//------------------------------// // Necropolis. // Story: Where the Monsters Live. // by Hopefullygoodgrammar //------------------------------// Chrysalis flew on currents of cold night air, basking in the smell of the wilderness below as she did. She knew that this was a brief reprieve from the inevitable nightmares that were to come. She had seen far too much carnage for there not to be any nightmares. But, for now, she was free, able to push the images of that woman’s tattered, screaming face from her mind and concentrate on Midian. She was just beginning to leave Shere Neck, the last stop before the fabled haven, behind. Its’ small, suburban sprawl thinning out into stretches of desolate highway and forests. So close….so very, very close…. Chrysalis closed her eyes and let out a shuddering sigh. Soon she would be able to rest, to organize her life if that was even possible, and to mourn her children. It was true that she had considered suicide, but after Narcisse’s self-mutilation and the atrocities committed by the Button-Faced Man, she didn’t think that she could go through with it; She had seen enough death for now. The wind began to pick up and grow colder. A new scent joined the many which pervaded the air, one which was different from the scent of pine and rainwater. Old earth, wet stone and, faint and far-off, ancient bones. The shadowed shape of the place began to come into view. Chrysalis felt her chest tighten. She slowed her pace and began to descend, wrapping her wings around her midsection as the waving tips of the reeds came within hoof’s reach. She moved the instant her hooves made contact with the soil. She galloped forwards, kicking up dust and dirt with each movement, feeling elation and hope mingle with her heartache as the reeds began to thin. And then, appearing out of the twilit gloom, were the gates of Midian. Tall and wrought from iron which was as black as obsidian where Time hadn’t touched it. Set at the center of a towering wall of ancient stone which cast a sprawling shadow. The only decoration on the gate was a large, ornate capital “M” which bridged the doors. Chrysalis let out a shuddering sob of joy. Midian was real. Narcisse hadn’t lied. With trembling legs and a pounding heart, the former queen approached the gates, her movements sending ripples through a thin blanket of mist which had appeared from nowhere. The gates were chained, but, in a flash of green light, Chrysalis had circumvented it in tor form of an eel. The changes were immediately obvious the second the first faint breath of cool air caressed her face. She was surrounded on all sides by tombs, crypts, gravestones and mausoleums. Each one unique. Each one odd and different. A towering pillar covered by hieroglyphs sitting next to a statue of a snarling, jackal-headed beast. A set of monolith tombs carved from white stone and wreathed in lilies. A small tombstone watched over by an old teddy bear. It struck Chrysalis as interesting, how many things she and her race held in common with both ponies and humans. Changelings buried their dead in a similar fashion, and, like them, they often left mementos and carved their grief and love out upon their loved one’s markers. But no changeling graveyard had ever been so massive, so wondrous and grotesque as Midian. And the smells which reached her nostrils were the same ones from her dreams: old earth and spices, smoke and meat and animal dander, dust and decay. Chrysalis moved inward. The grass was soft and springy, like a mattress, it soothed her aching hooves and sent chills up her spine. She took a deep lungful of cool night air, briefly allowing herself to bask in it’s chill. She continued moving on after that, looking at the wilderness of carven stone around her. She knew that she had to find a way to contact the inhabitants-if there were any at all (No! Don’t think like that!), so she searched as best she could, scrutinizing every surface her gaze fell upon. But, as the night began to wear on, the full scope of the necropolis became apparent to her. Midian held more crooked roads and branching pathways than most Equestrian towns. There were-fittingly- dead ends. There were small forests of gnarled trees.There were cul-de-sacs and massive sepulchers which crowded together to form small cities and townships.   Chrysalis had never seen anything so grand or grotesque. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen. She thought as she passed a towering statue of a strange, insectoid thing with its golden wings splayed out. The ponies, in their happy, pastel, sugar-coated wonderland could never appreciate this. They’d call it “creepy” and “scary”. “Pah, fools.” she said aloud, resuming her natural form as her spirits lifted somewhat at the mockery. And yet they doomed my children to death. There’s no way Celestia would let them live if she found them. Changelings are just boogeymen to them, mindless monsters for the heroes to defeat. And they call me a monst- Something moved in the corner of her eye. Chrysalis spun around in time to catch sight of a dark shape slip between two headstones and disappear. “Wait!” called Chrysalis, feeling her heart begin to pound. She galloped after the shape, hurtling through the same space that the shadow had occupied and bounding down a steep incline which has-thankfully- devoid of markers. When the ground leveled out Chrysalis found herself surrounded on all sides by towering pillars. The slopes which had led her there were consistently the same height all around, meaning that she was in a sort of natural basin. “Hello?” she called, not caring about stealth, “Is anyone there? I-I’m not here to hurt you, I just… I’m just here to be with you. I heard that this place offered sanctuary for things like myself and that….and that your crimes could be forgiven.” There was silence for a moment, and then, from the shadows, a deep voice said, “And what would you need to be forgiven for, little bug?” A figure stepped into the moonlight and Chrysalis felt her chest tighten. The creature was tall and powerfully built. With lean muscles bunching under blood-red skin as he slunk towards her like a manticore about to pounce. The moon’s light reflected off of his icy blue eyes, making them shine like those of a dog. “I-it’s true….” she said, unable to finish her sentence. The creature smirked and advanced another few steps. He was now close enough for her to see the tendrils which hung off his head like organic dreadlocks and the tail which whipped around behind him, kicking up small puffs of stone dust. “Everything’s true,” said the creature, his smirk widening into a sharp-toothed smile, “Neverland is in your head, Oz is over the rainbow and Midian is where the monsters live, and you-” He paused and gave her an assessing look, “-and I think you’ll fit right in here.” Chrysalis felt as if some tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders, she smiled, baring her fangs as she did, and let out a shuddering laugh that became a sob as it ended. “Who’s the new meat, Peloquin?” asked a new voice. Peloquin smiled, “Come and see for yourself.” Chrysalis heard the sounds of bare feet slapping against stone. She turned and saw a woman emerge from the shadows. She was stunning, as tall and lean as Peloquin. But her body was covered by gossamer white fur which did little to hide her nakedness...or the long, sharp quills which protruded from her arms, shoulders and torso. “Well, well, well,” she said, stepping closer and letting her piercing eyes roam the changeling’s body, “you’re new. I don’t think I’ve ever smelled something like you before. But you look like you belong here.” Chrysalis blushed at her words and her gaze, “Th-thank you.” The woman smiled, knelt down and held out a hand, “There’s no need to be afraid. My name’s Shuna Sassi, what’s yours?” “Chrysalis.” said the changeling, transforming her hoof into a taloned hand to shake Shuna’s. Shuna laughed, “That’s impressive. I think you and the others will have a lot to talk about.” She leaned in and stage-whispered, “ Maybe you can give Peloquin some pointers, his shapeshifting isn’t nearly as fast as yours and I can’t keep myself... occupied forever waiting for him.” Chrysalis snorted and Peloquin leveled a mock-stare at his companion, “Is that a challenge?” “Maybe.” said Shuna, standing and wiggling her hips. Peloquin laughed, then beckoned to Chrysalis, “Follow me. We’ll take you below, see what Lylesberg has to say, though I’m sure he’ll embrace you with open arms.” He turned and began walking away with Shuna Sassi close behind. Chrysalis followed their lead, feeling tears begin to work their way down her cheeks. Maybe...maybe I can finally rest. She thought hopefully. As they went deeper into Midian she spared one last look at the sky. The moon was full and bright, bathing the landscape in its pale glow like a brighter, colder sun. The wind began to pick up, and Chrysalis smiled as the scent of night invaded her nostrils. I think I could grow to love this place. She thought, turning back and following the two into the shadows, hoping against hope that she would be accepted.