6. The Resentful Changeling
Therapsid fiddled with the book that laid upon his jagged black hooves, his blank blue eyes straining as he attempted to form the words through his sharp fangs. He had been trying for the better part of an hour, turning a page every so often as he was met with some minimal success. These words were just so complicated though, he wondered how a pony could tolerate doing this whole ‘reading’ thing for a hobby.
“J i- is fuh- for jum- jum-”
It had a ‘p’ in it, how did ‘p’ sound again? He had learnt the alphabet a couple weeks back, once he had become willing to pick up the so called reading ‘privileges’ his pony captors had bestowed upon him. With excessive reluctance he had finished the alphabet book but upon his success he then gleefully longed for something a bit harder, which he picked out from amongst the pile of books accompanying him. The guard that gave Therapsid these ‘simple’ books was rather civil towards him all things considered, even if she didn't smile much if ever.
“Jah, Jah, Jump!” Therapsid proclaimed with a grin, a low cracking emanating from his throat as he hastily turned to the next page. His grin promptly dropped upon spotting the next letter. K, the dreaded K, oh how Therapsid loathed that stupid thing, even the way it was drawn made it look like it was mocking him. He carried on regardless, pushing himself to his limits. After all, it wasn't like he had much else to do; one could only make a house of cards so many times before it became a bore and he had grown tired of his glamorous view over Canterlot months ago.
That was where Therapsid found himself; housed in the prison tower of Canterlot Castle. It's sole inhabitant. Locked in a ‘luxury’ room for the better part of two years.
Though it wasn't like he could blame Princess Celestia however, if he were in her position he almost certainly would have done the same thing. In fact, had the Canterlot invasion been successful in the first place she may have very well been in his position, though admittedly it was far more likely his Queen would've just drained her of her love until only an empty husk remained.
At this point in time however, cut off from the hive and isolated from his brethren, Therapsid could care less about the prospects of the invasion succeeding. He had been abandoned here, the sole prisoner of the ponies.
Plus, the more Therapsid denounced his race, the more privileges he was allowed to enjoy. Did that make him a traitor? Probably. But he would never allow himself to forget that he had been betrayed first.
Therapsid suddenly didn't feel like reading, his stirring thoughts forcing him to bring his knees to his chest, the book dropping out of his hooves onto the floor. He hated it when he felt like this, he hated feeling bad, he hated knowing that what he did was wrong to these ponies, he hated having failed in his mission, he hated knowing that there was nothing he could do to change any of this.
This prison cell and everything in it was all he had in the world.
And worse still, he now had more than he ever did in the service of Queen Chrysalis, even as a prisoner he was more privileged.
Therapsid had been captured after the rest of his brethren and his Queen had been banished from the city. His cover had not been blown at the time of the initiation of the invasion so Therapsid decided to maintain it for as long as he could until they had taken the city, unfortunately for him, some spell or something went off and blew him right out of his disguise! As well as blowing every other changeling out of Canterlot. He was at the mercy of the guards within seconds.
To say Princess Celestia had not been happy would be a severe understatement.
She locked him in this cell and Therapsid never saw her again. He hadn't seen Princess Celestia since the aftermath of the wedding. Now that he thought about it he didn't see a lot of ponies actually, he could see some from the windows and the guards changed sometimes but that was about it, though sometimes he did see Celestia’s sister walk by, always looking into his cell curiously. Therapsid often wondered if she hated him the same as Celestia, given what he had done it was highly probable.
Thoughts… Thoughts were all he had now. Well that and a deck of cards, a few foal toys he enjoyed playing with, a square wooden thing with colourful slidey things on it and plenty of books he couldn't even read.
That was one of the reasons why he actually decided to learn to read in the first place, he was constantly gifted books by somepony called Ms. Sparkle or something like that, she wrote him letters and sent him books as presents or ‘to educate him on Equestrian values’ as she had written in one of her letters. Since Therapsid couldn't read the letters himself he relied upon the guards to do it for him, but he drew the line at having them read his books to him too. The guards also wrote his reply letters to Ms. Sparkle, which was preferable since they had to check his letters anyway before sending them off, having the guard write them too saved a lot of time. Therapsid had never told Ms. Sparkle about his illiteracy however, mostly out of fear that if he did she would stop sending him so many presents.
He intended to rectify that concern. One day soon he intended to write a letter himself, finally be able to read the collection of books residing with him, all he had to do was learn the words.
With renewed vigor, Therapsid grabbed his fallen book with a hoof, opening to the page he had left off on. “K is for- K is for-” he repeated in sequence, the word on the tip of his forked tongue. “K is for ki- kic-”
“Don't try to say all the letters together at once, sound out each one, put the sounds together and you'll have the word.”
A voice interrupted Therapsid’s attempts, a voice he had only heard sporadically over the past two years. Looking up to the iron bars of his cell door, Therapsid took in the appearance of the dark flowing mane and midnight blue coat, the pony reminded Therapsid of the stars above in a nighttime sky. Therapsid liked the night, the stars were more pretty to look at than anything that was out in the day, the moon too, he could look at it longer than he could at the sun, looking at the sun made his eyes hurt. He often fed on the residue love lingering in the air, Canterlot was ripe with it at night for some reason or another.
The pony held an unreadable expression, her mouth set in a thin line and her eyes holding contemplation. She looked to Therapsid, sat upon his bed with a book in hoof, looking up to her in surprise at her sudden and unexpected appearance.
“Therapsid,” the pony began smoothly, startling Therapsid up to his hooves, almost as if he had forgotten the sound of his own name said aloud. “Do you know who I am?” was all she said next, waiting on Therapsid’s response.
Of course he knew who this was, his time as an infiltrator had provided him with much information on her. Princess Luna; recently returned from banishment in the moon. Celestia had been so ecstatic, unwillingly providing Therapsid will valuable intelligence he used to inform the Queen with when she had disguised herself as Princess Cadance. Their encounters may have been brief but Luna held quite the presence, a notion only confounded as she grew in power over the years to the point that now Therapsid barely even recognised her.
“Princess Luna,” Therapsid stoically replied. He did however grow uncomfortable under Luna hardening glare. “What are you doing here?”
Luna stayed silent for several moments, internally questioning her current course of action. “I have news for you I think you will find most interesting,” Luna said with a small growing smile. “A changeling by the name of Thorax appeared in the The Crystal Empire, his presence has caused quite the stir.”
In all his time here Therapsid had prided himself on his unwillingness to break under his current circumstances, staring down the retribution and consequences he faced with perseverance. He had never expected to hear news of another changeling again, and quickly found himself grovelling at Luna’s hooves.
“You found another changeling? How? Is something happening?!” Therapsid was overcome by possibilities flashing in his sight. Changelings overrunning The Crystal Empire, the ponies deciding to go on the offensive. What if Therapsid was considered too much of a liability? What if this situation had prompted Celestia to finally do away with him?
What if that was why Luna was here?
Backing away in fright, Therapsid etched himself up against the far wall of the cell, all while Luna stared on in befuddlement. Tilting her head back, Luna decided to continue from where she had left off, Therapsid’s widened and blank eyes never leaving her for a second. “I thought it would be best to let you know that Thorax has been invited into the Empire by Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor, it seems all Thorax wanted in life was a friend, now he has several.” Luna's smile grew. “I must say that even I had not anticipated this outcome.”
Friends? was Therapsid’s immediate and dismissing thought. Changelings didn't have friends, they didn't need friends. Friendship wasn't just an alien concept to changelings, it was utterly pointless. Friends were not necessary, not while they all had… Each other.
Therapsid then found himself unwilling to reply.
Luna took his silence as an indication to continue, her sight lingering as Therapsid appeared to slouch after her prior words. “Obviously this event is unprecedented. Changelings and ponies have been enemies long before you invaded Canterlot and will most likely continue to be enemies for many years to come. This event however has provided a unique opportunity for Equestria to make the first step towards peace, with the help and influence of Thorax it has been shown that pony and changeling relations are possible, which is why I have come before you, Therapsid.”
Looking up with a stare of confusion, Therapsid found himself approaching the Princess with a perplexed sound buzzing from his throat. “Me? You came to me?” Was all Therapsid could think to say.
Luna nodded swiftly. “Yes, after all you are an interesting case, Therapsid. Over two years in this cell and you've spent more than two thirds of it completely compliant, with no significant behavioural difficulties. The changeling Thorax has set an example for your race I hope they aspire to, you included, and I believe I have a way to assist in this.”
Luna looked over Therapsid to the window out to the freedom of Equestria. Therapsid followed her gaze longingly. “Can you image the influence? Ponies and changelings working together in the common pursuit of peace? It would be inspired, ponies would long for change, prejudices would fade and all this animosity between us will simply cease to be in time. Is that not something worth fighting for, Therapsid?” Luna spoke harshly but with conviction. “Is that not worth everything? Or would you rather we continue on this self destructive cycle?”
“Says the pony to the changeling in the cage,” Therapsid rebuttaled, the naivety of Luna’s speech annoying him. “Besides, the changelings will never want peace, we feed on love, fighting breeds love and so do our victories!”
“But so does peace, Thorax is proof of this.” Luna then leaned in close, her smile hardening. “As are you, Therapsid. You haven't seemed to have starved in your time here.”
She had him there. So much excess love was flowing through the air that Therapsid never went without a meal. Amidst tragedies, fear, hope and hate, love still blossomed, a true testament to these ponies values towards each other. But despite it all this Princess must have been deluded if she thought that the changelings would ever give up their way of life for something different, even if it was a possibility.
Even if they were shown a way.
“I did not expect for you to trust me instantly since you must think of us as enemies. You committed a grand crime against Equestria, hurt myself but my sister more so and we then caged you up for it. What possible reason could we have to get along?” Luna asked with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
Therapsid wasn't as unsure however. “Exactly! After what I did to you… To your sister, why would you evereven think that I'd help you? How can you just let that go?”
“I haven't, and I never will,” Luna seethed out darkly, forcing Therapsid to recoil once more. Luna's frown became saddened however as another thought came to mind. “As difficult as it is to see past what you have done, I had to accept that I was once no different, I too refused to accept that I should ever be forgiven for my crimes.” Luna took a deep breath. “But in time the wounds healed and I was finally able to move on from my own regret, I saw what I must do to make reparations and I've never stopped trying since.
“If you truly believe that peace can be achieved between our races, Therapsid, I ask that you help us to achieve it, to show both pony and changeling kind that we can work together!” Luna’s horn alit and Therapsid ducked backwards, a flash of light burst out and Therapsid averted his eyes away. Once his heightened sight recovered, Therapsid looked back towards Luna, gawking upon discovering that his cell door was wide open.
“If not, you are free to return to your kind,” was all Luna said before turning and walking away.
Therapsid did not understand. He was a prisoner, he had been their prisoner for so long and now, despite everything, despite all he had done against Equestria, Luna just comes on down and breaks him out? Forgives everything he did and sets him free? It didn't make any sense!
“Wait! Princess Luna!” Therapsid gasped out, rushing out of the cell, the stoney ground feeling new and exciting to tread upon. Luna paused where she stood, turning back to Therapsid with an almost bored looking expression. “Yes, Therapsid?” Was all she said.
Therapsid was frantic in his asking. “What are you doing? Why'd you let me go? I mean- I mean I did things, hurt your subjects. Now you just let me out? I don't understand!”
Turning away, Therapsid couldn't see Luna’s face, but her rising muzzle looked suspiciously like a growing smile. “I am showing you compassion, Therapsid. Yes, you have committed a great many crimes, but so have many ponies, myself included, and we are all better off now after denouncing what we once were. We are happy and we are free, and I offer that same freedom to you if you prove that you deserve it.”
Get out of his cell, be able walk about, go where he wants, see all those sights from his window, be forgiven for what he had done and all he has to do is help the Princess in stopping every bad thing that had ever happened to him ever happening again?
Therapsid would be an idiot to say no.
The changelings left him here! Left him in the hooves of these ponies and yet despite everything he had ever done they were letting him go, forgiving him for all he had done. All he had to do was help, help Luna achieve her peace.
Therapsid may not have known a lot about peace, but it sure sounded like a better deal than maintaining hive walls and scrambling for love against his brothers. They betrayed him, left him to rot.
What he was doing wasn't betrayal, he was just getting even.
“What do I have to do, Princess?” Therapsid asked with his neck pointed up.
Pausing for a second, Luna’s mane appeared to stiffen as she turned back to Therapsid, her smile wide and her eyes glowing with joy. “At the moment? Nothing, but one day I will want you to help in the protection of Equestria, to show changelings and ponies working together in pursuit of a common goal; the protection of both our homes. Is that an agreeable settlement?”
Time out of my cell, payback against the changelings, Therapsid though with a gleeful sigh before he then chuckled to himself. Maybe even a chance to cut and run, not yet though, Luna’s probably going to keep an eye on me for the time being, no way can she be serious about forgiving me so easily.
“I'm all for it, Princess,” Therapsid smirked through his fangs, holding up a hoof in ‘respect.’
Luna hesitantly met it.
“There are rules however,” Luna then blurted out, prompting Therapsid to roll his eyes, because of course thinking Luna was just going to let him walk off would be too easy. “You are only to exit your cell under my strict supervision, where you go I go, however, I will allow you the freedom to choose our destinations as a sign of our… Understanding. In time I will lessen your restraints, but I must take precautions, you understand?”
Therapsid simply grunted in affirmation, this was still the best deal he was ever going to get after all. “Fine yeah whatever.”
Nodding in response, Luna’s brow raised upon seeing Therapsid turn around and slowly return into his cell, creaking the door shut behind him. Luna quickly followed, watching Therapsid sit himself upon his bed. “What are you doing?” Luna promptly asked.
Therapsid’s expression did not change. “This is a lot to take in, Princess. So how about this, you want me to prove that I'm willing to help you? Leave that door open tonight, if I'm here in the morning I'll do what you say, if not I've returned to the hive.” He grunted as he leaned back. “Maybe I'll reconsider.”
Luna was uneasy, repentant changeling or not the possibility that he would be true to his word was still debatable. Changelings were still an enigma to them all, Thorax and Therapsid were after all the only changelings known to ponies on a first name basis. Luna knew she would be watching that cell very closely that night as she began to trot away.
“And, Princess?” Therapsid then called. Luna looked back, just out of Therapsid’s full view. “Does your sister know about this?”
Luna said nothing as she walked away.
That night, Luna watched as Therapsid paced his cell, ran his hooves along the wall, occasionally opened the cell door to peek around and on even one occasion placed a hoof out the door before retracting it as if the floor was on fire.
The morning after, Luna entered Therapsid’s cell to find him on the letter ‘Q’.
I'm not really a fan of OC's despite how much I use them, but Therapsid has prehaps my favourite scene in the whole story, which we'll get to in due time... Unless of course I give that scene to someone else along the way.
Also, I made this, because Civil War was awesome.
This is not an indication of what's to come though! All those characters could die!
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A wonderful addition!
P.S. YOU'VE BEEN FEATURED!
s21.postimg.org/9hcv2ubmv/20160826_120356.jpg
7513709 I pick and choose certain things from the comic books that I like, Tiberius was one of them.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2016/6/6/1171361__safe_monochrome_princess+luna_traditional+art_artist-colon-andypriceart_epic_tiberius.jpg
7513740 media.giphy.com/media/3o7abldj0b3rxrZUxW/giphy.gif
7513769 I think most people feel like it's the natural progression of Lightning's character after Wonderbolts Academy, and (Going by the comics again) the writers thought that too.
orig00.deviantart.net/af72/f/2016/239/5/e/image_by_deicaboose-dafhcds.jpg
Quick question? Do changelings in this world actually have genders?
7514029 Seeing as they're insectoid I'd say that all the drones are male with one female queen.
7514044 really? I always thought it was either changelings were gender less, both genders, or had that thing similar to head canon about all the guards/drones have special enchantments that make them all look the same. Since changelings are natural shapeshifters they don't need the armor.
Oooh, and here I thought that it'd be Kevin the Changeling from Slice of Life. Well, you win some, you lose some, either way it's excellent. I enjoy each character and the way you potrayed them here, and Therapsid is sure gonna be a good addition(I see who you're paralleling here). Overall, good story, definitely my are of interest(Especially since I always had that bit of a headcanon that Luna secretly kept a super secret Black Ops group to serve as a lockpick to the Elements' sledgehammer).
If you read through this carefully and really think while doing so, you'll notice that they're actually trying to brainwash this Changeling!
7514044 Hi, Here is a PM Just Sent to you today Regarding an Epic Crossover Story Suggestion That I Highly Recommend for you to Allow to be The Ending Tease/End Credits Scene for The Undesirables...One Word...Flashpoint!!!!....
Link To PM Regarding Story Suggestion:
http://www.fimfiction.net/manage_user/messages/9624636
Theme Song For Story Suggestion:
Ending Tease Scene of The Undesirables/First Scene of Story Suggestion:
Story which Suggestion Follows From:
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/278008/the-undesirables
...Nuff Said.
With Thanks,
From Your Biggest #1 Fan of all time in the history of the history of all of reality,
Shane W.L. Nokes aka James S.K. Plasma aka Dark-Pulse/Darkimus-Primal
Great work as always!. This story is gonna go in my top stories folder.
7514044 Maybe Chrysalis can also spawn parthenogenetically-capable fundatrix individuals that can pop out clonal nymphs from their butts... like aphids do!
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Aphid-giving-birth.jpg
Good story is good, however, this bit confused me:
Capital 'asked', and are changeling necks really pointed?
I hope Therpsid doesn't run into Thorax...actually, scratch that. I wanna see what happens if they bump into each other.
7513790
I think more of the after the battlefield part. Life or death situations tend to trigger breeding instincts as the person (pony in this case) tries to pass on its genes before it is too late. Look at the baby Boom that took place after World War 2, as well as this picture of a sailor who was photographed kissing a nurse (that he had never met, mind you) in Times Square.
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Poor Therapsid, they already brainwashed him. I mean, why does he think other changelings betrayed him? They were blasted out of the castle, banished to distant lands, they might've even not survived the landing. And with security at an all time high after the attack, how were they supposed to rescue him, especially that they might've been all hurt or killed by the spell.
Can't really say I like Therapsid, his logic is backwards and he's obviously trying to justify his betrayal of his entire race.
I didn't see a Tragedy tag on this story.
Correction: The bolded word should be "compounded," I think.
Just stopping by to reread this chapter.
That's with.