A New Life (rewrite)
34 was mad. He was tricked, put simply. When he agreed to go with the tall one, he didn't, however, expect to be put in handcuffs, a muzzle, and all limbs chained to the ground. Four heavily armored guards stood at attention outside his cell. Where was said cell? Canterlot dungeons. Echo stayed silent, told to do so by 34 so they wouldn't take him away. Thankfully, they didn’t try to remove the collar on him. It’s been about three days since they brought him down here, and he had memorized the guards routine so far.
A new squad of guards came to replace the current ones, quickly switching places in a matter of seconds. Two unicorns, two pegasus. One of the unicorns used their magic to take off the muzzle on him, then floated over a meal. A simple bowl of soup. Best food that they’d give him right now. The other guards stood ready for any attempt at escape as the unicorn spoon fed him. Once finished, the muzzle was clamped back on and the guards resumed their post.
No small talk, with him or between each other. Just doing their duty. Something in him made him angry at this, but he couldn’t exactly say what. He sighed as he sat back down. He figured he’d try again.
“So, I still don’t know exactly what you all are…” He started. The guards stayed silent. 34 continued nonetheless. “It’s making me tired just calling you all by ‘you’.” They continued their stoic standing. “...Look. It’s the same thing every day. No way you all aren’t bored too.” They gave no response. He sighed and began to rhythmically pull on the chains out of boredom.
After a few minutes of clanking metal, the guards began to side eye each other. They were clearly annoyed at the sound. A few more minutes went by as the sound continued. Then it stopped. 34 sighed and spoke. “You all got like five seconds to say something or you won’t like what I do next.” The guard ignored him, as usual, assuming it was an empty threat.
It was not.
All the guards snapped their heads to him after hearing a loud ‘BOOM’ from behind them. They saw 34, his metal arm free and in the form of a rifle. The ponies raised their weapons at him. “Call for backup!” One said.
“Oh, so you can talk.” 34 stated as he used the same method to break the rest of his chains. He stood up for the first time in a while and stretched. “So, I have some questions. Any takers?” 34 looked to see not the normal 4 guards, but a dozen or so, weapons pointed at him.
They stood at a standstill for a few moments, staring at each other. Neither side moved until 34 spoke. “Are you guys gonna say something? Oh my gosh!” He started to get annoyed.
“Put away your weapon!” One spoke. 34 did so. The guard blinked. “That was… easy.”
“Yeah, almost like if you all spoke, none of this wouldn’t happen.” 34 frowned at them.
The guard blinked. “...You’re saying you broke your chains-”
34 cut him off. “I said if they didn’t say something they wouldn’t like what I did next.”
The guard looked around to his colleagues for confirmation. “...he did say that…”
“Doesn’t matter anymore. Bring me to the tall one. I’ve been here too long.” 34 demanded. He was growing more annoyed with each passing moment with these beings.
“...Or wh-?” A guard began to ask before 34 sighed.
“I just broke those metal chains, and I think those metal bars in the window are about the same. I am a moment away from freedom and each passing second is tempting me more.” He pointed to the window behind him. The guards looked at eachother, not sure what to do. 34 sat back down.
“And then, I came to you, Princess…” The guard finished recalling what was said by the creature in the dungeon. “To be honest, I don’t think we should take the chance. It’s been growing more agitated the longer we keep him down there. I don’t know how else to say it, but it just… feels wrong.”
Celestia sat on her throne and thought for a few moments. She’s spent the last few days dealing with the damage done, as well as making sure the creature wasn’t seen by anypony else. Lucky for her, most residents evacuated before it emerged, leaving only the guards and a single filly to see it. On top of all this, now said creature was threatening escape. She sighed, wondering what she was going to do.
After the moments passed, she realized she had to do at least something. “Guard. Call for Iron Armory. He talked with it for a little while. I’d like his opinion.” She ordered. The guard bowed before going to do so. A few minutes later, he came in.
“Iron Armory, reporting!” He saluted.
“At ease, my little pony.” She smiled at him.
Iron Armory dropped his salute. “Yes ma’am. What do you need me to do?”
She thought before she started. “You… you’ve talked to that creature, correct? Tell me about him.”
Iron Armory nodded. “He didn’t speak much. He seemed more concerned for the safety of the filly I found with him. Going so far to carry her on his back.” He paused, thinking back on the day before continuing. “He implied that he was some sort of lab experiment, saying he was some number. Also, I get some feeling of… sadness from him, if that makes sense.”
Celestia nodded, taking in what he said before asking further. “...Do you think he’s dangerous?”
Iron nodded again. “If I may speak frankly, just from looking at his arm alone, he’s dangerous. Let alone the rumors that he’s the source of the attack. But at the same time, if he wanted to cause harm, he had more than enough chances to do it.”
Celestia sighed. “You spoke of a filly. Is she ok?”
“Yes ma’am. We’ve found her family and returned her safely after a health check and a few questions.”
“What did she say about it?”
“Well… all good things. From my understanding, he landed in the same tower she was in, saved her from it, then went to help her find her parents before I found them.”
Celestia blinked. “...It what?”
Iron chuckled a bit. “We all had the same reaction. He only acted hostile when we first attempted to restrain him… I… pity him. Just from the looks he gave, he has some sort of past he wants to keep quiet about.”
Celestia hummed before asking her final question. “Do you think it’s our enemy?”
Iron Armory shook his head. “Not unless we give him a reason to be.”
Celestia nodded. “Thank you, Iron Armory. I’ll let you get back to work.” He returned the nod before exiting. She sighed again, thinking on what to do next. Negotiation with the unknown can turn out dangerous, and from the earlier report, she had no way to reliably contain it either. Hell, she didn’t even know what it was.
She leaned back in her chair, as if it would wave off the mental exhaustion. Celestia decided to enjoy the brief moment of silence while she had it. Nearly an hour had passed in bliss before she sat up straight, knowing what she had to do. “Guard.” She called, hearing the echo of her voice through the large room. A guard came in by her order, pushing the door open and saluting. “Send word to Sergeant Lance. Have him and two squadrons under him transport the creature to me. I’d like a word with it.”
34 was lying on his back, hands under his head as he waited. The guards still stood there, wary of him. They were at least talking to him. Made the time pass by quicker. “So, this place seems fancy. Never seen a castle in my life, and now I’m in one! What’s this place called?”
“...We’re in Canterlot.” A guard answered.
“Oh, like in the fairytales I read…” Not that he thought about it, these beings were also present in some of those tales. “...What species are you all?”
“The guards looked and chuckled between each other. “What? Never seen a pony before?”
“No.” 34 answered rather quicker than the ponies expected.
“Really? Where are you from? And what are you anyway?” One asked.
“Oh, uh… I don’t really know. I’m a human.” 34 answered.
“Hue-man… alright. How many more of you are there coming here? And are they all like you?” Another asked.
“Um… our total population is in the… billions? I think? And no more should be coming after me. I made sure I wasn’t followed. How many of you all are there?”
They blinked. “Just around half a million in this country. And you said… billions?” 34 nodded. “I don’t believe you. No way you hue-mans can survive in the billions. That’d have to be a massive planet!”
“Oh, well, it’s not just one planet. We’ve traveled space and colonized other planets, and have orbiting colonies. It’s really cool to think about!” He smiled at them, who returned the gesture by laughing. “...what did I say?”
“You’re telling me that your race went to other planets and lived there? That’s just a fantasy! Science fiction!”
“Like me, some alien, coming from a portal from another world?” He asked rhetorically. The laughing stopped abruptly, the guards pondering to themselves. “Yeah… anyway, how about you ponies? How spread out are you?”
Another guard answered him this time. “Well, we mostly just stay in this part of the world. We’re in Equestria, but we have some ponies in other places out there. All the races just stay to ourselves.”
34 sat up. “...Other races? There isn’t one dominant species?”
“Oh. No.” The guard answered before listing off other races. “So, we have ponies in Equestria, griffons in Griffon Stone, Dragons in the dragon lands, Changelings in their kingdom to the south that we’re on bad terms with, Diamond dogs where ever, Hippogriffs in Hippogriffia, but they’ve closed their borders. Kelpies, Zebras, and Abada in Zebrafrica. Then there’s the unexplored east.” She smiled, then shrunk a bit noticing the looks of all the ponies around her. “Heh… sorry, kinda my hobby.”
“That… helps a lot more than you think. It’s interesting how all these beings can live relatively peacefully on one planet. I want to learn more about it some time. 34 smiled back. The mare almost got a sense of comfort from it.
A colleague of the mare pulled her ear to him so he could whisper. “Take what it says with a grain of salt. We don’t know what it’s planning. That naivety could be a trap.”
The mare looked back at him. “How… how old are you?”
34 thought. “Um.. eight I think?”
“EIGHT!?” She shouted in surprise. “Oh Celestia, we’ve been keeping a child in a dungeon!” She covered her face.
“Oh, that’s not normal here?” 34 asked nonchalantly. The other guards gave an uncomfortable laugh, while the mare he was talking to fell over. “...Are you ok?”
She regained her balance and stood back up. “...I’m fine, and no, it’s not normal!” She put a hoof against the bars of his cell. “What… how did you live like that?”
“I’m… not sure what you mean by that. I, along with my brothers and sisters, were told what to do, and we did it. By following orders, we were fed, and we lived… Well… I… lived.” He sighed.
One of the guards' ears perked up. He stepped in front of his colleague. “Brothers and sisters? How many? And you said ‘I’... what happened to them?”
34’s mood fell as he thought back. “There were fifty of us. I’m the only one that survived.”
The stallion inched closer. “Survived what?
“...I don’t want to talk about it.” 34 said as he put a hand on his metal elbow. “Let’s just say that this arm isn’t natural to humans.”
The guards stayed silent at that, not sure how to respond. One spoke up. “I’m sorry.”
34 shook his head. “You didn’t do anything. Nothing to be sorry for.” He said before they returned to silence.
“You’ve had a hard life, huh?” A guard asked rhetorically.
34 didn’t notice. “...you know, wasn’t until recently that my way of life wasn’t normal. Definitely changes some things.”
Right when he finished, another guard came in. 34 noticed that this one stood out from the rest. They all had the same white fur, but this one was different. In place of the golden armor, this unicorn had a steel color, as well as some insignia on his chest and a mantle that covered his back. Following behind him was a group of five guards with their normal armor. The same blank expressions on their faces. 34 Looked through the door behind them, seeing a bigger group of guards waiting.
The guards already in the room turned to salute the unicorn. “Sergeant Lance!” They greeted.
The unicorn didn’t say anything to them, walking past them and stopping in front of 34. He looked up at the unicorn, staring him in the eyes. More guards came and stood on either side of him. The unicorn spoke first. “So, you’re the creature that’s been causing trouble for us, is that right? State your name.”
“34.” He stated.
“Not your age, your name.” Lance furrowed his brow.
“Sir, his name is-” A guard from earlier tried to speak up.
“I wasn’t talking to you, Corporal.” Lance cut the guard off. He turned back to the human. “I will not ask again, state your name.”
“34.” He stated again.
“Oh, so you’re a joker?” The sergeant smirked. He drew the sword on his hip and poked it through the bars and at his neck. “Tell me another one.”
34 looked at him and sighed. He moved his metal arm to grab the blade and shattered it in his grip. “I am designated as P.R.O.W-0034. Threats will get you nowhere. Next question.” 34 dropped the pieces of shattered blade from his hand, looking back up to see a once smirking face now one of anger.
Lance turned to the other guards. “Why hasn’t he been contained!?”
“They tried. They failed. Not their fault.” 34 pushed himself off the ground. “More on you, since you haven’t checked my report, but that is besides the point. What do you want?”
“Listen here, creature… you’re in our cell! You’ll listen to what we say, got it!? I’ll be asking the questions!” Lance pointed a hoof at him.
34 exhaled through his nose. This Lance guy was annoying, but he didn’t have much of a choice. “Then ask.” He said with as little anger as he could.
“That’s better.” Lance smirked. “Now, before we transport you, I’m going to have to take that weapon on your arm off.”
“This is my arm. You can’t just take a part, and I am not giving it to you either.” 34 explained.
Lance grew annoyed. “Did you not understand the 'listen to what we say’ part? Are you stupid?”
“Are you?” He asked back. “I was the one who destroyed part of your city, which is the only reason I’m in this dungeon. Understand that?” 34 furrowed his brow and stood up. He put his metal arm on one of the bars and bent it slightly. “I am here by choice, not because you all are keeping me here. Threatening and insulting me is to your detriment.” He continued to push on the bars, a few guards raising their spears at him. “This is getting us nowhere. Tell me what you want from me.” 34 demanded angrily.
Lance was about to say something before the guard he was talking to earlier began to speak. “Sir, we should be able to answer any questions you have. We’ve had time to ask him questions of our own.” The mare said with a salute. “He’s made it clear he can break out. From the broken chains and the damage outside, I think we can both agree it’s best to not provoke him.” She said in the nicest way she could.
Lance grit his teeth and reluctantly agreed. “Fine…”
While they gave the sergeant the information he needed, the remaining guards decided to stand in front of his cell. Glaring at him. 34 didn’t like this. Their judging stares. He could tell just by the look in their eyes what they thought of him. They were the same gazes as the guards… the doctors… the numbers. ‘Creature.’ ‘Demon.’ ‘Monster.’ He grit his teeth as his eyes flashed white. A few of the guards took a cautious step back at this before 34 contained himself.
He sighed. He loosened his fist and sat back down, waiting for them to be done with their talk. It went on for about half an hour. From the little he heard, they were going over nearly everything they’ve talked about. Name, origin, background, age, and how he got to Canterlot. Interestingly, the only part that was left out was his siblings. He’d have to thank them for that later.
Once finished, Sergeant Lance turned back to him. “Well… 34, I got the info needed. Now, what I’m actually here for. You’ve been called by the Princess for an audience.”
“I don’t know who that is.” He looked up at him.
“You’ll figure it out. Now, I don’t want any sudden movements from you, got it?” He demanded. Lance didn’t even wait for a response before turning to the guards at his command. “Alright, listen up. Once it’s out of the cell, I want two wedge formations! Unicorns, get the locks on him before he leaves the cell! We’ll be transporting him to princess Celestia! We can’t afford to mess this up!”
34 blinked. He wasn’t told anything about locks. He reasoned that it made sense, given his less than perfect track record so far. He groaned as he stood up and put his arms out to his sides. He knew the drill. Four of the unicorns unlocked the cell door and quickly floated a new pair of cuffs to him. They snapped around his legs first, not making him able to move faster than a shuffle. Then, another pair around his wrist. What made these different from the last pair was that these covered his hands, forcing him to ball them into fists. Finally, another muzzle was put over his mouth. Each unicorn used their magic to pull a chain on each limb, forcing him out the cell door.
It was humiliating. Dehumanizing, being treated like some animal. Some of the ponies gave him looks that said ‘sorry’, but it was overshadowed by the looks of disgust coming his way. He tried his best not to growl in annoyance.
“Alright! Form up!” Lance ordered as 34 was pulled out of the cell. “Start walking.” He gave him a push. 34 did so, albeit reluctantly. He tried to take his focus off the dozen clopping hooves around him, and instead focused on the pathway he took. Up a set of stairs. Past a hall on his right. Past another on his left. Up another flight of stairs. Down another hallway. Finally, a large set of double doors on his left, nearly reaching the ceiling. Lance used his magic to push open the doors, and the guards transported him in.
34 looked around the room. The first thing he noticed was the rather lush throne room. Red carpet, stained glass windows, white marble floor, and a large, golden throne with the sigil of the sun. On that throne was that alicorn he saw a few days ago. She stood up and spread her wings. As she took steps down from her throne to approach the human, the guards spread out in a defensive formation, making sure they had him completely surrounded.
The alicorn stopped in front of him, looking down at him. Now that 34 got a better look at her, she was just about twice his size. She took a deep breath. “I am Princess Celestia. Ruler of Equestria. I... wish we could’ve introduced ourselves under better circumstances.”
34 looked up at her. “I am called 34. Don’t really have a name, so that will have to do. I wish the same too. I am sorry about the damage I’ve done. Hope nobody was hurt.”
Celestia blinked in surprise at the apologetic nature of it. She smiled a bit. “Thankfully, no pony was hurt. While the damage is done, it can be repaired… I did hear from Iron Armory that you protected a filly before he found you. I must thank you for that.”
“It was my fault in the first place. Didn’t know where I’d end up before the portal collapsed in on itself.” He explained. “I’m sorry.”
“Tell me more about this ‘portal’ you mentioned. How did you get here exactly?”
34 sighed. “It’s a very long story. Summarizing it, I escaped my containment, ended my captors, then found an escape route. Coincidentally, their power source for mana was from a portal that led to here. The portal collapsed in on itself, taking me onto this side… I figured out where the portal ended up after I came though, then I crashed. You know what happened after that.”
She nodded. “Yes. Though I do have a few questions. First, what is mana?”
“It’s…” He looked for the words to explain it. “After ‘The Awakening’, mana was discovered within every person. It’s hard to explain. It’s like… a form of energy that each of us have. We can focus on it and use it, like the unicorns here do, though not exactly.”
She grew a bit worried, yet kept her same posture. “...Can you use magic?”
“Yes.” He answered. “Though I don’t want to hurt any of you. No reason to.”
She shook her head, as if to shake off the worry. “Moving on… what is ‘The Awakening’?”
“‘The Awakening’ was an event that caused a massive change in human society. One day, every being awoke with mana, though with different amounts. It caused a complete revolution on everything we’ve ever known. Animals evolved differently, weather changed, and humans did what we do, and found a way to use it to our benefit.”
“...and what is that benefit?” Celestia asked hesitantly.
34 sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to like it. “Greed. Conquering the stars, other alien races, then eventually, each other. Humanity decided that they would be the ones to rule the cosmos. I’m a product of that greed. They trained me to eventually use my power for whatever they deemed fit.”
“And what do you plan on using that power for?” She asked the boy. She wanted an answer. Needed one that would make sure he wouldn’t be a threat.
34 stood in silence before he spoke. “Can I ask a few questions first?”
Celestia was taken aback by the ask, but if it helped mold his answer, she’d be more than willing to answer. “You may.”
“First, I want to know if you treat all prisoners like me, or if it’s just me.” He frowned. The guards looked between each other, then a few to the princess.
“I… am sorry that your treatment here has been less than the standard. You must understand, you did just destroy part of the capital. You were, and still are, considered a terrorist.”
“Oh… ok. Didn’t realize.” He shrugged. “Fair enough. Second, I wish to know how long I will stay contained.”
“...I cannot give you a better answer besides until I deem you safe to the public. You may not want to hurt anypony, but my ponies still aren’t ready for something like you to be amongst them, nor am I able to fully trust your word.”
“I don’t believe you. With all the different races in this world, none can accept me? You just want a reason to keep me under your watch.” 34 frowned at her. Celestia’s smile fell at that. “Last question. Are you my enemy?”
She shook her head. “No, of course not.”
“Really? Because so far, you haven’t shown me anything to make me think you aren’t.” He stood up straight, pulling on his chains a bit. “Release me, and I will believe you. I’d rather not be your enemy either, but right now, our wants aren’t with each other.”
Celestia lowered her head to be at eye level. “And what is it that you want?”
“Freedom.” He stated simply.
Celestia sighed as she craned her neck back. “I can’t do that. Guards, take him back to the dungeon. A stronger one if you can.” She turned to go sit back on her throne.
34 could feel the tugging on his chains, and Lance’s hoof on his back. He grit his teeth. “So… you are my enemy…” He growled at the alicorn. “I refuse… to be treated like an item anymore! I will have my freedom!” He shouted.
He focused mana into his fist. His restraints on his arms quickly turned red hot before coming off with a large bang. The guards took a step back and covered their eyes from the blast. Celestia turned around just as he did the same with the restraints on his legs. 34 and Celestia made eye contact for just a moment before he began to make his escape.
He shot a blast of fire at the door, forcing it open, and running out, hearing the yelling of the guards and the princess behind him. He could tell from the window of his cell that he was on the side of some mountain, meaning the only good exit was the entrance, which was bound to be heavily fortified. Too big a risk to take. Remembering his path to the throne room, 34 retraced his steps to just outside the dungeon he was kept in. As he made it down the stairs, he stomped his foot on the floor, making a stone wall behind him. It’ll buy him a few seconds at least.
He tore open the bars to his cell with his metal arm and jumped inside. Lowering his body to the ground, he surrounded his left hand in stone before punching a hole through the wall. Some of the rubble fell down the mountain side below. He was beginning to have second thoughts, looking at the absurd height, but those thoughts were stopped when he heard a blast of magic breaking his barricade. He glanced to his side to see Celestia and the guards behind her. “34, stop this instant!”
He looked at her directly. “No.” He said before jumping down the mountain. 34 flipped himself in the air to see Celestia and a few of the pegasus guards chasing after him. He turned his right arm into a rifle and fired a few shots off, making the guards spread out in an attempt to avoid them. A few were hit, making them slow down to regain their balance. The alicorn was fine, having some sort of magic shield protecting her. He returned a shot of her own back at him, an electric one from the looks. He assumed it was to stun him. 34 didn’t have time to dodge. He put his arms up to shield himself from the blast, but it wasn’t effective. Upon thinking about it, he realized that the force of the blast did knock him back a bit, but the stun had no effect at all.
34 realized he was still falling. Any longer and he’d reach terminal velocity, and it’d be much harder to slow down from that. He put his arms out in front of him, making a torrent of wind, forcing him back towards the mountain side. He dug his metal arm in, making him slow to a stop after a few moments. He didn’t have time to rest though, having to jump to the side to dodge another of Celestia’s magic attacks. 34 switched his hands, trying his best to land a few hits on her, but the barrier kept getting in his way.
This wasn't the monarch’s first battle, but it has been a while for her. Part of her was embarrassed that she was fighting a child, but that was overshadowed by her currently focusing on said battle. The human, 34, was persistent. He had to have learned by now that his attacks were doing nothing. More importantly, that attack she sent earlier had no effect either. She dove in closer in an attempt to grapple him.
34 saw her coming. He jumped to the side before she could wrap her hooves around him. Celestia, not wanting to run into the wall, teleported back to where she once was. She looked back to where 34 was, to see stone platforms jutting out the mountain side and the human using them as foot holds. He was heading back towards the city. One of the pegasus guards following her was able to recover and get back to her. He was about to begin chasing after 34 before the princess called out to him.
“Guard! Send word to Sergeant Lance to mobilize every available guard! We don’t want to lose him in the city!” She demanded as she began flying to keep pace with 34. The guard saluted and flew back up towards the castle. 34, of course, heard this. Things are getting harder by the minute. He was halfway to the city edge before a volley of magic was sent his way. These ones were meant to hurt. He could tell from the dents the magic left in the rock. “So… we’re trying to make things HURT!” He shouted back to her in anger. His eyes flickered white as he used his hand to focus a ball of water into his palm. He continued to focus, increasing the pressure in it before releasing it in Celestia’s direction.
Celestia had to admit, she was surprised by the amount of magic he had… well, in this case mana. She’d even be impressed if said magic wasn’t focused in her direction. She was narrowly able to dodge the beam of water, breaking one of her defensive barriers and bouncing to the side, dispersing in the sky below them.
‘Of course she had more barriers. It only made sense.’ 34 thought to himself as he fired off a few more for good measure. It was at least able to make her back away a little. He finally was able to make it to the city edge. Perfect timing too, as a few dozen guards descended from above Celestia and locked onto him. He jumped up the large wall using a burst of wind focused at his feet and began running through the city. Unicorns and Earth Pony guards were already looking around for him, a few seeing him and alerting the others, but weren’t able to keep up with him.
Rooftops would be easier to navigate, but would make it easy to follow him. Streets were obviously a no go. He’d have to stick to the alley ways. Wouldn’t be anywhere near easy though, since he had no time to cover his trail. They would eventually figure out where he was, so he needed a way out of Canterlot.
34 looked behind him to see Celestia still right on his tail. It’d be hard to lose her. Fast flier for her size, he had to admit. 34 focused magic once again into his hands, this time, the element of fire. He planted his feet into the ground before turning around and slamming his hands into the ground. A large explosion of smoke spread from where he was to the nearby streets. He had cover. 34 ran into a nearby alleyway to escape them.
“Spread out! We cannot let him get away!” He heard Celestia’s voice boom. The ‘Yes Ma’am!’s of various guards were heard as hoof steps went in every direction. He’d need to start moving. 34 began moving as quietly as he could, ducking behind cover when needed. His adrenaline was starting to wear off, and began feeling some of the pain and fatigue from the skirmish. He huffed as he looked around. He was able to wander in front of a main street. Meaning the exit had to be down one of the ends of the street. He looked to his right, seeing the street lead to around about. If luck was on his side, and if this world made at least some sense, the exit would be to his left. He lurked back into the alleyways and began making his way towards his destination.
His muscles were sore, and his heart was racing. Despite this, he kept walking, trying not to breathe too hard to alert anyone. But, he was getting sloppy. It was getting hard for him to focus on so many things. One mistake could mean his hope of freedom would be gone. He grit his teeth.
Lady Luck smiled upon him, as he was able to make it towards what appeared to be an exit. The gate was grand, with decorated metal bars blocking the entrance to the city. Three guards were blocking the gate, making sure nobody, more specifically, 34, wouldn’t make it out. He leaned against a wall and slid down, taking a small break behind a dumpster to think of his next move. But he made a mistake. An empty can clanged down the alley as his foot made contact. His heart dropped.
The ponies ears perked up. They looked at each other. “Hey, you two, go check.” A guard said. 34 heard the pairs of hoof steps draw closer as he sat in silence, hoping they’d walk by. They didn’t.
Two guards turned down the alley. He dreaded every hoof step as they drew closer. He looked up when two pairs of hooves stopped in front of him. He was surprised. “Hey… Iron Armory, right?” He huffed at him before turning to the mare. “Sorry… we talked back when I was in the cell… but I don’t think you told me your name…” 34 said between huffs.
The two sighed. “...I guess I didn’t. I’m River Rose.” She gave a small smile. “...You’ll have to come with us.”
34 coughed. “...I figured… Glad it was you two though… you two are nice to me at least… Not many I can say that about.”
River Rose looked at Iron Armory, who just kept looking down at him. “We’ve spent a good hour looking for you, kid…” He said as he took a step forward. He was about to tell River to send a signal before he had a thought. “Hey, 34… let me ask you something.”
He took a few puffs of air before talking. “Go ahead.”
“What did you plan on doing once you escaped?”
34 thought for a moment before giving a bit of a chuckle. “Didn’t… really think about it to be honest… I’ve been imprisoned for so long… I finally had the choice to think for myself…” He said through a few tears. “...I don’t want to hurt anyone… but I have to if I want to live. I just want to… be free… be able to make choices myself… Choose my own destiny… not have my fate be controlled by others anymore.” He wiped some tears from his eyes. “I want… I want to live…”
River and Iron looked at each other. They couldn’t relate to the human, but they could tell that his words were genuine. They both sighed before River spoke. “...I feel like we’re thinking the same thing…”
Iron smirked. “Maybe… I won’t tell if you don’t.”
River smirked back. “If we’re fired, I’m blaming you.”
34 was able to catch his breath, slowing his breathing. “...What’re you…”
“We’ll lead them away. When we do, dash for the gate and jump it.” Iron explained as he turned around.
“Our signal will be when you hear a loud bang.” River patted his head. “Just promise us that you won't cause any more trouble.”
“...Why go so far for me?” 34 asked.
River smiled at him and lifted his head up. “Call it intuition. You have power. Use it to save others. It’s what we’ve devoted ourselves to do as guards.” She dropped her hoof.
34 sniffed. “...I… I promise.” He said as he stood up. “One day… I’ll make sure to see you two again.”
They turned their backs to him and went back to their posts. The guards walked alongside each other. River whispered to her colleague. “So, what’s the story?”
“Follow my lead.” Iron whispered back before stopping in front of his commanding officer. “Sergeant Lance.” the two saluted.
“So, what took you two so long!?” He shouted at them.
Iron Armory held his salute. “Sir! A stray cat was just doing as they do! However, we’ve found evidence that he was here earlier! There were scrapes on the bricks, as if to mark that he’s been here before! River and I were speculating, and we do not believe he would wait here until nightfall! Instead, we believe he’s looking for another exit!”
“Buck!” Lance shouted in frustration. “River Rose, send an all clear! I’ll report to the other squadrons! The both of you, keep watch of this gate!” He finished as he ran towards the castle.
They let his hoofsteps get out of earshot before River fired off a burst of magic, exploding a green light in the air. That was his signal. 34 rushed out of cover, making sure to look around for any other guards. Thankfully, there were none. He quickly ran past the two and used his wind magic to jump the gate. He turned around to look at them one more time. “I won’t forget this, or our promise.” He said before running into the woods lining the pathway to Canterlot.
The days following the humans' escape was hectic to say the least. All travel in and out of the capital was blocked. While the officials knew why, the public didn’t, and of course, it caused some unrest among the citizens. Of course, that didn’t blend in well with the presumed attack that happened. The guards played it off as a problem with the initial construction.
There were also attempts to hide info on 34, but of course, he didn’t go completely unseen by the residents of Canterlot. Sure, they told all citizens to get inside their homes before 34 went through the city, but there were still windows. Rumors spread among the city folk quickly. A minotaur-like creature with eyes flickering white ran throughout the town. It had no fur, a short snout, and a mane that stayed short on its head. But the most unnerving thing was that its eyes flickered white when it saw its prey. Ponies even began to link it to the “attack” on Canterlot, but the guard quickly snuffed that. One filly was heard talking about the creature, saying that he was good, and she met him even. Of course, the words of a child are rarely taken seriously.
And after having all the trouble in the capital happen during her stay, a certain filly wasn't willing to stay any longer. Lucky for her, the lockdown ended today. The off-white filly brushed her deep opal mane to the side of her horn. She looked in the mirror, her own cerulean eyes staring back at her. “You can do this!” She gave herself a little pep talk before leaving her room. After a few minutes of walking, she was waiting in line to exit through the Canterlot gate. This was new, but she expected as much with the rumors. Another few minutes went by when it was finally her turn.
“So…” The guard looked down at her. “What’s a kid like you doing out here? Where’s your parents?”
“Oh, Mom and Dad passed away a few years ago. I’m on my way to visit their graves. It’s just on the outskirts.” She sighed. It was a lie, but the guard didn't need to know that. She just needed to play to their sympathy.
“Ah… I’m sorry…” The guard lowered his head for a moment. “Go on through then. Just be back before sunset. Next!” The guard called as the filly walked past.
All according to plan. Now she could get home easily. She walked into the forest lining the mountain. However, the forest was different compared to the last time. It felt… quiet. She began walking deeper as she looked around. As she ventured further in and the forest grew darker, she began to notice a few things. Some of the fruit trees and bushes were picked. Some were older than others. Some vines were torn, and rocks overturned. What unsettled her the most was that there was a faint smell of blood. She’d need to be careful to make sure she isn't seen.
Unfortunately for her, she was already seen. 34 stood atop a tree branch, looking down on the filly. His tattered clothes have now been replaced with different hides of animals kept together with some vines. Speaking of, she wandered across a cougar he recently killed. A shame it had to happen, but it came at him first. Might as well use the remains.
The young mare gagged at the sight of the bones and organs covered in a layer of dirt and mud. She was about to begin walking away before she heard something land behind her. She turned around to see the human in all its glory. She wanted to run, but her legs couldn’t move. She winced, preparing for the end.
“...What are you doing out here, alone?” 34 asked.
She took a few steps back. “Oh, you know… just… heading home.”
“...In the middle of a forest? Are you lost?” He approached her a bit, only for her to back up more. She didn’t respond. 34 was about to ask another question but was instead met with a blast of magic in his face. After quickly blocking it, he saw the filly running. So of course, he did the most reasonable thing. He ran after her. And caught up quite easily.
“Why!? Why are you chasing me!?” She screamed while running.
34 was right on her tail. “Because… I can tell you have something to do out here! You have a way out of this forest, a way the guards won't see!” He grabbed her by the scruff and turned her to face him. “I wanna see it.”
She stared back at him and huffed. “What… what’s in it for me?”
“Well, nothing really. Besides, if I let you go, I’ll find and follow you anyway.”
She cursed under her breath, knowing she was stuck with him. “...fine. What should I call you then, you… hairless ape?”
He dropped her gently. “Don't have a name, but I got a number. Call me 34.” He introduced himself. “And yours?”
“Mossy.” She groaned in slight annoyance. “Now, smarty, come on. There’s a cave that leads to the bottom of this mountain.” She pointed towards the cave. “I’m headed further south. About a two day walk.”
“Might come with you then. You should get home safe, and I have nothing better to do.” He shrugged. “Lead the way, I’ll watch your back.”
By now, they’ve made it through the caves and walked for a few hours. Mossy kept to herself mostly, despite 34’s advances, but he was able to learn some new things from her at least. She spoke a bit about pony society and how they act, more specifically about how to blend in with them. 34 knew there was more to her than she let on.
“So, Mossy, tell me, why walk so far with no gear? You need food and water, don't you?” 34 asked as he kicked a rock.
“...you ask too many questions, you know that?”
“Well excuse me. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m new to the area.”
“I can tell.” She stated in annoyance. 34 took the hint as they went back to their walk in silence. 34 tried to stay focused on the path, but couldn’t help to notice the beauty of the scenery around him. The forest stretched on for miles, leaving his eyes to drift through a sea of greens. The occasional fruit tree and flowering plants made the place more vibrant. More alive.
He took a deep breath of air. It felt nice. “I was never told about how a forest felt.” He said, trying to bring up some small talk. “It must be nice to go through this so often.”
“One would think…” Mossy shook her head. “I’ve been through this place so many times, it gets kinda bland after a while.
“Wha- how?” He said putting his arms out. “Everything’s so… cool! The dirt on my feet, the wind against my skin, the cool air! It makes me feel so… nice.”
“What, first time you’ve been outside?” She gave a light chuckle.
“Yeah! It’s great!” He smiled at her.
“...by the pantheon…” Mossy said under her breath. “How have you been living where you haven’t been outside?” She asked in disbelief.
34 walked silently for a bit before answering. “...Not good.”
“Ah… I’m sorry.” Mossy felt a bit bad now.
“Don’t worry about it. You couldn’t have done anything.” He tried to console the pony a bit. The two walked a bit more before they realized the setting sun. “...It’s getting late, how about we get some rest?”
She nodded. “Sounds like a good idea. I’ll go get firewood.” Mossy turned to look at 34, the human looking back at her, somewhat skeptical. “Don’t worry. I’m not gonna run off on you. Just clear out an area for a camp.”
34 nodded before she went into the forest, using her magic to pick up some branches as she went. 34 turned around. Lucky for him, they stopped in a moderately sized clearing. He cracked his knuckles before putting his hands on the ground. He pushed mana through his body, out of his hands, and into the earth. The ground in front of him rumbled as it moved to 34s will, condensing and rising to make a small earth shelter. Not being able to do the minor details, he was forced to cut out an entrance with his metal arm. A blade extended from the forearm and 34 stabbed it into the earth shelter. He moved his arm to cut a door frame.
Looking at the job he did, he was satisfied and decided to look for some food. Best to stick with plants. He doubted that the ponies ate meat. As he walked, he noticed that the forest was quiet. Aside from the occasional cricket, it was pretty calming. He’d hope to have more of this in the future.
After picking some wild fruits and vegetables, 34 made his way back to camp. When he arrived, Mossy was already waiting in front of a campfire for him. “Oh, you’re here. I wasn't expecting a small house like this when I said to set up camp.” She chuckled to herself as she added another stick to the fire. “Come, sit with me before bed.”
34 did so, sitting across from her, seeing her face through the dancing flames. “Want a bite? You must be hungry.” He offered as he raised a fruit in his hand that looked like an apple.
She shook her head. “I… I already ate.”
34 eyed her for a moment before taking a bite of the fruit. “Alright…” he said with rising suspicion. “Thanks for not running off on me. I appreciate it.”
Mossy blinked. “Uh… yeah, don’t worry about it.” The two sat in silence for a little while. The crackling fire warmed them up as the temperature began to drop as the sun fell below the horizon. 34 took a few more bites of his food. He looked up to see Mossy eyeing him.
“...You sure you don’t want any?”
Mossy regained focus. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking… How old are you?”
34 swallowed. “Eight I think.”
“...Huh… you’re a lot younger than I thought.” She changed her position to lay on her side.
“What about you?” 34 asked. Mossy raised an eyebrow. “How old are you?”
“Oh, thirteen. Not much older than you.” She answered.
34’s eyes widened a bit. “...What’s the average lifespan of you ponies?”
Mossy grew curious at that question. “Around eighty years… why?”
34 gave a sigh of relief. “Oh good. It’s just where I’m from, ponies live around twenty five.”
She blinked. “...Where are you from?”
“Not entirely sure. Best I can tell you is not here.” He picked up a vegetable this time before yawning. “...I’m feeling sleepy”
“When was the last time you slept? You’ve had bags under your eyes since I met you.” She asked, sitting up.
“...Before I got here a couple days ago.” He admitted.
“...You should head to bed. Don’t worry, this forest is safe enough where we don’t have to keep watch. Head inside and I’ll follow soon after.” She stood up and began to smother the fire with some mud. 34 got up and walked into the shelter.
34 stretched a bit before yawning and claiming a corner of the shelter as his own. He sat down in said corner and laid his back against the wall. He shut his eyes in an attempt to sleep, but failed. He opened them a few minutes later when he heard Mossy enter. He didn’t say anything as they made eye contact for a moment before Mossy laid down in the corner across from him. He closed his eyes for a few minutes more to try again.
“Trouble getting to sleep?” His eyes opened again when he heard Mossy’s voice.
“...Yeah… Seems like another night awake for me.” He sighed.
She gave a sigh of her own before she sat up. “Look, 34 right? I may be overstepping, but just listen.” 34 turned to look at her before Mossy continued. “...I could be wrong, but it seems to me that you’re lacking companionship. Call it instinct on my part… my race was meant to be with one another, and when away from one another, we grow… weaker when alone for lack of a better word.” She finished before asking another question. “When was the last time you had a good sleep?”
34 sat silently as he thought back. He didn't have to go far, but the memories were still painful. His brothers… his sisters… Ms. Ysolda. Back when he lost the last of his siblings, that was when he last had a good sleep, or a good anything. Sure, Ms. Ysolda did alleviate some of the pain, but that was her job. She did it because she had to, not because she wanted to. He finally answered. “...A couple months ago I think. I don’t want to get into the details… not yet.”
She thought to herself for a moment. “...I won’t act like I know how it feels or anything.” Mossy said before laying on her side and patting the floor next to her. “When I was younger, my mom let me sleep with her when I felt alone. If you think it’ll make you feel better, you can lay with me.”
34 thought about it for a moment. “You ponies are a lot kinder than most of the humans I’ve met.” He stood up and walked over before laying next to her. “Thank you. I’ll make sure to repay you one day.”
“Not that big a deal. Don’t worry about it.” She shook her head before pulling 34 to lay his head on her side. It was warm. He laid there for a few minutes before falling into a peaceful slumber.
After the first night of good rest in a while, he got up and thanked her. The two destroyed the camp they made, 34 making sure he covered his tracks well. He clasped his hands together, making the shelter fall to rubble. The grass should cover the dirt in a couple days, so he should be safe from any pursuers.
34 and Mossy continued their journey in a similar fashion for the following two days. The third day was harder than the last two. Mossy, who still hasn't eaten since they’ve met, which 34 worried about, told him that they were now outside the Equestrian border and now in the Badlands. Apparently they only had a few hours left of travel. He’s asked what type of home Mossy lived in a few times, but she avoided giving a straight answer. He decided to let it go until he actually saw the place.
The terrain grew rocky as they progressed. He noticed that the life around him lessened and lessened as they walked. Once grassy fields turned into a sea of stone and sand. The smooth hills turned to jagged, threatening rocks. The clear sky grew yellow and cloudy. These badlands reeked of death. The last signs of life were the few bugs and vultures he saw.
“We’re here.” Mossy said, snapping 34 out of his train of thought. He climbed the rock Mossy was on to see what she was looking at. What he was expecting was a city similar to Canterlot. Maybe an oasis in a desert or something. What he got was a massive structure made from some black stone-like material. It was filled with holes like a termite hill, with many spire-like buildings jutting out into the sky. While he couldn’t make out what they were, there were some flying black blurs flying around the top of the structure.
“...This is… I’m confused.” He admitted as he turned to Mossy. “Seems like a weird place for ponies.”
“...I have a confession.” She blurted out.
34 raised an eyebrow. “...yeah?”
“I’m… not a pony.” Mossy confessed. Her horn glowed a lime green light before she was surrounded in lime flames. 34 took a step back, not sure what to do. A moment later, the flames fell to reveal something new. In place of a pony, it was something that wasn’t quite. Her once off-white fur turned into a nearly black chitin. Her hair was a dark cerulean, and was longer than before. Her horn was jagged, turning suddenly back and forth as it grew out her forehead. Harlequin eyes looked back at him. “I’m a changeling.”
34 lowered his guard. “Ok…?” He said, confused.
She stepped a bit closer. “...you aren’t scared?”
“No? What?” 34 grew more confused. “Why would I be?”
She processed what he said before giving a sigh of relief. “Thank the pantheon. I thought you’d run away or something.”
“I wouldn’t do that. You haven’t given me a reason to. Makes sense why you hid yourself. One of the guards said you were on bad terms with the ponies… Speaking of hiding yourself, is Mossy your actual name?” He asked.
“No… My name is Chrysalis.” She offered a hoof. 34 shook it. “Now, I wasn’t supposed to be out, but I can’t just sneak in with you behind me… so… we’ll have to go through the front. Follow my lead and we should be fine.” Chrysalis said as she began pulling him towards the entrance.
Two changelings, much larger than Chrysalis, stood guarding the entrance to the hive. The most notable difference between her and the guards were the eyes. They didn't have pupils exactly, just a blueish white spot where it would be, and the rest of their eyes being an arctic blue. Rather than hair as a main and tail, it was more similar to a fin, being a lighter gray than their chitin. One poked the other, then nodded their head in their direction. The guards waited for them to approach before speaking. “Snuck out again, eh? You were gone longer than normal. The queen definitely noticed, you know.” He saluted before looking at 34. “Aaaand you bought a pet… I see…”
“I’ll let that comment slide, since you’ve probably never seen a human before.” 34 furrowed his brow a bit. “So, for future reference, please don’t call me a pet. My name is 34.”
The guard looked at him, then to Chrysalis behind him. “Uh… ok then…” He said before turning to Chrysalis. “He’ll have to wait outside while I notify the queen.”
“No, he’ll come with me. You have my word that he will cause no harm. Right?” Chrysalis turned to look at 34 for confirmation, who nodded. Chrysalis turned back to the guards. “Let us through.”
The guard sighed. “By your order…” The changeling stood up straight. The two guards stepped to the side, saluting her. The two walked through them and into the hive. 34 wondered about that answer for a moment, but he didn't think it was worth asking. Especially since they were going to meet the changeling queen. He’d ask her, given the chance. Each changeling he walked by saluted Chrysalis, then gave him a strange look before walking away. He kept following Chrysalis through the many twists and turns of the hive. Then she jumped up into a hole a couple feet above him.
“...Are you serious?” He looked up at her.
Chrysalis turned around and poked her head out. “What? Can you not climb?”
34 shook his head. “Not that, it’s just- like, why go up? Not even a stairway.” He put his hands out in disbelief.
“I mean… we are kinda like insects. Speaking of, calling us bugs is a slur, so don’t even joke about it.” She stated sternly.
“Oh, holy shit, I didn't know. Didn't plan on it, but thanks for telling me I guess.” 34 said as he put his hands on the floor. After a moment, his hands and feet were covered in dirt. He sharpened the digits to get a better grip on the terrain. He jumped up and began climbing up to where she was.
“Oh, so that’s how you made the shelter the last few days. Looks real convenient. What else can you do?”
He thought as the two continued climbing. “Uh… Fire, water, air, and earth manipulation, but I haven’t had much practice on precision. I can only use said elements when I have materials around me to do so. Like… I wouldn’t be able to use water unless I’m near a source of water.”
Chrysalis jumped out of the crawl space they were in, 34 following behind. “Oh, so you can only use it offensively?”
“Depends on the element. Fire is destructive by nature, so not many ways to use it defensively. Water can be used defensively, but it depends on how much I have available to me. I could use it as a shield for example if I made it denser.” He kept looking at his surroundings, trying to make mental markers to not get lost. He continued talking. “Air, it’s hard to explain. I can't stop physical things with wind, but I can redirect them, as well as magic sent at me. I can also increase air pressure and send it towards attackers. Earth is definitely meant for defense, since I can just create walls in front of me, but it’s situational. A stone wall will work better than one of dirt. I can also use it to attack. Getting boulders thrown at you would definitely hurt.”
“...I’m not going to lie, I didn't understand half of that and zoned out the other half.” Chrysalis admitted.
“...Put simply, no, I can also use it defensively.” He sighed as he crossed his arms as they walked. “What about you? What magic do you know? Probably different from the magic where I’m from.”
“Uh, well as changelings, we specialize in illusion magic, so that’s how you saw me transform from Mossy. We can learn other types of magic, but I specialize in Illusion and destruction.” She explained.
“...what other types of magic are there? And what else can you transform into?”
She put a hoof to her chin as she thought. “Well… there’s Destruction, Illusion, Alteration, Restoration, and Conjuration. Pretty self explanatory names. You can learn pretty much any type, but most specialize in one. If you practice all of them, aside from the basics, you don't get as far compared to changelings who specialize in one.” She explained before answering his second question. “And we changelings can transform into anything we’ve seen in person before. It lasts as long as we have the magic to keep the illusion up.”
“Sounds interesting. I’ll try learning all the types. May turn out to be helpful. I hope one of you can teach me the illusion thing. Can't exactly go out looking like this and not cause trouble.” He put his arms out motioning to himself.
Her eyes lit up a bit. “So you plan on staying?”
“If I’m allowed.” He nodded. 34 then thought back to a few days ago. He was about to ask another question but Chrysalis stopped.
“Ok, we’re here. Try not to say anything that could get you in trouble. She’s kind once you know her, but if we mess this up, you’re out of the hive.” She looked him in the eyes as she talked.
34 nodded. “Got it.”
Chrysalis wasn't too assured, but she had to take what she could get. She took a deep breath before walking into the throne room with 34 in tow. 34 looked around to see many changelings in bug-like armor, eyeing them as they entered. Well… mostly him. He could tell it was similar to the stares that the ponies gave him, but he wasn't as… angry for some reason.
“Chrysalis…” A feminine voice said from in front of them. He looked up to see a rather large changeling sitting on a throne in the shape of a crown. The changeling was Celestia’s size, if not slightly larger. Her hair was golden in color, similar to Chrysalis’ being long with holes here and there. The elytra covering her wings was golden in color as well. She looked down on them with her yellow eyes. She sighed, standing up from her throne and spreading her wings, them glistening in the light. “Normally, I’d give you a light scolding for sneaking out, but you were gone longer than normal. “ She shifted her eyes to look at 34. “...you also bring this creature into our hive… Where did you go exactly?”
Chrysalis shrunk down a bit. “...Canterlot…” She admitted.
The tension in the room grew as she stepped down to be in front of Chrysalis. ”Guards, could you leave us for a moment?” The guards took the hint, saluting then quickly shuffling out the entrance way and shutting the door behind them. The queen's demeanor changed quickly as she pulled Chrysalis into a hug. “Oh, my poor hatchling! Did they hurt you? Were you caught? What happened? Why did you go there of all places??”
“Mom…” Chrysalis coughed. “You’re… crushing me.”
“Mom?” 34 said to himself. He meant to think it, but he said it aloud. The two turned to look at him, remembering he was there.
The queen let her daughter go and cleared her throat. “Excuse me… Allow me to introduce ourselves. I am Queen Khrusallis, leader of this hive. This is my daughter, Princess Chrysalis.”
“Princess?” He asked. This time on purpose.
“Mom, this is 34. I met him while I left Canterlot. He helped me on my way back here. He also didn't mind I wasn't a pony!” Chrysalis pulled 34 closer with her hooves.
Khrusallis looked at the human. “I see… and do you know of our relationship with the ponies?”
“Most that I’ve been told was that it’s bad.” He admitted.
She hummed in agreement. “And what do you think of us?”
34 thought for a moment before answering. “I have no reason to dislike any of you. So far, you’ve actually treated me better than Celestia. I had to escape the capital, hung out in a forest and found her.” He motioned to Chrysalis.
“Wait… you’re the reason why the capital was on lockdown?” Chrysalis asked.
“Not now honey, I have a few more questions for this-... what are you exactly?” Khrusallis asked, lowering herself to his eye level.
“I’m a human.” He answered.
“Alright. Well, human, I’ll ask you other questions depending on what you plan to do.” She stood back up and returned to her throne. Chrysalis walked up and sat down next to her.
“Well, I’m not entirely sure. I don’t exactly have anywhere to go. I-...” He didn’t know what to say before he remembered his conversation with Iron Armory and River Rose. “I want… to help others. I promised that I would. I want to keep that promise to repay the kindness I was shown by the ponies.” He got down on one knee and looked up at her. “As of now… I have nothing to offer besides my strength. I ask that you let me stay here, and live alongside your race. I understand if you decline. If that is the case, then I will leave peacefully, and look elsewhere for a purpose.”
The queen sat in thought for a long while, with 34 still kneeling below her. She weighed her options, then looked at her daughter. Chrysalis looked at 34, then back at her mother. “Can he stay? I can vouch for his strength. He can use magic even. He may not be a changeling like us, but 34 deserves a chance!”
Khrusallis looked back down at 34. “...You don't have to kneel, 34.” She smiled at him as he stood up. “I will allow you to live with us for the time being. You seem to get along well with my daughter, so I hope you two will grow closer. After some training and schooling of course, I hope to put you in charge of her safety.” She spoke as Chrysalis hugged her side. She walked down the steps to the throne once more and stood in front of 34.
“Thank you, queen Khr..Khrusallis.” He bowed his head, hoping she ignored the stutter. Her name was hard to pronounce.
“Just don’t cause too many problems and you’ll fit right in. I’ll make an announcement soon on your arrival. For now, I need you to come with me. Chrysalis, you go to your room. You may be safe but you’re still in trouble, young lady!” She pointed. Chrysalis groaned before flying off. 34 followed the queen for a short walk into what he assumed was her chambers. Walking inside to see everything one would see in a royals room. A lush bed, a large carpet, some art pieces around the room. But something that stood out was the large bookcase she kept on the wall. She looked around the bookshelf for a bit before finding what she was looking for. A rather thick book with a changeling on the cover. She checked a bookmark left in it before flipping to a page marked by it. “So, 34… I remember Chrysalis saying you knew magic?” Khrusallis asked. Her question was answered by his nod. “Good, the page I flipped to explains how we changelings change our form. I want you to study it.” She handed him the book. 34 put out his hooves to take it, to be met with a hoof atop his hand.
“...what is it?” He asked.
She took a deep breath. “...34, you could be the hope I was looking for.” She stated. He was about to ask what she meant before she continued speaking. “...We changelings are… more akin to parasites. Taking from others to survive. Because of this, we’re on bad terms with many races. But you… you have the potential to make this better… A neutral party, someone that can make a bridge between our races of changeling and pony. I’ve been trying to make peace between our races since I inherited the throne. I’d like you to help me with my dream.”
34 thought he understood what she meant. Her dream wasn’t a lie, but taking the book had some hidden meaning. She would want him to infiltrate where the ponies live and live alongside them as well. He was someone who could experience both sides, with the same biases and prejudices he’d experience. As a pony, a changeling, and a human. He’d be an experiment to see if they could truly live alongside one another. “It sounds like a nice dream… I’d like to help with it.”
Khrusallis let go of the book, letting 34 read the pages. Interestingly, he understood the written language, as if he’s grown up with it. He thought that he understood it, but now just needed to think of what he'd turned into. He closed his eyes and did what he did when learning a new spell. Empty his mind, and focus. Think of what he wanted to change into. A flash of green fire surrounded him. It lasted a while as he realized what he needed to do.
34 felt his legs grow fur, his hair moving to turn into a mane. His tailbone poked out as it grew hair as well, turning into a tail. His digits shrunk into his body as his hands and feet turned to hooves. 34’s eyes grew bigger, his ears moved up and ended in points and wings sprouted out of his back. The fire stopped and he collapsed to the floor in fatigue and slight pain.
Khrusallis helped him up. “Are you alright? You’re a quick learner, I must admit, though your way of transforming is unheard of.”
He coughed a bit. “...what was I supposed to do?”
“Well, we changelings don't change our bodies, we change how we’re perceived. For example, I can transform into a rhino, and I’ll feel like a rhino, and I can interact like a rhino, but I’m still physically a changeling. From the looks of your magic, you changed what you are physically.” She tried to explain.
“...I-... think I understand.” He breathed for more air. 34 looked around for a mirror. Finding one, he walked over to it to see himself. He was now a young colt, with a white coat of fur and navy blue hair. His mane was a bit spiky, and was more akin to bed hair. It was short for now, but he could grow it out. He fooled around with his muscles before being able to spread his wings, the same color as his fur, but his feathers ended in navy blue tips. His eyes were purple, and seemingly glowed. “...Guess I’ll need a new name… Apparently 34 is a weird one.”
“Well, admittedly, it is odd. Did you have any in mind?” Khrusallis asked, patting his head.
He continued to look at himself in the mirror. “Well, I’m a Pegasus… let’s go with… Skystrike Nebula.”
She smiled. “Well, Skystrike Nebula. Nice to meet you. I hope we can make some good memories.”
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Did he turn into a philly or a colt? You say philly but say he
Philly? I don't think that's the word you wanted to use...
Khrusallis...... What in the name of all things unholy us a khrusallis?!?
"You keep using that word; I do not think it means what you think it means."
P.s. Colt is the word you want for a young, male pony.
Ok. So.... He is now a she? Since.... "Filly" and all. also that's four , and now another question. Is SheHe an Alicorn?I
That's not how you spell chrysalis
Ain't no way you spelled Chrysalis wrong. 💀💀💀
This is quite a strange AU you got here. Ponies so xenophobic that they chain and muzzle a child that arrived via accident and was being helpful and cooperative. And changelings being polite and respectful. Crazy.