Chapter 50
Not long after Weevil’s return with the bundles of tasty figs another changeling, named Timema, arrived with a healthy supply of love energy. Perhaps sensing an upcoming meal, the previously tranquil larva that had been covering Pupa started hissing loudly while they squirmed their way over to the older changelings. Free to move around once again, the nymph shakily climbed to her hooves and limped about in a circle in an attempt to ‘wake up’ her sleeping leg.
Once the sensation of pins and needles began to wane, Pupa trotted over to the caretaker sisters as the two inhaled ribbons of pink vapor from Timema. After they had absorbed enough energy for their task, Lacewing and Katydid began feeding the larva small pink regurgitated globules created from a mixture of figs and love.
“Can I feed them too?” squeaked Pupa.
“Don’t worry, we can handle it ourselves your highness,” Lacewing said to the nymph.
“Also you’re too young to feed them,” added Katydid.
“Yes, you should be saving your energy,” agreed Lacewing.
The nymph pouted and released a slightly over dramatic sigh.
“But if you really want to help,” Katydid said with a smile while motioning to a patch of green, “you could make sure the larvae use the moss after they’ve eaten.”
“Alright,” Pupa chirped.
One of the still chewing grubs was lifted up into the air in the nymph’s magic and carefully placed in the center of a moss clump. It was so focused on its meal that it didn’t even react at being relocated and only looked around in confusion after it had swallowed. The next one however decided mid aerial transport to release its cargo.
“Eww,” said the nymph, hopping back to avoid the mess. “What do I do? It’s really smelly…”
“Use a patch of moss to wipe it up,” instructed Katydid.
“So gross,” Pupa complained as she placed the larvae down.
“Well you did want to help,” chuckled Lacewing with good humor.
“And others had to clean up after your own messes when you were still a larva,” reminded Katydid. “Think of it as a kind of reparation.”
“I don’t remember missing the moss when I was a larva,” insisted the nymph.
Katydid opened her mouth but paused and looked at her sister.
“She’s right,” said Lacewing as she helped shepherd the now fully fed larva onto the beds of moss.
“You’re right,” admitted the caretaker as she tapped her hoof against her chin in thought while looking up, “I don’t recall you having any accidents.”
Pupa adapted a smug look while keeping secret her minor morning faux pas from earlier in the week.
“You’ll still need to clean that up, if you want to help,” said Katydid, mirroring the nymphs smirk.
Crinkling her snout, Pupa levitated an unoccupied moss ball and used it to absorb the waste. Once she completed the task, she tossed the makeshift sponge across the room where it landed atop a large stone and adhered to its surface.
“Okay, now what?” the nymph asked the sisters.
“Well, there isn’t too much to do now,” said Lacewing, “they’ll just wander around for a bit.”
“Until they remember you’re here,” continued Katydid, “then they’ll climb all over you again.”
The nymph’s ears folded back and she looked down nervously at the larva as they milled about. Then, as if being prompted by some omnipotent otherworldly being, roughly a dozen of the grubs stopped their exploring and turned their attention back to Pupa. Not wishing to be rendered immobile again so soon after gaining her freedom, the nymph backed away to hide behind Lacewing.
“What do you mean you lost track of him?!” Chrysalis’s voice shouted from above.
“Moms back!” squeaked the nymph as she scampered over to the wall and then straight up it.
“Wait your highness,” Lacewing called out a warning to the nymph, “it might be best not to interrupt her right now!”
Quickly reaching the opening to the upper chamber, Pupa peered over the lip and spotted her parent standing by the exit to the outside. Her teeth clenched and bared, she was glaring down at another changeling.
“I’m sorry my queen,” the changeling said while showing no fear of the apparently fuming queen. “I tracked him to Galloping Gorge. From there he fled to Neighagra Falls and took a ride on a zeppelin that disembarked in Baltimare. Unfortunately I lost his trail once I reached the harbor; I believe he took to the sea to mask his scent.”
Chrysalis ground her teeth together and started to frantically look around the cave. Her eyes zoned in on a stalagmite and she fired a lance of angry green magic from her horn to engulf the formation. Rapidly the stone began to glow red and flow down over itself like hot wax. Chrysalis ended her assault after only a few seconds and Pupa could feel a great heat radiating all the way from the other side of the cavern.
“He could pop up anywhere along the coast now…” hissed the queen before snorting a blast of air from her nostrils. “Parasites infest his carapace!”
“Again, I apologize for the outcome my queen,” Said the changeling.
“Vespa, no,” sighed Chrysalis, “you did well in tracking him as far as you did. Go take a rest.”
“As you wish your highness,” the changeling said, bowed and headed back outside.
The changeling queen turned away and began to silently watch as the melted stone cooled and lost its glow.
“Mom,” chirped Pupa, drawing her mother’s attention.
Once spotted, Chrysalis scooped her up and embraced her against her carapace.
“I helped watch the larva,” Pupa said, her voice muffled by the hug.
“Did you now?” smiled her mother as she lowered her daughter onto the floor.
“Yes,” nodded the nymph. “Every single one of them clung onto me.”
“That’s wonderful,” Chrysalis said, pride in her tone.
“And then Weevil brought back figs and I got to try one and they are so good,” Pupa babbled excitedly while she trotted in a circle around her mother. “Then Timema came and Lacewing and Katydid got to feed on the love she collected and they were able to feed the larva and I got to help keep them on the moss so they didn’t make a mess but then one did it anyway and it smelled reeeeeally bad and I had to clean it up because I said I wanted to help and then you came back.”
“Sounds like you’ve had a busy morning,” chuckled the changeling queen as she removed a tan satchel from her back. “I found something while I was out that made me think of you.”
“Really?” blinked the nymph, stopping mid-step.
Chrysalis used her magic to open the flap of the unremarkable looking pack and levitated out a chocolate furred plush toy. Pupa’s eyes widened when she recognized what it was.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, hopping up and down with wings buzzing. “It’s a ferret!”
Like a striking mantis, Pupa’s front legs shot out and plucked the plush from the air and she squeezed it against her chest.
“Thank you so much,” she said happily, pressing her cheek into its muzzle.
“I’m glad you like it,” Chrysalis smiled again and ran a hoof across her daughter’s mane. “Now then, I need to distribute love to the returning scouts. Do you want to come with me while I do that?”
Pupa turned to stare at the dark hole in the floor and the faint hissing sound emanating from it.
“It’s okay if I go with you?” she asked.
“Of course,” her mother answered. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“They like having me around,” Pupa said. “Lacewing and Katydid said I keep them contented.”
“The larva are very important for the hive,” said Chrysalis, “but to run a hive the queen can’t spend all her time with them; that’s why we have caretakers like Lacewing and Katydid. However it's certainly not a problem if you wish to stay and continue watching over the larva.”
Squeezing the plush a little tighter, the nymph began to unconsciously rock it back and forth as she thought to herself.
“I kinda like how I keep them happy,” admitted Pupa, “but it’s kinda boring too, is it bad I feel that way..?”
“Not at all,” Chrysalis said with an understanding smirk, “especially for someling as young and full of energy as you.”
“I think I’ll stay with them,” said the nymph after a long pause. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” her mother said as she leaned over and nuzzled Pupa’s cheek. “I’m honestly very proud of your decision.”
“Really?” squeaked the nymph.
“Absolutely,” whispered Chrysalis, “in fact, I’m going to leave you in charge of keeping the larva happy while I work with the others to build the new hive.”
“Really?!” Pupa balked.
“Yes,” smirked her mother, “but don’t worry, Katydid and Lacewing will be right beside you to help, isn’t that right girls?”
“Er, yes my queen!” said Katydid, her voice sounding like it was just beyond the hole to the nursery.
“Of course we will your highness,” agreed Lacewing.
“See? Then once the hive begins to settle down, I'll be able to play some games with you,” Chrysalis said, sitting up to her full height again, “and we can continue your magic lessons.”
“Promise?” Pupa asked, looking over the top of the plush toys head and up at the older changeling.
“Pupa, I want to promise you,” her mother said before pausing to let out a helpless sigh. “But every time I’ve made you a promise somethings happened to get in the way. I want you to know I’m going to do my best to make sure I can keep my word this time, okay?”
“Will you teach me how to do that too?” the nymph asked, pointing a hoof at the malformed lump of warm stone.
“Eventually,” grinned Chrysalis.
“Okay,” said the nymph, punctuating it with a single nod of her head.
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Interesting, she grows attached to the larvae. Careful there...
We're just waiting for Pupa to happen upon the thought that maybe she could experiment a little with her studies...
Keep going! ;)
Aaaaw, she remembered the ferret.
9700141
Pupa later asked Chrissy for a ferret as a pet. Chrissy said maybe.
Thanks for the update!
Dang it! If only I could press the like button more than once, this story would have a million likes by now.....
hmm maybe later to comfort the babies pupa rub her scent on some soft durable baby toys or a blanket for them to cuddle on to give her some leg room?
Next chapter is the last one, it might be a real turnabout
9700214
how do you know?
9700224
Plaguerat posted it on his blog
Still cute
Warm fuzzy intensifies. Nice chapter!
I can see this story ending on a cliffhanger that has to be resolved in the sequel. There will be a sequel by the way, the author confirmed that.
Pupa's too cute, as always. And I still say the Armor of Larvae would be one hell of a diplomatic weapon.
Just add a little filly with a plush ferret. Pupa would feel right at home visiting Fluttershy, wouldn't she?
"Eventuality" should be "Eventually".
9700227
Its not the end of the story story(may just be the end of this book) writer is just going to take a break for a but
9700348
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/861660/to-be-a-changeling#comment/5079177
Seems like an unnecessary comma. Correct me if I am wrong.
Missing space.
reeeeeally?
changeling
9700348
I know, I think he’ll make a sequel
I love this wholesome adorable bug.
Don’t think I’ve ever come across a ferret plush while shopping. No doubt could find dozens if I looked for it but never just saw one on the shelves.
9700401
I think he'll put it on hiatus.
Pout pupa?
Owwww adorable...
Love helps changelings turn solid rocks into liquid rocks.
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I think I saw one at a zoo gift shop once. Chrysalis could have had it made.
I think it would be really adorable for her to have an eight legged wasp eater plushie from "Girl Genius". They are like ferrets with lots of legs.
So, I don't know if Chrysalis is lying or not. There are certainly plausible motives for her TO lie...
However, even if she's not lying per se, that doesn't necessarily mean Thorax and co are doomed. It would be INCREDIBLY odd for the metaphysics of MLP to out and out doom a race for being nice and loving. It's also quite possible the circumstances are very different; even if skittlelings need love from a non-changeling source to live, they may actually be able to get that this time.
9703054
EXACTLY! One thing that MLP has been emphasizing more and more in recent seasons is that friendship should not be, and is not, a detrimental thing for anyone no matter their nation, culture, race, or species.
Edit: However, we should remember that this isn't the show's canon and the author might make it so that the metamorphosed Changelings are doomed in which case they would be deviating drastically from the show's theme and message, as well as pretty much everything the show stands for.
9704692
"friendship is magic" is pretty much a universal law #1 in MLP, and if an author wants to break away from that they'd better have a damn good reason, say, making an AU that borrows REALLY heavily from MLP but is still very clearly an AU.
I've read a story or two that used the premise that the changelings would in fact die soon after skittlelingification, and they felt somewhat unsatisfying precisely because they seemed to go so directly against that #1 core law of the setting for an IMO not-quite-adequate reason.
9700185
I know right ?!
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Simpel yet genius! But i guess the sent marker need to be remade every day or two
9700214
Im weeping internaly for that... Hope the next story is a direct follow up in this without timeskip!
9700224
Read Ratplage announcments
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I see us all having heartattacks from the cuteness overload
9703054
I doubt the mlp maker of the show invest half the details we bronys pump into them
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worth the effort to pupa!
9705012
Well most of it is logical pleading, trying to make things as close to cannon while still unique as they can. Frankly the quest for the "cure" is a very good plot hook, blame the Dungeons & Dragons player in me I look for "adventure hooks". So it's asking how could metamorphosis be "good" yet still have failed in the past, seems logical the physical change is just the first step and if the rest aren't taken the result is tragic. This Chyrasilis isn't lying she just doesn't know everything and made assumptions that fit her world view.
9705012
I agree, although I've never read the other stories that you speak of.
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Another thing is we know from the show that Chrysalis is prideful to the point of being arrogant, we even see some of that in this very story. Therefore if she couldn't stop the illness then of course she would assume that nocreature else could be capable of stopping it.
9706195
Sound about right. Than again she stated herself that she change her routines slightly. We shall see whats going to happen...
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*facepalm* The author said that next chapter was the last for a bit, he is taking a hiatus, then coming back with the rest.
*Edit*
Nevermind
Yes, teach her hyper beam!
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Love melts hearts. Rocks dont resist a power that can move mountains!
Pupa will be a amazing Queen one day
What will be its name?
Pupa can already nom nom villains like Starlight Glimmer into submission. Melting our hearts with cuteness alone.
Ome she learn magic all shall dawww to her
11392939
In the Continuation:
"
Pupa: "Oooh! I think I'll call him Logan!"
Chrysalis: "Uh... Logan!?
*Meanwhile, in another Continuum*
*Logan bolts sitting up from being suddenly wakened from his sleep at the X-Mansion*
Pupa *blinks*: "Hmm--No, 'Logan' doesn't quite sound quite right... Logan was a badger."
"
Chrysalis: "Who the fuck is Logan!?
*Meanwhile, in another Continuum*
Logan *extending the middle blade of his right hand*: "I'm sensing that someone, or something, somewhere, is going to need this..."
Pupa *frowns*: "He was James Howlett, Mother. No, that's not right... I think Logan was a wolverine -- No, no! On second thought, I was right the first time. Logan was a badger."
Are you okay, Pupa!!?
"
Chrysalis: "What?? Logan is a James Howlett!? Or a badger? Or a Wolverine!? Which is it??
*Meanwhile, in another Continuum*
Logan *angrily frowns*: "And I'm going to give it to them hard, repeatedly, fast, and with a twist!!"
Pupa *suddenly beams*: "Oh, I know! Leslie Lenrow!
"
Frankly, I think 'Logan' is starting to sound a bit more logical for some reason.
"
Chrysalis: "Uh--okaaay?
*Meanwhile, in another Continuum*
Logan *scowls as he gets up out of bed*: "Now that my sleep is ruined, I just have to track the bastard down!"
Chrysalis: "All of a sudden, I've got an uneasy feeling about all this!
"
*Meanwhile, in yet another Continuum*
"
PlagueRat: "Uh--who the hell is this Kevin Lee, and how the fuck does he know what I was planning to put into the next story...!?
That day Pupa learned of the Larve the art of
'Airdrop tactics'
11393076
LMAO - (Laughing My Ass Off)
Brilliant comment.
Pupa needs her Doom Laser!
11571132
It might be actually to deadly with her current Form, the sheer adorable level would destroy the world ♡