Change of Life

by Lil Penpusher

9 - How it all started

Shade sighed as he faced his friend. He knew he would have to explain everything he and his race had done to his friend...and it wouldn't be easy.

"All this happened because of a dramatic incident thousands of years ago..."

Shade turned around and kept talking.

"When the ponies and changelings first met all those years ago, the ponies were weak. I'm sure you know about the History of the different tribes of earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns. Queen Crudelis, the reigning Queen at that time, found the ponies to be a perfect food source due to their loving and friendly nature and weak, divided tribes. There were voices in the Hive against attacking and feeding on them...but they were overheard...
Queen Crudelis gathered her army and started the offensive on the ponies. The first attacks and raids were very succesful, as she had expected, but it turned out that the divided tribes started helping and defending together. With the help of Princess Luna and Celestia, our army was driven out of their lands and the Princesses eventually united the ponies under the banner of Equestria."

Thunder wiped away some tears and listened more carefully. never had he heard of such things. He knew about the divided tribes of ponies and how Celestia and Luna united them but never had he heard of a changeling attack during those times...

"With her army defeated, scattered and driven out of Equestria, Queen Crudelis swore to get revenge on Equestria, no matter how long it would take.
The Hive agreed with her plans for revenge and her plans became a royal duty of the Queen after her."

Thunder thought for a moment and asked...

"So you are telling me you attacked us because of something that happened thousands of years ago? Because we stood together and defended us?
That's why you think you "have to" attack us?"

Shade turned to Thunder.

"Of course not! Queen Ambrosia, Chrysalis' mother, was the first Queen that did not agree with the plans to attack the ponies again for simple revenge. She told her subjects how she wanted a better future for them and the ponies alike and that both races would benefit if there was peace and friendship between their races. Her Hive however...most changelings strongly disagreed with her. Having no other choice, Queen Ambrosia gathered the few subjects that agreed with her and went on a diplomatic mission to Equestria. It is told that she and her subjects arrived at Canterlot...however...they were eventually killed. Only 3 of the changelings returned to the Hive, telling the story of how the ponies struck down their Queen, thinking she had come to attack."

Thunder's ears lowered as he heard that tragic story. He had never heard of such a thing...why? Was Shade lying? Was he really not told such things back in Equestria?

"I'm...sorry about that...but..."

Shade interrupted him as he continued his speech.

"With Queen Ambrosia dead, Queen Chrysalis, still very young at that time, became the new ruler of the Hive. She was told about her ancestors...and with that, her mother. She was told why her mother disappeared from one night to the other...she was told how she died on the battlefield, fighting for what she thought was right. A burning hatred grew in her with every day that passed. The first attack on Canterlot was her way to make the ponies suffer as much as they made her suffer by killing her loving mother...the mother that tried to find peace between both races was now the reason for a new uprising against the ponies..."

Thunder was basically speechless at this point.

"B-but..."

"Chrysalis enjoyed every second of her plan. She enjoyed making twilight cry as her brother told her to not attend to the wedding. She enjoyed tricking all the ponies. She enjoyed defeating Celestia and the Elements of Harmony. However...after the giant explosion of love caused by Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance...she was different. It's hard to explain for me, maybe she should tell you herself at some point but...it seemed like her plans for revenge vanished. She suddenly forgot all her hatred. She realized what she had done and what a fool she had been. She did exactly what her mother wanted not to happen...what her mother died for so that It wouldn't happen...
She spent the next few days alone, most of the time she meditated in the Hall of the Elders, trying to talk and apologize to her mother...No one really knows whether or not it had worked or not."

Thunder took a step forward towards Shade.

"But...if she so strongly regrets attacking us, then why would she do it a second time? That doesn't make any sense!"

Shade looked at him for a second and then turned his head back towards a painting of Chrysalis in front of him.

"She tried to think of ways to redeem herself. She tried to succeed in what her mother had died for...peace between ponies and changelings...
I know you wonder why she would attack Canterlot a second time if she was looking for peace...but it was the only choice she had. She couldn't risk showing up in front of ponies herself like her mother, she would just end like her mother. She couldn't send any letters or ambassadors to the Princesses either, they wouldn't have believed any of it, thinking the changelings only wanted to trick them once again. So, as she came to a conclusion, the only choice seemed to be...a kidnapping. She had to kidnap the Princesses and bring them her so she could finally talk to them. She realized it was a risky plan and that the Princesses may be unlikely to believe her but it was better than just sitting there and doing nothing."

"That doesn't make any sense...I saw how she acted towards the Princessed before when I was in that cage! Do you call that "negotiating peace" or what?"

"That confused even me. I'm not allknowing after all. The only answer I would have for that is that she acted that way because our Chief of Army was with her in the room."

Thunder made a questioning expression.

"Chief of Army? But I didn't see him anywhere, I didn't even know you changelings have something like that."

Shade gave out a little, quiet laugh.

"You may have noticed how two hooded figures entered the room with her. You probably know that one of them was me. The other one was the Chief of Army. Anyways, I could only explain her rude behavior because he was in there with her. She already knows that I support her plan. However, the Chief of Army himself...isn't all that impressed. There are rumors of him saying Chrysalis is ruining the Hive and that he is planning to kill her. The Queen herself doesn't seem to believe those rumors too much but perhaps she did show some strength towards "the enemy" in front of him to convince him that she isn't just a stupid, blind idiot. Perhaps, I'm not sure myself."

Thunder thought with a hoof on his chin.

"So...is that it?"

Shade turned around to Thunder, he had been looking at the portrait of Chrysalis on the wall the entire time.

"For now at least, yeah."

Thunder looked towards the slimey hammock next to him.

"I hope you don't mind if I go to sleep for now. I gotta think about all of this, take it into consideration and all that."

Shade nodded.

"Of course I don't mind, it's kinda late anyway. I'll go to sleep in a bit aswell."

Thunder now stood in front of the hammock and gave Shade a last look before he left.

"See you tomorrow...Shade..."

Shade smiled as he walked outside.

"See you Thunder, sleep well."

Comments

[Jaybird78]

This was a great chapter