Last Order of Queen Chrysalis

by Unknown Ficwriter

To The Next Generation

An hour passed before Thorax regained consciousness. "Welcome back," Chrysalis greeted. A surge of pain caused him to clutched his head. "Don't worry that'll soon pass," she added. Through clenched teeth, he asked what had happened. Chrysalis revealed how the enzymes injected into his neck were reconnecting him to the hivemind.

Before another wave of pain washed over him, Thorax demanded why she'd do that. With a grin, she conveyed the importance of being able to communicate with one's hive. Thorax, confused by her choice of words, silently stared at Chrysalis. "Are you... giving up on revenge?" Thorax fumbled.

"You poor simpleton, it was never about our conflict, winners, or losers. This entire scenario was about the survival of our race," Chrysalis declared.

"Survival of our race? How does turning the entire world against changelings beneficial in any way!? You are a psychopath spurred on by illusions of greatness! Your twisted mind rationalizes each atrocity while ruined settlements lie in your wake! You're a plague to everything you encounter!" Thorax bellowed.

With a grin, Chrysalis slowly approaching. "I don't deny my methods are forceful but I'll choose fighting over extinction any day." Although tempted Thorax didn't react when her tail swatted his face as she passed. Circling around she stopped to whisper in his ear. "Your anger is surpassed only by ignorance."

"Do you truly believe I forced my will on the swarm every second of every day?" Leaving Thorax to think she returned to her position across from him.

"Are you saying every changeling willing participated in your genocidal rampage?! I don't believe you!" Thorax roared.

"The truth doesn't care what you believe, However, if you require a second opinion use the hivemind. Oh, wait you've never been able to utilize that before," Chrysalis mocked. Narrowing his eyes, Thorax asked why his mind was intentionally disconnected.

A sudden seriousness within Chrysalis' eyes caught him off guard as the air seemed to thicken. "Your disconnection was part of a gambit to ensure our survival. We needed a candidate that wasn't polluted by the past." With a deadpanned look from Thorax, Chrysalis revealed she had no alternative.

Although slowly getting used to the pain Thorax instinctively gripped his head. "Let's say for a moment you are telling the truth. How do I use the hivemind?" Thorax growled. With the same serious tone, Chrysalis told him to concentrate and the hivemind would act accordingly. Although it sounded ludicrous he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused.

While not instantly working he did notice the pain in his head easing up. Several minutes passed as Thorax discovered how to control his newly-gifted ability. Judging by the sudden horror on his face, Chrysalis guessed he found "the past" she'd denied him until now.

As his expression turned darker Chrysalis wondered if ignorance would've been better. He could easily acquire the necessary abilities without knowing the truth. Would it even matter if the past remained buried? Her thoughts were interrupted as a sniffle reached her ears. With a tear rolling down his cheek Thorax asked why she didn't just tell him.

"I offered a drink, isn't that the usual way to start a conversation? Now knowing the truth do you honestly believe you could've befriended the equine as easily as you did?" After an extended pause, Thorax gave an uncertain maybe. "I'm not saying it would've been impossible but the less you knew the greater the chance of success."

"Even if they imprisoned you their forgiving nature would've led to your release eventually." Chrysalis finished.

"I see... You were banking on us turning against you. What I don't understand is why you'd place such a hefty hope on such a slim chance." Thorax replied. The sadness in Chrysalis' voice caught him off guard.

"Hope is usually a risk, a gamble against the world that things will turn out alright," Chrysalis replied as her ears drooped down.

Not wanting to prolong such a painful moment, Chrysalis directed his attention to the last ability he needed to acquire. At the mention of laying eggs, Thorax mentioned he was a male. With a soft chuckle, Chrysalis explained how a changeling's desired gender had no bearing on their reproductive cycle.

Since love is their primary nourishment they didn't have a stomach, large, or small intestine. Instead, those areas housed a large sack containing eggs. A small tube connected the egg sack to a slit in their chest. Standing on her hind legs, Chrysalis showed him by retracted the carapace covering the lower portion of her chest.

Much like any conversation pertaining to the birds and the bees. Thorax stared at Chrysalis as an awkward silence filled the cave. "Does a male... you know," Thorax finally stammered while his cheeks tinted red. After dry heaving, Chrysalis explained changelings didn't require the chromosome altering gush of the opposite sex.

Allowing their magic to enter the eggs was how they became activated. "If that's the case then wouldn't the leader constantly be laying eggs?" Thorax interjected.

"Not necessary, the egg sack is filled with a membrane that coats the eggs and repels magic. Only when the membrane's composition is thinned can the eggs be fertilized. After a week you lay the eggs and on the second day they hatch," Chrysalis explained. While no longer their queen, thoughts of their continued survival caused her to smile.

Chrysalis began to explain how Thorax could kickstart his reproductive organs. Violently objecting to completely draining her life essence Thorax asked if there was another way. "This is just how it is, why do you suddenly take issue with my death?" Chrysalis questioned.

"That was before I understood your intention. Even as you turned to stone our hearts ached. Now we finally get to talk and you tell me I have to kill you," Thorax admitted. A rather uncomfortable feeling began to swell in Chrysalis' chest. Unlike anger, this emotion made her feel heavy and unmotivated.

Like a weight slowly crushing her, was this sadness she thought. Stomping her hooves in frustration, Chrysalis exclaimed her body would die but consciousness would remain. "How is that possible? Does the hive mind preserve your consciousness? I thought it was just a telepathic connection between changelings?" Thorax asked.

"It is," Chrysalis admitted, "but the consciousness of the previous leader is encoded into their offspring's genome. A changeling can stimulate these Non-Coding DNA sequences with their telepathy. While conversations are possible, it'll be restricted to the changeling's life experiences."

Whatever relief gained from learning this soon vanished as he recalled the task at hand. With a deep breath and a final farewell, Thorax placed his horn beside Chrysalis' head. His magic quickly encasing her head in a green sphere. Chrysalis gritted her teeth as her strength was slowly siphoned.

A weird sensation within his lower abdomen soon emerged. It felt like a balloon was being inflated inside his body. Normally when a changeling shapeshifts, a powerful pain inhibitor is released in the brain. If not for this inhibitor the changeling would experience immense pain.

Other than the numbing agent, a changeling's innards become quite flexible as well. However, these boons only took effect if the changeling willingly transformed. Thorax struggled to remain conscious as bones and muscle rearranged themselves. His body jerked uncontrollably as the dull sound of popping bones rang in his ears.

His eyes rolled up inside his head as a puddle of drool formed on the floor. Unable to feel much, besides the stream of magic, Thorax laid on the cold floor. As the darkness threatened to consume his conscious mind, the pain immediately ceased. The green light that bathed the cave faded as well.

Thorax forced himself to stand despite his body screaming for him to lay back down. A tear threatened to escape via the corner of his eye as magic gathered around his horn. Thorax knew what awaited his gaze and that gave him pause. Did he need to see beyond the veil, would it be better to let her rest in darkness?

Taking a few deep breaths, Thorax whispered a few parting words before turning around. After a few minutes, Thorax could see moonlight through the cave opening. Stopping several feet from the entrance he decided to give Chrysalis a proper burial. With several bolts of magic, he caused the inner walls to collapse. No one will disturb you now he thought.

Comments

[Pete100]

I’m confused about a lot of things.

[Starlight Glimmer1]

Since love is their primary nourishment they didn't have a stomach, large, or small intestine. Instead, those areas housed a large sack containing eggs.

That contradicts what we’ve seen in the show. But I don’t wanna argue about it.

[Unknown Ficwriter]

10683844
While I don't recall the mention of changelings having stomachs and such. Your comment did remind me that I forgot the "Alternative Universe" tag. Which episode/mention are you referencing so I'll know the canonical anatomy of changelings?

[Starlight Glimmer1]

10683944
To Change a Changeling showed them preparing a pot luck lunch and showed one of them eating soup. Thorax also mentioned a new diet and that he had indigestion in Triple Threat.

[Unknown Ficwriter]

10683996
Thanks for the information, I'll have to remember that the next time I write about changelings.

[Doctor_Den]

Chrysalis died somehow quickly, I did not have time to feel the drama of the moment.

[Kevin Price]

10678342
Bingo! My friend pure doctradiction.
Please continue the story I like it!