Chapter 49 - Changeling Venom Hangover
Twilight heard a faint thumping off in the distance, reminiscent of a drum being tapped, repeatedly, with a one second pause between each strike. At first it was unobtrusive and easily ignored; but it went on continually, slowly growing in intensity while never changing its tempo. Then, just behind her right eye, a modest pain began that gradually increased in discomfort along with the thumping’s rising volume.
With a soft groan, a throbbing migraine and aching limbs, Twilight awoke from her slumber. For a few moments she just continued to lay there in silent agony until the disgusting feeling of her sweaty bed sheets became too obnoxious to ignore. When she experimentally cracked open one of her eyes the light from Celestia’s sun felt like it pierced directly into her brain, despite the closed curtains muting the majority of it.
Feeling entirely miserable, the alicorn pulled her pillow over her head and rolled onto her other side in a desperate attempt to hide away from the light. Then, right outside her window, a chorus of birds straight from the depths of Tartarus began to sing and made her let out a self-pitying whimper. In a futile attempt to massage away the torment, Twilight rubbed her front hooves in a circular motion against the flesh above her eyes.
Thinking through the pain, Twilight decided it might be best to just get up, drink some water and attempt casting a spell to banish her headache. However when she forced herself to sit up she quickly realized it was the worst thing she could have done as the motion angered her stomach and it now threatened to expel its contents in retaliation.
With a hoof over her muzzle the Princess of Friendship desperately glanced around the room for a non-messy solution to her predicament. When she spotted the silvery bucket that rested conveniently on her bedside table she swore to handsomely reward whoever had left it. She quickly snatched it up, pulled it against her chest and put it to immediate use.
“You look like you could really use this,” a voice said softly once the alicorn had finished.
Starlight Glimmer, mane messy as if she had also just awoken, stood next to a cushioned chair that had been placed near the foot of the bed. A tall glass of crystal clear water levitated in her magic and with a sympathetic smile, she offered it to Twilight.
“Thank you,” whispered Twilight who placed the half full bucket on her bed side table and took the provided drink in her front hooves. “But what are you doing here?”
“It’s my shift,” Starlight smirked.
“Your shift?” blinked Twilight.
“Yeap,” said Starlight, while walking over to the side of Twilight's bed opposite the bucket. “Pinkie and Applejack took turns watching over you through the night. Rarity was here this morning, she is also keeping an eye on Spike for you too. Fluttershy had to leave a few hours ago to feed her animals and Rainbow Dash will be here soon for her shift.”
“Everypony was taking care of me while I was sick?” asked the alicorn, almost tearing up and grateful that she had such loving friends.
“Of course,” said Starlight, “and I’d ask how you’re feeling but I think the answer is obvious.”
“Do I look that bad?” asked Twilight before sipping from the glass of cool water. “Could you tell me what happened to me?”
“You don’t remember?” questioned the unicorn.
“Last thing I can recall is seeing Sandbar, Gallus and Silverstream,” said Twilight whose eyes suddenly widened with concern. The alicorn tried to get up and the act caused her to wince with pain. “The students, are they okay? What about the guards? What happened with the changelings?”
“Twilight, relax,” said Starlight, trying to keep the ill alicorn still. “The students are fine and the captured guards are recovering quickly.”
“Thank goodness, everypony is okay,” Twilight breathed, allowing her friend to help put a pillow behind her back so she could sit back. “But when did I get sick; what happened with Chrysalis and the changelings?”
“From what Rarity told us, Chrysalis’s daughter bit you,” Starlight informed her, “and her venom made you pass out.”
“She bit me?” blinked Twilight, looking down at her front legs. “I’ve never heard of changeling venom affecting anypony this badly.”
“Chrysalis said it was a larger than normal dose,” said Starlight, pointing to a slightly swollen area above Twilight’s hoof. “It should be just about out of your system by now.”
“But why would she bite me?” asked Twilight, looking at her friend with confusion.
“Angry over losing Sandbar most likely,” proposed Starlight, “and she took it out on you.”
“Oh, right…” frowned Twilight as she recalled Sandbar answering Chrysalis’s question. “She is just a foal after all and I can see how she would be upset with me.”
“But you did try to explain it to her,” added Starlight, “or we think that’s what you were about to do. Rarity said you got bit halfway into your first sentence.”
“I remember a little more now…” said the alicorn, “I wanted to tell her she could visit the school so she could see Sandbar and the others again. She could even make more friends.”
“Shame she didn’t give you a chance,” Starlight said, appearing to think about something briefly while she rubbed the top of her left hoof. “But I also have the feeling Chrysalis would have vetoed the invitation.”
“Most likely, but I still wanted to extend the offer,” sighed Twilight. “I just hope Chrysalis will actually follow through with our agreement and send a representative from her hive.”
“I hate to say it, but I doubt she will,” Starlight shook her head.
“I hope you’re wrong,” said Twilight, sipping again from the glass of water before continuing, “We could work together and try to figure out who attacked her hive, build up a rapport in the process, even workout some way for her changelings to coexist peacefully along with everypony else. I also need more information from her about the changeling transformations in the past.”
“Rarity mentioned an illness that might affect Thorax and his hive,” said Starlight. “I’d hate to see anything happen to them, but this is Chrysalis we’re talking about. Can we trust anything she says?”
“I can’t risk ignoring the warning,” said Twilight, climbing out of her bed despite Starlight’s protests. “Because if what she said is true, we’ll need to find a way to help them. Is Thorax still in Ponyville?”
“Last time I saw him, he was in the library with the other changelings,” the unicorn recalled.
“The library? Really?” asked Twilight.
“He asked if he could use it and I knew you wouldn’t mind them using it so I gave him the okay,” explained Starlight. “I have a feeling they went to do a little research after hearing about the discussion with Chrysalis.”
“I better go talk to them before they stress themselves out,” said the alicorn, cringing slightly from her headache as she headed to the door.
“Twilight, wait,” Starlight called out while moving quickly to block her path.
“Is something else wrong?” the alicorn asked with concern.
“I just think you might want to take a few moments to, freshen up,” Starlight suggested while twirling one of her front hooves in the air.
Twilight looked over at the mirror hanging above her bureau and grimaced at the reflection that gazed back at her while surrounded by photographs of her friends. Her mane was a tangled mess, her coat was matted from sweat and she couldn’t help but notice how unpleasant she smelt.
“I guess a quick shower wouldn’t hurt…” she said with a light hint of embarrassment.
Starlight gave her an understanding smile in response.
After taking a refreshing shower, downing another glass of water, casting a spell on herself to reduce her headache and thoroughly brushing her teeth, Twilight left her room. She trotted quickly down the crystalline halls of her castle, heading straight to her library and the changelings that currently resided within.
As she drew closer to the room, her ears began to twitch at the sound of muffled voices having a discussion beyond her side of the door. Expecting only to see Thorax and his hive mates, Twilight was taken by surprise when she opened the door and spotted the library’s other occupant.
“Hello Twilight,” Princess Celestia said in her motherly voice, “I’m so relieved to see you awake.”
With a slightly worried look in her eyes and her tri-colored mane flowing behind her like an ethereal river, the alicorn who could move the sun strode over to her former student. One of her massive alabaster feathered wings draped over Twilight’s back and she lowered her head to give her fellow alicorn a gentle nuzzle. Twilight returned the show of affection, comforted by her mentor’s familiar scent.
“When I received Spike’s message I came as quickly as I could,” Celestia said, stepping back to examine the smaller alicorn. “Are you sure you’re feeling well enough to be up? You’re not pushing yourself too much?”
“No, no,” reassured Twilight, “It’s only been about an hour since I’ve woken up and I already feel much better.”
“Thank goodness,” breathed Celestia. “Twilight, I owe you an apology.”
“An apology?” balked the smaller alicorn.
“Yes, it was a mistake on my part for only sending a few guards to your aid, I should have come as well,” admitted Celestia, who held up a hoof when Twilight tried to interrupt her. “While you and your friends have proven yourselves more than capable, saving Equestria time and time again, I fear I have allowed myself to rely on you all too much and that isn’t fair to any of you.”
“I don’t think any of us see it that way,” said Twilight, “I mean, you have Canterlot to watch over, and your own school, and the rest of Equestria to run, both you and Princess Luna.”
“That still shouldn’t stop me from lending a hoof in dangerous situations such as the one with Chrysalis,” firmly started Celestia. “While it appears to have worked out this time, with a few injuries, there was potential for so much worse.”
At first Twilight wanted to argue with the older Alicorn, but the determined look in her former teacher’s eyes caused her to hold her tongue and nod.
“Now then,” Celestia exhaled as if a small weight had been lifted from her back, “I only have a very limited, second hoof knowledge on how your meeting with Chrysalis went and Thorax has told me about the possibility of there being an illness that might affect him and his fellow changelings. Could you better explain everything that’s happened?”
Luna’s moon had begun its ascent by the time Twilight finished recounting her encounters with Chrysalis and her hive. News of her recovery must have reached her friends because one at a time they had all arrived and quietly found a place to sit without causing an interruption. Thorax and his changelings, surrounded by small stacks of biology books, also gave her their undivided attention, particularly to the part where Chrysalis briefly mentioned the mysterious illness.
Once Twilight reached the point in her story where Pupa bit her leg, she deferred to her friends to complete the tale. Together they explained the changeling’s release of the six captured guards, along with the five students, and their trek back to Ponyville.
“So as of right now the location of Chrysalis and her hive are unknown,” Twilight began to summarize. “We still have no idea who would have attacked her hive and tried to frame me and Thorax.”
“If that wasn’t just another part of some nefarious plot,” Rarity put in.
“I really don’t think it is,” said Twilight, “I have a strong feeling that part is true.”
“She still shouldn’t ah gone so far as tah attack the school,” grunted Applejack.
“I won’t argue with you on that,” agreed Twilight, “but I do have some understanding for why she did it.”
“Do you think she’ll follow through on sending a representative from her hive?” Fluttershy asked.
“I don’t know,” Twilight confessed, “but she did let everypony go like she said she would so I have some hope that she will.”
“We’ll have to wait and see,” said princess Celestia, before looking over to Thorax. “But now I think we should shift focus onto the reformed changelings and their well-being. Firstly, King Thorax, you and your hive will receive any aid Canterlot can assist with should an illness arise among your changelings.”
“And of course, me and my friends are also here to help,” Twilight assured him.
The four colorful changelings all looked from one another, their features showing both surprise and gratitude.
“Thank you all,” said Thorax, tearing up slightly, “this really means a lot and we’re very grateful, but we’re not even sure if what Chrysalis said is true. We’ve never ever heard any stories about transformations like ours before.”
“Still, I think it would be a good idea for changelings to start having medical examinations,” Twilight said, “this way we’ll be able to learn more about changeling’s biology, something we have very little information on, and we’ll be better equipped to help if any changelings do get sick.”
Again the changelings exchanged glances before one of them, Cricket, spoke up.
“You’re not going to stick a bunch of needles in us are you?” she chirped.
“Well, probability not me personally and no more than necessary,” Twilight said before noticing their stricken expressions. “I mean, no more than any normal check up on a species that’s never been examined by modern medicine before.”
“What I think Twilight means,” elaborated Celestia, “is that some temporary discomfort might be needed if we are to help you and your fellow changelings to our fullest. However it will all be voluntary and no changeling will be forced to do anything they are uncomfortable with.”
“Yes!” nodded Twilight.
“Well then, as king, I want to be the first volunteer,” said Thorax, rising to his full height.
The other changelings present quickly followed suit, offering their own support in any way they could.
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I am doubting Pony medication can find the illness.
9693277
You are likely correct.
it would be so cool if chrysalis has a few articles about reformed changelings for history sake and a reminder for why she doesn't speak anything even have a keepsake for proof for historic value like probably the horn or weird crystal thing and a sketch heck I bet there were a few varieties
they could have been way different then thorax lings and cicada I mean it probably weird for it not too since the changeling races were born from a carnivorous tree, bug, and magic.
what will the pillar six think about changelings I know starswirl won't have anything nice to say
What calamities ignorance fails to prevent, knowledge shall overcome!
9693277
I bet hippogriffs would have a better chance
Nice update!
9693277
The ponies have hospitals with ponies whos special talent is to treat others like Mage Meadowbrook, the ressources of a whole country and modern equipment. They may at least find out what's going on with the changedlings.
On the other hand it's no wonder that changelings weren't able find out what happened since their culture looks really primitive.
(Like a doctor from the middle ages trying to tread cancer)
9693345
Plus there is also Zecora, her methods might seem primitive but her medicines and potions tend to be pretty effective.
You should change "probability" to "probably".
9693371
And how they would know what wrong with Thorax's... subjects if they don't know anything about anatomy of true changelings?
Correct me if I wrong but Chrysalis not the first queen of changelings, right? And not the first who tried to find a cure to no avail?
Yup
9693332
Kirin are also (limited) shapeshifters and might have insight.
9693594
True
Great advice after you were just told changelings fucking DIE when they make too many friends. No self-awareness on some of these ponies, I swear.
Twilight: "Oh shit you're right let's just assume she's lying."
[a short time later]
Twilight: "Wait why are all the colorful changelings dead?"
Rarity the rest of Chrysalis's babies (well, also the rest of the hive's babies, but Chryssi's by proxy) were murdered. Show at least a little sympathy.
(Honestly, I could keep going on. I get where the ponies are coming from, but their worldview is incredibly skewed. Skewed just as much as Chrysalis's, actually... And their tendency to completely miss what's going on right in front of them is sometimes astonishing. This isn't frustration with your fic, it's been a feeling I've had that's built up between fics for a while now. A lot of fics have a majority of ponies be incredibly un-self-aware to a ridiculous degree and I guess it's just getting to me.)
I'd like for Chrysalis to be telling the truth about the reformation sickness, and I wouldn't really care if the ponies don't find a cure to stop it, either.
I joined Fimfiction right before MLP FIM season 2, so I saw the rise of Changeling Sympathy stories on this site in its prime. Well-written stories and thought-out theories the fans gave about where they come from, possible relations to Flutterponies, how their society works, and how they could peacefully coexist with the ponies, in addition to the hardships caused by their diets and the prejudices they face.
Then the writers decide that all of the problems changelings face could be solved as easily as saying, "I love you" to their neighbors, and not once in several hundred years did even two changelings try that? Apparently no two changelings had ever even felt enough emotion towards each other for them to accidentally reform, and yet an entire hive is suddenly able to bring themselves to care about each other enough to basically change species, all on the first try.
The reformation was a crime against good world-building, the visions of the previous writers of the show, and the efforts of every brony who dedicated the time to write or read stories with changeling characters in them.
9693958
I like the idea (in the official canon) that the changelings might have slowly evolved during the time and are now capable of sharing love with others effordlessly which they might have not been in the past. So, there might have been changelings in the past who have tried the same thing before but they had much more problems with it.
But yes, the sudden reformation happened way too fast without a proper build-up.
9693332
9693345
I said that because hypothetical speaking; when the changelings reform, their immune systems along with they’re resistant to diseases that already caught, must of been reset. Meaning all their resistances are all gone and they will suffer since of resistance to known diseases are gone. that’s my hypothesis, I could be right, I could be wrong, I don’t care.
9694017
Ahh I didn't pick That up my bad
9694005
I stopped watching the show canon a bit after the episode where Thorax is introduced. Not because of him per se, but because of a lot of stuff going on including how things with Starlight were handled, how the revolving door of amateur show writers had dumbed everything down, the cringiness of a lot of the songs that I had never felt before, and the noticeable drop in animation.
I realized that I wasn't enjoying watching the episodes anymore, and just sitting through them to keep a track of what's going on. So I stopped watching it and focused on the fanfiction. I like that the series is still going because it keeps writers making new stories, but I typically stick to the ones that take place earlier in the timeline.
9694020
Most people can't read minds over the internet, so don't feel bad.
9694209
True that
9693719
That was all Chrysalis' brood. Others bred later. One thing I'm wondering is who the father is, since that seems to be required, unless queens produce asexually?
Outside the hive it's only Chrysalis' word as proof that anyone died, words given without Rarity being present and able to feel the emotion they were given with. And Chrysalis is a known manipulator who has admitted as much. The ponies have about zero reason to trust anything she says. It's only our perspective as readers that lets us know she's not lying.
9693719
So you think that this story is basically saying that friendship is a detrimental thing for some cultures and that Chancellor Neighsay was at least partially right when he thought of friendship as something only Ponies should share with each other? That feels kind of messed up.
But they aren't assuming that Chrysalis is lying, they are going to do tests to figure that out.
9694235
Chrysalis gains nothing from lying to them about this, though. There is no possible scheme where her telling them about the sickness is in any way a trick. If it's a lie, they improve the health of the new changelings and that's that. If it's the truth, THEY'LL ALL DIE if nothing is done.
9694259
Don't twist my words. That's now what I said IN THE SLIGHTEST. That's how you wanted my comment to read. The point is, Twilight was JUST TOLD that if a changeling makes friends with ponies, it undergoes metamorphosis and then eventually dies of sickness. And she was about to tell a changeling to make a bunch of friends. She was basically about to tell a little kid to die. It was in VERY poor taste to say in that moment.
Yes, but that's only because of Twilight. Every other pony in this story keeps going "oh but she lies so should we really trust her?" and Twilight is the only one who says "maybe but let's test it". My issue is with the ponies who would rather ignore Chrysalis because she's "evil" than consider a possible uncomfortable fact.
9694397
I admit I was taking your comment about Changelings dieing when they make friends to a logical extreme. But I hope it at least helped you think about the larger implications of your statement.
9694394
About the sickness in particular? Hmm, well she hates the "traitors", or so she's said, so making them think they're all going to die is a psychological attack that might even be useful in war and diplomacy. What if a few come begging for help and accept some cure that's actually a poison or biological weapon? There are hypotheticals in which that being a lie makes sense.
Personally, I am 95% certain it's not a lie (author could be trying to pull a fast one) and that Chrysalis actually cares about the colourful bugs but won't admit it because she doesn't want to feel the pain of their loss. Anger and contempt are often a shield.
9694530
Just to end whole "is chrissy lying or not" thing, here is a quote/paragraph from chapter 47,
Now I know you might go, "Oh but she is just saying that so they don't reform too!" That makes no sense, considering they ALREADY chose not to reform and to continue to follow her instead. I doubt they would suddenly change their minds for no reason.
9694616
That's not the issue. Readers (us here) already have enough information to make what's more than likely the correct assumption. The issue is, why should characters without our perspective believe Chrysalis? My point is that they shouldn't be judged based on information they don't have. From Rarity's perspective and most of the rest, they're quite right in questioning Chrysalis' motives and the veracity of her words.
I suspect that reformed changelings have been around long enough that they will begin showing signs of whatever problems biology intends to hurl at them soon.
Hmmm, they'll need an un-reformed ling to compare with too...
Keep going! ;)
I guess Cricket doesn’t like needles and I totally get where she's coming from, I'm afraid of needles myself, but in this case it's for the hive.
9693277
I second that... But they are in Alliance with other races... That might at least help a bit
9693298
Chrysalis personal chambers!!! Of couse lets search in the Changeling former Capital tower. Maybe a hidden archiv out of dairys over the centuries written?
9693345
Actualy a good point
9695113
except none of them can absorb emotions... except Sirens but Starswirl burn that trust when he and the pillars banish 3 of their kind to a parallel universe.
9695126
Ouch... Now things go bite the Ponys in the ass and there for Thorax changlings... Than again if Thorax tries it without them it might just work
I love comment sections like this. When the author throws a curveball at the readers and start arguments and debates the comment section becomes more. I think it’s a sign of great athour to get the comment section like this, where everyone shares their perspective allowing the reader to see others viewpoints of the subject and modifying their own viewpoint sometimes with what others have said. For me this is an indicator of a good story, when it makes you think and discuss with others. Thank you for writeing this story.
9693391
Shes a queen not a doctor... 'Star Trek reference'
9693594
Nice call
9693719
They are pretty carefree creatures... I recommend the Chessverse storys
Is that a combination of ‘yep’ and yeah‘?
probably
9695235
Chrysalis' vs Chrysalis's
9695126
Are you sure the Sirens' energy absorption is even natural? That power seems to come from their necklaces not their biology.
9695942
That's when they're in the EqG universe. In their Equestrian forms. they had their gems imbedded on their chests or a part of them. Like a unicorn is born with a horn.
9695958
Unless they found their gems and said gems later got fused to their chests which makes sense in my mind because we only see three of them and their gems are separate from them in the Human world.
9693958
I agree on every point you make. Kinda sad that we fans have to make all this amazing stuff up.
[Edit] interessting to get downvote but no counterargument
I feel that is a good point for my answer 
9694235
True BUT Chrysalis made very good points up and it would bring her no real advantage to make this stuff up.
[Edit] Trolling me with downvotes without good counter arguments. PRICELESS
9694817
Soon in years you mean? At best they have up to 20 yeas at worst few years as Chrysalis stated herself witness 1 or more incidents herself