//------------------------------// // Fragments Behind // Story: If Not Friendship // by Bunny CarrotHunter //------------------------------// Chrysalis flew in silence towards her Hive, the sun peeking over the horizon showing signs it was near dawn. While in the air, she stole glances from down below, noting the differences from the last time she was flying above Equestria. The last she could recall, trapping her biggest enemy in a cocoon and carrying her from the blizzard mountains to Canterlot, where she would meet back with her two allies… At the memory of them, Chrysalis shook her head and faced forward towards her destination. “If those two decided it was easy backing down, that is their choice. I won’t show any of them mercy when I take over again.” She muttered to herself. “Allies always fail you in the end. Or was it ‘servants always fail you..’ Augh, whatever! They just might have been the same thing.” She pushed them out of her mind, focusing on her task. If she was going to take back what was her’s, first she needed to see for herself how much ruin was laid on her kingdom since her last visit. A while later she made it to the outskirts of the Everfree Forest, her hive only just a bit farther away. No matter how much time passed, the Changelings rarely left a nest when they were settled. She almost believed it when she got closer to her old kingdom. With an abrupt stop, Chrysalis stayed midair as she looked down at the field. The once dried and dead desert that was the outskirts of her Hive was now a thriving field of grass and flora. In the distance, she could make out a large tree in the middle of the wide field, exactly on the spot her holed, spiked and proud kingdom once stood.  With a scowl of initial denial, Chrysalis flies down to the field, buzzing her wings towards the base of the enormous tree. Finding a holed entrance, she snuck her way in, suppressing a growl at the fact she needed to infiltrate her own Hive.  Finding the pathways cleared, she walked around the quiet halls, the cheery sounds of a pair trotting down making her lunge into an unoccupied chamber. Two colorful colored Changelings passed her by in lively chat, unaware of her presence. Chrysalis narrowed her eyes at them. “I had forgotten just how bright my subjects had become. It’s absolutely sickening.. but I can’t go out in the open like this..” Sneaking her way into another pathway, she looked around her once dark home and how much brighter it had become. Since they didn’t need to hide themselves anymore, sunlight was allowed in much more. Sensing another being approaching her, Chrysalis jumped to the ceiling of the hall and flattened herself against it. A singular, lone lime colored Changeling walked across the hall with a quiet hum. Perfect. The poor victim didn’t get time to react as Chrysalis lunged down towards the bystander, pushing him into a dark chamber in the hall. Pinning him against the wall, Chrysalis spat out a webbing to cover his mouth, a single hoof against his chest. Once unshaken, the poor unsuspecting Changeling opened his eyes, coming face to face with the black nightmare, her fangs looming over his face. His scream was muffled as he began to trash around, his voice fading out bit by bit as his energy began to drain from him, escaping in a pink mist towards the taller one’s mouth. Within seconds, the gagged Changeling was let to drop to the ground, weakened into sleep. Chrysalis walked over his fallen body, licking her lips. “You had more love stored inside you than I first expected. The resources must have doubled around here..” Chrysalis eyed the barely moving body. The bright colors on his body and wings. No holes to be seen anymore. So clean and complete. She winced. “Disgusting.” Spitting out more webbing, she covered his body in a semi-cocoon, nudging him out of sight before walking back into the hall, covering herself in green flames as she reappeared in the body of the lime Changeling. Like he was never gone. Finally in disguise, she freely walked around the pathways, looking for any signs leading to the throne room. If she was going to take over, she needed to take down the leader first. Whatever Queen or King they decided to put in her place, she would eliminate them without a doubt. Apparently a lot did change while she was gone. Whatever room her own throne once was, it was long replaced. Her exploration led her to pass by many reformed Changelings. Talking amongst themselves, playing, carrying items from one place to another. Chrysalis raised her disguised eyes to them all. No hunting. No prey being dragged. No training. How were they surviving for this long? It took all her willpower to prevent herself from uncovering and begin to order them to stop. To scowl at them for how wrong this all was. Was THIS what the proud predator Changeling race was reduced to? The lingering scents around her were almost suffocating. The taste of love, happiness, peace.. of friendship. She couldn’t hold back a gag when she identified it, ignoring the confused glances from a few fellow Changelings. Buzzing her bright wings into a hall, she flew with all her speed, down to hopefully find the chamber of the monarch. However, her paths led her to go lower and lower until she began to recognize the dim-lit walls. Chrysalis landed, wary of the peculiarly silent series of chambers from the darken hall as she took careful steps. It was all coming back to her when she passed by an open dorm to the sight of eggs surrounding the interior. Of course. The lowest part of the Hive and the safest to keep the newborns; the nursery. Chrysalis looked around in her lime form. The chamber had fewer holes than she remembered it having, Changeling eggs still stuck to the walls except with less webbing. Despite the low lighting usually needed for the hatching rooms, she could still make out the faint lively colors of the eggs. They weren’t the same deep green swamp color as they used to, but rather diverse, much like the Changeling she passed prior. With a disconcerted look, she makes her way back into the hall, going into another chamber. Her abrupt stop came when she saw somebody else already inside one of them, making her hide back into the hall to peek inside. It was another Changeling, sitting on the floor as she looked up to the wall of eggs almost anticipatingly. Chrysalis raised an eyebrow until a cracking noise echoed throughout the room. An egg wiggled in place before the top cracked open, popping out a tiny colorful Changeling larva, the same color as the grown. The grown Changeling gasped with a squeal, to which the larva perked up to and turned towards them, unreluctant at all when it was lifted from its shell and embraced by the older. Chrysalis kept herself hidden from the pair, her eye only merely twitching from the scene. New Changelings were born in their colorful selves, as if it was natural. She tried to hide her scowl, in that moment not knowing what was hitting her most, the fact baby Changelings surpassed their evolution, or how beaming the Changeling was with the hatchling, rubbing its muzzle against its much smaller cheek. Why was that tugging at her? With a suppressed huff, Chrysalis turned away and took to the air away from the nursery. In her desperation to leave, it didn’t occur to her how the surrounding reeking smell of love and that, reminded her of how hungry she had become once she stepped in. It didn’t occur to her to try and feed off the caretaker Changeling of their clear love for the youngling. Another feeling was overcoming her the longer she stayed. The longer she looked around and at how different everything had become. It was almost aching. With enough distance between the hatching nest and her, she lands, panting softly for air, a sense of pressure building up within her. There was a lot of work she needed to do. And it wasn’t going to stop her. Before she could take another step forward, a smaller Changeling flew past her, directly into a personal chamber near her. Peering in, she caught sight of the young creature, outgrown from its larva state flying into the arms of an adult Changeling, calling out with a soft “mama”. This time she couldn’t hide her baffled expression, followed soon by further disgust. Since when were Changelings allowed to breed with each other? Under her rule, under her monarchy, she was the only one that bore the eggs of another generation. It was her duty as queen. It seemed as if with new appearances came changes to their social structure as well. Everything she worked for... It was sickening! How were any of them content like this? As Chrysalis began to storm away from the sight, a sound stops her in her tracks. A soft, melodious humming echoing from the chamber behind her. Peering back inside, she could see the apparent parent Changeling as it hummed a soft tune to the dozing youngling. It piqued her attention, seeing the little one.. relaxed and soothed by the sounds. Before she could react at all, most likely another scowl, a voice cried out across the hall. “Scapula!” Instantly on the defense, Chrysalis jolted to her side at the voice to see a yellow colored Changeling making its way towards her. “We’ve been waiting for you!” Chrysalis looked behind her, seeing no one around them and adapted to the situation. “Oh, me?” “Of course! We’re just about to start our session at the feelings forum, you said you wanted to join us.” Feelings what? “Oh, hey, Tibia!” the yellow being waved at the parent inside the chamber. “Ssh! Coxa, I just got him to sleep!” the one called Tibia whispered, pointing a hoof to the youngling sleeping beside them. “Oh, sorry!” Coxa returned to the former. “Are you ready to go?” ‘Scapula’ looked at her. She didn’t recognize her in the slightest. Though that could have been because of the new colors. Whatever this forum was, the Changeling she took the form of was invited, and if it sounded as informative as the name implied, it could help her find out what exactly changed in her Hive and what she could do to fix the disgrace it had become. Chrysalis smiled, curling the lips of the lime colored being as her own. “Of course, let’s.” That seemed to make the other happy. Coxa waved a goodbye at the nursing Changeling and took off, Chrysalis right behind her. Before she could ask her escort about the mentioned forum, the two had arrived at a section of the hive decorated in more flora than usual. Coxa led her companion to a circle made up of other patiently waiting Changelings sitting beside each other. ‘Scapula’ paused when she entered. Not the type of meeting she was expecting. “Scapula?” Coxa called out to her. “Something wrong?” She blinked, getting back into character. “Nothing at all.” Buzzing her small wings, she flew over them and sat within the circle. Looking around, she couldn’t hold back when her body tensed in place. What kind of information was she going to get out of this… group of eye sores? It was like they didn’t even need to hide themselves anymore. Their smiles, the lively chat. As if they were never a fearsome predatory race they had come to be known for. It was absolutely maddening. And the worse part.. she couldn’t even feed on it. “Alright, everyone,” one of them, supposedly the host given their different attire of a headband and noticeable aged look, began. “Now that we’re all here, would anyone like to begin? Remember, here in our feelings forum, we don’t judge any thought you may have, negative or otherwise.” The brief silence it took before someone spoke up was taken for Chrysalis to finally process what the ‘meeting’ was about. For feelings?! A pink colored Changeling stood up. “I have something. Whenever our theater group does another play, I get so nervous when I have to act in my natural form, but the moment I transform into another creature, I don’t feel nervous at all. But I don’t know how to tell my group about how I feel..” The other Changelings nodded in comprehension, except for Scapula, who stared bewildered at the speaker. The host spoke up. “Very brave of you to share. I suggest, you simply come clean to your peers about how you feel. If they respect your contribution to the group, they’ll understand, and help you set up a different role for you to play much more comfortably.” The rest nodded once again. “Oh, thank you! I’ll try!” the pink gleamed, earning positive mutters of encouragement from the group. All except, once again, for one lime. Whether it was disgust or embarrassment she was feeling about the scene, she couldn’t pick one or the other. If only she- “Scapula? Are you alright?” Coxa touched her shoulder for her attention, making her jolt slightly. “Is there.. anything you want to share?” Chrysalis eyed her before realizing the group’s attention was on her. “You know we don’t judge,” Coxa went on. She finally made eye contact with the rest. The colorful, bright eyes that resembled almost nothing to their original forms. Their once holed bodies were complete and full, bright carapaces hiding their wings that were once exposed to the enemies. It tensed her with anger. “Why, yes, in fact.” She hissed. “There is.” She gracefully stood up as a firm stern stare took her expression, breathing in in confidence. “I, for one, have become disappointed how our way of life has turned.” Immediate confused reactions muttered throughout the group. “What do you mean?” one of them asked. “I mean, just look at you all! Us! Bright colors that make any of us an easy target for an enemy. To be mocked and ridiculed like this. This is not what the proud Changeling race was!” The group looked among themselves. “But Scapula, we don’t have any enemies. Except for the occasional Everfree forest creature that wanders around, but the hive patrol takes care of them fairly quickly.” The group nodded in agreement. So there was at least still a patrol. Chrysalis furrowed her brow and continued. “It is not only that. We were all once under a strong leadership that allowed us to thrive in Equestria, and now the very rules that defined us have been eradicated for more.. common and defective ways!” Soft gasps escaped a few. “Scapula, how can you say that?” “Our king and queen have worked hard to maintain the hive strong and prosperous for all of us!” “Thorax made sure of that.” The name was like a stab to her entire being, her very core shook with fury as Chrysalis stomped hard on the flower-covered floor, scaring the Changelings closest to her. ”Not! Him! I am not referring to that meekly traitor of the hive! I’m referring to the first and only ruler this hive has ever known! Queen Chrysalis!” The name made the room go quiet. Everyone minus the host looked at each other until one of them spoke. “Who?” The color almost drained from her face. Whatever kept her body going inside her stopped for a solid second. Another pause. “I think he’s referring to her,” another one responded. “Who’s ‘her’?” a smaller Changeling asked. “You’re still pretty young,” another added. “You probably haven’t been taught about her yet. Don’t worry, you’ll learn about it in your Introduction to Changeling History.” “Oh. Then, who is this Chrysalis?” the initial inquirer asked.  They gave a look before speaking. “Chrysalis... was the ruler of the hive before Thorax. She.. She was a tyrant. She ruled over the Changeling kingdom with an iron hoof, anyone who thought differently than her would be either punished or banished.” ‘As it should be’, Chrysalis thought in her spot, amongst her fury that she was straining to keep under control. “In her time.. Changelings also... looked very different.” “How different?” “Well…” “We were vicious predators.” Everyone turned to the host who finally spoke up in a soft, aged voice. “Changelings were dark and wicked in shape and form, driven only by instinct. Our bodies were incomplete, damaged over the years of constant fighting with other races. Every single Changeling was but a mere drone to the hive. To the queen.” The youngest squirmed down in fear. “H-How do you know?” “Because.. I remember it. I was still a youngling when it happened, but I remember. I witnessed it, when Chrysalis was overthrown.” The group muttered in curious awe. “So..” one lime Changeling hissed. “You were there.. when the downfall of the Changeling race began?” The host looked up at Scapula. “Not a downfall, but a rebirth. When Chrysalis was overthrown, Thorax was then named the new ruler of the hive. He was the first to take the form we all have today. Our natural, free forms. After him, everyone else followed.” “I was taught about that!” Coxa chirped. “They called it, ‘metamorphosis’. The Changelings only ever achieved the transformation when they shared love instead-“ “Of feeding off of it,” the host ended. “But don’t we do that already?” the youngest continued. “Sharing it and gaining energy from it?” “Indeed. But back then, the Changelings had no choice but to take love from other creatures by force, to feed themselves. Before Thorax, the Changelings were in a constant state of hunger. They were never satisfied. No matter how much they got, they would always feel empty. That was until they achieved metamorphosis, and were cured of it.” The lime-colored Changeling in the group had gone unnoticeably quiet. “That sounds awful,” the youngest replied. “It was,” Coxa added. “I heard that the queen was so evil, she did not want the Changelings to change and wanted them to continue suffering by starving.” Finally a nerve was struck. “How.. dare you say that?!” “Scapula?” “Queen Chrysalis kept the Changeling race alive for centuries! She alone was the reason they survived against the world! Everything she did, she did for the Hive!” “She did..” the host continued. “Until the invasion of the pony kingdom of Canterlot.” That made her stop. “Canterlot?” the youngest asked. The host nodded. “Before her downfall, she was the one that led an invasion against the ponies, but the ponies of the kingdom defeated her. After that, the queen… changed.” “Changed?” “She was still providing food and resources for the hive, but her motives began to shift. After her defeat, she became obsessed with getting revenge on the ponies. Any concern or attempt to pursue her otherwise was punished. She was irrational, cruel, and no one could stand up to her.” “Until Thorax!” Coxa chirped. “Exactly.” “He was the one who saved us!” “Saved?!” A loud stomp ruptured around them. “Saved?” Everyone turned to the rising negative emotion coming from one of them. “You think Thorax saved you?!” “Scapula?” Coxa whimpered. “Thorax doomed the entire Changeling race! Him and that damnable Starlight Glimmer!” “Scapula!” “Our race isn’t proud or fearsome but weak and feeble! We never needed to depend on any other creature, and now all you do is share your resources?! Your love?!” “Not just our love. We were able to come together through kindness, compromise and friendship, just like how we were taught!” “Friendship is what destroyed us!! What destroyed me! Friendship took everything away from me!!” The outburst was followed by a silence. Everyone in the room sat motionless staring at the form of their fellow peer. “Scapula..” Coxa whispered. “I… never knew you felt like this.” Chrysalis hissed at her. “What?” “Oh.. I’ve been such a terrible friend.. That’s why I’ve been trying to invite you to these groups.. If you needed a place to talk, you could do it here.” Coxa reached to touch her hoof to Scapula’s shoulder, the attempt making the latter hastily back away in disgust. “You.. How can you all be content like this?!” “Scapula, I don’t understand what you mean. We’re much better off how we are now.” “We don’t need to attack other creatures to feed,” another added. “We are free to choose how to live.” “If I didn’t know you any better, Scapula...” Coxa began. A second Changeling continued. “We’d say you almost started to sound…” “Like Chrysalis,” finished a third. The Changeling in question darted her eyes from the many gazes on her. Her shoulders tensed when she realized her breathing was becoming laboured, a heavy sinking feeling pilling inside her. Chrysalis looked down at her disguised hoof. It was shaking. She could see spots of black flashing from it, like brief shedding that revealed her truth form underneath. Her anger was getting to her disguise. Her eyes meet the group’s, staring at each one of them. They were so different. They had become too different. She didn’t recognize them at all. They didn’t recognize her. This... wasn’t her hive anymore. That pressuring feeling was back. They had become too weak. Too benevolent. Too brainwashed. They didn’t even know who she was anymore. She was too late. The feeling hit a rock bottom. It wasn’t anger. It was fear. She got up hastily, her legs moving to back away. “Scapula?” “...Are you all.. really much happier like this?” “Huh? Of course!” Nods of agreement followed. “Aren’t you?” The response was a jab to her chest, just about enough to her pride. She snarled as much as her drone fangs allowed her, forcing the next words out of her mouth. “I see…” “Scapula, are you-?” Before the young Changeling could finish, her would-be friend stormed up and away from the group, dashing into one of the holed paths of the hive. She didn’t stop as she continued blindly into the halls in a desperate erratic attempt to remove the new sensation she was feeling. Her breathing became panting with a loud beating in her head as she felt like being inside longer was suffocating her until she abruptly bumped into another trotting Changeling, who immediately apologized and tried to help her up. “Get away from me!” she shouted at them, punishing them aside when she saw an opening to the outside down the hall, running towards it quickly taking flight to leave. Once away enough, she panted as she took her original form, scowling through her anger. Thoughts of denial and fury running through her head as she tried to take back her focus even with the words echoing in her mind. This couldn’t have been happening. She knew her race had changed. But it was so much worse than she thought. She would have never let this happen if she was in charge. But it did.  ...And it wasn’t her fault. This didn’t happen because of her. But rather- Her fangs bared in a growl. No.. this wasn’t her fault. “Starlight…” the former queen snarled in the air. “ Starlight Glimmer. You did this.. This is all because of YOU… And I’m not going to let you forget it! YOU will pay for this!!” With a new-found determination, Chrysalis buzzed her wings harder forward. To where she last found her enemy. Of course, going into pony territory required a disguise no matter what, and that’s what Chrysalis did. The moment she landed, she took the form one could best only say was her anger personified in a pony. It didn’t matter to her; her main goal was getting in and finding her detestable target. For a single moment, she didn’t recognize the Friendship School. Much like how Cozy had mentioned about the castle, the school castle had also gone under renovation. Levels were added on the sides of the castle, the front court looked like a park of its own. Most notably.. ponies weren’t the majority of the population anymore. Griffins, Yaks, Changelings, Dragons, even creatures Chrysalis couldn’t remember the name of were trotting around like it was their home. Admittedly.. it took her aback. Nevertheless, she shook out of it and stormed into the school, ignoring the confused stares of everyone around her as she scoped out the crowds looking for a specific pony. The image of her face burned into her mind as her anger was beginning to rise again, eager for another battle. She wouldn’t let her go this time, not agai-! “Hello?” Her insistent trotting came to a halt when a pony mare made herself known in front of her path. She stepped back to examine the pony. Something about the pony.. made her stop. A peach-colored pony with lilac and green hair stood before her. She wore a formal neck scarf with a single gem. One only a high authority would wear. The tips of all four of her hooves were white, leaving the rest of her body a single color. Her cutie mark was droplets of magic sparkles. “Who are you?” the disguised creature asked. The pony laughed. “I should be asking you that.” A hoof came to her chest. “My name is Stellar Glimmer. I’m the vice headmare of this school!” ‘Glimmer?’ “You must be new here too! Are you looking to enroll in the School of Friendship?” Chrysalis had to hold back a gag. “No, actually,” she got out. “I’m looking for somepony.” “A pony?” Stellar tilted her head. “If you can provide a name, I can sure try and do my best to help.” “Perfect.” The Changeling hid her grin. “Then could you possibly lead me in the way to one.. Starlight Glimmer?” Stellar’s demeanor changed drastically from a smile to surprised. "Starlight Glimmer?.." "Indeed. Do you know where I can find her?" “...Why do you want to see my grandmother?” Her grin dropped. “...Your what?” “My grandmother. The former headmare of this school.” ‘Former?’ “Ahh, so she stepped down, did she?” “No, miss. Well.. she did, after she retired, of course. But, that was years ago. Why are you just looking for her now?” The word ‘years’ almost shook Chrysalis. In an instant, the words of her former allies came back ringing in her head. Instead, she scowled it away. “That doesn’t matter! Where is she now?!” Stellar jumped back mildly. “Miss.. I wish I could help you, but..” “But what?! Where IS Starlight Glimmer?!” Stellar took a pause, lowering her gaze for a moment. “My grandmother… passed away years ago.” Chrysalis’ body froze, and became unresponsive.  “She loved her job, and everyone at the school adored her. She taught my mother to teach me all about being headmare hoping one day I would take her place. But, she passed away peacefully. It's what she would of wanted.” A pause. “Were.. you one of her friends?” She would of hissed at the word.. if another feeling hadn’t overtaken her. Her vision shook as she lowered it to the ground. The young pony mare stared at her with concern. With a shaking tensed voice, her new acquaintance finally spoke. “Where… is she now?” Grey clouds began to cover the sky as evening was approaching. A quiet Changeling flew through the air towards the direction the mare had given her. Hard to miss, she told her. Of course. Chrysalis didn’t say a word throughout her journey until she landed. Right where she had told her. The Canterlot memorial gardens. Not too away from Ponyville, but not too far from the Canterlot castle. She didn’t know if it was dread or disgust she was feeling when she landed, but it didn’t take her long to find what she was looking for. A gravestone of the finest marble acting as a base for a stone statue of a pony above it. The area was clearly in dedication solely to that one grave, as all around were nothing for clear, clean grass and growing flowers. She didn’t have to read the inscription to know who it was for, and yet, she did anyway. Starlight Glimmer Beloved daughter, wife, headmare and friend The soft rumbling of the sky was the only noise around her as she stood before the grave. Wordless and expressionless. Gentle wind moved the growing flowers and grass around the stone edge of the base. Thud She let herself sit on the grass, simply staring at the base of the grave focusing on ultimately nothing. Her mouth hung only mildly open, nothing coming out. She couldn’t be gone. She wasn’t finished with her. She needed to bring this pony the same amount of pain she had caused her once upon a time. Her, AND her friends. The reason she lost her kingdom. The reason her own race turned against her. The reason she felt so isolated from.. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t fair! How dare she do this?! She wasn’t finished with her! She needed her revenge! First her hive.. and now THIS!? She despised it all! Chrysalis finally showed emotion in a deep growl, brashly raising her holed hoof and stomping hard and ruthlessly against the stone memorial, shattering the edge of the statue’s base. Her anger numbed her of any pain. Her goal was ruined. Her purpose. Her drive. She had nothing. Chrysalis raised her raging hoof to break the stone even further, bringing it down.. to punch the grass instead. Her shoulders raised and dropped as she heaved. After several moments, her body eased the tension it was holding, and went limp as she sat in front of the statue. She had.. nothing. If Starlight was as beloved as she had heard, the stone would be fixed as soon as it was noticed. And the very thought infuriated her. The anger carried even heavier inside her.. knowing she couldn’t do anything about it. Everything she once had was gone. And the realization made her drop any strength left in her body. What... was the point? She sat motionless, uncaring of her surroundings until faintly she picked up the sound of four hooves walking in sync and a small pair of wings that would of otherwise been unheard. Chrysalis didn’t even have to turn around to know. “What are you doing here?” “We kinda figured you would come here,” Cozy Glow spoke. Chrysalis wordlessly lifted herself up, turning to face the only two creatures left she knew. She didn’t have to say anything, already obvious from their grim expressions, they knew. The trio walked into the Canterlot gardens, finding one statue wasn’t the only memorial. A much larger section was dedicated to not one but five different gravestones with stone statues above. Walking around them, the photos of the five ponies were much too familiar. Tirek recognized one photo of a yellow pony with pink hair, much older than he remembered but definitely the same one Discord was especially fond of. A seemingly humming flower rested beside her photo, a blue flower with pores dancing around it gently like an open snowglobe. It wasn’t a natural flower, but rather one grown from chaos. The group of three decided they had seen enough, and departed back to the woods together for refuge.