“Wh-What are you doing here?” Chrysalis stalked forwards, head raised. “I-I see you still have not transformed.”
“Not by choice.” Metamorphosis dismissed. “As for what I’m doing here, I believe that question is better posed to you.”
Chrysalis scoffed. “Don’t tell me you’ve followed the pathetic traitor’s lead-”
“By ‘pathetic traitor’ do you mean our son?” Metamorphosis snarled. Chrysalis froze.
“You… you know-?”
“Thorax and Pharynx came looking for me.” Metamorphosis snarled. “How strange, isn’t it? That my sons had to be the ones to find me, to put effort into looking for a father they didn’t know a single thing about. When the one changeling who knew me the best didn’t even bother.”
Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Such accusations. Metamorphosis, you were the one who decided to leave. Could you blame me for wanting to forget you exist?”
“Yes. I could.” Metamorphosis stalked towards her. “I waited outside the Hive for weeks, hoping you’d come looking. Even after I left completely, I stayed relatively near. I wanted you to find me. I hoped maybe I’d be able to guide you to a better-”
“Spare me your little speeches!” Chrysalis snarled, hissing. “If I didn’t listen to the fool Starlight Glimmer, then what makes you think I’ll listen to you?”
“Because I know you still love me.” Metamorphosis replied. Chrysalis froze. “You kept the letter. Hid it away, yes. But you didn’t forget it. So you have no excuse.”
Chrysalis growled. “I advise you to watch your tongue. I am still your Queen-”
“You are the former queen.” Metamorphosis retorted. “I obey only one changeling now, and that is King Thorax.”
“You disgusting backstabber!” Chrysalis flung herself at Metamorphosis, pinning him to the ground. “You swore you’d stay beside me! You swore to remain loyal! You promised me never to betray the Hive!”
“And who broke those promises first?!” Metamorphosis bellowed. “Chrysalis, you abandoned my side when you grew distant! You did not remain loyal by not attempting to find me! And you betrayed the Hive by bringing them to ruin!”
Chrysalis snarled, but her grip weakened and he pushed her off. Metamorphosis stood tall as she struggled to stand.
“You seem to forget we both made those promises. And you broke them first. And now, I see you crawling back to the Hive to try and invade your own child’s mind!”
“Wh-How do you know about that?!”
“Pharynx’s nightmares are no secret to me. And Princess Luna was quite willing to assist.”
As Chrysalis growled and spat, tongue flicking out, Metamorphosis got closer.
“How dare you, Chrysalis? You return to the Hive at long last after abandoning the Hive yourself, something that would have been treason in the Old Days. But instead of trying a diplomatic approach or even announcing yourself… you come to try and harm my son.”
“Pharynx is my son as well, Meta.”
“It seems like you never cared about either of them, Chrissy. So they are my children. Not yours.” Metamorphosis looked up from the ground. “What do you even want with him? Do you have any idea what you could have done?”
This captured Chrysalis’ attention again. Her eyes shadowed and her smirk returned.
“I want my Hive back. I want my Prince back where he belongs, sitting beside me as a faithful servant with his traitorous and worthless brother lying dead and defeated at his hooves.”
Metamorphosis’ eyes went wide. “Chrysalis… how could you say such things?”
“How could I not?” she laughed “You always were weak, Meta dear. Pathetic, useless. I suppose they’re right, like father like son. Worthless king like worthless king.”
Metamorphosis roared and slammed his hooves on the ground. “You will not speak of my sons like that!”
“I will speak of them however I want!” Chrysalis retorted. “A weak little mewling grub like Thorax should have died long ago! Pharynx belongs at my side and I will ensure he is!”
“You will not!” Metamorphosis shouted “You will not cause any further harm to either of my sons, you will not try to make your fantasies reality!”
“And what if I do try?!” Chrysalis shouted
“Then you will lose.” Metamorphosis growled.
Hoofsteps sounded, and two figures burst from the undergrowth. Thorax and Pharynx.
“Dad, what was that yell, who-” Thorax froze, and Chrysalis turned to him. She smirked.
“Won’t you two come say hi to mother?”
“Never.” Pharynx growled, igniting his antlers. “It was you. You were the one making me think those things.”
“All I did was stir the fears that were already there, my son.”
“I. Am not. Your. Son.” Pharynx snarled.
“A shame.” Chrysalis flicked her mane with a hoof, then looked up at him with a smirk. “I had faith in you, my son. That you would come to me. I’m so disappointed in you.”
Pharynx’s eyes flashed with hurt. Metamorphosis saw this. Chrysalis may not have been a good mother to either of her sons, but she was the only one they had. To hear she thought they weren’t good enough had to sting, despite her not being the first creature whose opinion they would count as valid. Metamorphosis strode closer to her. His height matched hers, and they looked each other in the eye.
“When I first met Thorax and Pharynx, and they explained… I asked if you had embraced the change as well. I was eager to know if you finally listened. When I learned you hadn’t… I was upset. I wanted you to see things from my ideals.”
Metamorphosis took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come next. Thorax and Pharynx stood on either side of him, antlers alight.
“But after learning that you were the reason my son was terrified to sleep? The reason he needed love and affection more than ever? I could never go back to you. I… I can’t believe I ever loved you, Chrysalis.”
Chrysalis stiffened. Then, she snarled. “If that’s the way you have to think? Fine. Once I enact my revenge on Starlight Glimmer, I will be back for you, Metamorphosis.”
“I’d like to see you try, Chrysalis.” Metamorphosis spat.
Chrysalis spread her wings and lifted off. She snarled once more before leaving. As they watched her silhouette fade into the horizon, Thorax pressed against Metamorphosis.
“Dad…”
“I’m alright.” Metamorphosis said. And truly, he was. It felt like a weight had been lifted off him, seeing her leave. Pharynx stepped closer.
“Dad… I…”
“Don’t, Pharynx.” Metamorphosis smiled. “Anything, for my sons. The ones who really loved me.”
Thorax hugged him tight. Pharynx hesitated only a moment before joining in. Metamorphosis hugged back.
“Will the nightmares be gone?” Pharynx croaked
“If what she said was true… those fears will always be there, Pharynx. But the nightmares will no doubt come less frequently without her around to stir the fear.” Metamorphosis replied
Pharynx nodded, pressing against his father. “C-Can we go back now, dad?”
“Of course Pharynx.” Metamorphosis released both his sons, looking at them with a smile. “Let’s go home.”
End of Act 1