Tales of Equestria: Changing into Love

by Noratcat

Chapter 3

The battle cries of the drones rang out throughout the chamber. Changelings of all shades wrestled one another, hoping to overtake their respective opponents. Such a thing was a daily task within the Changeling hive. All drones had to be prepared for any eventuality.

And high above, Queen Cocoon watched as her minions duked it out, smiling to herself at the progress. Though she wasn’t alone. Next to her, just barely reaching past her hoof, was a small Changling. One that looked different from the many little ones that filled the hive. Like Cocoon, she held a distinct pony shape. If not for the black carapace, wings, and sickly green hair, and crooked horn, she could pass as a foal.

The young one stared down at the fighting drones with wide eyes.

“Look upon them my daughter, these are the soldiers you will one day command,” Cacoon spoke.

The young one looked upon them, a question gradually forming in her mind, “Why are they fighting Mama?”

Cocoon then shot her daughter a dirty look, one that the young changeling caught, “I mean Mother!” The child corrected.

Composing herself once more, the Changeling queen continued, “If one does not train oneself, the muscles grow loose, slowly replacing with bulging and hanging fat. Laziness and complacency set in, and all that is left is a weak link in the chain.”

The child supposed her mother had a point. After all, her mother was in charge of the entire hive, “Why don’t we train Ma-Mother?” Chrysalis asked, quickly correcting herself mid-sentence.

Cocoon let out a small laugh, “Oh my dear sweet child, we are royalty. We do not fight for our subjects, they fight for us.”

“So? We do nothing?” The child’s question was innocent, Cocoon only showing brief annoyance before ignoring it.

“No, our role is to simply find food for our hive, but only to make certain our subjects fulfill our needs,” Cocoon stated, “Do you understand child?”

The child in question kicked at the ground, “I guess so.”

“Well, I most certainly hope you do. I would hate if my heir held some form of mental deficiency.”

The child tensed slightly at her mother’s words. She felt a slight pain towards it, but she had long grown used to it. That’s how she was after all.

“Come Chrysalis, we have things to attend to,” Cocoon stated, turning around.

Princess Chrysalis turned to follow her mother but halted to grab one more look at the assembled hive below. The drones never ceased in their fighting, only stopping till they could hold no more breath.

“Chrysalis!”

Her mother’s harsh and aged voice called to her, and the young changeling scampered off to join her. She knew better than to keep her mother waiting.

XXX

A deep moan escaped Chrysalis as the dream ended. Her head felt heavy, and she could make out the soft patter of rain against the glass. She opened her eyes slowly revealing a blurry world before her.

“You’re awake!”

She heard a voice call out, which prompted her to rise.

“Easy there now!”

Chrysalis found herself regretting her decision, for as she did, she found the heavy feeling within her head growing all the more as if someone was dropping weight upon her brain. As she fell back upon the pillow, she felt the heat rising from her body. Her breathing drew out for an extended period, just as her vision fully situated itself. As it cleared away, she noticed someone was sitting in front of her. It was a pony.

She looked around the room, finding it moderately furnished. A dresser, a closet, a few pictures, and the nice plush bed she was sleeping in.

“Where am I?” She asked.

“You’re at our clinic,” The pony answered.

“Clinic?” She repeated.

“Well technically it’s our house, but it doubles as our clinic,” the pony clarified, “I’m the village doctor, well co-doctor, the other one is my sister.”

“Sister?”

“Ugh! This weather is driving me crazy!” Suddenly a mare burst into the room looking very irritated, “First it rains, then it stops, then it rains again!”

“Summer! Shh!” The stallion rasped.

“No! I mean come on! Someone has to get their act together at that so-called “weather factory”,” The mare griped, “I mean I could do a much better job than those “experts”!”

“Summer!”

“What?!”

Chrysalis noticed the stallion gesturing over to her. The mare looked over and as soon as she noticed Chrysalis, she found herself looking very embarrassed.

“Oh, the patient is up! Sorry, I just well...you know...the stuff about...and” The mare stammered, “I’ll go get the soup!”

She then hurried out of the room, leaving Chrysalis and the stallion alone.

“Sorry about that, my sister can be a little outspoken,” The stallion apologized.

“That was your sister?” Chrysalis asked.

“Yep, Summer Flower. And you can call me Spring Herb,” The stallion said introducing himself.

Chrysalis mentally scoffed. So typical of ponies to bestow such names to themselves.

“If I may ask, what’s your name?” Spring asked.

Chrysalis stood alert, “My name?”

“Yes, I mean I’m sure ponies call you something right?”

The former queen nearly told the pony to mind his own business, but the moment was tender. Looking at her condition, she had to play this carefully.

“Of courses I have a name! It’s Chry-”

And then she stopped herself.

Spring looked confused, “Crys?” He repeated.

And now Chrysalis reminded herself as to why she had to handle this tenderly. She had just nearly blurted out her name, and that would not do her any favors. Looking at her form, she nearly gave a disgusted glance as she realized she was still trapped in this weak pony body. Though she supposed she could get away with using her real name, especially in her current state, but one fatal mistake could end everything in one fell swoop. She had already lost her hive, she didn’t want to lose anything else.

Her mind raced for anything she could think of. And then one name popped in there.

“Crystal Hoof!” She blurted out.

“Crystal Hoof?” Spring repeated.

“Yes, that is my name...Crystal Hoof!” She found herself awkwardly finishing.

During her second invasion of Equestria, back when she had her drones replace key figured of Equestria, she had learned how that traitor Thorax had used “Crystal Hoof” as an alias when he was trying to make friends within the Crystal Empire. Just thinking about friendship made her grit her teeth in anger, and though it loathed her to use that usurper’s false name, it was the first thing she could think of.

“Well Crystal Hoof, you’re lucky my sister and I found you,” Spring noted, “You had a pretty nasty fever when we found you, but it’s gone down for now. Once we get our soup in you, you’ll be right as rain in no time!”

Then right on cue, Summer Flower walked in carrying a bowl of soup. Laying down a tray, Spring set it upon the bed, allowing it to perfectly hold the soup.

“Now this is our mother’s special recipe, perfect for bringing down fevers,” Spring explained.

Chrysalis eyed the soup skeptically. The mixture was an amber color with fragments of what appeared to be herbs and small little bits of tofu.

“Isn’t the general idea of a fever to bring it down?” Chrysalis asked.

“Look just trust us, our mother knew how to take care of sick ponies,” Summer said, a slightly offended tone creeping into her voice.

Chrysalis simply looked down at the soup, and feeling eyes were upon her, she knew she had to at least seem sociable, so not as to draw suspicion. Carefully, she summoned up her magic, her horn glowing in accordance. The spoon levitated and Chrysalis slipped it in her mouth, warm soup trickling down her throat as she did.

“It’s passable,” Chrysalis dryly remarked.

If the offense Summer had displayed any earlier was audible, it was now on full display. She opened her mouth to speak before Spring spoke up.

“Well it’s not known for its flavor, it’s just to help with whatever ick is inside you,” Spring said preventing his sister from speaking.

“Oh please, I worked hard on that!” The mare protested.

Chrysalis ignored them and simply remarked, “If the both of you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone.”

Spring looked to his sister and gestured towards the door, “Alright Ms. Crystal, my sister and I will be outside if you need us.”

The two siblings left the room, leaving Chrysalis alone with her steaming bowl of soup. She continued to stare down at the warm liquid. She had to admit, the warmth she felt now was pleasant. Not the sheer heat of a fever, but as if her entire body had been given a clear elixir. She took another spoonful and swallowed, and did again. She wasn’t hungry but merely continued to display a sense of drowning out suspicion.

But, this was merely for survival, nothing more. And she told herself that the more she ate.

XXX

“Ugh, I can’t believe that pony! “Passable” my front hoof!” Summer Flower loudly complained.

“Come on Sis it wasn’t that bad. Don’t you think you’re being a bit too sensitive?” Spring Herb said in an attempt to calm his sister down.

“Don’t be so passive Bro! I slaved over a hot stove and that’s the thanks I get?” Summer pouted.

“We didn’t bring her in for gratitude. It was out of the kindness of our hearts. Dad always told us a doctor helps ponies for the pleasure of making ponies better, not for gratitude,” Reminded Spring.

“I know what Dad said, but something about that pony rubbed me the wrong way, and not just because of the soup,” Said Summer.

Spring Herb looked at his sister questionably, “What do you mean?”

“Well, for one thing, she has three horns! Three!” Summer exclaimed.

“Technically she has one horn and two smaller horns,” Spring corrected.

“Yeah, but the middle one is bent! Plus did you notice she had no cutie mark?” Summer asked.

That was true. As he and Summer were bringing her in, Spring had noticed no cutie mark upon Crystal’s flank.

“A lot of ponies get their cutie marks late in life,” Spring reminded.

“When they’re fillies and colts,” Summer corrected.

His sister had a point. Everything about this mare seemed strange, but Spring took in a breath and spoke to his sister.

“She was a pony in need, and that’s all there is to it,” Spring insisted, “You know that’s true Sis.”

Summer didn’t argue with that, wisely keeping her mouth shut.

“For all, we know the three horns could be a birth defect, one she’s probably really sensitive about, so it’s best we don’t ask,” Spring could see his sister was still skeptical overall, “Look, let’s just wait till she is back on her hooves, then we can talk to her and go from there. Sound good?”

Summer considered her brother’s words. As much as she didn’t agree with this decision, she trusted her brother’s judgment, to a degree.

“Fine,” She relented, “I can get behind that, but I swear if I wake up buried alive or something you are going to regret it!”

Spring was about to question his sister’s choice of words and outlandish scenario but kept himself silent. His sibling was already riled up, best not to spur it worse. Especially since they had a patient in the house.

And so the brother and sister doctors went about the rest of their day. Before long they retired to bed, and the same applied to their patient. Chrysalis had forced herself to devour the soup before succumbing to slumber. She still had much on her mind but figured she would take it as it came. After all, plotting revenge on the ponies and creatures who wronged you took time. And she was a very patient sort of creature. She just had to play her cards right and everything would be hers.

Author's Note:

I admit my vocabulary may not be extensive, but sometimes I think simplicity can convey a point.

Comments

[GrandAdmiral MitthRawN]

Once we get our soup in you
You sure you used that sentence right? XDDD

[Noratcat]

10757493
Probably not but eh it works.

[Razzy]

So, all in all, she was rather horny.

'was dropping weight' - was dropping a weight