//------------------------------// // The women in red // Story: Apocalypse: Worlds End or New Beginnings // by Blue dragon 116 //------------------------------// The flight back to Chrysalis and the hive was short and uneventful with me reaching the hive and curling up across from chrysalis on the floor where I left her. So engrossed was I in my thoughts that I almost missed Chrysalis scooting closer in her sleep, and the content smile on her face when she achieved her goal. I smiled down at her snoring adorably and wrapped my tail around so it encircled her and I could lay my head on the end like a pillow. With a smile on my face I faded into the realm of dreams. Though the smile quickly faded in light of the memory that was playing in my dreams. Once again I found myself inside that tiny, depressing white room watching as the younger me tried to cry himself to sleep. This scene continued for what felt like hours completely undisturbed until their was a click from the door behind me. The younger me instantly became quite and stopped moving becoming as still as death itself. Slowly the door creaked open and a lone figure stepped through, not the usual cruel figure. When the door was closed the figure turned and revealed itself to be a women with the most beautiful green eyes, with a elegant face framed by long blond hair that cascaded down to her back. She wore a simple red shirt and jeans a stark contrast to the usual white of this place. Slowly she approached the younger me whispering to him, trying to get him to turn over and speak to her. The women continued for hours even going so far as to sit on the bed and try to lay a reassuring hand on the younger me, only to have him move as far away as was possible. A few hours later the women left with a sad sigh and a whispered promise to return, one she always kept. This scene seemed to be on repeat as well as time flew and slowly I would humor the women's attempts at conversation. Eventually her learning my name and I hers and why she was so nice to me. Her name was Tera and she was a part of a organization that fought with my captors to preserve peace. She told me she was sent here by that group to help me, prepare me for the day they would be able to get me out. And prepare we did, we learned the guards schedule and how to trick the cameras monitoring my room so we could gather what we needed and I could practice my powers. Eight years passed in a blur of preparation, close calls, and doing our best to keep our activities a secret, in that time Tera and I got to know each other very well. Even to the point of me calling her mom seeing as I never had a mother. The night rolled around where Tera's group was to attack the compound I was in and aid in my escape. Tera had just entered my room and we were going over last minute details of the plan when the door to my room burst open. The hooded man and others with guns came flooding into the room, effectively trapping me and Tera. Their was a long drawn out silence as the two sides simply stared at one another before the hooded figure spoke up. "Tera of the silver hand submit now or face you death. You and your people are out gunned and out numbered, surrender now and only most of you will die." He said smugly as if he expected her to just roll over and die, he didn't know, her at all. In a blur Tera whipped out two pistols she had hidden beneath her shirt and opened fire killing most of the gunmen before they even had a chance to react. "Run Thomas run" She screamed as she dodged bullets and cleared me a path out. Scared and desperate my younger self bolted through the narrow opening and out the door. He got half way down the long hall before he turned to see if he was followed. Gunfire could still be heard as Tera limped out of the room firing at the men, her left ear was bleeding, her right arm was hanging useless and bleeding from her shoulder, and she had limp in her run as she dragged her left leg. Tera had made it half way to the younger me when the hooded man stepped out of the room completely unscathed and leveled a gun on Tera's head. The younger me tried to warn her but was to late, with a crack like thunder the life left her eyes and Tera fell to the floor a gaping hole in the back of her head. The younger me froze completely, staring horrified at Tera's body and he fell to his knees. Then the hooded figure stood next to him the gun leveled on him and mumbled something I could never understand drawing the hammer back on his gun. And just as the hammer reached its apex and was ready to fire time slowed as the younger me began to grow and his skin turned black until their was the dragon standing before the man. I wasn't the same size as I am now maybe half the size but that was still huge in comparison to the man. In a blind rage I surrendered control to the demon and decimated everything inside the compound and then the compound itself leaving only her body untouched. After all were dead I slowly approached her body and nudged it with my snout in the blind hope she would get up and we could leave. As fate would have it their was no such luck, and it was just then when her friends decided to show up to find me covered in blood standing over he body. All froze save one who charged forward and skidded to a halt next to her corpse crying as he held her in his arms. The man who I would later find was named Samuel looked up at me as I stared at the body of my only real friend with a look of pure hatred in his eyes. Slowly he leaned down and kissed Tera's dead lips and closed her eyes. The younger me let his head hang in grief only to have it snap back up in time to see Samuel fire one shot clean and true, and have it strike my younger self clean between the eyes. The younger fell over reverting back to human form shortly after and the scene seemed to fast forward with Samuel and his people taking Tera's body and leaving me where I lay. Shortly after they disappeared into the forest surrounding what was left of the compound a jolt shot down my form signaling my return to consciousness. Slowly I stood gazing around almost blindly until I saw the destruction that surrounded me. For hours I stood their a flurry of emotions flying across my face. Finally coming out in the form of tears. After what seemed like eternity my eyes unable to cry anymore my younger self began to trudge blindly towards the forest leaving the destruction behind him. Hoping against hope that things would get better which of course they didn't. As my younger self vanished into the trees everything began to fade until all was black. Then a voice rang out in the darkness. "Thomas wake up..... Thomas please wake up" it said and it sounded like it was crying as well. Slowly my eyes opened to reveal Chrysalis standing over my now prostrate human form with tears in her eyes. When she saw I was awake Chrysalis yanked me up into a tight embrace and sat herself on my lap, sobbing into my shoulder. I sat their stunned for a long drawn out minute gazing ahead without seeing until movement caught my eye. It was then I realized that we weren't alone, all around us were the other changelings their cheeks stained by tears and their eyes red and blood shot. Confused I began to stroke Chrysalis's mane and returned the hug as I tried to figure out what to do, and why were they all crying. Chrysalis soon answered my question when she leaned back and looked me in the eye saying. "Im so sorry Thomas, im so sorry that happened to you what that creature did to you was unforgivable. That is a fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy." When she finished speaking Chrysalis burst into sobs again and fell on my now soaked shoulder. "H.... Ho... How do you know about that?" I chocked out unsure if I wanted to know the answer. Chrysalis must have felt my apprehension since she quickly pulled back off my shoulder looking at me with a shocked expression. "You broadcasted your dream through the hive mind Thomas every changeling in my hive saw it and felt what you felt." She said causing me to flinch slightly in regret of my fear and earning a reassuring hug as Chrysalis mumbled into my ear softly. "Don't worry I forgive you and will always be here for you Thomas, I will always be their for you." Hearing the soft promises and feeling the love and compassion Chrysalis was sending me I couldn't hold it anymore. Right then and their I broke down and cried as she held me close. I cried for all the friends lost, the lives taken, and families ruined in pursuit of me. Chrysalis took it all in stride holding me close to her singing gently in a language that I couldn't understand but it put me at ease. Slowly my sobs died down and all was quite save for Chrysalis's voice as she sang and stroked my head gently, like one would to comfort a dear friend. Slowly I looked up and Chrysalis looked down at me her mane falling to conceal part of her face. With a smile I reached a hand out and brushed her mane back behind her ear earning a warm smile as I did so, and then froze in surprise. Chrysalis quickly began to fret going so far as to try and turn her head to see what ever had startled me. Only to have my hands stop her and turn her face back towards me as I stroked it lovingly and smiled at her. "You have the most beautiful eyes almost exactly like Tera's ." I said as I stroked her face earning a deep blush and her nuzzling into my hand. We sat their for a long while simply enjoying each others company and I let my mind wonder. To thoughts like how was I lucky enough to find this beautiful creature and then have her treat me so well to boot. I was brought out of my brooding by the feeling of something on my face. And I chuckled when I realized it was Chrysalis's mane since she had leaned forward to place her forehead on my own mindful of her horn. For another long while we simply stared into one another's eyes. And then it finally struck me and I began to smile from ear to ear like a boy with his favorite toy. Chrysalis got a puzzled look on her face before giggling adorably saying. "What are you smiling for Thomas?" I didn't answer her I simply leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her lips making her eyes shoot wide in surprise and her cheeks to turn a deep red. "Im smiling because I have the heart of a angel, though I don't deserve it." I said before I kissed her again this time a little longer and with more passion. Chrysalis caught on quickly with a wry smile she fell back onto her back and pulled me down on top of her. "Finally succumbing and going to sleep with royalty are we?" Chrysalis purred sultrily as she gazed up at me with half lidded eyes. Earning a good natured laugh in reply before I said. "No my dear Im not beading royalty" When Chrysalis heard this her head dropped down in sadness only to be quickly grabbed and brought back to face me. "Im not beading royalty Chrysalis I am showing a very special changeling that I am willing to try and be her mate and everything that entails." I said smiling warmly letting all my affection and trust show through the hive mind and prove to Chrysalis I was serious. For a long drawn out second Chrysalis simply stared at me before actually squeeing in joy before jumping forward and locking her hooves behind my head and pulling me into another heated kiss. And things progressed from their until the point the both of us were on the precipice of going for all when Chrysalis looked down at me from her place on top smiling warmly and said. "Do you accept me as your mate, your queen, and companion. Do you accept the hive and all the responsibility's that come along with it" Without hesitation I simply replied "yes." Chrysalis smiled down at me and said "And so I claim you as my mate and king of the changelings." Before shooting forward and sinking her fangs into my neck, never stopping her earlier ministrations. I let out a startled gasp that soon morphed to a moan of pure bliss. As I felt as if she were injecting me with something. Then just as the feeling faded we both went over the edge one collapsing on the other panting heavily from the exertion we just went through. Chrysalis was the first to succumb to sleep laying her head on my chest with a content smile on her face. I was just about to follow her when I became light headed and the world seemed to spin. When everything finally righted itself all was quite, and all began to fade to black just before sleep fully claimed me I thought I heard a single collective voice say. "Long live the king" And then all faded to black as I turned to the realm of dreams a smile on face and a love clutched tightly in my arms.