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// 11. | So Take This Night and Lay Me Down on the Street 
// Story: Crystals & Chitin 
// by Nytus 
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I woke slowly, fighting to remain in a world where my queen still drew breath, unsure if I even wanted to open my eyes and face the guilt of another day. 

It was warm, wherever I was.  Grudgingly raising my head and allowing the stab of daylight to wipe away the last of my fleeting happiness, I discovered that I was inside a cottage. 

Bottles were hanging from knarled wooden racks suspended from the ceiling, which itself seemed to be part of a living tree. Decorations fashioned from feathers and bone adorned the walls, and the air smelled strongly of herbs and flowering plants.

Beneath me, I took note of the bed made of hay, feathers, and a thin stack of blankets which I lay on. Obviously not a permanent piece of furniture, it nonetheless showed more care than I'd have expected shown to a changeling. Most ponies didn't even know we existed, and those who did view us as hostile, if not outright monsters.

Standing, I continued to surveil the room. 

I was relieved to see Double Time slept on a similar assortment of cobbled-together bedding. The sunlight filtering into the room illuminated her still form. Her coat was dimmer than it had been when I first met her but was much improved over the past few days. Her face wore a neutral expression but was otherwise peaceful. 

All things considered, she looked better than could be expected after all I'd put her through. I suspected the partially empty bowl of broth on a table nearby had much to do with that.

"It gladdens me to see you rise; your chosen camp was most unwise." A sing-song voice broke the silence and startled me out of my scrutiny of Double Time's face. "Be not afraid, I mean you no harm; it was not my goal to cause alarm. Your crystal friend is most unwell; perhaps you'll fill me in a spell?"

I am not sure why I trusted this strange zebra, but I felt that the amount of effort and care she showed us while unconscious earned her a story.

I told our host, who introduced herself as Zecora, most of the story I've just shared with you. I explained my queen's mission for me into the empire and our hive's need for the love crystal they held.  I glossed over the months spent living in the schoolhouse, feeding on Warden and Miss Time. 

I told her about King Sombra and the pony invasion that spooked me into leaving the city. I told her of the trek south and my first encounter with a train, the unexpected growth of the pony villages, and ultimately the discovery that my hive had been conquered by a new queen named Chrysalis.

When I was done, more than an hour had passed, and I suddenly realized how foolish I was for confiding in a stranger while both Double Time and I were so weakened. 

If she decided that I was a threat to her or Miss Time, I was not in any state to defend myself. I could barely stand, and once again, my pony companion remained asleep.

"Your tale is not what I expected; the life you've left was well connected. This crystal mare, much does she mean, for you to guard against the queen. "

"Chrysalis is not my queen," I growled, more aggressively than I intended. After seeing her expression shift slightly, I backpedaled. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you like that. You'd have no reason to understand the politics involved within changeling hives."

It wasn't always easy to follow her speech pattern, but I managed to learn quite a bit. We continued to talk for another few hours, and to say my incredulity was intense would be an understatement. The things Zecora told me explained so much of the last few days, but they were not easy to believe. If it were not for her earnest demeanor and the occasional moment to let me take in what she was saying, I'd have written her off as a crazy pony.

A thousand years had passed in the literal blink of an eye, probably while Double Time and I were still in the cave outside of town. There were multiple god-like ponies out there ruling the tribes now—called Alicorns—two of which were responsible for the attack on King Sombra and,  perhaps more shockingly,  a mere unicorn student of theirs for his downfall post-time-jump. The changeling queen who now resided within my old hive had attacked the ponies—in broad daylight—just a few months before we arrived in this new world.

Ultimately, as the sunlight began to be replaced by candles, Zecora stood up and walked toward me. I could feel her emotions pouring out at me, and in a panic, I bowed my head, trying not to gorge myself on our generous host.

"Your courage I can much respect; you have no need to genuflect. You've suffered so with dignity; take sustenance in sympathy."

Zecora's words forced me to reconsider my choice to avoid her emotional offering. There was no real love in the mixture, but the respect, pity, admiration, and sympathy were strong enough to restore a fair bit of my energy.

It was an unusual feeling; we changelings can feed on any emotion, though we obviously prefer love for the vast amount of magic it possesses. Even just a little love can sustain a drone for days, so you can imagine the benefit we receive from draining a pony. Lesser emotions take longer to accumulate the same sort of recharging effect, and they taste different. Some among my hive once theorized that the flavor of other emotions could even influence our own emotional state, but no actual research went into it—at least, not before I vanished. 

"Thank you," I said. "I should be able to take Miss Time home now."

"Sad to say, I disagree. It'd be wise for her to stay with me. To travel abroad with whom you cherish; in both your states, you'd likely perish."

I was about to say something—to argue that I had managed to bring her this far—but considered her words a moment before mutely nodding my head instead.

Obviously, Zecora was a very wise pony—evidenced by her ability to live alone in this unusual forest—where beasts such as hydras roam freely.

The zebra mare spoke again after giving me a once-over with her eyes. "More healing brew I'll surely make. Very soon, she will awake. A friendly face is what she'll need, not fear renewed that you may feed."

"I would never... Miss Time's not... I get it," I replied as I slowly built up the magic necessary to reassume my crystal pony disguise. While not as comfortable as my natural form, I suspected Zecora may be right. Double Time would likely be less inclined to panic around Headway rather than Carina.

With a brief flash of emerald flame, I shifted into my most recent alter-ego.

To her credit, Zecora squinted her eyes briefly against the flash of light. Otherwise, she took it in stride without so much as a comment.

"You're right, of course. I did this to her. She will probably never trust me again. What should I do? I owe her a debt."

Zecora smiled sadly when she next spoke.

"As her healer, I'll speak true: a tension rests between you two. It will not help to mend her mind if your presence is viewed to be unkind. If I may provide suggestion, regarding your unique digestion, a pegasus friend who fears the sky perhaps can help; seek Fluttershy."

Zecora had briefly mentioned Fluttershy during her story about the events I had missed over the past millennium. She had said the buttery mare lived up to her name but may also be the most compassionate pony to have ever lived. She was known to speak with animals and care for them like family members rather than simply pets or dangerous beasts. She was also a very powerful pony, bearing the so-called Element of Kindness which apparently could defeat evil alicorns and even Discord himself.

Zecora also told me that the timid pegasus saw the good in every creature. Asking such a pony for an emotional handout was demeaning, and feeding off her kindness seemed like taking advantage of her, but I had to admit that I could see all manner of benefit from such an ally.

One thing, above all else, was evident, though: without some form of sustenance, I wouldn't last very long without a hive.

"Take care of her, Zecora," I said as I got to my hooves and walked toward the door of her cottage. "She means more to me than I do to her, but you are right... it is time for me to go."