever noticed how there isn't anything to do there?" asked Isabella as she trotted in time with Tentra, looking over at her. Tentra did not look back at her.

"I do not have the strange cravings you do, Isabella. You and I may be sisters, but we are two very different beings. You are only half changeling and therefore do not understand the needs and movements of the Hive. You have a small connection with us, and you can feel when we are nearby but you are not a member of the Hive mind. You shall never feel us like we feel each other." said Tentra holding her nose in the air.

Isabella snorted as she continued to trot along. Tentra felt a sneer rise on her muzzle. She didn't hate Isabella, but her lack of respect for the ways of the Hive irritated her. She could be so brash at times and it made Tentra flush with anger and she knew she was, but would never admit to being, jealous. Why? Because she was bound to the Hive, where as Isabella was not. Tentra didn't mind being part of the Hive, but she knew Isabella had a freedom she would never posses.

Isabella spoke suddenly, snapping Tentra out of her thoughts.

"Looks like we're here. You can do your scouting. I'll go and have a bit of fun." she stated as she darted off to the right and disappeared from sight. Tentra closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

Tentra brought herself back to reality and sighed as she hung her head over the side of the cloud. She relished the idea of reliving those memories. It was odd. She was still jealous of her sister, but it was..... what was that?

Tentra leaned over the edge of the cloud and peered down at the mountain she had drifted over and saw two figures clambering over a large patch of... gravel? sand?

She squinted hard. There was a large red pony with a dirty blonde mane and tail and a pure white pony with a midnight blue mane and tail. It couldn't be. No way. But it was. It was Isabella and that stallion that had helped her out.

Tentra stood up and was about to take off when she remembered. She was an outcast now. The Queen wouldn't listen to her even if she knew where Isabella was. She sat down again on the cloud and scratched her head. What would she do? She felt the urge to return, but the prospect of being killed by the Queen, knowing what she would do, made returning a very bad idea. Then again, she didn't hate Isabella. If she had been banished, why should she tell the hive? It wasn't her mission anymore, and she was free to do as she wished.

But what did she wish? Certainly she had ill feelings for Isabella, but those were only born from Isabella abandoning the Hive. Other than that, she really felt no need to do Isabella harm.

Several minutes creeped past and finally, Tentra made up her mind. She straightened up and bolted into the sky, ripping the cloud she had rested on to pieces.

When Chrysalis and Sir Roderick arrived on the Ponyville train station landing, it was packed with ponies. The air was filled with chatter and steam from the locomotive. Both Sir Roderick and Chrysalis were attempting not to be touched by anypony, but the task proved to be impossible. If they shifted to get away from one pony, they bumped into some other pony.

After bumping into three different ponies in the last few seconds, Chrysalis, who had taken on the persona of a deep violet unicorn with a nighttime blue mane and tail, growled and muttered "If I'd known there would be this many ponies here, I would have morphed into a pegasus so I could fly over them all."

"At least you -oof- can morph. I'm stuck like this. I can't believe these peasants -ouch- can live like this." murmured Sir Roderick as he bumped into several other ponies.

Once they managed to dissect themselves from the large crowd and to get off the platform, they trotted toward what looked like the center of town. There was a huge gazebo in the center of a cleared area the look almost like a park, but there was no grass, plus there were produce stalls all around. It was more of a social gathering place, which was made abundantly clear by the large amount of ponies that were milling about.

Some were shopping, others were lounging under the shade of the gazebo, and others merely stood about as they talked. Chrysalis and Sir Roderick glanced at each other and sighed. This would probably be the best place to start their search.

With a short look about, they decided to begin their questions with a young stallion with a dark brown spiked mane and tail, a light brown coat of fur, light blue eyes, and the cutie mark of an hour glass.

"Excuse me. We need to ask you something." stated Sir Roderick as he strode up to the young stallion.

The stallion took several steps back, startled, but ran into a cart and couldn't get away. His eyes darted around nervously as Sir Roderick loomed over him.

Sir Roderick looked down his nose at the stallion and arched an eyebrow. He knew he was a sight to behold, being a creature of breeding, but was he truly so intimidating? This was quite interesting.

"We're looking for somepony. We were wondering if you could help us." he said, barely hiding a sneer.

The stallion's forehead was beaded with sweat now, and his eyes flashed from Sir Roderick and Chrysalis, who had just walked up, and he put on a fake smile as he stammered "S-s-s-sure. A-anything you want."

Chrysalis glanced at Sir Roderick with a look that said "Seriously?"

Sir Roderick cleared his throat. "We're looking for a mare, know as 'Isabella'. She has a white coat, a blue mane and tail, and green eyes. Have you seen her?"

The stallion thought for a second, then shook his head before saying "Uh, nope. Sorry I couldn't help you. Bye!", and with that, he bolted away.

"If all the ponies in this town are as timid as that one, we're never going to find her." said Chrysalis, a scowl on her face, as they watched the stallion disappear over a nearby bridge.

Not all the ponies were as easily frightened as the first stallion, but none of them knew any more than he had. It had been several hours now, and Chrysalis was becoming angry. If they didn't find someone that knew anything soon, she would simply wreak havoc on the town until some one told her where Isabella was.

After yet another failed attempt to get the information they required, Chrysalis huffed and sat down hard.
`
"This is ridiculous! Can I please just scare it out of them?" she hissed.

"No! You want to ruin my image..... I mean blow our cover? Just because you're from a different land doesn't mean you just go acting how you like. We have to find her without drawing too much attention to me.....I mean us." correct Sir Roderick, as Chrysalis narrowed her eyes.

Chrysalis was about to say something else when she was run into from behind. Chrysalis craned her neck around and Sir Roderick looked down at three little fillies. Each one was from a different race of ponies. The earth filly was yellow with a red mane and tail plus a large pink bow adorning the top of her head. The pegasus was orange with tiny wings and spiky purple mane and tail. And the unicorn was white with a curly violet mane and tail.

"Ow.....Um, sorry." said the little earth pony in a thick southern accent as Chrysalis and Sir Roderick glared down at the three.

"Can we help you?!" asked Chrysalis, aggressively.

The three fillies looked at each other and backed away a little, blushing.

"Uh. No thanks. We're really sorry about that." said the unicorn as she grinned guiltily up at the two ponies.

"Yeah. We got stuff do to." said the pegasus, sticking her chest out. "We're helping Twilight keep an eye and ear out for Isabella if she returns."

Chrysalis blinked then snapped her head back around to look at Sir Roderick. He was speechless as well, him mouth hanging open. Had they heard the filly properly?

"Excuse us." started Sir Roderick as the three fillies were about to run off, "This 'Isabella'... she didn't by chance have... a blue mane and tail, with a white coat, and green eyes.... did she?"

The three fillies looked at each other, their eyes wide with surprise.

"How did you know?" asked the earth filly.

Sir Roderick glanced quickly at Chrysalis again. She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly and he snapped his eyes back to the fillies.

"We're her..... relatives." Sir Roderick responded, rather lamely.

The little pegasus and the little unicorn looked at each other with their eyebrows arched, but the young earth pony had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Ah don't remember Isabella sayin anythin' about havin' family....." said the earth filly as she scratched her chin.

Chrysalis put on a facade of sadness and said "She..... ran away from home."

Sir Roderick caught on quickly and put his arm around Chrysalis's shoulders. He knew she would punish him for this later, but he needed to be convincing.

The fillies seemed to fall for it, and the unicorn asked "Why? Why would she run away?"

"We had a heavy disagreement." said Sir Roderick, trying his hardest to make his voice heavy with regret.

"And we've been trying to find her. If you know anything about her whereabouts, please tell us."

Chrysalis successfully made herself seem to be on the edge of tears and she buried her face in Sir Roderick's chest.

"Hey! We might be able to you!" said the young pegasus.

"Well, more accurately, ma Granny Smith should be able to help. Isabella disappeared with ma big brother, Big Macintosh, and Granny Smith knows more about him then he does. So if anypony knows where to find em, it'd be her." said the little earth filly.

"Can you take us to her? Your Granny, I mean." inquired Sir Roderick, as Chrysalis was busy faking tears.

"Sure thang. We live out this way, outta town. Come on." said the little earth pony as she gestured for them to follow her as she and the other two fillies turned to head out of town.

Chrysalis pushed away from Sir Roderick and smiled as she whispered "Touch me again, and I'll break your arm."

"At least they bought it, right? Soon, we'll know where Isabella is and she'll be ours for the taking." gloated Sir Roderick quietly as he and Chrysalis followed the three fillies.

It was very slow going for Isabella and Big Macintosh, and now that they were out of the gravel and onto more fertile ground, there were burs and thistles growing in abundance, which stuck in their fur and and poked their flesh. Isabella was sweating profusely, as was Big Macintosh. Every few steps they would stop for a moment and catch their breath.

On one such an occasion, Isabella wiped the sweat from her eyes and said "Come on Macintosh. We're almost to the next crest. Just a little more......."

She stopped dead.

"Isabella? What's wrong?" asked Big Macintosh.

Her eyes were locked on something, and he followed her gaze. When he saw what she was looking at, he too was stunned.

Before them, stood a changeling.

Isabella blinked a few times before, then her eyes narrowed.

"If you're hear for trouble, you'll get more than you bargained for!" she growled up at the changeling.

To her surprise, the changeling actually looked.......hurt? Surprised? What ever it was, it wasn't a violent emotion.

"You.....don't you recognize me?" asked the changeling, confusion on Its face.

"Should I?" asked Isabella as she raised an eyebrow.

"I.. I am Tentra." stated the changeling.

Isabella blinked. Something about the name seemed familiar, but Isabella was having a hard time placing it.

"I was the changeling..."

"...That survived our fight in Ponyville." interrupted Isabella. She could feel the hive connection between herself and the changeling. It was the same as the one she had felt the day before. She did recognize this changeling

It was true, but that was not what Tentra was going to say. She was hoping to jog Isabella's memory. To make her half sister remember her. To have someone remember her in a somewhat positive light, rather than as nothing but a monster.

"Y-yes, but..." started Tentra, but Isabella cut her off.

"Why are you here?"

Tentra was doing her best to suppress her frustration. She was remembering why Isabella and her had never gotten along.

"I am here because I'm in the same situation as you." said Tentra, taking a step forward.

"How so?" asked Isabella, her eyes narrowing again, but her voice curious.

"Since I was the only one to return with the bad news that you knew about the hunt for you, I was lucky enough not to be killed, but I was banished. Now we are sisters, not only in blood, but in banishment." stated Tentra, taking a few more steps forward.

Isabella was filled with curiosity now.

"Well then. Why did you come? You know that if you return to Chrysalis she'll kill you, so you must be here for some other reason." observed Isabella.

Tentra smiled and said "You always were decisive, Isabella."

Isabella's eyebrows shot up. She had not expected this changeling to be peaceful, and the fact that she knew her name? That was definitely unexpected. Isabella opened her mouth to speak, but Tentra continued.

"I know why the queen hunts you, and I know you're more powerful than her. That's why she wants you dead. She doesn't want you to replace her." said Tentra, smiling at Isabella.

"Wait a minute."

Isabella and Tentra looked up to see a confused look on Big Macintosh's face.

"Yer the daughter of a queen?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"Yes. Yes, she is. This mare, my half sister, is the next heir to the changeling throne." said Tentra, her voice growing louder with excitement, "That's why I'm here. I need a leader to follow, and you're the only one I could think to come to."

"Why didn't ya tell me about that?" asked Big Macintosh.

"It was news to me too. I never wanted the throne, and I don't see why I'm so special, besides, with the fact that I'm only half changeling I'd think that that would make me less likely to be the heir to the throne." rebutted Isabella.

"But you see," began Tentra, "you're the only one that was truly born to her. All of the others and myself were spawned, not born. You were the only one that was conceived within her. You are her true flesh and blood." she explained.

It took Isabella and Big Macintosh a few seconds to really comprehend what she meant, but when it clicked, they both said "Oh~."

Isabella shrugged slightly to get Big Macintosh into a more comfortable position as she thought.

"That still does not answer my question. Why did you come here? I honestly doubt you just came here to tell me why Chrysalis wanted me dead." she observed.

"I'm here to join you." stated Tentra bluntly.

Big Macintosh and Isabella looked at each other and sniggered, but when they looked back up at Tentra, her expression was dead serious.

"Why would you wanna come with us? We tried to kill you." asked Big Macintosh.

"I'm better off with you two than with the queen and the hive. Besides. If you were going to kill me, you would have done so already." replied Tentra confidently.

Isabella smirked. "True. Alright, you can come with us, but we will keep an eye on you for a the time being." she said, her eyes scanning her half sister over.

They stood in slightly awkward silence for several minutes. Finally, Big Macintosh cleared his throat and said "Ah know you guys are kinda havin an awkward family moment, but we need to get to the cottage. It might be dangerous to be out here after dark."

Isabella and Tentra nodded, more to each other than to Big Macintosh. Tentra approached cautiously, and with Isabella's permission, took Big Macintosh's other leg, the three of them continuing up the mountain towards their destination.

Comments

[CureAll]

Saw this chapter pop up and I threw my homework aside :D :D
So glad for the newness

[Sdlghskjvnkj]

lol. Sorry for taking to long. Thank god I'll be graduated soon and will have more time to write.

[CureAll]

I noticed you need to change the type of thrown you used to throne

[Sdlghskjvnkj]

lol

[mines5]

672091
You and me both
I can't wait until the next chapter

[shadowcat009]

You know i really am starting to hate the CMC they ALWAYS end up doing things like this.

[Sdlghskjvnkj]

673108 CMC?

[shadowcat009]

674013 Cutie mark crusaders

[Aluminaughty]

Oh my gosh I need to know what happens next!!!

[Sdlghskjvnkj]

687080 Patience I'm doing my best to come up with the next chapter, but if I rush it, I'll hate it and you will too. But I know what you mean. I do too.

[Scarlet Rider]

New chapter please!!!!!!

[Sdlghskjvnkj]

801137 Sorry for the neglect to the story guys. I've been blowing pretty much everything off these days. I'm hoping to get the next bit out sometime soon.

[Scarlet Rider]

I understand...

[SFaccountant]

"Tell me. Did you or did you not remember that the mission was supposed to be discreet? And did you did you not remember that you were to come straight back here when you discovered her?!" asked Chrysalis

Man, changelings SUCK at spying. You'd think it would be their area of expertise, but no!

Why was it her fault if she was had been detected and attacked by the target?

Okay, no. First line in that encounter was this:

"I'm glad to see your senses haven't dulled over time... sister." said the stallion, his eyes gleaming maliciously.

You suck at spying AND excuses, changeling.

Chrysalis was becoming angry. If they didn't find someone that knew anything soon, she would simply wreak havoc on the town until some one told her where Isabella was.

See this? This, right here? This is what I'm talking about. Chryssi, you're incognito for a reason. Don't make a fuss and get yourself curb stomped by the Sparkle brigade when you're not even conducting a big invasion or anything.

Besides. If you were going to kill me, you would have done so already.

Actually, it's really quite plausible for them to hear you out and THEN murder you after deciding that they can't trust you.
I mean, really, this could easily be a trap. Only the utter incompetence of the changeling race suggests that Tetra isn't an assassin, here.