Springtime Nights - Pneuma Flower

by nioniosbbbb

Homecoming

Chrysalis considered herself a good changeling. She did all she could to keep in touch with her subjects. Whether it was fighting in the frontlines with her troops, striking a pose as her battlesong riled the spirits of her brethren, or visiting the nurseries to gift the newborns with a loving embrace, the Queen strived to be present in her people's lives. Many mothers would consider themselves and their offspring blessed just because the Queen happened to grace them with their presence at one of the most important parts of their lives. The soldiers were happy to hear her song, because it meant their Queen was healthy and fighting so they had no reason to fear. Chrysalis acted like a true Queen, worthy of her stature.

Too bad not everyone liked her being a Queen.

“Changeling” was not always the name of their race. In ancient times the first changelings were called Proteans, and from that word came the adjective. Protean meant versatile, mutable, adaptable, capable of assuming many forms. Theirs was the magic of emotions, the greatest expression being the ability to combine their magic with their surroundings, and other creatures: shapeshifting was one of them. When Equestria was still young it assured their survival in a world riddled with monsters. The word protean, however, became too common, its meaning got skewed. Other racial traits were taken for granted, too. Changeling society became crooked along with them, and it was not long before changelings started abusing their gifts... and wanting more. In Chrysalis' time they wanted the Queen's throne, they wanted to take down their guardian. They spat at her face, insulted her, opposed her with their rebellions!

Was she not right to seek vengeance upon them? To discipline those that sought to wreak havoc? To stifle the coups that threatened the peace of her Kingdom? She had killed a lot, she knew that much. Liars, traitors, betrayers and rebels deserved nothing more than the death penalty. But there was one traitor she just couldn't bear herself to kill...

Inside her carriage, Sky and Ao were sleeping. Sky was resting on Ao's side, the latter having a hoof on her shoulders. Passion Blaze, wearing a pair of reading glasses, was awake and had an open book on his hoof titled "Liquid Skin:The exemplar of transformation - A scientific approach". Not wishing to disturb the studious changeling, Chrysalis looked outside. The sky was turning blue, the dying sun giving its last light. Twilight was passing the baton to the night, the latter shrouding the sky. It was spring, wars would be resumed soon if there were any. During the changeling civil war the springtime nights were painted red, and smoke blotted the beauty of the stars. She hated the ponies, that much was true, but it never stopped her from being sorry when her own battles ruined the night. Above the horizon, the Queen noticed the first steps of the stairway to the heavens presenting themselves. Heaven, otheriwse known as "Elysium" for the changelings... a place where she hoped some day to rest with her husband, looking down upon their daughter as she became a worthy Queen.

Their carriage was concealed in a magical fog as it treaded through the sky. Chrysalis's horn lit up as she opened the window, letting a bit of fresh air enter. She sniffed the air... hyacinth, willow and... roses?

"Mmm... huh?" Sky fluttered her eyes open by the coming wind. Ao instinctively responded to her daughter's movements, rising up. Then came the voice of the guards leading the chariot.

"We're approaching the outskirts of Los Pegasus, my Queen. Descent will now begin. ETA five minutes." They were professional as always, and she appreciated it.

"Understood." Their short exchange combined with the descent had awoken Sky and Ao, who rubbed their eyes. Sky's mouth made a cute ‘o’ as she yawned a bit. Even as a teenager she never stopped being cute and happy. It was something that brought joy to her mother no matter how many times she had seen it, that much was evident by the gleam in her green eyes. Waking up, Ao observed both his girls staring at each other as their happiness reflected back and forth in a strange dance that could last for ages. Alas, a final shake of the carriage signalled the finale of their descent. Tapping on her daughter's back, Ao prompted Sky to exit through the door he opened.

"Ladies first, sweetie." Sky giggled, hopping outside with her head up. The King remained in his position, waiting for the Queen to exit before following her. He was still her champion even after being King, and as such he still felt the need to be courteous with his wife. Flipping the book and closing it, Passion Blaze sighed as he exited the carriage after retrieving a small leather bag. It was one of the few "Bags of holding" in existence, which had an infinite amount of space and always weighed one pound no matter what it had inside. The only restriction, however, was that it could hold up to 100 different items, items of the same kind counting as one. A useful bag for lengthy travels, but hard to craft.

Once they had landed, the magic of the chariot disguised the fog around them as a thorny bush. Passion Blaze, being lead of the science projects of the changelings, had managed to create the "Gap Generator," a device that could create an illusionary field. Outside of it one would see a fog, or a bush, or even an ugly rock. It all depended on the power provided, and the radius it would encompass. It was fueled with mana crystals in which changelings stored all kinds of magic, love being one of those types.

Being inside the barrier, Sky's sight was not obscured. She witnessed the myriad of blinking lights and marvelled at the size of the Megalopolis. This was Los Pegasus, the city that never slept. She'd heard from her father about the countless opportunities that this city had, opportunities to "waste time and money" that was. There was a buzzing noise coming from the city, one unlike what changeling wings made. This was a city to love and hate at the same time. Ao was grateful that his foster parents had built their home in the outskirts. Even now he could hear the incessant sound of music tracks overlapping each other, creating a blur upon his senses, but fortunately due to the distance it was faint. Chrysalis shook her head, wincing, and gave him stern glare, grunting a bit as if to say: See what I mean?. She had the habit of blowing things out of proportion, so he had to distract her.

"Alright... Default disguises everyone, we don't need to attract attention by replacing somepony." His horn lit, and like a chain reaction the rest mimicked him. A wave, his magic spiraled downwards, washing over his form. Each changeling could use a different way to transition between transformation, granting a sense of identity towards the changeling. Thus the loyal to Chrysalis chose her way, the way the first changelings transformed…: to be enveloped in green flames. Passion Blaze's form radiated from his heart, shattering his previous shell to pieces and revealing a unicorn with light grey coat and green eyes, while his niece's form glowed and shattered into butterflies that dispersed in the night.

Once the King’s magic cleared, he spread his wings and observed his body for any inconsistencies.

Blue coat? Check! Black mane? Check! White-Blue wave cutie mark with a wing on top? Check! Identity Tidal Rider ready an...

“E-HEM!” He heard a voice next to him. He was standing next to a metal grey pegasus with a teal mane and a cutie mark of silver wings. She fluttered her forest green eyes as if to say something. Ao looked at her quizzically as she mumbled, frustrated, behind her fangs. She turned towards Passion Blaze, who simply had turned into unicorn with a light grey coat and a cutie mark of a heart covered in flames all the while keeping his fire-colored mane. While Blaze was sending the guards off, and without a warning, the Queen shoved her hoof into his Bag of Holding, taking a mirror out and turning it to Ao’s face. Ao shuddered, bringing a hoof to his face at the sight of his mistake. He still had the same eyes: honey brown, and soft sea green. After focusing and blinking twice he looked again to see both being soft sea-green again. Sky giggled, watching her father make such an amateur mistake.

“See? Even if your daughter can’t transform to a thousand disguises, the one she does, she does right!” Said Chrysalis, capitalizing on his mistake. She pointed with her hoof at her daughter, who was now a light grey pegasus with a light pink fluffy mane and a cutie mark of a heart with white wings.

“I was just distracted. Don’t bash on me too much, mom!” Said the King with his tongue out, only to receive a single bat from the Queen with the mirror.

“Yeah, and when they find us because of you, just make sure to tell them our address as well! Ugh… let’s go!” She turned her back, leaving Ao to rub his head.

“Lighten up mom, we’re on vacation! Please don’t fight right now… please?” Sky put her hooves together, giving her mother a smile so wide Chrysalis could make a dental check right then and there. Chrysalis burst out in laughter whilst shaking her head

“Alright fine…” she said as Ao winked at his daughter, a silent ‘Thank you’ on his lips.

“Gee guys, wanna shout a little louder? I don’t think the city heard you!” said Blaze, poking at the tactless raise of their voices. “Come on, we’re late for dinner. Edem’s gonna kill us if we come late.” Blaze started off ahead, waving a dismissing hoof at the shenanigans of the family. As he exited the field his horn illuminated the way ahead like a flashlight.

As they trotted from one block to another, Sky couldn’t help but notice her surroundings. Before she knew it she was distracted by how different they were. While the changelings built their homes beneath or inside the earth, the structures the ponies made longed to reach the sky, and instead of hexagons pony architecture was riddled with rectangles and squares, whether it was roads or buildings. Otherwise Los Pegasus was, architecturally speaking, a neat and orderly city despite the chaotic lives its denizens chose. The only commonality the ponies had with the changelings were the local town centers, or the playgrounds where children would play, but it was getting dark and the few foals that were there retreated back to the safety of their homes. They feared their loud mothers that would soon come looking for them. With a frown on her face Sky imagined scolded children, and tales of changelings running about snatching them in the night. Should she laugh or cry about it? Was it funny that they were here of all places to have some peaceful vacation?

“Ah! There it is!” The king’s voice was distant to the distracted princess. As Ao quickened his pace she noticed his destination was a two storey building. On the bottom was a shop by the name “Flower Haven”, on top of which Sky assumed the owners built their house. When Ao rang the bell, the princess heard light hoofsteps descending, confirming her guess as the door opened.

The unicorn mare that answered the door was surprised, as was evident by her wide-eyed expression. She proceeded to hug Ao without a warning, tugging Blaze in her embrace as well. Blaze gave a loving caress at the mare’s white mane while Ao kissed her cheeks, not minding the wrinkles of the azure-coated granny.

“You came! Oooh you came to see me! I’ve been waiting for you.” She turned her eyes towards Chrysalis’s disguised form, and saw the princess next to her.

“Is that your wife and daughter, Tidal?” She asked with a raspy voice.

“Right, let me introduce you. My wife Silver Wing, and my daughter Cloud Nine. Silver, Cloud this is my mother Edem Rose.” Following Ao’s introduction, they both bowed kindly to the old mare. Once Chrysalis raised her head, she winced and retracted as the old lady had proceeded to give her a hug and a kiss at both her cheeks. Sky laughed at her mother’s antics.

“I’ve heard so many things about you from my son. He really speaks highly of you!” Said the old mare, shaking Chrysalis’s hoof.

The latter proceeded to cock an eyebrow. “Really? What kind of things does he say?”

“Well, if it says anything I think Tidal is still head over heels about you!” Edem’s words made Chrysalis blush a bit, though she wondered how much or what she was told. After that, Edem directed her attention to Sky, who had bit her lips, not wanting any stray question about their personal life to slip out of her mouth.

“What do we have here? A beautiful, little, smart mare?”

Sky smiled at the old mare. “That’s me!” She said, smiling as the old mare plumped her cheeks.

“Tidal, you didn’t tell me you raised a heart-wrecker! Your daughter is going to get my sugar levels off the chart!” A resounding laugh came from all except Chrysalis, who made a ‘pfft’ sound, rolling her eyes at the joke. Ao rubbed Edem's head and kissed it, the old mare caught his hoof and placed it on her chest, a loving smile adorning her face.

“Well, what are you waiting for, come in, come in! Shining Heart is waiting inside!” Edem went to the door, seeking to be the one to welcome them in.

“Really mom, you don’t have to tire yourself so much.” Said Blaze, tapping her back compassionately.

“Nonsense! Everything for my two boys!” She waved her hoof dismissively. Chrysalis tried to warm a smile, to keep at least the pretense of having a good time.

“Can you get any more cramped?” She said as they went through the shop and took the stairs to their home in the second floor. The fragrant storm that penetrated her nostrils was likely going to get her sneezing soon.

“Hehe, we’re a humble couple in a big city, guess we can’t afford something bigger than this!” Edem sighed a bit, but still kept a warm smile.

“You really should have let me pay for it mom, me and Tidal could have made you live like a Queen!” Blaze exclamated as Edem opened the door. Chrysalis snickered on the inside. As if those ponies could fathom what it meant to be a Queen!

“Oh, I’m just happy to have you here! Welcome to my household! It’s not much, but I’ll be damned if I can’t make you feel like home! Now...” the mare paused for a second, looking at the disguised princess. “Who wants to try some of my new delicacies?” Normally Sky wouldn’t just eat pony food, but she could practically taste the love the mare was radiating, so she smiled and followed her. She was hungry after all. Though she wouldn’t get much from the cookies themselves, there was the prospect of feeding upon Edem’s love. But it wasn’t the only thing she was looking forward to. She had so many things to ask…

“Do try to enjoy yourself.” Said the King, his eyes darting from Sky to Chrysalis as the princess rushed behind the old mare.

“You’re here to prove I can, honey.” She responded with a sly smile as Blaze rolled his eyes. This was going to be a tough one…

Author's Note:

Should I refer to the disguised with their true names or just use them wherever necessary? It’s such a hassle.

Comments

[nioniosbbbb]

5906521
5892146
5893319 New chapter! OMNOMNOM!! Lemme eat yer comments!!! RAWR!

[nioniosbbbb]

5915656 Thanks! I ecnourage you to keep reading!

[Golden Paw]

Liking it. The characters are developing nicely, though I am struggling with some of the 'big chuck' paragraphs.

For example I quickly got confused is with all the changes:

Ao, Sky and Chrysalis are a pegasi, Blaze a unicorn? Took a couple of reads through to gather the info so maybe break up the paragraph to make it easier to follow? That's more of a personal preference, I find when you have lots of different points to get across it really helps to have them separate. It's a habit I've been trying to kick myself and think it may help here.

Still good on you! Look forward to the coming chapter/s,

Keep up the great work

[Lunaexcelsior]

It's interesting to see what's on Chrysalis mind *silently hums to himself 'it's in her eyes'* and it really gives an interesting depth to her character. Also Edem is just the sweetest old lady ever Chrysalis hatred towards ponies is very prominent, but not overbearing and, as I said before, Ao serves as a nice contrast to her. Mr. Bookworm (I know his real name is Blaze, but I'll call him Bookworm) is also an interesting character and I want to buy that bag of his. It's just the coolest thing ever! Anyeay, great chapter. Gunna read moar.

[grey mane]

For their disguises just use the names that correspond with them as need be, other wise you have done a great job so far.

[Not so New Brony]

Oh the scene where Sky met her grandparents are adorably sweet!

[Razzy]

D'awwww, that was sweet.

Stop being such a grumpypants, Chryssie!