Chapter 4: End of an Era
After Midnight
By Nebula Star
Part 1: The Darkest Night
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Chapter 4: End of an Era
***
Chrysalis tucked her wings back and dove down into the wreckage of the small house. The Ursa had been dealt with; she and her strike teams had driven off ursa majors from the hive several times in the many years they'd been in the forest, even when they had been weak on the edge of starvation. Now with the strength they'd gained from the love within the colony, they had little trouble with the beasts.
Even so her heart was racing. She had tried to contact Sallis and gotten no response, so she'd started searching for her and Surprise. She had begun to worry when eye witnesses had told her that Surprise and Sallis had tried to distract the beast so others could escape. Then one had told her that the beast had managed to land a hit on them and that they'd crashed into this house that was in ruins. The rest of her strike team was making sure the ursa didn't turn back, but she called every nearby changeling to aid her as she began digging through the wreckage as much with her hooves as with her magic, dreading every moment what she would find.
As she tossed debris aside she tried again and again to contact Sallis telepathically, hoping she would answer, that what the witnesses had said was wrong. Then she lifted a broken piece of a door out of the way and saw bright yellow. Surprise's tail.
With a tremendous surge of magic, Chrysalis lifted the rest of the debris and tossed it aside, for once not caring how much energy she was wasting. There they were, Surprise and Sallis, lying a few feet apart where they had landed after crashing through the side of the small house. One look was all it took to bring Chrysalis to her knees.
“Please no.” Her eldest daughter, her one remaining link to the brightest moments of her past; and her friend, and hope for her children's future. Both were barely alive. Both seemed to be fading.
Without a second thought Chrysalis touched her horn to Sallis's shoulder and channeled much of her own love energy into her, it wouldn't heal her, but it might give her the strength to survive.
For a moment there was no sign that it had done anything at all, then Sallis coughed and choked briefly before coughing again and a little blood trickled out the corner of her mouth. Finally her eyes slowly opened. Their ghostly blue glow was dim, reflecting her condition.
Chrysalis didn't know why her children had such eyes when her own eyes were far different, but she'd long since gotten use to them. She couldn't explain it, but somehow she could always tell when one of her children was looking at her. So she knew when Sallis looked up at her.
“Hi mom,” she said her voice weak, not much more than a whisper.
Chrysalis smiled sadly. Of all her sons and daughters, Sallis was the only one who normally called her 'mom'. “Don't try to move, help's coming.” She said gently, trying to sound reassuring.
Sallis took a few shuddering breaths, looking up at her before trying to speak again. “I... I'm... not going to... make it, am I,” she managed. It wasn't really a question.
Unable to deny that bitter truth, Chrysalis trembled, tears filling her eyes. “H... Help is on the way,” she repeated lamely. “Just hold on.”
“Mom... I... I can't feel my legs. It's hard to breath...” She shook her head what little she could. “I've seen enough death to know when it is close.” She coughed again bringing up more blood as if to emphasize her point.
Chrysalis closed her eyes trying to hold back her anguish and gave a tiny nod, tears running down her cheeks.
Sallis let out a small sigh then slowly turned her head trying to look over the pegasus she'd been trying to protect. “Wh... what about Surprise?”
Opening her eyes once more, Chrysalis looked over at the Pegasus, truly assessing her injuries for the first time. One of her wings was clearly broken, as well as one of her forelegs. Her entire left side was badly bruised, some of the bruising likely hiding other internal injuries. She was breathing shallowly as if it were difficult for her. She seemed weak... all too weak.
“I don't think she's going to make it,” Chrysalis answered in a whisper. “None of her injuries seem fatal on their own, but all at once...” She shook her head. “I think her body is in shock, she just doesn't have the strength to recover. I don't dare move her as weak as she is. I sent for the doctors but...” She shook her head feeling the tears falling from her eyes.
Tears came to Sallis's eyes as well as she watched Surprise struggling to breath. “Mother... do you think... that Surprise could... could make it, if she had my strength?”
Chrysalis's eyes widened looking down at her daughter. “Sallis, No!”
“Do you think she could make it?” Sallis asked again. Her tone, though weak, demanded an answer.
“Sallis...” Chrysalis almost whimpered. She knew what Sallis was thinking, knew the cost.
Sallis just looked up at her, her eyes pleading for an answer. “Mother, please.”
“I...” She shut her eyes against the tears. She wanted to lie, to say that there was no hope for Surprise, knowing all too well what Sallis would ask of her if there was even the smallest chance. But she couldn't lie, not with her. She never lied if she could avoid it, but she especially couldn't lie with her. “Possibly, I can't be sure, but she might be able to survive if she had more strength.”
Sallis looked over at Surprise. She coughed then said two words Chrysalis didn't want to hear; “do it.”
“Sallis, no! I can't do that to you! I swore after Tallis that I'd never do it again!” Chrysalis exclaimed tears falling freely from her eyes.
“If it will save Surprise...”
“It would kill you, Sallis!” Chrysalis cried.
Her daughter just looked back up at her sadly. “I'm already dying,” she said softly.
It was all Chrysalis could do not to collapse in tears. “Please, don't ask this of me! I can't, Sallis...”
“Mother, please,” Sallis breathed looking up at her with tears in her eyes. “She has two fillies that... depend on her. She's... she's everything to them. They've lost so much already.”
Chrysalis knew all too well the two fillies Sallis meant. She'd been working with Surprise for months and had met Raindrop and Dewdrop numerous times. “Sallis...”
“You told me to protect her with my life!” Sallis interupted with as much strength in her voice as she could muster. “Please, help me do as you asked.” She looked up at Chrysalis, desperate tears in her eyes. “Don't let me fail the last assignment you ever gave me... Mother, please... make my death worth something... Help me save her, before it's too late.”
Chrysalis sat, trembling in her torment. Sallis was right; she wasn't going to make it and if, by giving what little life she had left, she could save Surprise, wouldn't it be worth it? To save the adoptive mother of two young fillies?
But to do so she would have to kill her own daughter. Even if Sallis was already dying, the spell would still take what little life she had left.
“Mother, please,” Sallis said softly one last time, her eyes begging Chrysalis to do the deed.
Tears in her eyes, Chrysalis picked up Sallis into one last embrace, though Sallis could not return it. She held her daughter as she gathered her resolve. “I'll always love you, Sallis,” she whispered softly then gently laid her back down.
Sallis smiled up at her in thanks. “When you see Sonata, tell her that I love her.”
Chrysalis nodded that she would. Then, reaching through the bond she shared with all her children, she began to cast a spell. A spell that would draw out not only the love energy Sallis held, but her life force, her essence, as well. The magic worked quickly as Chrysalis forced herself to grant her daughter's wish. Her horn glowed with the gathered energy as the spell continued to drain Sallis of her strength and her power.
Sallis continued to smile as she felt herself weakening. “Thank you... I love you, mom,” She said softly as the last of her strength was drained away. Then the soft glow of her eyes dimmed to nothing and her body went completely limp as her long life finally reached its end.
Chrysalis almost broke down right then, knowing that her eldest daughter was now truly gone. But she held firm, she couldn't let Sallis's sacrifice go to waste and she couldn't hold the energy she'd taken from her daughter for long.
Turning to Surprise she leaned down and touched her horn to the pegasus's side, channeling the energy into her battered body. As it flooded through her, Surprise suddenly gasped for breath. It had been close; Surprise had almost stopped breathing already. But now with the added strength from Sallis, her starved lungs were working hard to replenish the oxygen in her body. She didn't wake, but her breathing was now strong and steady. Chrysalis took it as a good sign, that Surprise would in fact survive.
Looking to some of the other changelings that had gathered at her call, she gestured for two to come to her side. “Take her to the clinic quickly, but carefully,” she ordered. They both nodded and carefully lifted Surprise with their magic heading toward the colony's clinic as quickly as they could while levitating her as level and as gently as possible. Then she sent a second message through her son that she'd sent to fetch the doctors that they were bringing Surprise to the clinic instead.
Once they were gone and the message was sent Chrysalis turned back to Sallis's lifeless body. The last daughter of the only stallion that had ever married her knowing full well what she was; that had loved the real her. She couldn't hold back anymore; she'd been holding back her pain for far too long. She'd always tried to appear strong, to be the queen her children needed her to be. She'd built a dam to hold back her emotions, to hold back the tears. But every time one of her children had died another piece had been chipped away. Sallis had been her source of strength for so long; she'd been the only one who truly knew her, and she'd always been there. Now that one source of strength, that one support, was gone and the dam was crashing down. Chrysalis couldn't hold it back anymore; she didn't want to.
Tossing her head back Chrysalis screamed in anguish.
All around her the changelings that she had called to help stood by and watched, not knowing what to do. They'd all known Sallis, known she was favored of their queen. Not one had ever resented her for it though. Sallis had always gone out of her way to help her fellow changelings. She'd been a shining example that they'd all striven to emulate. But none of them had known their queen as Sallis had. None of them knew how to comfort their mother. So they all stood silently by, heads hung low in despair as their queen cried over the loss of her most faithful daughter.
~~~
Ever since the changelings had come to the Brookstone colony, many refugees had sought them out, both from other colonies as well as those that had managed to escape from Canterlot. The colony had become known as a safe haven, and nopony was turned away.
Among the many refugees they'd taken in were two doctors. Being so deep in the forest, even with the added protection of the changelings, there was still a lot of danger and ponies often were injured. So the colony had eagerly provided the doctors with what they would need to set up a makeshift hospital. Due to one of the doctors not wanting to call it as such, the converted home had instead become known as the clinic.
With only four rooms for patients and a makeshift operating room, they only tended the worst injuries at the clinic itself while most other injuries were tended in the patient's homes. It was in one of those four rooms however that Surprise was placed, with several pieces of magic powered health monitors hooked up to her. She hadn't woken yet.
Chrysalis sat against the wall, watching over Surprise. The doctors had assured her that Surprise's condition was stable and improving, but still Chrysalis insisted on staying. She didn't want her daughter's sacrifice to go to waste because nopony was around in case something happened.
It hadn't been until Surprise's injuries had been tended and she'd been placed in this recovery room that Chrysalis had realized that the rest of Surprise's household should be told what had happened. It had already been almost two hours at that point. She'd sent one of her changelings to deliver the message that Surprise was in the clinic as soon as she'd thought of it and received word that Sonata and the twins were on their way. She expected them soon.
Until they arrived however she stayed where she was; watching in silence as tears slowly slid down her cheeks. She wouldn't hold back her emotions anymore. She couldn't. No more masks, no more acts. She couldn't bear them any longer. For better or for worse, the world would see the real Chrysalis.
Four thousand years. She'd almost forgotten what it was like to let her emotions show, to be herself. It felt good. Perhaps she had been a fool to hide them.
A soft knock at the door brought Chrysalis out of her thoughts. She wiped the tears from her eyes quickly as she went to open the door. Chrysalis had met Sonata on a few occasions just as she had met the twins that stood at her side.
“Queen Chrysalis!” Sonata exclaimed in surprise and quickly bowed. Chrysalis smiled but gestured for her to stop.
“No need for that, you're not one of my changelings,” she said kindly.
“Where's Surprise!?” One of the fillies demanded, her expression hard despite the tears in her eyes. Her sister was nearly trembling, clearly about to collapse in tears at any moment.
Chrysalis smiled reassuringly and stepped aside gesturing into the room. “She's right here. The doctors say she's going to be just fine.”
The fillies didn't wait, they rushed past Chrysalis at a full gallop to the bedside where they jumped up on either side of Surprise putting their little hooves around her as both began to cry.
“Careful, girls,” Chrysalis cautioned, concerned that they may inadvertently hurt their caretaker and friend. They immediately pulled away, terrified that they might injure Surprise but still laid by her sides looking up at her, letting their tears flow freely.
“They were so worried when we got the message,” Sonata whispered softly as she and Chrysalis watched. “Today is their birthday, but it's also the day their mother died. If they had lost Surprise...”
Chrysalis nodded understandingly.
Sonata watched the fillies a moment longer but then worry filled her eyes as she realized someone was missing. “Where's Sallis?” She asked softly.
Chrysalis lowered her eyes to the floor. “Sallis, she didn't make it,” she said quietly enough so only Sonata would here.
The news stole the strength from Sonata's legs and she had to lean heavily on the doorframe to keep herself on her hooves. “She... she's gone?”
Sadly, Chrysalis nodded, renewed tears in her eyes. “They were both dying when I arrived. Sallis, she gave her life to save Surprise.”
“She was noble like that...” Sonata whispered unable to hold back the tears coming to her eyes. Knowing well how close she had been to her daughter, Chrysalis turned to her and gently pulled her into an embrace. She tensed at first, but then seemed to realize that Chrysalis shared her pain and leaned into her shoulder crying softly.
“Sallis asked me to tell you, that she loves you,” Chrysalis said softly, holding the young mare as she cried for the loss of her love.
~~~
Consciousness returned slowly to Surprise. At first all she was aware of was a strange new feeling. It was like a light in the back of her mind, not quite seen, and a pressure not quite felt. It seemed to be two parts. One felt old and somehow familiar, as if it had been there all along; the other felt new and exciting. She forgot about the strange sense altogether though as she continued to drift toward consciousness and she became suddenly and fully aware of just how stiff and sore she felt.
Ow! I haven't felt this bad since I forgot Tea Leaf's birthday! Surprise thought as every one of her injuries complained at once. Deciding it was better not to move at the moment, she instead opted to open her eyes. When she did she was glad she hadn't tried to move, because she found that she wasn't alone. Dewdrop and Raindrop were lying against her sides, both fast asleep. Surprise smiled seeing them, they always looked so peaceful when they were asleep.
Then a small detail caught her eye, there were tears still shimmering in Dewdrop's eyes. She had been crying, actually letting her emotions show. Surprise almost wanted to cry herself seeing that; perhaps the filly was finally starting to recover.
Reluctantly looking away from the twins, she turned her attention to her own injuries. One of her wings was splinted and bound against her side and one foreleg was in a cast and immobilized. Her left ankle was very tightly bandaged, as was her chest and barrel. Her entire body felt like one big bruise, almost every movement she made caused another muscle or joint to ache. Altogether she felt like she'd been slapped through a wall by they paw of a giant constellation bear...
Seeing that her injuries had been cared for though, she guessed the doctors had already been by to see her so she'd probably find out exactly how bad her injuries were when they came to check on her. She hoped her wing would heal alright; she couldn't imagine being unable to fly.
Until the Doctors came to check on her however, she'd have to just wait. So for the time being Surprise glanced around the room to see where she was. She recognized it of course, she was in one of the recovery rooms at the clinic. She'd visited sick and injured ponies here often enough. There was one other occupant in the room however.
“I'm glad to see you're awake,” Chrysalis said softly stepping over to the bedside then levitated a glass of water with a straw to her. “Here, you should drink this.”
Surprise gratefully drank the entire glass, as her throat had just decided to make her aware of just how dry it was. “Thanks, Chrissy,” she said keeping her voice low as well so she wouldn't wake the twins.
Chrysalis smiled and nodded as she set the glass back on the bedside table. “They refused to leave,” Chrysalis told her gesturing to the twins. “I suggested they use one of the beds in the empty rooms but they refused, they've stayed by your side all night.”
Surprise smiled down at the fillies lying by her sides. “Was Dewdrop really crying?” She asked softly.
“They both were; most the night until they fell asleep,” Chrysalis confirmed with a nod.
“Dewdrop hasn't cried or shown any emotion openly since their mother died,” Surprise said with a sad smile. She watched the filly for a few moments more before looking up at Chrysalis. “The party was wrecked wasn't it...”
Chrysalis almost laughed, leave it to Surprise to worry about a party when she'd just come back from the very edge of death. “I'm afraid the party was canceled, yes. Everypony and everyling had to help do a quick repair on the wall.”
“Stupid, grumpy bear...” Surprise grumbled under her breath.
Chrysalis's smile faded then. “Surprise, we need to talk about what happened. There's something you need to know.”
“What is it?” Surprise asked, a little worried that one or more of her injuries wouldn't heal completely.
“When you were hit, Sallis, she tried to save you, to catch you and soften the impact. The two of you smashed through the wall of a house together and then the house collapsed on top of you.”
“Is Sallis alright?” Surprise asked; fear for her friend's well-being overriding her worry about her own injuries.
Chrysalis lowered her eyes. “You were both dying when I found you, but I was able to help Sallis regain consciousness. She... she knew she wasn't going to make it, so she offered her life to save you. If it weren't for the strength you received from Sallis, you would have died as well.”
Surprise stared at Chrysalis as what she was saying became all too clear. “She's gone?” she whispered tears coming to her eyes.
The queen silently nodded.
“It's all my fault,” Surprise breathed, beginning to tremble as the realization hit her. “If I had flown to safety when she told me too...” She broke off when Chrysalis gently placed a hoof over her mouth.
“Don't blame yourself, Surprise. You couldn't have known what would happen.”
Surprise sniffed but couldn't hold back the tears filling her eyes. Deep down she knew Chrysalis was right, but that didn't stop her from thinking of what she could have done differently. And it didn't change that her friend was gone.
~~~
Chrysalis let Surprise cry for a time. She knew the pegasus well enough to know that Surprise often held back her own emotions as well to keep up her constantly cheerful appearance. And so she knew that Surprise needed to cry. She was just glad that the fillies didn't wake, because she knew Surprise would feel that she'd have to put on a strong face for the twins.
“You said she gave her life to save me?” Surprise asked sometime later when she had cried herself out. Chrysalis nodded.
“Like I said; you were both dying when I found you. I don't think either of you would have made it on your own. Sallis, she asked me to transfer what remained of her life force, her essence, into you to give you the strength you needed to survive. It... It's something I've only done once before... with Sallis's sisters: Allis and Tallis.”
“Sallis never told me she had sisters.”
“It's a painful memory for me just as it was for Sallis,” Chrysalis told her before going on. “Tallis was fatally injured the night Sallis's father was killed. In order to try and save her Allis asked me to try to take some of her strength and pass it to her sister. I found out too late that I couldn't take just part of her strength; the spell killed Allis. And what's worse, Tallis was too far gone already; even Allis's strength wasn't enough to save her. She died anyway.” Chrysalis realized there were tears in her eyes, but she didn't care anymore. She let the tears flow unhindered. “I lost my husband and two of my daughters that night.”
It had been a long time since she'd told anyone about that part of her past. She was surprised, she actually felt better for it. But she wasn't just telling Surprise this just to tell her. “Anyway, the reason I brought it up is that, since this is the first time it was successful, I don't know exactly what to expect. There may be some... side effects.”
Surprise looked up at her. “Like what?”
“Well, there's one I already noticed before you woke...” Chrysalis said then established a telepathic link with Surprise's mind. 'You seem to have inherited the bond Sallis had with me.'
Surprise blinked, then smiled. “When did you become a Ventriloquist?”
“I'm not.”
“But you were talking without moving your mouth.”
“That's what I mean Surprise, I was talking to you telepathically. Just like I can with all my changelings,” Chrysalis explained.
She seemed excited by the idea. “Really? So I could talk to you with my mind from anywhere just like Sallis could?” Surprise asked.
Chrysalis nodded. “You'll have to learn to use it...” She broke off as she felt Surprise make a link with her mind.
'Testing, testing; 1, 2... is this thing on?'
Chrysalis could only smile. 'You never cease to amaze me Surprise.'
'Oh neato, it works!'
“Yes, but Surprise, like I said, there may be other side effects as well. So I want you to tell me if you notice anything odd,” Chrysalis told her.
Surprise nodded. “Okay.”
She smiled, but just then she felt a yawn coming on and was unable to hold it back. She'd been up the entire night after all. “Alright; well it's good to see you awake, Surprise. Now I think I can finally get some rest myself. I'll tell the doctors you're awake on the way out,” Chrysalis said, turning to go.
“Chrissy; does Sonata know? About Sallis?” Surprise asked before she could leave.
Chrysalis nodded. “I told her when she arrived last night. She was sleeping in one of the other rooms.”
Surprise looked down sadly. “Okay, good,” she said softly and with one last look over her shoulder, Chrysalis left the room.
~~~
Midnight glared at the piece of paper held in her magic wishing it could feel pain so she could make it suffer for the news it carried. It was a report from one of her slaves that she tasked with spying on the ponies hiding in the forest. A report that made her blood boil.
The changelings were helping the Brookstone colony.
Crumpling the paper into a tiny ball, she then incinerated it before turning toward the grand windows of her throne room. There she looked out over the forest at the foot of the mountains; dimly lit by the light of the moon.
She knew it had been a mistake to leave the colony alone. Even if it was where she'd grown up, she never should have let them become so well established. And now, with the help of that wretched changeling queen and her vile spawn; the colony was beginning to be seen as a safe haven. They were happy! Rumor was the ponies of Brookstone were the happiest they've ever been! And they were safe! It had been reported that the changeling queen was even able to drive off hydras and ursa majors; some of the worst that the deep forests had to offer.
The ponies were proud of their home, of their new allies. Word was spreading and refugees were flocking to colony in droves. It was almost a city already according to her most recent reports. She'd let this go on for far too long. It was time she reminded them. All good things end.
Taking control of her chaos, she began to lower her castle back down to the mountainside it floated above, allowing the various pieces of the ancient city of Canterlot to settle as well. Soon there was a tremor through the dark structure as it landed in its place on the mountainside. With her castle secured, she stood and turned to go. She could likely reach the colony before dawn, then she'd teach that changeling queen a lesson. There were far greater things to fear than hydras and ursas in the land of Equestria!
Magic.
The spell seemed to come out of nowhere catching Midnight by surprise. Before she could react it had latched onto her. Casting out with her own magic, she tried to locate the source so she could destroy the pony that dared to attack her. But there was no pony; the magic was coming from some kind of vortex or rift that had formed in the air behind her. She tried to block the spell but she wasn't even sure what the spell was. Then the pain started and all other thoughts were obliterated in agony.
Midnight Screamed as she felt herself being torn away; pulled into the vortex. She'd never felt such pain before. She tried to resist, tried to fight it, but the spell was too strong and the pain too great. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the vortex vanished.
For a moment the throne room was silent. Then there was the sound of an equine body collapsing to the floor, and the Empress did not rise again.
~~~
“Watch out!”
Chrysalis's eyes widened as she cast a barrier spell, blocking the bolt of raw energy. It wasn't even a spell; more just magic energy forced out of the body. Even so, such uncontrolled magic could still be dangerous. Luckily Chrysalis had plenty of magic built up; far more than any unicorn or changeling were capable of, and the dangerous magic splashed harmlessly across her shield.
Such a crude use of magic wouldn't have caught her by such surprise however, if it weren't for the source. How can Surprise manipulate magic without a horn!? She thought. That was supposed to be impossible for ponies, at least without an array or potion. In fact, as far as she knew only dragons had that ability. So how could Surprise do it? Then she looked back at the pegasus and got her answer.
“Sorry...” Surprise said as the glowing outline of a jagged ethereal horn faded from her forehead, and an emerald glow faded from her eyes.
A phantom horn?
“It's alright,” Chrysalis told her reassuringly. It had only been a few hours after she'd left that morning that Surprise had contacted Chrysalis -- waking the changeling queen from far too short of a rest -- and, sounding a little panicked, told her that she had discovered another side effect of the transfer.
Chrysalis had arrived to find Raindrop jumping up and down excitedly next to Surprise's bed while Dewdrop calmly examined a small smoldering hole in the wall. When she'd asked what had happened, Surprise had tried to show her, resulting in the magic blast.
“That's definitely a side effect, though I never imagined you would somehow gain the ability to control your magic. You can feel it? Like a light in the back of your mind?”
She nodded. “Yeah, it feels all bright and glowey.”
“Yes, that's how all changelings feel their magic; I imagine it's the same for unicorns as well,” Chrysalis told her thinking. If Surprise had gained both Sallis's bond to her and the ability to control her magic, what else might she have inherited from Sallis?
“It feels like there's two different halves though.”
Chrysalis looked back at her. “Two halves?”
“Yeah, the glowy feeling; there's two halves. One feels old and familiar somehow, the other is new.”
Chrysalis thought for a moment. “Interesting. The first half is probably your original pegasus magic, that's why it feels familiar...”
“Pegasus magic? We have magic?” Surprise asked sounding confused.
Chrysalis smiled. “Of course, how do you think you walk on clouds or control the weather?”
“I never thought about it.”
“All living things have magic in them, and all living things use their magic in different ways. Pegasi use their magic to walk on clouds, control weather, and assist in their flying.” She gestured toward the twins. “Earth ponies use their magic to give themselves greater strength and stamina.”
“We do?” Raindrop asked sounding excited.
Chrysalis smiled down at her and nodded. “But you do so naturally; so you don't have to think about it.”
“What about the other half?” Surprise asked.
“The other half that you can feel is probably the love charged magic that you received from Sallis. If I'm right, then that half won't replenish itself.” If Surprise can learn to use Sallis's changeling magic, will she be able to use it to transform like a changeling?
Surprise had other concerns. “Does that mean that I have to start absorbing love now?”
“Not to survive, no, you'll always have your pegasus magic,” Chrysalis assured her. “Now I know I can teach you to control the changeling type magic, but I don't know about your pegasus magic. It may react differently to being manipulated; we'll see. You will eventually use up your changeling type magic however, unless you can replenish it. Can you sense anything around you? Like auras around Dewdrop and Raindrop.”
Surprise shook her head. “Nope, just in the back of my head.”
Chrysalis nodded. “Then you probably can't absorb love energy yourself to replenish your changeling magic. I may be able to pass energy to you, however, through the bond you have with me now.”
Just as she finished there was a knock on the door.
“You may enter,” Chrysalis said, wondering who it may be.
The door opened and a young alicorn stepped in.
He wasn't really an alicorn as Chrysalis recognized one of her children. Nor was he larger than the average pony; he had merely taken the form of an alicorn for convenience. There truly was nothing stopping all changelings from taking alicorn forms except for the simple fact that there weren't very many alicorns in the world. So when they were trying to remain secret and avoid attracting attention to themselves, it wasn't a good idea to take on such an unusual form.
Here in the colony however, where they were already known to be changelings, it was common, especially for those that volunteered for the colonial guard, for changelings to use an alicorn form at times so they had access to both flight and magic. Normally when they were in a form without a horn the only magic they could still use was their transformation magic since it was more instinctual for them than other magic. She had wondered why that was, even speculated that it should be possible to use the rest of their magic since they could still use their transformation magic. Now it seemed she may have been right if Surprise was any indication.
He bowed deeply. “Sorry to disturb you, my queen.”
“What is it, Nurross?” Chrysalis asked, gesturing for him to rise.
“A couple pegasus just flew in from Canterlot,” he said sounding excited. “They came with news; they say that Empress Midnight Star is dead!”
“What!?” Chrysalis and Surprise exclaimed together.
He grinned. “They said that she was found dead in her throne room early this morning! Those left in Canterlot started spreading word as soon as they found out!”
“Nurross! You should have contacted me the moment you heard!” Chrysalis exclaimed though she made it clear she wasn't angry. “Why did you waste time flying here?”
He faltered slightly. “Well you asked us not to contact you telepathically unless it was an emergency...”
She slammed a hoof to her forehead; she had given her changelings that order. “You could have contacted me for this.”
“Sorry, mom.” He said softly lowering his eyes.
Chrysalis's raised a brow. Like all the rest of her children he'd never called her mom since he'd come of age. “Mom?”
He kept his eyes on the floor. “Sallis... she always called you mom. We thought... we thought you might like it if the rest of us did.”
Chrysalis was surprised but smiled; it wasn't the first time her children had gotten together in order to do something for her. Even if it was as simple as starting to call her mom again. “I think I would like that,” She told him, but then got back to the matter at hoof. “So the pegasi that delivered the news, are they still here?”
He nodded. “Yes, we asked them to wait in case you wanted to speak with them yourself.”
“Good, I do want to speak with them,” she told him then turned back to Surprise. “It would probably be best if you don't try anything with your magic while I'm gone. I'll have to arrange time to teach you to control it, but until then; please be cautious.”
She nodded. “Okey dokey.”
Knowing Surprise, Chrysalis looked down at the twins. “You two keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't put any more holes in the wall.”
Dewdrop just nodded while her sister grinned widely. “You got it Chrissy!” Raindrop said with a salute.
Chrysalis just smiled then turned back at her rather surprised son. “Let's go.”
~~~
“She had just landed the castle when it happened; she usually only did that when she was going to go somewhere. Even when she slept, her magic always kept the castle aloft,” Chrysalis's unicorn guide told her as he led her through the dark castle.
After speaking with the pegasi that had brought word of the empress's death Chrysalis had decided to see for herself it it was true. Some of her children had worried that it was a trap, but even so she had ordered them to stay behind. If it was a trap, she wasn't about to put any of them at risk. But she didn't think it was.
“Anyway, she had just landed the castle when one of the servants” – slaves, Chrysalis corrected to herself – “heard her scream as if in a pain. He didn't look to see what was happening; only a fool disturbs the empress after all. But when she didn't emerge from the throne room for a few hours, one of the servants risked a look inside.” At this they had reached the throne room and he pushed the door open without hesitation.
Chrysalis saw her immediately; the empress, still lying in the exact spot she'd fallen the night before.
“He found her like this,” the former slave went on. “And when he worked up the nerve to check, he found that she had already gone cold.”
Chrysalis barely listened as she crossed the room to the body. She almost couldn't believe it was true. Stopping by the purple unicorn's side she bent down, watching carefully, listening for any sign of life. Finally she reached out a hoof and placed it on the corpse's side. It was cold.
She was almost overcome with emotion as she slowly smiled, tears filling her eyes. “Good riddance,” she said softly to the corpse. Then she stood and raised her head high, silently thanking the powers that be as hope such as she'd never felt before swept over her. Hope for a brighter future than she had ever believed possible.
“My lady?” The former slave said softly.
She turned to him smiling as she hadn't in years. “This is indeed a great day for Equestria! Spread the word; a new age has begun. Anypony that wishes to begin anew and help rebuild this once great nation; the changelings and Brookstone colony will lead the way! Keep your ears open; soon new settlements will be founded, settlements free of the dangers of the deep forest! Together we will make this land better than ever before. A land for unicorns, pegasi, earth ponies, and changelings alike!”
Her impromptu speech finished, Chrysalis turned back to the corpse of the empress and cast a powerful spell, incinerating the body. Then, when nothing was left but ash, and with her heart soaring, she hurried back to the colony to spread the good news.
~~~
“So what do you think?” Chrysalis asked almost two weeks later standing on a hilltop just beyond the western edge of the forest looking out over the open fields and rolling hills. After witnessing for herself the truth of Midnight Star's death, she had the same day proposed her plan to the colony council to move the colony out of the forest to the safer open lands where they could live without the fear of the monsters that roamed the depths of the forest. They had agreed and while she had taken a few days to gather her children to have a funeral for Sallis, Chrysalis soon had her hive searching for a suitable location.
After a little debate, they had decided on the land she now surveyed for herself. “There's plenty of open land for farming, and until they start producing we can still forage in the forest. The main settlement will be over there. She said pointing to a flat area near a small river. We'll keep the colony going as long as we need to while we start building...” Though the funeral for Sallis had been a somber affair, Chrysalis had, in the week and a half following, been in an almost constant state of excitement; sometimes even exceeding that of Surprise.
Limping up to Chrysalis's side, Surprise looked over the landscape before them and smiled. “It will be perfect! We could have a park along the river, farms growing tasty foods all around town, maybe even an apple orchard! Oh! And a town square where I could throw the biggest most funnerific parties ever!”
Chrysalis smiled. “Yes, this will be it then, our new home,” she said looking out over the hills. “So what do you think we should call it?”
Surprise looked thoughtful for a moment then smiled and said with confidence. “Ponyville.”
“Ponyville? Chrysalis repeated raising an eyebrow. “Why Ponyville?”
She shrugged. “I don't know. It just feels right.”
Chrysalis stared at her a moment then slowly smiled. “Alright, Ponyville it is then.”
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I love this story!
I am surprised it is not more well known...
As I was reading this I couldn't help wondering what they would think of Midnight's new look in the other story.
Also wouldn't it be ironic if Midnight was the element of magic?
I know she probably isn't, but it would be kind of funny.
Anyway...Love your work! And I eagerly await more!
4071288
Well thanks! And yea; Midnight's gone through some major changes in the other story line; and there's still more to come for her.
As far as After Midnight though; it would be rather sadly ironic if Midnight were the element of magic. But luckily for them; Midnight, while extremely powerful with magic, had a very weak connection to harmony magic since she was more attuned to chaos at the time. So the element of magic wouldn't have chosen her.
Now thats something I didn't expect. All that looking for rest of elements was part of that other story or still its actual ?
4072883
Lol, no, it is part of this story. After Midnight isn't even half done at this point.
4072920
Its just looked that they search for element to win against Midnight
4072927 Nope, the elements are needed for something else; something only Reshkirana really knows about at this point.
... Other passengers kept looking at me funny when I kept wiping my eyes on the tram. Poor Sallis... She didn't deserve it.
Ding dong the witch is dead! At least in this verse.
Now I wonder who'll be the remaining elements.
Cya
Raziel-chan