It is the middle of the semester at Starswirl University, and MoonStar is having a fun time with all her classes, and passing them with flying colors...well, all except one of course. Thanks to the dragon amulet she found and passing her Mythology class with an A-, she is taking a higher division course of the same class, Mythology 1B, but dealing with more concerns, issues, and the problems these creatures hold. It is a required class to graduate, and she only needs to pass it with a C or better. This time, her professor is none other than Dr. Bookworm, a Ph.D. scholar of all mythological creatures, and the most ruthless, but kindly, professor the university has ever known; their topic for this month is on changelings.
The class groans and moans in disappointment because of how complicated and difficult they are from start to finish, and MoonStar was the very same. Dr. Bookworm explains that since the changelings were recently reformed, thanks to the spread of news by Twilight Sparkle and the rise of King Thorax, they can actually make it a fun experience. Although, what they know right now about the reformed changelings were little or none, but what helped them was the new Changeling ambassador to show the new allegiance of the Changeling Kingdom, Equestria, and The Crystal Empire. MoonStar tries to pay super close attention to each of the new details the reform changelings have to offer, but she feels it didn't feel right to learn about these reform creatures. When the class was over, MoonStar went to Dr. Bookworm to ask him on an important topic.
She said, "Excuse me, Professor Bookworm? I understand we need to learn about the mythology of the changelings to pass the class, and I deeply appreciate King Thorax to send us these changed terminologies for us, but could it be okay if I can write my essay on the original changelings, the one ran by Queen Chrysalis?"
Dr. Bookworm looks at her after listening to her question, and his response is, "Well, Ms. GalaxyChaser. While I am glad you are learning so much in this class, and especially with the changelings, but ever since word came to us by Princess Twilight Sparkle on their reformation, it's much easier to learn about the reform changelings on a grand scale, and we are still learning much about them, so that makes the old changelings...um...shall we say...obsolete. However, I appreciate you want to learn how they originally lived, and the culture they hold, I suppose if you want to if you can find some information about the unreformed changelings, I might boost your points up, a little."
MoonStar simply nods to him and agrees to take it as a challenge for herself. When class was over, she steps outside of the department building and plans to get ready to do this essay. She removed her saddlebag, and touch her amulet. Afterward, she slowly changed into her dragon form, Thraka Flamouria, and ties her saddlebag around her waist, so it doesn't fall off. At first, she had a hard time getting used to her second form, but after months of practice, she flies with ease and decides to go where she might think they once lived at, Everfree Forest. As she travels through the skies, Thraka wonders what kind of amazing stories and facts the unreformed changelings possessed. The kind of stories they hold, the culture they wield, and so much. Thraka's mind was elsewhere, but out of nowhere, a scream was heard from a distance and said, "WATCH OUT!" Thraka turns her attention to the scream, and notice that a pegasus was close by and was about to hit her. Thraka screams as well and immediately dodge the pegasus coming by and made a sigh of relief. She was closing in on Everfree Forest and lands near the entrance.
Thraka removes the saddlebag around her waist, touch the pendant, returning herself back to MoonStar. She begins to investigate Everfree Forest to get an idea of how the old changelings lived their lives under Chrysalis's rule. As she was inspecting the area, she believes that the old changelings were a lot better and honestly cooler because of how very mysterious they were. She knew a bit about the changelings' story when she was a filly. All she knows is that the changelings follow a powerful leader, the Changeling Queen, and lead them all to their salvation and paradise.
In the depths of Everfree Forst, there were whispers and cries of anger coming from the trees. Queen Chrysalis, living the rest of her days in Everfree Forest, is slowly thinking of ways to exact her revenge upon Starlight Glimmer after what she witnessed on that faithful day. She almost had it all: The Conquest of Canterlot, the capturing of the princesses and the Mane 6, and even created powerful clones to stop Starlight in her tracks, but all have failed...She is living in a small cave, and all she had to endure to eat is nothing but nuts and berries, and some water she needs to filter. Outside of her "home", she slowly went mad and insane and feels she is truly alone after losing her kingdom against Starlight and her companions, Trixie, Discord, and Thorax as an unreformed changeling and before becoming the new king.
The angry Chrysalis said, "Lost...Gone...Forgotten...I had it all before she took it all away!!! That fool, Starlight Glimmer; all that I've done to cater to my army, my kingdom, my subjects, gone!!! I will continue to vow my revenge against her, but I must do so in a stealthy manner. *Sigh* For the last couple of months, all I've done is survive on nuts and berries, and purified freshwater. I'm sick of this stuff!!! I need love, I need to feed, but where...?"
After her self rant was over, her hearings pick up a small fainted noise in the distance. She picks her head up and listens to the sound in the airway. Distances away, MoonStar got caught in something in her hind hooves, like a twisted twig, and she pulled herself out. Chrysalis couldn't believe it; someone is really in the forest, and it was enough for her to get a new plan going. She smirks to her delight and went into hiding in the shadows, and follow the noise until she found the source.
MoonStar, still having a hard time covering the forest from head to hooves, feels she is lost and confused.
She said, "Oh Man...If I knew how mysterious and dangerous Everfree Forest is, I shouldn't even be here at all. Never you mind that, MoonStar. You've dealt with a lot of nasty things in your life before. The Wendigos with Fiery Heart that one Hearth Warming Day, the dragon change with this amulet, the switcheroo spell gone wrong with Twilight, the Cutie Map calling me to Canterlot and dealing with Luna's friendship issue, the comet being that close to Equestria with Rarity, and that inter-dimensional travel to Ponyland. I'm sure nothing bad will happened to me this time."
Or so she thinks...as she was walking, she heard some mysterious wailing, and it was a small filly noise.
The small mysterious filly said, "Welp me...Mummy...Daddy? Where are vou?"
MoonStar got a bit scared that there was a chilling voice in the forest, but can it really be a small filly calling for help? She has no clue what it is, and she really needs to do this essay for those bonus points, and hope for the best. She takes a deep breath for 10 seconds, looks ahead to the forest with her head held high, and slowly being to walk into the deep dark section of the forest. Chrysalis plans to lure MoonStar into the deep part of the forest, and fool her to be captured in her clutches, but only when they meet face-to-face. This...is the beginning of MoonStar's longest battle she'll ever face...