//------------------------------// // Tirek // Story: The Reservation // by Kyuubi325 //------------------------------// State of Lincoln Buzzards Oasis Trailer Homes 15 Miles from Sulferhoof and the Equestrian Reservation 9:37 AM Tirek yawned slowly trotting into the kitchen rubbing the back of his neck. Mumbling while he grasped the frilly pink apron hanging on the nearby hook. Taking a moment to slip it on and tie the straps he made his way over the counter, switching on the small tv to the Food Network. He hummed seeing his favorite show was one while he turned up the volume. “Hello everyone this is Binging With Babish and today we are going to cover something that fits with the holiday season. That’s right, the lovely feast from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Tirek smiled before turning his attention to the task at hand, reaching up into one of the cupboards and pulling out a heavy vintage-looking cookbook. Flipping through the pages he found what he was looking for muttering as he read the ingredients after switching on the oven. It didn’t take him long to gather the necessary items, tying a pink frilly apron around himself as he painstakingly started measuring out the ingredients, dumping them into a bowl humming gently as he mixed them together. Once the dough was properly mixed he dusted the countertop with some flour before slamming the dough down. Working it over with a rolling pin until it was reduced to an oval sheet. Grasping a few antique cookie cutters he started to fill a baking sheet with familiar holiday shapes. Christmas trees, candy canes, reindeer, even little slays. Perhaps not what Gram Gram had intended for her Cinnamon Ginger cookies, but the scent always reminded him of the holidays. Once the basics were finished he grabbed a set of custom cookie cutters and used the last of the dough. Steadily he filled up two greased sheets before slipping them into the oven. Afterward, he began to separate egg whites for the frosting, as he did so he couldn’t help but sway a bit feeling rather at peace. He turned his attention back to the TV seeing they had moved onto the main course. Raising his eyebrows at what Andrew Rea was using instead of a normal turkey. “Now take the Cockatrice and use your knife to descale its tail.” The man said on the television, Tirek taking a moment to remember if he recorded this episode or not. Looking back down at the frosting, he nodded his head pouring it into a few separate bowls. Adding some coloring he hummed mixing until they were evenly distributed, working each into a piping bag. Once that was done he tied them off yawning a bit cracking his neck as he went back to look at the cookies. Humming gently as he watched them set and begin to brown slightly. Hearing the timer ring he pulled them out, setting them out to cool for a moment. He took a moment to enjoy the scent before checking the time on his watch. Seeing the time he pulled out a festive holiday cookie tin from the lower cabinet along with a roll of wax paper. Using some kitchen shears he began to cut the paper into neat squares, setting them into a pile. Setting the shears back down he reached over to the pan to check if the cookies had cooled off before grasping the piping bags. A faint smile forming on his lips as he started to cover one of the horse cookies with black icing, leaving little holes over the legs. Grasping the green icing he began to add a mossy mane on its head, finishing it off with a bit of the green icing for the eyes and mouth. He would follow a similar pattern with the other identically shaped cookies. Once that was done, he turned his attention to the smaller horse-shaped cookies. Taking some pink icing, he slowly started to frost the cookies before adding a blue mane using some red icing for the eyes and mouth. After finishing, he began to finish up the more traditional cookies, giving the trees, reindeer, and little slays the same attention he had given the others. Looking them over he huffed slowly slipping the cookies into the tin, placing some wax paper between each layer until the box was filled. Carefully sealing the lid and tying it down with some red ribbon. Turning around he slipped off the pink apron and set it on the nearby rack. Trotting over to a nearby closet he grasped a windbreaker, siding it over his arms and torso. Once he was zipped up he grasped two presents that had been placed above the coats on the hat shelf. Clutching the green and pink boxes close to his chest as he made his way back to the kitchen. Taking a moment to turn his attention back to the television seeing the show reach its conclusion. “And here you go, a lovely feast fit for every Who in Whoville, from the lovely fruit platters to the savory roast beast.” He heard the chef say just as he switched off the screen grabbing his keys from the nearby counter, along with the presents and cookie tin. Resting them on his horselike lower back he trotted out of his double-wide trailer, inhaling the cool air deeply. He was greeted by a rather homely environment, bright green lawn, lush flower beds (along with the blue ribbon award on full display), and a few miniature tropical fruit trees lining the path of his driveway. Trotting past them he unlocked his SUV slipping the packages into the passenger seat before making his way around to the driver's side. Climbing up he sat down on the customized saddle seat shifting a bit before he started to buckle in. He had a bit of a drive ahead of him, he wasn’t about to risk getting a ticket. —————————————————————— State of Lincoln Coolidge Plains Ablow Psychiatric Hospital 10:32 AM Doctor Lee gently knocked on the door waiting a moment before speaking. “Chrysalis? It’s Doctor Lee, may I come in?...” It took a few moments before he heard a response. “...Yes...” A hollow voice responded from inside. Opening the door he stepped in seeing the former queen sitting up in her bed staring at the far wall. “Did you sleep well?...” Seeing the dark circles and irritation of her eyes he knew the answer. “... I suppose...” She shifted uncomfortably using her right forehoof to brush her shortened green mane from her eyes. The doctor frowned seeing she was trying to hide her other foreleg under the covers. Faint green bioluminescent stains just showing through the fabric. “Chrysalis... show me your left leg...” “....” She didn’t move. “It’s nothing to worry about... just a paper cut...” “Chrysalis... show me your leg...” His voice turned more firm. She seemed to hold her breath but slowly pulled it out, revealing shattered carapace, with bite marks covering the soft flesh underneath. “I-it’s nothing....” “Chrysalis you're supposed to tell us when this happens...” He frowned shaking his head. “It’s the only thing that makes it stop...” She whispered faintly, lowering her head. “Have you been spitting up your meds again?....” He took a step forward, kneeling down to get a closer look. “They stop them during the day... but at night... E-everything comes back even worse!” She clutched her head between her hooves. Doctor Lee rested his hand on her shoulder. “You need to tell us these things... you shouldn’t bottle them up... you won’t get better that way...” Seeing she wasn’t in the right state of mind to respond he continued. “Let’s get you to the infirmary... because it’s Christmas I won’t tell your guardian this time...” The changeling just nodded her head sadly following him out, limping a bit from her injury. —————————————————————— Doctor Lee sighed in relief as he shook the spray can after having cleaned the wound, thankfully she hadn’t ruptured a major artery. The broken carapace made it look worse than it was, but it meant he would have to keep a closer eye on his patient again. Pressing down on the nozzle he watched as the artificial shell slowly build up over the flesh. The color was a bit off and it certainly wasn’t as strong as the natural carapace, but it helped protect from infection. “There we go...” He smiled faintly. Chrysalis slowly raised her leg staring at it, frowning a bit at the off blue color. “Your new shell will replace it in about a week or so... if you don’t like it I could find you a nicer gown to wear...” He offered. “Thank you, I’d like that...” She lowered her leg back down testing her weight on it wincing a bit. “But before we do that... I think we need to have a talk about what happened...” He sat back down in the chair opposite of the exam table. “Bad memories... that’s all...” She exhaled. “Those memories were bad enough to make you bite through your shell...” He leaned forward. “...I remembered what happened...” She shuttered, her wing nubs twitching under her gown. “You mean... The white mare don’t you?...” He rested his hand on his lap. The queen just seemed to shift in her seat uncomfortably in her seat, eyes seeming to glaze over for a moment. "Chrysalis?" The doctor sounded concerned. Her eyes seemed to flicker with faint green bioluminescence. “S-she made me feel everything...” She shook her eyes seeming to flash like a bad fluorescent light. “Because she could?” He asked tilting his head. "Chrysalis please... you're going to overload yourself again..." He motioned to an orderly just outside who had a sedative ready. Taking deep breaths she attempted to calm herself, the glow in her irises fading. “She knew I couldn’t escape...” She ran her hoof through her mane, faint rune scars could be seen just under the mossy locks. “Used me and that fool to keep her war effort going...” “The hive-mind...” He mumbled nodding his head. "We have some information from the Colorado colony, but due to the nature of the subject we couldn't get much..." He motioned for the orderly to relax out of sight while activating the recording function on his tablet. “It’s one thing to use it on half-life’s.... another to use it on proper drones...” She stared blankly. "Assuming direct control is... overwhelming... even the most skilled queens can only maintain it for a week at most..." "Why?" The doctor was intrigued. "At first it's easy... you speak through the hive-mind they do as they are told..." She inhales. "But over time more... intensive measures are necessary..." "They become dependent?" The doctor seemed horrified. "Yes... What's the human phrase... I have no mouth and I must scream?... I feel that explains their situation all to well..." She shook her head. "They are fully aware of what's going on during the process, but increasingly require puppeteering?" He tilted his head seeming to be in deep thought. "Yes... over time they lose the ability to control themselves." She stared at the wall. "That's why they exhibit symptoms similar to New Foal syndrome..." He mumbled to himself. "It was never meant for full-fledged drones for that reason..." She shook her head. “Half-life’s?...” He asked unfamiliar with the term. “Drones that are matured in a matter of weeks rather than years...” She mumbled. “Weeks?... that seems... improbable...” He stared in disbelief. “Changeling queens can secrete hormones to... speed things along...” She took a moment to consider the response. “I’m guessing there’s a reason you call them half-life’s....” He adjusted himself in his seat. “...they are meant to overwhelm the enemy... they aren’t known for their intellect... strength... or longevity...” “Such rapid growth caused complications?...” The doctor asked to which she nodded. “The term half-life is generous... An entire lifetime in five years... max... most died in 2 or 3...” She mumbled. “What were they like?...” He couldn't help but ask. “Dull... nearly blank slates... very literal with orders... well suited for hive-mind control...” She was dismissive. “You don’t sound too upset about them?...” He sounded slightly concerned. “Such creatures were only ever created as a last resort... the good of the hive always comes first... if that’s what it took to keep my kind alive so be it...” They mumbled. “What happens when you use the hive-mind on more... fully formed changelings?...” She seemed to pause for a moment collecting her thoughts. “... when a half-life dies it’s scarcely a whimper... they are just... there... then they aren’t... almost like those strategy games they let us play in the library... a unit dies and... it’s no big deal... just a few pixels on a screen....” She closed her eyes as a migraine started to make its self known. “But when that fool handed over his kingdom to that.... that... Bitch....” Her eyes glowed bright green in fury after opening them again. “It was different... wasn’t it?...” His look softened meeting her fury with gentle empathy. The glow faded from her eyes again as she stared back with a look of silent horror. “... I heard and felt everything... their exhaustion... the hunger.... fear.... pain... it filled my mind as she forced me to puppeteer them all in her factories... farms... and mines...” She shook. “But that wasn’t enough for her...” “The pain of thousands wasn’t enough?...” She hid behind his professional persona, not wanting to show his shock. “...That’s something for another time... I have to save something for your birthday... Merry Christmas doctor...” She gave him a sad smile. He seemed to stare at her for a moment before nodding his head. “Merry Christmas Chrysalis....” —————————————————————— State of Lincoln Coolidge Plains Ablow Psychiatric Hospital Visitor Center 11:39 AM Tirek filled out the visitor form, taking a few moments to think as he filled out the personal health survey. Once it was completed he stood up from his seat making his way to the desk where a tired nurse waited. She took it from him looking it over briefly before standing up from the desk. Stretching for a moment before wrestling out her keys from her pocket, motioning him to follow her. He quickly grabbed his precious cargo and trotted after her, being lead through a door and a few hallways. They would quickly come before two heavy double doors, where the nurse took a moment to dig through the keyring before unlocking the door. Without much decorum, she pushed them open revealing a rather cozy looking patient visit area. A large Christmas tree... roaring artificial fireplace... festive decorations.... soft rugs.... and a lovely table for meals. He hummed gently setting the two gifts below the tree before taking his seat at the table. “It will take a moment to get the two patients here...” The nurse spoke while the centaur just nodded his head tiredly. She left him to wait, closing and locking the heavy double doors behind him. He couldn’t be sure how long it was but his sensitive ears pitched up two sets of hoof steps and the heavy footfalls of an orderly. The door on the opposite end of the room slowly slipped open revealing the trio. A changing queen with a faint limp, with a small tired-looking pegasus with glazed over eyes, with a large man in a blue nurses uniform stepping behind them. Stepping from the table he quickly made his way over leaning down and pulling them two into a tight hug. Chrysalis awkwardly hugged him back, while Cozy seemed to just lean in a bit. Pulling away he chuckled. “It’s good to see you two...” Chrysalis looked up at him with a tired smile. “You as-well granny’s boy....” She purred gently. Cozy just stared up at him, faint recognition sparking behind her eyes. Tirek sighed looking at her and then the orderly. “You couldn’t have taken off the tranquilizers for one day?...” The orderly shook his head sadly. “She wasn’t responding to the medications we currently have... in a few months we will have access to more varied options... but until then, her mental state makes her too dangerous to have her unrestrained... both to others... and herself...” He looked down at the chemically numbed filly. Tirek looked back down at the small filly. “When will the meal be ready?...” He asked gently rubbing her buzzed mane. “About 20 minutes... the remote for the tv is on the table, feel free to browse.” He hummed slowly making his way to the far corner seat. Tirek looked dissatisfied but knew the orderly was just doing his job. “How about we turn on the tv while we wait for our meal.” He turned his attention back to the two patients. “Sounds lovely, doesn’t it Cozy?” The changeling purred. “...mhm...” Cozy weakly mumbled through her lips. Chrysalis guided the filly to the couch helping her to the cushions, taking a seat to her left with Tirek sitting onto the opposite. With the remote, he switched on the ABC which was currently playing Home Alone just when the robber had the iron slam into his head. The two older villains sharing a laugh while the little filly seemed enraptured by the tv. “Between you and me... I think that little Kevin is a budding villain....” Chrysalis chuckled. “The likes of which would outshine any of us... he could have called the police at any time... he didn’t... he wanted to play...” Tirek chuckled nodding his head. “Humans have a strange and dark sense of humor...” “M-mhm...” Cozy managed to respond in agreement. While they all shared a laugh at the Wet Bandits' expense, they eventually heard and smelled the meal being set out. Tirek was the first to turn his head seeing the beyond meat meatloaf with a thick ketchup glaze. Creamy mashed potatoes, a basket of steaming rolls, along with a few little sides. It was positively mouth-watering, even Cozy in her current state was struggling not to drool... more than usual. “This must have cost you...” Chrysalis looked surprised at the spread as she helped Cozy to one of the chairs. Taking a moment to strap her in, before making her way to a chair nearby. “With everything that’s going on... it’s important to enjoy the holidays...” He smiled gently as he started to serve the pre-cut loaf. “I suppose your right...” She tied a napkin around Cozy’s neck over her snowflake detailed gown. “...You're surprisingly good with her...” Tirek watched smirking. “...It’s not like she has any visitors besides yourself...” She started to help plate, tearing a roll to pieces in order to make it easier for her to swallow. Tirek nodded solemnly as he finished serving the main course, moving on the potatoes. “I suppose that makes sense... how are you feeling?...” “... Better I suppose...” She mumbled sitting back in her chair. “Have you thought about that invitation from Pharynx?...” He asked awkwardly. Poking at her food she exhaled. “Yes... I’m not sure why he invited me to his little commune... but... it’s not my place... I was outed long ago... and the only recent connection I have with them was through the Hive-Mind...” She shook her head. “You wouldn’t even want... to see it?” Tirek asked. “No...I don’t need to... I trust Pharynx to build a truly lasting hive... something his brother could not...” She spat the last words before using her spork to cut into the food. “Changelings must survive... with or without a queen... my presence would only stifle whatever progress they have made...” “I suppose that makes sense...” Tirek sighed adopting a more thoughtful look while the three of them ate in silence. With either the centaur or changeling pausing between the meals to wipe the filly’s mouth. Eventually, the trio leaned back in their respective chairs sighing a bit. Many of the small serving plates were reduced to crumbs and smears. “I haven’t had a meal like that in ages...” Chrysalis purred. “I hope you both saved room for dessert.” Tirek reached over to the cookie tin pulling it over. Cozy seemed to lean forward a bit, her buzzed tail seeming to wag a bit. Likely having picked up on the scent of freshly baked cookies. “....M-mmmmf....” “I couldn’t possibly...” Even Chrysalis struggled to keep her drool in her mouth. Popping open the tin he held it out to the two patients, Cozy being the first to clumsily reach, grabbing her sweet doppelgänger. Chrysalis followed suit grabbing her iced twin, taking a moment to look it over before inhaling the scent. Tirek just smiled watching the two of them, setting the cookie tin down on the table. Grabbing one of the reindeer for himself taking a bite after seeing the two of them practically inhale their treats. “Everyone says they're full until dessert comes....” Tirek shook his head watching the two. “Mmmf... it’s amazing your not fat from your own cooking....” Chrysalis licked the crumbs off her muzzle. “I can cook healthy meals...” He crossed his arms looking jokingly insulted. “Besides would you have rather I brought a nice healthy... Apple Salad?” “Don’t joke about that! You know what apples do to my stomach!” She looked horrified before chuckling herself. Even Cozy seemed a bit amused by the two's antics giggling herself a bit through a mouthful of crumbs. “You know... I think I spot two gifts under the tree... couldn’t be for this table of villains could it?” He chuckled while the Changeling queen and filly looked over. “You didn’t...” She seemed genuinely surprised, slipping Cozy onto her back she slowly trotted to the tree. Staring at the two packages while Cozy tried to peak over her shoulders. Sitting down she let the filly slide down her back to get a closer look. After helping Cozy get ahold of her gift Chrysalis pulled her own in closer. While Cozy tore into her gift as best she could with her hooves, Chrysalis was more methodical peeling off the layers revealing a standard box. Grasping the lid she pulled it away revealing a mossy green tunic with long sleeves. Looking at it closely she could tell it wasn’t some old thing off the rack... careful hand stitches could be seen throughout. “I know you don’t like the gowns too much... so I thought something more traditional might help...” He smiled “Will they even let me wear it?...” She ran her hooves over the material. “I already cleared it...” He hummed looking over at Cozy, seeing the filly opening the box revealing a handmade hooded sweatshirt. She seemed to stare at it for a moment clumsily rubbing her hoof over the familiar blue-colored hoodie attached to it. “You as well Cozy... I know you miss your mane... but perhaps this can be a substitute for now?...” She gazed up with a faint smile on her lips, tears leaking out of the sides of her eyes. “M-mhm!...” The filly struggled to her hooves while holding the gift. Just managing to make it over to him before hugging his side. Tirek seemed surprised but reached down and rubbed her head. While focused on her he hadn’t noticed the queen sneaking over and wrapping her hooves around his opposite side. Before he could get a word in chrysalis beat him to the punch. “Why?...” “Why what?...” He looked over “Why did you adjust so... easily?... Why bother visiting us?.... why...” She seemed to struggle with the words. “Do I care?...” He tilted his head. “...yes...” She and Cozy looked up curiously. “Your both insufferable... Childish... impatient... greedy... and troublesome... but...” He exhaled. “But... with all that in mind... thinking about you two keeps me going through the day...These weekly visits make working on the tarmac worth it...” Chrysalis chuckled. “You're horrible with words when your all sentimental... but... I get it...” She rested her chin on his horseback. “How about we grab the rest of those cookies... and find a sappy movie?....” “What do you think Cozy?...” Tirek looked at the filly who seemed to have settled against his side who just nodded her head. The three of them just enjoyed the moment before making their way back to the couch. Setting the tin on the nearby coffee table as they started to flip through the channels looking for something to watch. Eventually settling on the Christmas Truce, a more recently released movie. As the title sequence played Tirek closed his eyes just enjoying the moment with them instead of the movie.