//------------------------------// // Changeling Sides // Story: A Change in Changelings // by PonyThunder //------------------------------// Reusing this song because it's so good Click for atmospheric music if you so desire. After making the long journey to his home, Thorax had a sigh of relief as he touched down outside the entrance to the hive, his wings buzzing tiredly as they came to a standstill. His body felt filled and recharged with the love he had attained with the Crystal Ponies in the time he had spent in their kingdom after Spike stood up for him. It felt exhilarating, somewhat akin to how exhilarating it felt to be filled to the brim with loving energy after sucking it dry from somepony else, but in a much different way. Changelings didn't eat or drink, so they did not hunger or thirst, but they did require to feed off the energy of others. But for Thorax, there was more than just the feeling of satiation. There was feeling, emotion, joy, happiness, and friendship. And he didn't have to feed off the energy of anypony. Only the friendship that they shared. Why haven't we tried this before? Thorax questioned to himself as he walked through the hive, watching others buzz about in every which direction. None of them paid any particular attention to each other. Any glance, any eye contact would surely result in a fight. Thorax had grown quite used to naturally averting his eyes to avoid such a scenario. He arrived at his small home of sorts. A small opening in the wall, next to hundreds of others that looked nearly the same. Inside were a few belongings, but he made sure to keep them hidden. A changeling could feed off the energy of certain items if they had been loved by somepony, and as one would expect, changelings often resorted to theft. But to Thorax, they were more than just things he could use to satiate his hunger. Currently in his collection he had only a small pegasus, presumably owned by a small filly long ago. Usually, a single item wouldn't last a changeling for that long, and it hadn't for Thorax. He'd been running on empty ever since he decided to stop feeding off the energy of other's belongings. That's why he chose to go off alone in the first place in search for another way of life. Suddenly, the familiar sound of the queen buzzed from afar. Thorax knew what that meant, as did every other changeling. Like a well-trained machine, the changelings rose into the air and formed neat lines flying towards where Queen Chrysalis was located. Thorax rose up to fly, and almost brought along the doll by accident. The meeting was typical. An update on the standings of the changeling empire, if one could even call it an empire. Their numbers were dwindling in the low hundreds, but in comparison to what they were before their invasion, it paled in comparison. Queen Chrysalis spoke about the usual things, doing her best to motivate her subjects through hate and revenge. Thorax listened quietly as usual, but could feel something else stirring up inside him. He was never much fond of the changelings' ways and their feelings towards ponies, but after the life-changing experience he had in the crystal empire, every rage-filled word against them felt like a jab through his own heart. He almost felt ashamed to be in his own skin, surrounded by the hundreds of other changelings chanting and buzzing in response to the queen's speech. He almost thought about speaking up and telling the hive of his story. He ruminated the words over and over in his head to figure out how he would tell them, but the increasing chanting and overall energy of the hive kept interrupting his thoughts. It's no use, he thought to himself. Now was certainly not the time to be bringing up such a controversial topic. Being friends with the ponies? Queen Chrysalis would never even consider it. Not for a moment. He shook his head and looked down as the horde of changelings buzzed in rage and energy as Queen Chrysalis ended her speech. The crowd of changelings immediately rose into the air and buzzed away in every direction, leaving him and the queen standing alone in the large open area. She immediately took notice of him. "You, over there," said Chrysalis. "Come here." Thorax obliged by instinct, but only after a few moments lost in deep thought. The queen was not merciful towards those who were sluggish. "Yes, my queen?" He replied, somewhat half-heartedly. "You look as if you are rather ill-nourished." "Oh, I'm fine," Thorax replied, but immediately regretted it when Chrysalis responded back. "Then why do you show all the signs?" She questioned him suspiciously. "Sluggish response time, frailness of the legs..." "My legs are fine," Thorax replied, but as soon as he looked down, he saw that his legs were shaking slightly. He felt well-nourished from the energy he had received from the friends he made in the Crystal Empire, but his emotions were taking over and making it seem the opposite. The queen continued, "Do you have something you wish to share with me, my minion?" "No," Thorax was quick to reply. Too quick. Chrysalis eyed him suspiciously, and then relaxed slightly. "I know times are tough, young one. But you must remain strong. Do you not have an item or token of love to feed off?" "I do..." he replied. "How long have you been using it to nourish yourself?" "Um...a week or so." It was a bluff. He had been using that ragged thing for over three weeks, but it had lost its energy a week ago. "It's not healthy to go for so long without nourishment," she replied. "Come here and feed off of this." Chrysalis gestured to a small, ragged doll. "This is a very special doll," Chrysalis continued. It was a grey pony with buttons for eyes wearing blue shorts with white polka dots. One of the buttons hung on to the doll by a frail string. It didn't look all that special to Thorax. "This doll was once owned by the princess of friendship herself," said Chrysalis. "At one point, she cast a magic spell on this doll that made it an object of extreme affection to any pony that set their eyes on it. I save its energy for those who need it especially most." Thorax was actually quite surprised. He expected at any moment for the queen find out his secret and to rip him to shreds, but here she was, lending him an outstretched hoof. Still, though, he did not want to feed off of this doll. "Well? Go ahead, I give you full permission." Thorax remained still. Chrysalis grew impatient. "Forget any feelings of pride or strength. I command you to eat." Thorax begrudgingly obliged, unsure if he was becoming angry or terrified. He walked up to the doll and began to attempt to sap the energy from the doll. He thought about all of the ponies who had previously loved that doll. He thought about a young Twilight Sparkle playing with it for hours every day, carrying it around everywhere she went. That doll belonged to his friend, and here he was about to suck the energy out of it like some kind of sick creature. Still, Chrysalis was watching him intently. An aura of energy began to emanate from his jagged horn and towards the doll, its tendrils creeping towards it slowly through the air until wrapping around it like a snake. But instead of energy transferring from the doll to him, it went in the reverse direction. It was a subtle difference, and Chrysalis didn't seem to notice, nor did Thorax. At least, until after the transfer was complete and he felt a bit more hungry than he was before. But Chrysalis seemed content. "Good. Now, leave my presence at once." My pleasure, he thought to himself as he buzzed off in the opposite direction, his legs still trembling from the experience. He felt like at any moment the queen would catch up to him as she came to the realization that he had somehow given energy to this small doll, but she never came. Thorax arrived at his hole in the wall and began to calm down and think about what had just happened. Changelings had never been able to expel energy, only sap it. But he had just done exactly that. Feelings of love and hopefulness came upon him as he burrowed deeper into his little cubby. He grabbed the pegasus doll and held it close to him as he drifted off to sleep from the long day of travelling he'd just taken, imagining what it was like to be one of them instead. But feelings of dread also washed over him. There was going to be a day when Changelings would change, but it was going to come at a cost, and he worried how high it would be.