Forbidden Friendship

by Dream Searcher

Epilogue

Chrysalis walked out of her hive’s cave and stared at the open endlessness that was the Wastelands. Everywhere she looked, it was black and dead. She didn’t know how her species had managed to survive in this dead place, but she knew that she was going to find a better place for her Changelings, one where they could prosper and live in harmony with the ponies around them.

While she looked at her environment, she thought about her friend, Cadance. It had been six months since she had left the palace, but she didn’t have the time to send a letter to her friend to tell her that she was still alive. Well, barely. She had managed to defeat her father, since Cadance’s love had replenished her power, but the fight with her father had drained a lot of that power. Right now, they had to leave the Wastelands and search for a better place. She could always go back to Cadance and feed on her love, but she would only so that as a last resort. For once, she wanted to do things on her own. Once she had regained her powers, then she’d surprise Cadance with a visit.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when one of her Changelings stood next to her and spoke, “My Queen, everything is ready for the Great Trek, What do you want to do with the prisoner?”

“Ah, yes, my father.”

She thought back to the day she first met Cadance and the question she had asked her. ‘Are you really going to kill your father?’ Chrysalis had been convinced that killing her father would be the best thing to do, but when he lay there on the ground, defeated and pathetic, she just couldn’t kill him. No matter how evil he was, he was still her father, that was something Cadance had told her. So, instead of killing him, she had imprisoned him. He had been very vocal the first few days, but eventually he accepted that he had been defeated. Cadance was once again right, violence didn’t solve everything.

“Free him from his prison. If he wants to follow us, let him follow. If he wants to stay, let him stay. Frankly, I don’t care anymore.” The changeling nodded and shouted the order to two other Changelings, who immediately went to do their duty. “Wait,” Chrysalis said when she saw the Changeling trotting back to the cave. “You’re not coming with us.”

The Changeling stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, surprise and fear visible on his face. “Um, my Queen? Did I do something wrong? Are you disappointed in me? Whatever it is, I can make it better, just don’t leave me here.”

Chrysalis beckoned him to come closer, which the Changeling did. When he was once again standing next to her, she spoke, “Shush, little brother, I didn’t mean it like that. I have task for you, the most important task I have ever given to some... pony. I want you to fly back to the palace where my friend Cadance resides.

“Cadance? You mean that nice, pink pony who cared for us?”

Chrysalis nodded. “Yes, she. Your task is to fly to her and stay with her. She will care for you and will give you a better life. I also want you to tell her that everything’s fine, and that I’ll visit her when everything is back to normal for the Changeling race.”

“But, I want to stay here with you, with the rest of my brothers and sisters.” He could feel himself becoming distressed, he couldn’t even imagine a life without the hive.

Chrysalis noticed his distress and gave him a pat and a kiss on the forehead, hoping that it would calm him down a bit. It seemed to do the trick, since she saw a small smile forming on his face. “I know, my little brother, but somepony has to tell Cadance that everything’s alright, she’s probably worried sick about us. She was nice to us, and you wouldn’t want her to be worried about us now, would you?”

The Changeling shook his head. “No, of course not.

Chrysalis smiled and looked back at the barren Wastelands. “Well then, I want you to leave and stay with her. You don’t need to worry, though, I’ll visit you as much as I can.”

The Changeling nodded and understood what was expected of him. Even though he had to leave the hive forever, he would make sure that he completed his last task so that the Queen would be proud of him. He bowed and got ready to take off, his wings would take him to the edge of the Wastelands, the rest he could walk. “Farewell, my Queen,” the Changeling said.

“Please, from now on, call me ‘big sister’,” she said as the Changeling took off. Before it left, however, it turned back to her.

“Farewell, big sister!’ he shouted and continued to fly towards the edge of the Wastelands.

Chrysalis felt a tear rolling down her cheek and smiled, soon she’d meet her little brother and Cadance again, she couldn’t wait until that day came. Wiping the tear away, she walked back into the cave to see that the preparations were in order.

Cadance sat on the cliff, the same cliff she sat on a little over six months ago with Chrysalis. She was worried about her friend, but somehow she knew that Chrysalis was alright, she only hoped that she’d hear something from her soon. It was then that she heard a rustle in one of the bushes behind her. Not wanting to be caught by a vicious predator, she opened her wings and flew away. She did want to get a good look at the predator, so the turned around and to her surprise, she saw a Changeling. It was however, not in good shape. It had bags under its eyes, and it looked extremely underfed.

Now concerned about this little Changeling, she landed near him and spoke, “Um, are you alright?”

The Changeling, who had fallen to the ground when Cadance flew away, opened its eyes and looked at the pink alicorn. “I bring a message from my big sister, Chrysalis. She ordered me to tell you that everything’s alright, and that she’s going to visit you as soon as she can. She also ordered me to stay with you.” The Changeling coughed and his head fell back to the ground.

Cadance gasped and placed the Changeling on her back with her magic. She was glad she got a message about her friend, but right now this little Changeling was more important. Chrysalis had given him to her, and she was going to take care him. As she was flying back to the palace, a question came to her mind. “Say, do you have a name?”

The Changeling once again opened his eyes. “We Changelings don’t need names, only the Queens and Kings deserve names.

Cadance blew a raspberry. “Bah, that’s a stupid rule. Well, not here, here you deserve a name.” Cadance thought about a suitable name for a moment. “How about Kyan?”

The Changeling thought back to the hive and its minerals. He had seen some kyanite minerals and the deep blue color always fascinated him, it was his favorite mineral. Kyan smiled, “Kyan, I like that name.”