New Family

by awesomesauce4

Chapter 5

As Jeremy came to, he gradually became aware that someone was crying over him, wiping his bare torso with a washcloth.

“It’ll be okay… you’ll pull through…” they sobbed.

All Jeremy could do was groan in pain, the washcloth doing little to alleviate matters.

“My King? My King!” they exclaimed.

“Ow…” Jeremy moaned.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” the drone repeated in a hushed whisper.

Jeremy cracked open his eyes to get a look at them.

She was a nursery drone, from the looks of things. Her compound blue eyes blinked down at him sorrowfully, and Jeremy realized he was laying in the exact same bed he’d woken up in the first time. The room was lit now, a single green pustule looking as though it had been hastily stuck to the ceiling. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d last been in this room…

“No, it’s okay…” he managed to get out, his voice raspy and dry.

He tried to sit up, but the drone pushed him down again with a hoof. “You must rest, Your Majesty,” she insisted.

“How long have I been out?” Jeremy asked, already knowing the answer.

“Just an hour, my King. We applied a special medical paste to your body so it could heal more quickly, but you still need rest,” the drone explained.

“Where are Chrysalis and the others?” Jeremy continued, obediently laying down again as the nurse replaced the sheets covering his body.

“Our Queen is busy dealing with the guests. She was… very harsh with them, at first, and is still refusing to let them inside the Hive. The other three exited the throne room some time ago, and are currently with the Queen.”

At this, Jeremy’s heart jump-started, and he bolted upright. “Are they okay?!” he urgently queried.

The nurse dropped her washcloth in surprise. “They’re okay! They fought the guests, showed mercy, and now they’re talking! Please don’t hurt me…” the nurse whimpered, bowing low and quivering in fear.

Jeremy immediately fell back. “I… I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to yell. I just… I was just worried about their safety. I’m not angry at you,” Jeremy whispered. This hadn't happened the first time... What had changed?

The nurse looked up hopefully. “Are you… are you sure, my King? If I have done something wrong…” she began, but Jeremy firmly shook his head.

“You have done nothing wrong,” he insisted. “And… thank you, for taking care of me,” he added after a moment.

The nurse immediately bowed low again, smiling in relief. “It was nothing, Your Majesty. I was more than happy to help,” she denied.

Jeremy chuckled, the pain in his chest lessening as he scooped her up into a surprise hug, causing her to emit a yelp of surprise. “It wasn’t nothing to me,” he whispered. The drone stiffened in surprise, then nuzzled into his neck, a dreamy smile coming to her face. “What’s your name, anyway?” Jeremy asked after a moment.

The drone sighed, and looked away. “I… I don’t have one. Queen Chrysalis told you about how our reincarnations work, right?” she asked.

Jeremy nodded thoughtfully. “More or less. Basically, your souls are contained within the hive mind, so when one of you dies you just get reborn into a new body?” he recalled, and the drone nodded.

“There are so many of us, the Queen cannot name us all. Those of us who have accomplished things for the Hive get a name, but the rest of us… do not,” she explained, looking down at the ground.

Jeremy was silent for a moment. “Would you like a name?” he asked.

She looked up with enough hope in her expression to cause ten heart attacks in any lesser human, and Jeremy just barely withstood the urge to start snuggling her right then and there. “Please?” she whispered.

“Okay… your name is…” Jeremy thought for a moment, recalling the last time she’d asked. She was a nurse, and changelings seemed to like insect names... “How about Hemolymph?” he suggested.

The drone considered the name thoughtfully. “Hemolymph… I like it!” she answered brightly, beaming up at him.

Jeremy smiled back, colors dancing in his eyes as he fell back onto the pillow, realizing that he was still, in fact, in immense pain. “Glad… you… do…” he got out, and the drone hastily returned to reapplying the washcloth.

“Sorry! Forgot you were… um… injured…” she squeaked.

Jeremy forced out a chuckle. “It’s okay,” he repeated. “Uh… have you seen my necklace?”

Hemolymph looked at him strangely. “It’s just outside this hollow, along with your other personal items. My King… I mean no offense, but why are you wanting your finery at a time like this?”

Jeremy stifled a giggle. “It has healing powers,” he explained.

“Oh!” Hemolymph brightened in understanding. “I’ll go get it for you, right away.”

She exited the small cave, and Jeremy flopped back onto the bed. He pulled out his menu and SAVED quickly, cursing inwardly at himself for not doing so the first time he fought Luna. Typically he remembered to SAVE his progress much more often than this. Now, he just had to get ready for the next bit. Jeremy devoted his energy for the next few minutes to working his muscles, making sure each was stretched and ready to move before moving on to the next. From his position, this was quite time-consuming, and he had just finished working out the ache in his legs when Hemolymph returned to the room.

“Here it is!” she announced, holding out the heart-shaped gray necklace, and Jeremy eagerly took it, slipping it on. It immediately flickered pink, winking out once or twice before returning to its normal, steady glow. Jeremy promptly put on what he thought looked like a contented smile – it wasn’t that hard to fake, as the necklace really did make him feel better. Not entirely healed, though, which is what he needed to convince Hemolymph of.

“Ah, that’s much better. I feel healed already,” he remarked in satisfaction, making to get out of his bed.

“Ah, are you sure, my King? I mean, that was rather fast, and magical artifacts normally don’t really work all that well around here-“ she was cut off by him patting her on the head.

“I know, I know. Trust me, I’m better now,” he insisted.

“Okay… if you say so…” Hemolymph muttered.

“I’m going to go down to the throne room. In the meantime… I suggest you evacuate with the others,” Jeremy instructed.

Hemolymph looked at him in dismay. “What if you get hurt again? I mean, not that it’d be a problem for me, I flew all the way here from the evacuation zone the first time-“

Jeremy gave her a horrified look. “Chrysalis summoned you from the evacuation zone to tend to me? Girl, you’d better get moving back there, I don’t want you getting hurt!” he urged, wondering why Chrysalis went and got her in the first place.

“Oh… okay…” Hemolymph obeyed, ears drooping.

“Sorry… but I just have to keep you all safe. I can’t bear the thought of something happening to any of you,” Jeremy explained quietly.

Hemolymph gave him a surprised look, which quickly shifted into a sad smile. “Would it be strange to say we feel the same about you?” she whispered, before hurrying from the room.

Jeremy watched her go, frowning – she hadn’t said that the first time he’d spoken to her. Then again, he’d said different things this time…

He quickly put his crown on, neglecting his robes this time – informal though he looked with his sweater and jeans, it was better than having that robe slowing him down. That was what had gotten him killed the first time…

He entered the throne room, the Guards that saw him approaching quickly moving into formation around him. Just like last time, Chrysalis hadn’t gotten back yet. Neither had the others, which unnerved Jeremy. Last time, Tirek and the other two had been waiting in this room. He accessed the hive mind through the crown, attempting to page Chrysalis.

Everything alright out there? he asked, adopting a contemplative position on the throne as the Guards took up their usual stances.

You’re okay! Thank Hespera, I thought you were going to go back for sure, Chrysalis immediately replied, sounding immensely relieved.

I did, once, Jeremy answered.

Chrysalis was silent for a moment. …Are we in the clear? she asked cautiously.

No, Jeremy answered truthfully. One last fight, I think. I won’t say with who, because I don’t want it to start until we’re ready, but the fight with Luna was just sort of a prelude.

Chrysalis projected a feeling of nervousness. This one… killed you last time, right? she asked hesitantly.

Yeah, Jeremy replied sadly. Got ahold of my robe, and… well, you can guess the rest.

Chrysalis was now feeling shock and revulsion. Should I bring them into the throne room? We’ve been kind of… conversing out here, Chrysalis informed him.

Yeah, go ahead, Jeremy answered, looking around at the murals covering the wall. He pulled out the menu and SAVED one more time, just to be sure.

Chrysalis entered a few minutes later, just like before, flanked by her own changeling Guards.

“Announcing Queen Chrysalis… and guests,” a changeling Guard called, attempting to imitate the pony Royal Guard from earlier.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked in, glancing in surprise at Jeremy, seated on the throne and apparently back at full health. Jeremy looked around. Last time, he’d taken this seriously, with all the formal greetings and introductions he could muster. This time, though… this time, he was going to try something new.

“Heya,” he greeted as they walked in, intentionally adopting as informal of a poise as he could.

“…Hello…” Luna greeted cautiously.

Jeremy laughed. “Sorry, I just felt like breaking the ice. It’s so formal in here,” Jeremy explained. He stretched his legs across the throne, even Chrysalis looking at him in confusion. “So, cooled off?” he asked Luna.

Luna sighed. “She… I… yes. I have,” the lunar princess answered, looking frustrated.

Jeremy stopped lounging on his throne, adopting a more serious poise. “Look. I know what it’s like to confront your own inner demons. But… she’s not just evil, or something that exists only to scare small foals. She’s got hopes and dreams – the same as me… the same as you. Give her a chance, okay?” Jeremy finished.

Luna looked at the floor. “I… I will try,” she muttered.

“Are you alright?” Celestia queried. “You… you should be unconscious, at the very least.”

Jeremy shrugged, grinning. “I’m very stubborn,” he answered, and Chrysalis stifled a knowing giggle, buzzing her wings as she flew over to sit on his lap, where he immediately rubbed her forehead.

“So… you are the King of this hive? We were not aware such a position existed,” Luna spoke up.

Jeremy and Chrysalis shared a look. “I’ll explain in a moment, but… there was a very good reason for that,” Jeremy answered.

Tirek, Sombra, and Nightmare Moon chose that moment to enter the throne room, accompanied by their own changeling Guards, protectively encircling the three of them. Next, the pony Elements of Harmony entered, Twilight leading the group with Starlight Glimmer off to her side. Finally, to Jeremy’s (fake) surprise, six humans entered.

The first, at the front of the group, was a human Jeremy recognized very well. It was Sam, his best friend on Earth. He was slightly taller than Jeremy, at maybe six feet two inches, though a few inches were added on by his poofy brown hair. His hazel-brown eyes flicked around the room nervously, always returning to gaze at Jeremy in open shock within a few seconds. As usual, he was wearing an impossibly fluffy scarf, this time a dark purple in coloration. Below this, his t-shirt had a gray vortex on a black background, and he was wearing dark blue, impeccable skinny jeans underneath. Sam and Jeremy had met in a drama class years earlier, in middle school, and had quickly bonded over anime and gaming. Since then, they’d become such intense besties that half the school thought they were gay for each other, a rumor which they allowed to propagate because of how funny it was.

The second was a massive, burly human with fists the size of grapefruits and a torso to match. His skin was the second darkest in the room, and his gaunt stature was at odds with his gentle, boyish face, golden eyes that were usually crinkled upwards in a smile, and close-cropped, curly black hair. He was wearing a faded yellow t-shirt and light blue jeans, and was looking up at Jeremy with slight recognition and curiosity. This was Brayden, one of Sam’s friends from gym class, and widely known as a gentle giant. He played football a lot, and had been on the high school team as halfback. Brayden had emigrated all the way from Nicaragua, apparently due to poverty, and was pursuing a career in football to earn a better life for his family. Jeremy had often had worried discussions with him about football-related injuries, which Brayden had both figuratively and literally shrugged off during his many matches. Perhaps the thing Jeremy most remembered about Brayden was that the latter was often criticized by his fellow players for doing his utmost to avoid hurting the enemy team, lacking any of the competitive, violent spirit that the sport seemed to be famous for.

Just behind Brayden peeked out the darkest member of the group, one Jeremy just barely recognized as Avery. Avery was from New York City, and had moved to their hometown near Seattle for some reason Jeremy didn’t recall. He had been in a few classes with Avery, and he had seemed like a cool dude at the time, though they had never really talked much. Avery was a writer, always working on a book he wanted to publish one day about some fantasy setting involving dragons. Jeremy, who had read some of his early drafts, had tried to critique it as best he could, but couldn’t find much to say other than that he had liked it. Avery was currently wearing a bright red shirt with what appeared to be an upside down triangle with two lines underneath it – wasn’t that from Earthbound, or something? His jeans were darker than the other two, and full of holes – whether that was from poor care or something of a fashion statement, Jeremy had never been certain.

To Avery’s left, Nick was staring at a nearby changeling Guard, who was staring back. Nick was a pale white kid, almost as pale as Sam, with vivid green eyes and unerringly straight black hair. He was the shortest in the group, though with Brayden standing tall over the rest, this was not as obvious. Nick was famous among Sam’s circle of friends for collecting just about everything – stamps, cards, coins, ancient artifacts, rocks, and anything else he could think of. Jeremy, who collected a few things himself, had quickly befriended him, and they had often traded pieces of collections. Today, Nick was wearing a light blue shirt and similarly-colored jeans, which made him look peculiarly like he was wearing a one-piece suit.

Cory was near the back, his pudgy frame in stark contrast to Brayden’s well-built one. Cory, who had blond hair and blue eyes that were much more vivid than Jeremy’s own stormy gray-blue ones, was from Boston, and it clearly showed in the way he talked sometimes. He played band, specifically the trombone, and had developed an impressive set of lungs as a result. Cory was surprisingly dressed in his band clothing, a sharp black tuxedo with matching black pants and a white undershirt. This was in stark contrast to his casual attire, which was usually splattered with all manner of paints and dyes – Cory liked to consider himself an artist, comparing himself to someone called “Mark Rothko,” though Jeremy had never quite ‘got’ his rather unusual works.

Finally, in the very back, Kylie stood, awkwardly not making eye contact with Jeremy. Kylie was midway between Brayden and Nick in height, and had slightly tan skin with brown hair and golden eyes. What was most unusual, however, was that Kylie had been a girl the last time Jeremy had seen her, and had clearly transitioned to a male in between then and now. Jeremy, who had already seen this, decided not to bother acting surprised about it, just as he had before. Kylie was wearing a green high school shirt and pale blue jeans, and Jeremy recognized the shirt as advertising their own high school. When Jeremy had seen him last, Kylie had wanted to be a poet or songwriter, often composing impressive lyrics from daily events, news, and anything else she had heard at the time.

Jeremy immediately picked up Chrysalis, setting her gently back down on the throne as he leaped forward and strode towards Sam. Without another word, he held out his fist, grinning widely, and Sam bumped it in a gesture they’d shared for years now.

“And just what are you doing here?” Jeremy asked, pulling Sam into a hug a moment later.

“I could say the same about you! You’re a King, you just fought Luna in a cage match, not to mention that giant machine thing and the other you – what have you been doing lately? Besides getting thrown into Tartarus, you dirty criminal scum,” Sam joked.

Jeremy laughed loudly, still relieved that his bestie was unhurt. “Oh, well, you know me, I just had to set all those planets on fire,” Jeremy joked.

“What? But you didn’t-“ Twilight began, but stopped as Pinkie whispered something in her ear.

“Do you two know each other?” Celestia asked, sounding interested.

“We’ve been besties since middle school,” Sam automatically answered.

Celestia gazed at Jeremy thoughtfully, and Jeremy stared back, pulling away from Sam’s brohug and raising an eyebrow at her.

“So, Discord told me that you’re here to… ‘add me to your human collection,’” Jeremy noted distastefully.

Celestia laughed awkwardly. “I assure you, I am doing nothing of the sort,” she replied, trying to sound regal and mostly succeeding. “Perhaps your friend Sam can best explain?” she asked, looking at Sam, who flinched, caught off guard.

“Oh! Uh, sure,” he stammered, before clearing his throat. “Okay. Um. So. We’re… uh… We’re the new, human Elements of Harmony, which Celestia needs for… some reason… and we’re here to protect Equestria and also learn how to use the magic of friendship so we can spread that to Earth,” Sam haphazardly explained. He then looked at Celestia nervously. “Did I miss anything?” he asked. Celestia smiled encouragingly at him.

“No, that was quite accurate,” she soothed. Sam’s friends were suppressing quiet giggles, and Jeremy had a hand to his mouth to hide his grin. Them? Human Elements of Harmony?

“This is truly a top-rated fanfiction,” he joked. “In fact, I think it should be Featured.”

The humans burst out laughing, with the assorted ponies looking on in confusion. Tirek was looking at him strangely, but Jeremy elected to ignore it.

“Heh… okay. Elements of Harmony… I mean, I guess. That’s kinda weird to think about,” Jeremy remarked.

“Still not as weird as you being King of an entire nation,” Sam shot back, and Jeremy chuckled agreeably.

“Point taken. But, uh… I hate to sound rude, but… what exactly do you expect me to do with this information?” he asked, looking at Celestia.

“Pardon?” she responded blankly.

“They’re Elements of Harmony, and that’s real neat and all, but unless you intended to have them train by fighting the five of us, I just don’t see how this is really… relevant,” Jeremy noted. Man, this is taking forever, he complained in his head. She should really just get it over with.

He could feel Chrysalis behind him immediately scanning the room, eyes alighting on every female in turn suspiciously.

“My thoughts exactly,” Celestia spoke up, examining him. “The other six humans are accounted for, we are well aware of their purpose. However, you… You were not... expected. Therefore, we have traveled here to determine precisely what you have asked – your relevance.”

Jeremy shrugged. “Probably not much, in all honesty. I’m just here to make sure my changelings get fed properly.”

At this, the changeling Guards stood up a little straighter, knowing smiles breaking out on their faces.

Princess Cadance stepped forward, an eager expression on her face. “Auntie, I just thought of something,” she spoke up, looking at Celestia.

“Oh? What is it, Princess Cadance?” Celestia answered curiously.

“We do know of a secret seventh Element of Harmony – the Element of Love. Star Swirl proved that it was an Element of Harmony, even if it lacked an artifact to wield its power. And he’s the best candidate for it! Best friend of the Element of Magic, broke the Harmony Barrier which needed very powerful love magic to break, a pacifist… I think that’s what he is,” Cadance conjectured.

There was a moment of silence.

“That makes so much sense, it hurts,” Sombra quipped, and the assorted humans stifled giggles.

“Hey, looks like you’re an Element now, too,” Sam spoke up, elbowing Jeremy.

Jeremy took on a mock-exasperated expression. “Oh, great, does that mean I have to make a Compound every time some other Element gets near me?” he asked sarcastically.

About half the humans and Princess Twilight laughed. “I missed your nerd humor,” Sam chuckled.

“That’s a relief, because nobody here gets it. First thing I’m doing if we go back to Earth is getting some science textbooks, so that everyone in the Hive can understand my bad science jokes. Oh, and educate themselves too, I guess,” Jeremy retorted, to more laughter.

Shining Armor, who had apparently been watching them, stepped forward, eyeing him suspiciously. “Yeah, so about the whole ‘feeding your changelings’ thing. How exactly do you plan on feeding them?” he asked, a hint of accusation in his tone as the laughter immediately quieted down.

Chrysalis growled at him from behind Jeremy, and he sent a quick Stop that her way. “I dunno, we seem to be getting on pretty well on our own right now. Maybe once the current love supply runs out, we’ll go for some kind of trade deal with Equestria or other nations?” Jeremy shrugged.

Shining narrowed his eyes at him. “What, we’ll give you our love and you won’t kill us? Is that your ‘trade?’” he retorted.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow at him. “Why would I do something like that?” he asked.

“Why would Queen Chrysalis invade my wedding?” he shot back. “You changelings are nothing more than love-sucking monsters! You don’t know compromise, or friendship,” he spat. “The first changeling we met that didn’t try to kill us didn’t even know what friendship was!”

Sombra laughed darkly. “This, coming from Captain Try-Hard! You think you’re such a paragon of virtue? You let the entire changeling nation starve after learning of their existence! Why would they want to be friends with you?” the shadow king challenged.

Shining immediately adopted a battle stance. “Call me racist all you like, but at least I didn’t ruin my own kingdom!” he retaliated, tossing his head angrily. “You sent thousands of Crystal Ponies to work themselves to exhaustion in an airless mine, all so your palace could look even more opulent than it already was! You have no right to criticize me, and you know it!”

Princess Cadance came forward, pulling Shining back. “Enough, Shiny,” she pleaded. “There is no reason in continuing this fight, not when they aren’t going to fight back,” Cadance added a moment later, with a pointed look at Sombra and Chrysalis.

“Yes there is!” Shining brusquely rebutted, brushing her hoof off before pointing one of his own at Jeremy. “He shows up out of Tartarus itself with these four as his lackeys! He defeats the System Defenses, something that shouldn’t even be possible, and then fights off some weird other version of himself – remind me, how do we know which one was the evil version and which was the ‘good?’ The way I see it, there’s only two possibilities: Either he’s using them, or they’re using him. Need I mention that the Queen there can mind-control ponies?” Shining ranted. “Maybe he’s a demon who’s taken the form of your friend!” he added, looking at Sam, who stared at Jeremy helplessly as Shining continued to viciously lash out at anything and everything. “And let’s not even get started on the idea that these four can ever ‘redeem’ themselves! You think Chrysalis just, what, got over being a monster and threat to Equestria for the past two years?” Shining spat. “And that Sombra just got better after being the single most tyrannical royal to ever disgrace Equestria’s history?” he added, turning to glare at the shadow unicorn, who glared right back, purple smoke beginning to pour from his eyes.

“Shining!” Cadance pleaded, but it was lost on her husband.

“The last time I was here, I was being dangled upside-down in a pod, having the love sucked out of me!” Shining shouted, his voice ringing across the chamber. “And half of you were as well – do you not remember that?!” he demanded, looking around at the pony Elements of Harmony and Starlight Glimmer, who flinched back. Having finally finished his rant, as Jeremy knew he would, Shining huffed and puffed angrily, glaring at him as the Crystal Prince awaited his reaction.

Jeremy, for his part, shrugged. “You’re entirely right,” he answered, catching Shining off guard.

“W-what?” Shining Armor stammered.

“Being good isn’t just a choice,” Jeremy carefully began. “It isn’t something that you can choose once, and be done with it. You have to keep choosing it, every minute of every hour of every day, and never go back. And when you’ve spent your entire life being told that you’re supposed to be evil… it sounds pretty comfortable to just go along with that, instead,” Jeremy mused, though there was an edge of steel to his tone. “But these four have proven to me that they want to take the hard path. They want to prove themselves worthy of being called ‘good.’ They have had their reasons for doing what they did, and they have recognized those reasons as unjustified, and they have worked to better themselves. They are by no means perfect, that much will always be true. And, too, they are not ‘good’ as of the moment. They’re not heroes. But they’re improving, and striving to improve. And that’s more than I could ever ask of them,” Jeremy countered.

“Oh… oh yeah? What reasons? What sob story will you tell us to make us think they deserve pity?” Shining countered, though his earlier bravado was now tinged with a note of uncertainty.

“I’m so glad you asked,” Jeremy answered, smiling slightly as he walked over to examine the first of the murals depicted on the wall. It depicted a small, mosquito-like insect, a bubbling green liquid, and a tall, thin creature – the first changeling, staring out of the frame with glowing green eyes. “I have a story to tell you,” Jeremy began, the glowing moss reflecting off of his orange hair to create an eerie halo. “Well, actually, I have quite a few stories to tell you. And before you ask, yes, they are important. It’s important that, even if you don’t want to be friends, you at least understand why we did what we did.”

“Thousands of years ago, a small insect wandered into a strange cavern. It had recently fed on its share of pony blood, and decided to rest on a small rock in the middle of a pond. But this was no ordinary pond. It had been tainted by an unknown source of magic, gaining mutagenic properties. As the rock slowly sank into the mud beneath the pond, so too did the insect, until, still sleeping, it was submerged. The liquid dissolved the insect to its core, but the DNA of the pony it had fed on, as well as the insect’s own genetic code, remained intact. Out of the pond rose… something new. It had no internal organs, for its insides were simply that same mutagenic liquid, stabilized by the pony’s magic into a less corrosive form. It had the wings of the insect, the horn of the pony… and the body of both. It was the First Changeling, Queen Hespera the Immortal.”

“Hespera, upon understanding her existence, sought to learn more. She wanted to learn why she had been created – for she, like a certain pony princess, did not believe in accidents. If there was one thing she was certain of, it was that she had a purpose, a reason for being. So she traveled far from her birthplace, searching for her destiny.”

“Ponies at first shunned her for who she was, shutting her out in fear of a monster. Rumors quickly spread – that she ate foals, that she had no soul, and so forth. So Hespera learned the first thing that every changeling has ever learned: If it is to survive, it must adapt. Hespera used the magic inside her, as well as her formless internal structure, to change shape, mimicking that of a pony she’d seen.”

“Through pure instinct, she learned how she functioned. Feeding on the positive emotions of those same ponies who shunned her, she learned how best to get them to exhibit those emotions. Some might have called it cunning, some duplicity. Hespera called it learning. She merely wanted to understand ‘love’, for she felt that this was her calling.”

“Time passed. Hespera gave birth to young, and raised them as she’d seen ponies raised. She knew nothing else than what ponies had taught her, despite her incessant drive to continue discovering. She also discovered that she could birth two types of changelings: Ordinary drones… and queens.”

“And so, Hespera birthed the Second Queen, Reduuva. Hespera taught her daughter all she knew as the two of them aged. But despite her name, which had been given to her by her own young for her unwillingness to give in to the world’s hatred, Hespera would not last long. As she died, she taught her daughter her final lesson, to be passed down through generations of Queens. “Never hurt the ponies, no matter what they do unto you,” she pleaded with her daughter. “For though they hate and fear, they are the spark that keeps us alive. They have taught me the most important lesson of all, and the reason why we changelings were created: The importance of loving one another.”

“Hespera died hugging her daughter, transferring the last bit of energy she had.”

Jeremy paused at this moment, moving past a few other murals. “Time passed. The lesson Hespera taught was successfully passed down, Queen to Queen. And although many a Queen disregarded the meaning behind the message, they did not dare disobey the First Changeling, due to a rumor bandied about since Reduuva’s time: Any Queen that broke this Law, the most important of all Laws… would be punished by no less than Fate itself.”

“More time passed. Ponies grew smarter, learning how to find and oust changelings. But the changelings, ever mindful of the ways of the First, learned to adapt. They improved their disguises to cover touch, smell, and even taste instead of just sight. They learned pony mannerisms – how to smile, how to cry, how to be kind. But it was not enough. Ponies were simply too determined to defeat what they saw as an enemy. The hive… began dying. Changelings were starving, and though the Queens had long ago learned to “re-use” souls and personalities, thus keeping all changelings technically “alive” as long as the Queen was alive, their efforts to sustain love were proving futile.”

“One changeling drone, tired of living in misery, rose up. He claimed “enough is enough!” and demanded something drastic be done about the poverty changelings were suffering. He marched to the Queen, and demanded the one thing that no changeling must ever ask of their Queen. He asked her to break the Law.”

“The Queen, true to her forebearers, exiled him from the hive for blasphemy. But this changeling was too determined to simply give up. Like the First, he traveled far and wide to discover the secrets of his kind. Like the First, he learned much from the little ponies. But unlike the First Changeling, this drone was not motivated by curiosity, much less a desire to aid his fellow changelings. He was, quite simply, out for power.”

“He returned, years later, fat and healthy. The other changelings were shocked to see one they presumed dead, standing proud in front of them. His Queen was equally shocked – and somewhat enticed by the aura of power he radiated. She offered him a welcome return to the hive, something no changeling had ever accomplished, in exchange for his wisdom.”

“Of course, it became clear shortly that his ‘wisdom’ consisted of brutality and savagery. Ponies were nothing but livestock, to be used as a source of food – and only food. More and more changelings were swayed to his position, desperate for his tales of a full meal and good night’s sleep. To avoid losing her position, the current Queen of the Hive named him King, another unheard-of thing for a drone, and began following his orders.”

“However, as King, this drone grew an unhealthy appetite for conquest. Both of the outside world… and of himself. Desperate to retain his dominion, he slowly began abusing his Queen, asking more and more drastic things of her, and keeping the rewards for himself. She was unable to satisfy his lusts, both for power and for her, and suffered brutal tortures as a result. Like any Queen, she had the determination to keep going, to survive despite what her own ‘husband’ was inflicting upon her. His requests grew more and more impossible: Take a village, then a town. Then a city. She tried her best, but it was never enough.”

“Until one day…” Jeremy paused for effect, looking at Shining Armor, who was looking at him with a mixture of sympathy and suspicion.

“He demanded she invade Canterlot.”

Cadance gasped, and looked over to Chrysalis, who had spent the whole monologue with her eyes facing downward. “You…?” she queried. Even Shining Armor looked over in shock.

Chrysalis looked away. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, sounding as though she were about to cry.

Jeremy knew that she indeed was about to cry. So, in an effort to distract the others, he continued his story.

“She could not refuse, for her King would surely kill her if she did. The changeling King had become so large from all the love he’d stolen that he could now retain his kingdom by sheer force – she, alone, could not possibly defeat him. Yet something in her stirred at this request – an old memory, a Law she should not dare break. An impossible choice… but one she had to make.”

“She tried. She failed. She tried again. And, unlike all the other times… she was captured for it.”

“Cast into Tartarus, she pined for the loss of her hive. She could not reach the hive mind, and ask them to come find her – such was the nature of the Harmony Barrier. And… she no longer wanted to be found. She presumed herself exiled, for having failed this final request of her vicious, hateful husband. She’d broken the Law, and she’d been punished by Fate… or ‘Harmony’… for it. In her eyes, she no longer deserved to call herself ‘Queen’.”

Jeremy paused at an unfinished mural, this time depicting a single human hand reaching out from above to touch a raised changeling hoof. “But in the depths of Tartarus, something happened. A single creature came by. This creature had no magic, no talons or claws or means of attack. All he had was his mind, body and soul. In her sorrow, she attacked him, believing he was just another pony. Another who’d hate her for what she looked like, and what she’d done.”

“She wasn’t expecting a friend,” Chrysalis spoke up. Jeremy looked over at her in surprise, and she walked forward to join him, turning around to face their audience.

“The friend managed to convince her to follow him, in hopes of an escape,” Chrysalis continued. “Despite her every attempt to hate him, he was kind. He was patient. He listened, he never once spoke ill of her. And, despite everything she’d been through… a memory stirred. A memory of her mother, the former Queen, teaching her an important lesson. To never hurt another, no matter what they do unto you. And here was that lesson, embodied in the voice and body and soul of her new friend. Someone who refused to hurt her, even when she did wrong by him. Even when she nearly killed him. The Queen began to wonder if it was possible to reverse what time and hate and fear had done to her – to once again be respected and loved. And… she’d heard another legend, while in Tartarus. The legend of an angel from above, that would descend to free the inmates of Tartarus and teach them all they had forgotten.”

“The Friend was true to his word. He met many new foes along his journey. He spared them all. He befriended them all. His Love was so strong that he was willing to give up his life to save them, despite all they had done. And thus… the Barrier was broken. The Queen walked into the sunlight, free once more.”

“She took the Friend with her, despite the others’ pleas to leave him with the ponies, where he would be safe. Hopefully, she thought, if the Friend could convince such a darkened creature as her to turn towards light, he could save her changelings as well. And it worked. The Friend woke up, and without even hesitating, he confronted the King.”

“The King, maddened by the return of the only threat to his dominion, attempted to defeat the Friend. He very nearly succeeded. But despite everything, the Friend refused to fight back. He made a single plea to the surrounding drones. He asked why. Why they put up with someone who did nothing but hate, why they had never tried friendship and love instead. Inspired by his determination to love others, the drones drained the love of the King, reducing him back to a drone.”

“Despite everything, despite knowing each and every sin the former King had committed, the Friend refused even to judge him. All he wanted was for the former King to listen. But the drone refused.” Here Chrysalis paused.

“Rather than change his ways, he fled the Hive, never to return.”

Jeremy’s face fell as he remembered that particular failure. Chrysalis bumped him in the leg, giving him a sympathetic look. “And that is the story of the changelings,” Jeremy concluded. He turned to gaze Shining Armor, giving him a look as serious as he could muster. “If you still want to hate us, I won’t blame you. But please… please at least understand us first.”

The Crystal Prince looked between him and Chrysalis uncertainly. “So… you didn’t… want to? All this time, you’d been forced to do all these horrible things?” Shining queried.

Chrysalis sadly nodded. “Changelings aren’t supposed to hurt ponies. It doesn’t make any sense – why would we spend so much time making you hate us, if we feed on your love?”

Princess Cadance looked at her husband, who shrugged helplessly, then turned back to the changeling queen with a sigh. “We’re sorry we judged you,” Cadance reluctantly admitted. “Do you promise not to drain the love of our little ponies anymore?”

Chrysalis nodded. “I promise… and so too will my changelings. With the Element of Love as our King, we won’t have to force any love out of anyone. We’ll have enough… for now, at least.” The changeling queen tried for a smile, but all that came out was a sigh. “I should be asking your forgiveness, Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor… I never should have done it. Never in a million years. May we… may we be friends? May changelings and ponies… be friends?”

Princess Celestia stepped forward. “On my word as Princess, I vote that the laws calling for the deportation and imprisonment of changelings be abolished immediately, effective as soon as we return. What say you, Princesses Luna and Twilight?”

Both nodded vigorously. Princess Luna stepped forward. “I know what it feels like to be made a monster, but to not even have wanted the role in the first place… I am so sorry, Queen Chrysalis.”

Nightmare Moon flinched as if struck at her comment, and Luna looked over in mild disgust.

Princess Twilight stepped forward as well, reluctantly putting away the notes she had been frantically and silently scribbling. “I apologize too. I should have tried to understand, instead of just writing you off as ‘evil’… will you forgive me?” she asked.

Chrysalis flashed her a quick, sad smile. “Of course I will!” she answered. Finally, she turned her gaze back to Jeremy. “Did I… did I do it right?” she asked.

Jeremy smiled. “Flawlessly. You make me look mean,” he complimented. Chrysalis immediately launched herself at him in a hug, and Jeremy grinned as he rubbed her carapace comfortingly.

“Okay… so Chrysalis was abused into doing it. I guess that makes some sort of sense,” Shining scoffed. “But what about Sombra? What’s his excuse?”

Jeremy smiled, glancing over at the shadow king. “Ready?” he called over to Sombra, who snorted.

“Go ahead,” Sombra answered, daintily gathering his tattered and burnt robes around himself. “I’ve nothing to hide.” Jeremy nodded, turning back to his new audience.

“Sombra was orphaned as a child, and adopted and raised by his mom and dad on a distant crystal farm. His father wanted him to be a blacksmith, just like him, but Sombra wanted to be a musician instead – which, at the time, was apparently a ‘fad’.” Jeremy stopped to snort in amusement. “Anyway, Sombra’s father was rather… physical about his desires for his son’s upbringing. Very old-fashioned kind of guy, really into corporal punishment. I met him once in a memory. He wasn’t very nice,” Jeremy reminisced. “Anyway, Sombra grew up believing that unicorns were superior, and that the other races of pony were made to serve them. So, he rose through the political ranks, becoming a high-ranking Crystal Guard. He gained a loyal following of unicorns, those who listened to his demagoguery. He befriended a younger Princess Luna, giving her the inspiration that would eventually lead to the initial creation of Nightmare Moon. And… he assassinated Princess Amor,” Jeremy reluctantly admitted. Princess Cadance growled at Sombra from across the room, and Sombra growled right back. Jeremy shot the two of them a quelling look as he continued his story.

“From there, his reign only went downhill. At first, Sombra had everything he wanted. Power, fame, riches… mares,” Jeremy finished, looking slightly sour as he glanced at Sombra, who guiltily looked away. “But he had no idea how to rule a kingdom, despite his promises of wealth and power to anyone who listened. So, in desperation, he began resorting to drastic measures to gain wealth and keep the country’s economy afloat. He spent all the national budget on mining crystals – it was what he knew, from years of doing the same for his father’s smithy. Around the same time, he began amassing an army.”

“Princesses Celestia and Luna confronted him, of course. Or at least, Luna tried. Celestia sent her away, for fear of losing her sister to his shadowy ways – she knew of her sister’s friendship with the enemy. But Sombra, knowing he would lose a confrontation with Celestia, had one final trick to play. Just as Celestia neared the Crystal Empire, it vanished. All that could be found was a single, pink alicorn filly, frozen by the arctic winds into a state of magical stasis.”

“You all know what happened next. The Crystal Empire was rediscovered. Sombra was revived, and quickly defeated. His soul, heavily permeated by shadow magic, was imprisoned in Tartarus. As a final act of irony, Celestia chose not to place him in any special confinement, merely a modified standard prison cell, alone in a block of empty cells. This was apparently to show him that he was not even worthy of a ‘kingly’ punishment.”

Celestia flinched, and Jeremy looked over at her. “I – I only wanted to make him see that he was not all that he thought he was,” Celestia countered lamely.

Jeremy declined to comment on this, instead focusing on sending a mental message. Every Guard in the area: As soon as I give you the signal, be prepared to escort everyone, including the ponies, out of the Hive. I want nobody in this entire mountain but me and one other pony – you’ll know who she is. The Guards all stared at him, a subtle nod confirming they had received the order, and Chrysalis looked up at him nervously. You too, honey, Jeremy added. I don’t want you getting hurt.

Chrysalis reluctantly looked back down at Shining, who was watching them impatiently. “So, what, he was abused too? Are all of you abuse cases?” Shining snorted.

“Probably,” Tirek retorted, one corner of his mouth curling up in mild amusement.

“We most certainly art not!” Nightmare Moon denied, glaring at Tirek.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow at both of them, and they fell silent. “Alright, I guess we’ll continue, then. Nightmare Moon… wait. Doesn’t everyone here already know this story?” Jeremy asked.

There was a sea of nodding heads, and Luna looked faintly embarrassed.

Jeremy shrugged. “Well, not much point retelling it, then. I guess I’ll just say that when I met her, alone in Tartarus and the only prisoner to be placed in the Maximum Security Isolation Wing, she was the kindest to me. The first to help, and the last to judge. At this point, she’s practically the ‘mom friend’ of the group, we all know the type,” Jeremy joked. Nightmare Moon blushed, looking away.

“So… you are not going to force an eternal night upon my little ponies?” Luna asked of the taller lunar alicorn.

“Nay,” Nightmare Moon sighed. “We hath found… that holding a grudge is not the most efficient course of action. We would like to apologize to thee for our transgressions… if thou wouldst accept our friendship?” she asked hesitantly.

Luna stared at her for a moment, then looked to Celestia. “Goodness, did I really sound like that?” she asked. Everyone in the room giggled, and Jeremy hid a smirk behind his hand.

“Verily,” was all he answered, and everyone laughed louder.

Luna approached Nightmare Moon, who stepped back uncertainly. “I have suffered so much, by your hoof,” Luna began. Nightmare Moon flinched. “But I have learned much, too. About how to love myself… and others. And I see you have learned the same lessons I have. Therefore… I accept your friendship, Nightmare Moon. Though… it will be hard, I think, to find a place for you,” Luna wondered aloud.

“Maybe she could help you with nightmares,” Jeremy suggested.

“Perhaps,” Luna agreed. “We shall see.”

Nightmare Moon flashed a hopeful smile at Jeremy, who returned it before returning his gaze to the audience. “Alright, last one. Everyone still awake?” he joked. Sam immediately pretended to snore, and Jeremy chortled at his friend’s antics. “Sam, wake up! You’ll be quizzed on this later!” he called out. Sam pretended to snore louder, and most of the rest of the ponies and humans giggled.

“We’ll be quizzed? I didn’t bring any flashcards!” Twilight exclaimed, upset.

Jeremy rolled his eyes. “You won’t actually be quizzed, Twilight,” he sighed, three of his four friends from Tartarus suppressing some chuckles of their own. “Okay, okay. Levity over. Tirek… you alright?” Jeremy asked, noticing that the centaur was currently in a sitting position, elbows on his front knees and hands on his cheeks, looking as though he wanted nothing more than to be out of there.

“Just bored, carry on,” Tirek answered.

“Don’t worry, it won’t be so bad. This story I don’t know much about, so it might be a little shorter than the rest. This is the story of Prince Tirek, and his brother Prince Scorpan,” Jeremy began, pausing a moment to catch his breath.

“Prince Tirek and Prince Scorpan were born to their parents, King Haydon and Queen Vespa, in a far-off land. Haydon and Vespa were just rulers, who never once erred by their country. They raised their two sons in the hopes that they’d be just the same, and Tirek and Scorpan grew into adolescence looking as though they were to be as wise as their parents.”

“But Tirek’s personal tutor, a very old centaur named Sendak the Elder, was not very just, despite being very wise. During his teachings, he reinforced one lesson until it was burned into Tirek’s mind. ‘Tirek, in this world, it’s kill or be killed,’ he taught, and Tirek listened. Sendak began to teach him… other things. Dangerous things. Sendak taught him how to absorb the magic of others, converting it into his own, and thus granting him eternal life and essentially infinite strength – something Sendak had been making use of for quite some time. Tirek, fascinated by these new teachings and feeling that eternal teenage rebelliousness against his parents, delved deep into Sendak’s studies.”

“One day, Sendak brought him something strange. A unicorn, relatively small and weak, and far from its homeland. He pleaded with Sendak to let it go, but Sendak merely laughed. He shoved the unicorn towards Prince Tirek, and demanded he absorb its magic. Tirek could not refuse his tutor, for Sendak was much older and more influential than he. So he absorbed the magic of the unicorn.”

“Instantly he felt a change. He felt stronger, more powerful than he ever had. Tirek wanted more. He convinced his brother Scorpan to accompany him to find the homeland of this unicorn, lying to his parents by saying he was to return the stallion home like he wanted.”

“But then, Tirek enacted his real plan, absorbing magic of ponies around Equestria and gaining seemingly limitless strength. Driven by his lust for power, and constantly reminded of the ‘kill-or-be-killed’ teachings of Sendak, Tirek continued to terrorize the nation. Afraid of his growing power, the Princesses Celestia and Luna managed to amass enough magic to override his own, draining the magic he’d stolen and returning it to whence it came. He was imprisoned in Tartarus, barely conscious. Barely able to even exist.”

“But Tirek would not give up. He refused to be killed. So, little by little, he used the magic of the Harmony Barrier itself to gain strength. Slowly, he planned. A thousand years passed by, as he waited for the right time. Then, suddenly, a change. The guard dog, Cerberus, had left its post. In addition, the Royal Guards seemed to be missing as well. It was all too perfect. Using the abilities Sendak had taught him, Tirek managed to chip a hole in the Harmony Barrier just big enough to crawl through, the hole instantly sealing up behind him.”

“He emerged in what we now know to be the Castle of the Two Sisters, and set about regaining his strength. He stayed hidden, fearing what would happen if ponies were to discover his return too soon. He nearly had a heart attack when the Elements of Harmony visited the castle, apparently in search of the Pony of Shadows,” Jeremy smirked at the pony Elements, who each stifled a slight chuckle of their own. “But he managed to keep out of sight.”

“You know the part that happens next. He returned, befriended Discord, betrayed Discord before Discord could betray him, and got defeated. Tirek was re-imprisoned in Tartarus, never to escape again,” Jeremy paused.

“Isn’t that right, Celestia?”

The solar princess blanched. “What… do you mean?” she asked carefully. Jeremy glared at her, walking forward until he was squaring off against the solar diarch.

Get ready, he mentally cautioned the changeling Guards, who stiffened in surprise before hurriedly positioning themselves around everyone except Jeremy and Celestia. Oh, and take the murals too, if you can. No sense having them burned so quickly, he added.

“What I said. Tirek was simply imprisoned in Tartarus, and nothing else happened. Right?” Jeremy repeated.

Celestia swallowed nervously. “I… I know what I did may have seemed a little… unorthodox. But I assure you, it was for the greater good! He was a valuable object of scientific research!” Celestia defended.

“Wait… Sister? What is this?” Luna queried, and Celestia shot her a nervous glance before turning back to Jeremy.

“If you want to discuss this further, I-I would like to suggest we do so privately,” Celestia offered. “I promise I will answer all your questions, and-“ but Jeremy cut her off with a hand.

“You’ll answer all my questions? Really. So you’ll tell me why you had Tirek chained just outside the Lab, surrounded by lava, and performed experiments on him that were apparently so torturous that he was hallucinating when I met him? Not only that, but he was chained to a platform enchanted with ‘Blood Magic’ – which I have on pretty good authority requires a pony sacrifice to be created!” Jeremy accused.

Sam and the other humans stared at Celestia in shock, and she stepped back from Jeremy. “The – the pony did so willingly!” Celestia cried out. “He was put to sleep, and then sacrificed – he wasn’t hurt in the slightest!”

Luna gazed at her sister in openmouthed shock. “S-sister?! You – but that’s Dark Magic, a most terrible kind! You’d never – I – what?!” Luna spluttered, and Shining Armor was looking over at the two of them in horror and dismay.

“What’s wrong, Celestia? Are you shocked that I just told everyone how you lied to your sister? How you’ve been lying to her for three straight years?!” Jeremy viciously went on.

Meanwhile, the changeling Guards were ushering the others out of the room, encountering surprisingly little resistance.

“I – I, I-“ Celestia stammered, unable to form a response.

“Answer me!” Jeremy thundered.

“I… I was only trying to protect everyone! If we had the ability to create more places like Tartarus, Equestria would never have to worry about another villain again! Ponies would not have to live in constant fear of being destroyed by some outside foe!” she rebutted, managing to find her voice.

“And how long until the threat you so desperately seek to destroy becomes an inner one?” Jeremy retorted. “If you have the ability to lock up anyone, regardless of whether they committed a crime, what’s to stop you from doing anything you want to ensure Equestria’s ‘safety?’”

Celestia breathed rapidly, eyes darting around the room. “I – I could say the same for you!” she accused back, pointing a shaking hoof at him. “With four of Equestria’s worst villains at your beck and call, what is to stop you from doing anything you want?!”

Jeremy raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “They are most certainly not at my beck and call. They are here because they want to be here, and not attacking because they do not want to attack. Unlike you, I have faith in them,” he sniped.

Celestia appeared taken aback, then slowly narrowed her eyes. “You think you’re some kind of savior?” she muttered. “Some angel, like that legend my mother told me when I was a filly? You don’t know what it’s like to sacrifice for someone else! I was doing everything, everything to protect Luna! She is the only reason I did any of what I did – I didn’t want any more monsters to ruin her life! Couldn’t have t-them – her – hurting Lulu again – so I – I had to – don’t you understand – I HAD TO!!” she shouted, flaring her wings and unleashing the Royal Canterlot Voice. “I ANSWER TO NO ONE, LEAST OF ALL A STUCK-UP BRAT WHO THINKS HE’S SOME KIND OF HERO!” she screamed, before launching herself at Jeremy.

Here we go again, he thought grimly, pulling out the menu and SAVING as he dived out of the way.

The changeling throne was instantly scorched to cinders, and Celestia was lost amid a cone of blaring heat and light which hurt just to look at.

“Celestia, stop!” Jeremy called out. “You don’t have to fight!”

The fire slowly, unwillingly died down to reveal Celestia, but… different. Her hair was a pure, orange-hot fire, and her eyes blazed crimson with the same raging passion.

“I AM NOT CELESTIA ANYMORE! I AM DAYBREAKER, AND I WILL PROTECT MY COUNTRY FROM ANYTHING I DEEM NECESSARY!” she asserted, her horn emitting a blazing arc of light that burned all it touched.

Comments

[SirAnonymouse]

does that mean ya deem yourself necessary?

[Hein des Nisseroi]

and Jeremy chortled at his friend’s antics.

HE HAS CHORTLES!

[Razzy]

So... Sombra's problem was basically "I have no idea what I'm doing!"

I still really like the idea of the hive mind storing all the souls of the changelings. Maybe worth some further tweaking it could be used to hold them and their memories, to allow for full rebirth with memories and personalities intact.

... Methinks Hespera's title was a bit misleading.