//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: beginning of a new adventure // Story: Strange friends // by Stem the changeling //------------------------------// Deep inside the changeling hive the Queen was resting in her throne room until a letter appeared in front of her. She opened up the letter and started to read. Dear Chrysalis, I have been starting to become tired of fighting between my ponies and your changelings, so I have decided to create a peace treaty, but before you accept you must send one changeling to Canterlot to see how ponies would react if it does not go well, then we will workout something. You don't have to decide to do it now. Sincerely, Princess Celestia. Chrysalis was amazed at the sudden forgiveness of the princess to make such an offer. Now, she just had to decide which of her children to send off. She didn't want a changeling that's to aggressive and after how the Canterlot invasion went, mostly every changeling was aggressive towards ponies. Then, a name came to her head, there was one changeling who was perfect for this task. Stem the changeling was a very shy changeling, he rarely speak any changeling that would try to speak to him. He wore a torn up lab coat he found last time he went exploring the outside the hive, he also had a scar shaped as a rose on his right he got from a unicorn guard near the border of Equestria and the Badlands. Stem was working on one of his projects when suddenly. "STEM!" came a loud voice outside his room. The loud voice startled him and he dropped whatever he was building. Chrysalis appeared in the doorway and Stem started to get nervous. "Y-y-yes my Queen" Stem said shaking as he tried to bow, only to fall on the floor when he lost his balanced. The Queen smiled and helped him up "Stem." Chrysalis said, while looked up at her trying to make as little eye contact with her as possible. " I have something I need you to do." she continued. "And what might that be?" Stem said, still trying to get his breathing under control. "remember how you always said you wanted to go outside the hive?' Chrysalis said, Stem looked up confused, but he nodded. " Well now you get to have the chance to do that." Stem jumped up with excitement and hugged Chrysalis tight, "so where I'm I going?" Stem said, still hugging Chrysalis. "You're going to Canterlot" Chrysalis said, trying to get Stem to let go. Stem finally let go of her. " I'll get my things" Stem said, skipping away while Chrysalis smiled. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stem Strapped on his saddle bags and started walking to the exit of the hive and when he saw it, he stopped 10 feet in front of it and stood there. There it was, the way out of the Hive right in front of Stem, he was so close."Stem." Chrysalis said softly, Stem looked behind him and there she was looking at him with an expression that looked like she was scared of something, "please be careful out there." she continued. "I will" Stem said, a bit sad at her expression Stem started to walk torwards exit, taking a deep breath ~I'm actually doing this.~ Stem thought, still walking towards the exit.~I'm going to do this.~ Stem's heart is pounding in his chest and then he set one of on the soft grass ~I DID IT!~ Stem took a deep breath of fresh air "here we go." Stem said, as he started walking away form the hive, the outside was a beautiful site to see, the sun was setting leaving an beautiful orange a purple sky, the cool breeze filled the air as leaves fell from trees only to be carried by the wind. Stem found the site amazing, but there wasn't anytime to lose, he had an important mission and he wasn't going to fail it with a look of determination he set off into the woods. Stem really loved the outside, which is why he kept telling the if he could go outside and he got what he want and he loved it. Stem saw a lake and walked towards it, when he reached the edge of the lake he looked at his reflection and said "I can't believe this is happening." he had wondered how this was going go. He decided to stop admiring the lake and went on his way, he took another deep and started walking Stem was kind of scared to be in this part of the badlands, who knows what kind of creatures lived in this woods, but he had nothing to worry about be he realized that he was almost at the border between equestrian and the badlands, he just needs to be careful to make sure no guards are around. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was dark, the sun had fully set and the moon was shining bright and so did the stars. Stem always had a fascination with the moon, something about it always interested him, maybe someday he could get a closer look, not him personally he would have no way to breathe, but he find a way. While he was thinking he noticed a tower up ahead and a few tents, there were also campfire but no fire to go with it, it looked like some kind of camp and was also empty, it kind of scared him a little, so maybe they were sleeping, he had to move quickly if he didn't want to get spotted. Stem was sneaking through the camp when he heard a twig snap. Stem turned around to see a dark silhouette standing in front of him and hit him on the head knocking him out. Before his eyes closed, he tried to look at what knocked him down and what he saw the creatures eyes, they had purple irises with slit pupils. As he was looking into the creatures eyes he felt something wrap around him and then, every thing went dark.