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// Chapter 2 Hatched 
// Story: Don’t make deals with Chrysalis 
// by ThePhonyBronyPony 
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Chapter 2
 
 
 
 
“Awake my child, you have been asleep long enough. Come, break free of you prison and join me, as we must leave. The ponies have found us!”
 
Mother tries to wake me, as I struggle to open my eyes. My eyelids feel like millstones, that I am trying to lift with my mind. I eventually give up and fall back into sleep.
 
“NO, Daughter wake we must flee!” An electricity fills the egg charging me, like I had been injected with adrenalin. My eyes fly open and I begin to struggle. I slam my head against the egg wall, and drag down. I wasn’t thinking at this point, I was instead merely fallowing instinct. As I drag my head down I notice that the egg is being sliced open, like cutting your way out of a paper bag. Once the hole is big enough, I slide out on a wave of green syrup.
 
I hadn’t realized how much I missed breathing air until then. Mother picks me up, and places my small form on her back. Once I am settled Mother starts running. She leaps through closing holes in the walls of the hive, darting this way and that way. I would have lost my way a thousand times by now, but the Queen seemed to know where to go.
 
I found it odd that we didn’t come across anyone else as we fled. After all this was clearly a hive. So where were the soldiers, the workers, and where were the numerus drones that should be here. Surly they all couldn’t be gone. Could they?
 
Mother dashed through one last door, and into the scorching heat of a wasteland. I looked around there was nothing but rocks and sand as far as the eyes could see. I wondered how far we could make it without water. Mother didn’t seem concerned though she just simply ran.
 
I took this long run as a prime time to examine my new body. It appeared I was some sort of equine bug. I had four legs that looked more like swiss cheese than legs, in my opinion. I had a pair of insect like wings and a razor-sharp horn, apparently. I was actually very similar to my mother, we even had the same hair color. Only she was far bigger than me, but I supposed time would fix that. Also, I was female, but don’t get me started on that.
 
After examining myself thoroughly, I took another look at my surroundings. We had left the hive far behind, and I could make out a greener landscape to our left a little.
 
“Mother, look grass! Perhaps we could rest there.” I say pointing a hoof. Chrysalis look in that direction and scowls.
 
“No, daughter we could not.” She says as she runs around it.
 
“But why?” I ask confused.
 
“Because, child that is the land of the enemy.” She says in a tone that clearly says that she doesn’t wish to speak of it.
 
“Oh, ok then.” I say slightly disappointed. That green landscape looked rather inviting.
 
Chrysalis ran for hours before stopping for a break. I was honestly surprised at her stamina. She set me down on the hard-cracked ground and sat down herself. I stretched my limbs and buzzed my wings a little. I took this opportunity to try to learn to walk. I tried moving my hooves in a walking fashion, only to fall flat on my face. I look at Chrysalis and see her doubled over laughing.
 
“Ha ha very funny.” I say getting up.
 
“You could ask for my help.” Chrysalis says, once her laughter dies down.
 
“I got this.” I say as I take a step forward, only to end up falling again.
 
“Are you sure?” The Queen asks trying to not laugh.
 
“Yes, besides third time is the charm, Right?” I say getting up and slowly take a step forward moving my front left and back right hooves at the same time. Once they reach the ground I shift my weight to them, and fall over. I groan and stamp a hoof in frustration.
 
“You will get it soon enough, Child. Now we must continue, the ponies may be on our trail.” Mother comforts as she stands, picks me up and sets her on her back.
 
Suddenly there is a loud boom and a rainbow shoots across the sky. Mother snatches me off her back and tosses me under her. Then she drops to the ground and with a flash of green fire, darkness surrounds me.
 
“What’s happening?” I ask hoping mother can hear me.
 
“Quiet they will hear you.” She whispers urgently.
 
I am half tempted to ask who will hear me, but I dare not. If mother is right and she doesn’t want that then it must not be good.
 
“I saw her right here!” A voice says.
 
“Are you sure Dash? I don’t see her anywhere.” A new voice says
 
“Yes, I am sure. She was right here!” the first voice says. What was her name? Dash?
 
“Well the only thing here Is this rock.” Says the second voice tapping my hiding spot.
 
“Do you think she is the rock?” asks Dash.
 
“That would be silly why would she hid instead of teleporting or flying away. Hiding isn’t Chrysalis’s style.” Says the second voice.
 
“Twilight, she is a changeling. Changelings hide behind other forms. It makes more sense that she would turn into something, instead of just flying away.” Says Dash.
 
“You have a point, but I doubt she would turn into a rock.” Says Twilight.
 
“What ever lets just keep looking. Its far too hot and I want to go home.” Dash relents.
 
“That I can agree with.” There is the sound of another boom and a pop. We stay hidden for a while and I fall asleep in the darkness.
 
I awoke in a forest. I looked at my surroundings, giant oaks dropped hundreds of acorns onto the mossy ground. Moonlight filtered in through the trees. The gurgle of a small brook caught my attention. I found I was thirsty, but I was slightly worried Mother was nowhere in sight. I scanned the trees for sight of her but I couldn’t see her.
 
I know it’s odd, but without her I felt scared. I knew I shouldn’t be scared, I mean I was 45 in my old life when I died, I should have the mentality of a 45-year-old. But I found myself wishing for the presence of my new mother, who I had only met in person today. Technically, I was only one day old.
 
“Your awake.” A familiar voice says behind me, filling me with relief. I turn around to see Chrysalis, dripping with water.
 
“Where did you go?” I ask calming in her presence.
 
“Just down to the brook. I felt your fear, so I came to check on you. Is everything ok?” She asks scooping me up. I am placed on her back, as she walks down to the stream.
 
“I am fine. I was just worried about you.” I say hugging her neck. “Wait how did you feel my fear?”
 
“Our minds are connected. We can read each other’s emotions, and send thought through the hive mind.” Chrysalis explains.
 
“Why can’t I read your emotions? And I haven’t gotten any thoughts.” I say confused.
 
“You are to young to read emotions, or receive thoughts. Right now, you are like an open book. You broadcast your thoughts without even knowing it.” Chrysalis steps over a log, and the brook comes into view. “One day, once you are older you will be able to send commands to your own swarm through the hive mind.” She says proudly.
 
“My own swarm?”
 
“Yes, you are a royal, that means once I am gone you will rule the hive.” Chrysalis sets me down by the brook. “Now, Princess you need two things a name and a bath.” Mother gestures to the green syrup that dried on me.
 
“I could use a bath.” I agree. “But I already have a name, Josh Tharp.”
 
“That ‘was’ your name but now you require a new one.” She levitates me with her magic holding me in the water.
 
“Fine how about, Titania” I say merely for the irony. You know because Titania was the Queen of fey. Fey also known as changelings. Ugh people never paid attention in my mythology class.
 
“Titania, I like it, it sounds powerful. It’s not how changeling Queens are usually named, but you aren’t usual are you.” The water started to clean me off but what really got me clean was Chrysalis scrubbing me with a chunk of moss.
 
“How are Queens usually named?” I squeeze my eyes shut as Chrysalis rinses me off.
 
“It’s a long tiresome story that is super confusing and maybe someday I will tell you.” Chrysalis takes me out of the water and tells me to flap my wings. I don’t have enough strength in my wings to fly but flapping them helped to dry me off.
 
Once I finish drying myself. Chrysalis picks me up and crosses the stream. She sets me down on the other side and tells me to practice walking. It is far harder than last time as the ground is uneven but I keep trying and though I fall a lot, though the falls are getting fewer. Eventfully Chrysalis decided that was enough for one night.
 
Really cool fact that mother told me. Changelings have such good night vison because, the hives get pitch black in some places, and we need to be able to navigate them.
 
Mother carried me to a patch of moss near the base of a tree. We plopped down together and slept.
 
In the morning I practiced more walking. I made it three whole steps without falling the first time, the next five. The longer I practiced the more I could do! I let out a high pitched squee when I made it ten whole steps.
 
“What was that?” Asked Chrysalis lifting her head.
 
“Sorry didn’t mean to wake you.” I say walking over to her. (I is a pro now)
 
“Hey you walked! Congratulations.” She said standing and stretching.
 
“Thanks! So, what are we going to do today?” I ask siting down.
 
“Well if we can get out of this forest we can find a town, get some food.” She seems to think for a moment then slams her hoof into her forehead. It looked a lot like a facepalm…facehoof? “Buck. I forgot you are to young to change form. That puts a slight problem into my plan.”
 
 I am pretty sure that buck means something else here. I think to myself.
 
“So, why is that a problem?” I ask.
 
“Because most everypony thinks of us as monsters.” She says rubbing her forehead.
 
“Why would they think that?”
 
“Maybe it’s our looks. Maybe it’s our eating habits. Maybe it’s because I tried to take over their kingdom, once or twice.”
 
“What are our eating habits exactly?” I ask slightly afraid of her answer.
 
“Changelings feed off of love.” She says simply.
 
“How does that even work.” I ask. Glad it wasn’t cannibalism or something like that.
 
“You ask a lot of difficult questions to answer. You know, that right?” She says grinning at me.
 
I giggle as she picks me up and walks deeper into the forest. It is far slower going in the forest than it was when we were moving through the wasteland. Mother had to duck under branches and climb over fallen trees. When I asked why she didn’t just fly over the forest, she said that it was too easy to see a flying target. I understood that she didn’t want to be seen. Because she may have some enemies but gosh this was so slow. My hunger didn’t make this pace any easier it was hours before we exited the forest. There was a dessert not as dry as the wastelands but still hot.
 
“Not another desert!” I groan. “Is your whole world like this.” I complain.
 
“No, my dear, Titania. However, we are getting close to a town called Dodge junction. There we can find food.”
 
“So how do I eat?” I ask. “It might be important information.”
 
“You will know what to do when the time comes.” The Queen says.
 
“I hope so.” I say. Mother starts running toward a hill.
 
My dark chitin heated up easily, and though It was better than the wasteland. I found I had a distinct hatred for this type of terrain. At least the ground in the wasteland was hard packed, and far less dusty. Mother climbed the small hill, while I clung to her so I wouldn’t fall off. At the top of the hill we were able to look down on a small town. Train tracks ran through the town. Maybe we could take the train! I think hopefully.
 
“No.” Chrysalis says tiredly.
 
“How did you do that?” I ask stunned.
 
“Open book, remember.” She says as she starts walking down the hill towards the town