Changeling (Re)Borne

by WindigogoGadget

You Are (Not) Allowed To Die

Blood stains the steps.

If there were ever a word to describe changeling anatomy, it would be stubborn.

Durable would be the second best word to describe a changeling body. Their three hearts could run off of just a few milliliters of their blood, continuing to try to beat steadily as the brain and body would continue to be active on what little oxygen they could receive from spiracles and diffusion- though fogged and numbed in a huge cocktail of natural preservatives. Cryptobiosis. That word was so unfamiliar to her, but it came to the front of her mind anyway. Changelings could survive being chronically starved, and hacked into pieces- so long as there was some of it left, chances are that it was alive.

The downside of course was the fragility and stubbornness of a changelings health. Once on the decline, it typically stayed as such unless outside help was given. Chitin did not mend itself without the use of adhesive, and a changelings ability to stay alive even in near death- only truly made for a longer, excruciating death. A longer death that she was so far appreciating.

Alyosha was a mess. Alive, but barely, even by changeling standards. Only lucid in a nightmare guaranteed to send him back to his first death no doubt. Chrysalis inspected what was previously her body quickly and efficiently. Her old and now hollow horn had been enough to pierce his delicate exoskeleton and straight into the left lung, collapsing the structure before scrambling the organ from his various impacts with hard objects and living projectiles. A large amount of head trauma was also put on top of it, along with a healthy dash of severe blood loss. His flight had tried to push too hard the little fluid he had, and as a result, knocked him down.

Not her fault in any way, of course. He was supposed to be the... Competent, one. But alas, now she had to pick up the pieces. She separated both her old shell and Alyosha's current body. Chrysalis appreciated the sentiment- but it was just that, feelings. Feelings that could wait for when they could both get out of this alive. The corpse would have to stay behind. It wasn't needed.

She had magic, not enough, but she could help. With a blast of her horn, a venom green flare shot up in a wicked streak before it erupted in the sky like a second sun, and attracted swathes of changelings in droves.

Neither of them would fall again this day.

In an instant, dozens of drones were upon them, and Chrysalis' ghost stepped aside to let the drones work. Healthcare in the hive was heavily reserved. Wounds were not uncommon, but heavily discouraged. Every injury would occupy not just yourself but the many needed to save you, but with so many hooves at work, even the crudest field treatment could suffice. She heard them chitter among themselves as they built off of their experience and prior work, working with each other to save them.

Green spit flew, and magic spells worked and glowed as the body was mended. Time would still be needed for their injuries, but with them in less of a critical state, they could now focus on the next step of the plan. It would have to be improvised.

"DRONES! FALL BACK! TAKE TREASURES IF YOU WANT, TAKE PONIES PRISONER, IT MATTERS NOT, WE ARE LEAVING!" Chrysalis' ghost commanded, and the clouds of drones began to organize, the ones that were already in the air were the first to begin their departure as they fled with the winds.

The last was a nightmarish scene to any on the ground who had avoided being picked up. Like a cloud of locusts, the ones on the ground and the ones that were simply close enough descended and grabbed anything they could. Ponies of all ages were simply bound and lifted away, the elderly being left behind. They were not worth the resources to maintain, and they held a much higher chance of dying on the trip back. What would have been a triumphant shout as the changelings were 'routed' turned into screams of terror, cries for help echoing across the sky as they were taken.

"You twelve. Assist me. Take as many others as you need and commandeer any remaining trains. Take us, -him" She paused to point to the Alyosha. "to Apploosa, and send out any others as a distraction. This one must survive. Your Queen demands it."

The snow-white changeling was airlifted, and with that part of the plan done, she could at least feign to rest easy for a second as the powerful magics harvested were clearly safe. They were doing their best to keep their new host alive, but it was unwilling, and if he died, so much planning would have gone to waste.

Chrysalis' tongue clicked, as she watched the streets become clear, either from being taken or going into hiding. The changeling swarm was not beaten back today, and for the first time a true victory had been achieved.

With a loud laugh, she ran through the empty and winding streets, and the silence that followed behind her rang out in Equestria. The horns of defeat. The carnage of the changeling swarm, the silence of a bustling city, as if drained of all of its life, its soul.

Suddenly, a sound caught her ear.

It was the faintest of whimpers… Someone was hiding from her. Childish squeals of terror from behind a broken in door. With a grin she let off another magical flare into the sky, and with the remaining changelings evacuating the city in waves, one would certainly come and scoop the foal up and take them away.

It would be an invaluable resource. Conditioned. Repurposed. Useful.

She had more important things to do than take them herself. So she walked, walked to the closest train station.

A train station, to Apploosa.

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