Survival
“Thanks again for having me, Aunt and Uncle Orange. It was mighty nice to see y'all again, after so long.”
Applejack leant forwards to pull her aunt into a hug. There were other ponies about on the street, but she knew that Aunt Orange wasn't afraid of a little public hug – just because she was from high-society Manehattan didn't mean she had to be a snob.
“The pleasure was all ours, Applejack, dear,” she said. “You simply must come and visit us again soon.”
Uncle Orange nodded his approval. “Indeed! Perhaps sometime around Hearth's Warming? Surely you can't be too busy during the winter months?”
Applejack chuckled as she pulled back from the hug. “There's always somethin' to keep me busy on the farm. But I reckon Hearth's Warmin' sounds like a fine idea. I'll make some time, promise.”
“Do be sure to write us between then and now, won't you?” said Aunt Orange. “I would so love to hear from you.”
“You bet! I'll get a letter out at least once a fortnight,” said Applejack with a smile. “More than one, if I can find the time.”
Aunt Orange returned the smile. “Splendid! We'll look forward to it.”
“Now, Applejack, are you sure you wouldn't like me to accompany you to the train station?” said Uncle Orange. “It would be no trouble at all, I assure you.”
Applejack waved a dismissive hoof. “Naw, I can manage. Us country folk are as tough as we look!” she said lightly. “Y'all take care of yourselves, now! See ya soon!”
With a last smile and a wave to each of them, Applejack turned to start down the street.
It was still late afternoon, so there was no need to rush – the train wouldn't be there for another half hour, at least. So she just moseyed on down towards the station, taking her time and smiling at the warm memories of her latest visit with her aunt and uncle.
About five minutes along, she heard a funny kind of noise – kind of like a groan. She turned her head down the alley to her right, curious as to what strange, city-dwelling thing would make a noise like that. But there was nothing there, so she just kept on walking.
Then she did a double-take.
A little ways down the alley, there was a blanket laid beside one of those garbage dumpster thingers. The blanket was draped over something long, about half of Applejack's height. And it was moving.
Applejack frowned and glanced about. Nopony else seemed to have noticed – they were all walking on by. This was probably one of those things that only seemed strange to country folk, and was perfectly normal if you'd lived in the city your whole life. But still...
Slowly, Applejack started down the alley, keeping her eyes on the blanket. There was definitely something alive beneath it, because it shifted every now then. Maybe a sick animal? Or worse, a sick pony...
“You okay down there?” said Applejack, as she drew up alongside it.
The thing made no response.
Applejack curled her lip in consideration, then cautiously reached out to lift the blanket away. As she did, she saw the beginnings of a dark figure... then an eerily familiar, jagged horn... and finally a pair of half-lidded, poisonous eyes.
“Gah!” Applejack squealed, jumping back and letting the blanket fall to one side. “Queen Chrysalis!”
It wasn't just her, either – two changeling drones laid beside her, in some kind of dormant, pre-battle state.
Cursing herself for falling into such an obvious trap, Applejack lowered herself into a battle stance and cast her eyes about, ready to fight off the ambush that was no doubt a split second away.
...But nothing came, other than a groan from the weary-looking Chrysalis, as if she'd just recognised Applejack and was not happy to see her.
“What do you want?” the queen growled. “Come to hit me with another love spell? Kick me while I'm down?”
Applejack blinked in surprise, but was quick to refocus – this was obviously some kind of ruse. “I ain't here to kick nopony. Least, I wasn't, 'til I saw you. I warn ya, I've got the quickest hooves this side of Appleoosa, so if you're gonna try somethin'--”
“Try something?” Chrysalis repeated with a scowl. “Do I look like I'm in any position to try something?”
Applejack glared solidly at her for a second longer, before chancing a look over the changelings before her. The queen herself looked thin – even thinner than she'd been during the attack on Canterlot – and her eyes were weary, as if she'd been unwell. Beside her, the drones seemed little different than they had back then, except that their eyes were closed and their breathing was soft. Almost like they were... sleeping.
Now that she thought about it, none of them looked particularly threatening, despite the death glare that Chrysalis was trying to pull off. In fact, it looked almost as if none of them had moved in days...
Applejack relaxed her stance a little.
“No, I guess not,” she muttered. “...What happened to you?”
Chrysalis scoffed. “Is that supposed to be a joke?”
“Ain't laughin', am I?”
Chrysalis stared at her for a long moment, before letting out an exasperated huff. “What do you think happened to me? I wound up here after your little pony friends cast that love spell – whatever the hoof that was. It severed my connection to the hive, and drained nearly all of my energy too. It's been all I can do to keep myself alive.”
“Severed connection...” Applejack repeated, cogs working in her brain. “Wait a minute... You're saying you've been alone here since Canterlot? But that was months ago!”
“Was it?” said Chrysalis indifferently. “I hadn't noticed. Not much use in keeping track of time when you're living like a wastrel, leeching off of what little love there is to find in this pathetic city.”
Picking up on that, Applejack narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Leechin'? So, you're stealin' ponies' love again, are ya?”
“Don't you dare get all self-righteous!” Chrysalis spat. “I'm not hurting anyone, nor deceiving them. No-one even knows I'm here.”
Applejack held her glare, unconvinced.
Chrysalis huffed. “There's a newly-wed couple in the house behind me--” She jerked her head in the general direction. “--I don't have the energy I need to pull off another ruse like in Canterlot, so I've had to resort to feeding off of the love in the air... as sickening as that sounds.”
Applejack blinked. “Y'all can do that?”
“Don't presume to think you know anything about changelings,” said Chrysalis. “Yes, we can do that, and yes, it's a pathetic last resort. It's not much, but it's enough to sustain me and this useless pair of whelps.”
The two changelings at the queen's side stirred, but didn't wake.
“So,” said Applejack, glancing between them and Chrysalis. “What's the plan then?”
Chrysalis threw her a glare. “There isn't a plan.”
“You're really sittin' here in this gutter, eatin'... scraps, and just... survivin'?” said Applejack doubtfully. “What do you take me for?”
“Believe what you want, Applejack,” Chrysalis snarled. “I'm of no threat to you, or any of your friends. I have nothing left. Just leave me alone.”
Despite how strange it seemed, Applejack got the distinct feeling that she was telling the truth. In her current state, Chrysalis didn't look like she could be much more hassle than a fly. And it looked like she'd been that way for a while now...
“...There anythin' I can do?” Applejack found herself asking. She knew the answer before the words had even left her mouth, but saying them anyway gave her a sense of fulfilment. “You got a home or somethin' I can help ya get back to--”
“I don't need your help!” snapped Chrysalis. “And I certainly don't need your pity! And besides that, even if I could get home, there'd be no point – I'd be just as alone there as I am here, with all my underlings lost in your world...” She shook her head and scowled. “Now, if you don't have anything useful to say, just get lost. I'm tired of talking to you.”
Applejack curled her lip in thought, staring down at the fallen queen for a long moment of silence. Then she shrugged.
“Sure, I'll go. Ain't much reason for me to stay if ya don't want my help--”
“I don't,” Chrysalis reaffirmed.
“Well, I'll just go then,” said Applejack decidedly. She turned and started towards the alley's exit, muttering under her breath as she went. “Talk about disappointin'...”
She'd gotten almost half-way out of the alley before she heard another groan from behind her – this one more angry than tired. “What are you on about now?” said Chrysalis.
Applejack turned and fixed her with a stare. “I said it's disappointin'. I mean, last time we met, y'all had this huge – although admittedly kinda simple – plan to take over Equestria and replace all our loved ones or some such. And now you're all washed up in a gutter in Manehattan. Not exactly movin' up in the world, are ya?”
Chrysalis scowled. “Sorry that I couldn't live up to your expectations, but there's only so much I can do.”
“Is that right?” said Applejack. “Well, you sure ain't tryin' very hard. Y'know, if it was me who suddenly lost everythin' I loved – my farm, my family and my friends – I wouldn't be sittin' in some bar, drownin' my sorrows in milkshakes and just survivin'. I'd be out there, tryin' to get it all back!”
“Tch, get it all back?” Chrysalis repeated amusedly. “Seriously?”
“Darn right I would. Even if I knew it would take years, or if I might not even get anywhere in the long run, I'd be workin' my flank off just tryin' anyway.” Applejack paused to savour the look on Chrysalis' face, which was fast becoming blank. “I'd never settle for just survivin', 'cause that ain't worth nothin' compared to livin'.”
Chrysalis blinked at her a couple of times, mouth part open in a dumbstruck kind of thought. “...So, what're you saying?” the queen asked, adding a non-convincing edge to her voice in an attempt to hide her curiosity.
Applejack just shook her head. “I ain't sayin' nothin'. Except that changelings obviously ain't as tough as I thought.”
With that, and not another word, she turned and left the alley, leaving the fallen queen in her wake.
Chrysalis watched the straw-coloured tail vanish around the corner. She tried to call out, to come up with some barb or comeback that would put the stupid pony in her place, but nothing availed her. And then it was too late.
Left alone again, Chrysalis breathed an angry, exhausted huff and levitated the blanket over herself and the whelps, ready for the evening that was soon to come. She made to lay her chin against the cold, stone floor and settle in for another long sleep, only to stop herself half-way.
Slowly, she turned to look down at the slumbering face of the drone to her left – emotionless, but content, at least. Her lip curled itself in thought and, though she was tired, she couldn't keep her mind from dwelling on Applejack's words.
...Just surviving...
She turned her eyes to the little patch of sky she could see from her alley. Dark clouds loomed overhead – a rainstorm was coming. Tonight was not going to be comfortable.
As she cuddled down and tucked the blanket more tightly around herself and the whelps, bracing herself for the rain, her wings shifted at her sides. That night, the thoughts of that stubborn pony's words brought an unpleasant heat to her chest. A heat that soon spread to set smouldering the embers of something she'd thought forgotten... since Canterlot...
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On my will-read-later-today list!
If someone continues this, in a version where the changlings make a comback, there needs to be an epiphany moment where AJ realizes "Ah did this."
Short, but very nice.
If you ask me however, you should be the one to continue this.
Chrysalis seeking out AJ, trying to find a new way to live rather than survive...
hell, these are awesome grounds for a redemption story.
...I don't know why, but I couldn't not imagine the two drones as puppies...Now I want to take one home.
, you should consider continuing it in some direction as it's an interesting premise.
Oh and the story was good too
I wonder how long it'll be till someone tries to create a sequel to this... be it Chrysajack, or any other possible direction it could take...
Why is there so much Changeling hate? You did good with this, but I can't help but see the Changeling's as a beautiful grossly misguided people. I also see them as having more magic than most unicorns. Thanks for this.
Well damn, Nice going. defently not your normal writing style! You did a good job on the random pull! I liked the way how you ended it though, very open could become a really big story or just end there.
we are tied at the moment though! we shall see what happens! Good luck!
Also where did you get the art? did you do it?
Poor Changeling.
2395262 Great, let me know what you think!
2395367 Yeah, I was thinking something along those lines. I saw Applejack's intentions here as giving Chrysalis a kick in the flank to get her back on her hooves. But she obviously didn't give it a lot of thought, and the future consequences could be disastrous.
2395416 Hey, thanks! That's certainly one way the story could play out, there are a lot of possibilities. As I said, I personally have no plans to continue it, though I'm starting to fancy making some. I'll be thinking about it, for sure
2395506 Puppy changelings! I kind of saw them that way myself
Thanks, I'm giving some thought to continue it, but as I said above, no plans as of yet.
2395654 I certainly hope someone does. Seeing everyone's comments, it seems there are a lot more directions the story could take than I originally thought. It'd be cool to see someone's interpretation. Thanks for the comment.
2396747 Indeed, I see them as a people who have a unique society, biology, etc. There's a lot of potential with them, and exploring it just a little bit here was quite fun. I have other planned stories and snippets which make more mention of things like a 'hive mind' or the changelings' need to 'feed on love'.
In regards to their magic, I personally see them as getting more powerful by being in proximity to one another (a la Geth), as well as getting a significant boost from pony love (that would make for an awesome theme in a shipping story). Which is a possible explanation for how Chrysalis overpowered Celestia.
Just my thoughts
As I said there's lots of potential there. I'd love to see it explored further!
2397492 Awesome, thank you! Yup, it's very close this time - good luck to you as well!
As for the art, yes I did make it myself. Here it is on my deviantart - UnlicensedBrony on deviantart.
2398991 Indeed
Hopefully AJ's little kick in the flank will get her moving again.
2400758 Thanks for acknowledging my post. I'd try to write a sequel to this myself, but I'd probably suck... Maybe when I can improve my writing skills
2400758 Reading it now. Did I missread or was Chryssi described as being half the size of AJ...?
2400758 I like it, let's see where this goes!
2400758
Well just keep the idea simmering in the back of your mind until it's ready, maybe brainstorm some ideas for it with someone. Changeling puppies would be amazing...now I really want one...
...You've just crossed my favorite pony species with my second favorite Mass Effect race
...You...are amazing.
The dialogue is very smartly written, which made it a joy to read! Great little quip here, I loved it!
2400793 By all means give it a shot if you want to! It's important to try to not worry about whether you suck or not, otherwise it's no fun at all (and, speaking from experience, you'll never get anything done
).
2400852 I could've worded that part better. Not sure how, just yet, but I could have. Since Chrysalis is laying down beneath the blanket, she is half of AJ's height. If she were to stand up, she'd be a lot taller.
2400869 Thanks! Let's hope it goes somewhere, whether it's me or someone else who takes it there.
2400904 Aw, thanks
Hehe. And yes, the idea is now simmering - we'll see if anything comes of it! 
2400957 Thank you very much! I hope to make more soon
2402217
I'm now reimagining the entire Mass Effect series with the Geth replaced by the Changelings...and oddly...nothing changed...it all fits too perfectly. The Changelings even drop down out of the sky like the Geth do! And the Geth ship designs? Insectoid. Dear Celestia this is awesome.
2400758>>2400758 I am writing a Changeling story about them abandoning their Queen and striking out alone, and could use another perspective and thoughts. I don't see them as bugs (their wings are the only reason I think anyone would say that) but I also see them a bit like the rachni. Beautiful, full of potential and misguided, but not for long. Anyways, would love to here from you. PM me if your interested.
2402217 I'll consider it, good author...
2414490 It was a lot closer than last time. Thanks again for the challenge, it's a great push to get more stories out there (and good practise too). Shall we do another draw? PM and let me know if you're game!
It's too bad you're not going to continue this. It feels like the set up to something bigger, and it certainly could be a much bigger story. There are a lot of different things you could explore, the consequences of AJ's actions, how she would feel if this led to her friends being harmed, or how Chrysalis will view Applejack now, might she seek her out as a friend? Spare her in the coming onslaught?
Or maybe the story is best as it is, with endless possibilities. Either way, good work.
I like to think this is what Applejack was thinking;
I'm as bored as buck!
Lets see here if I can rangle an adventure out of old Chrissy here. 
Sorry for the late replies! Lost track of time again
It's not fair that two weeks can just disappear like that!
2428690 Thanks a lot! There are definitely a tonne of possibilities for this, and I'd love to explore it. But, as always, there are a hundred more stories and ideas that I want to explore as well
2462589 Haha, well, that's one way to look at it
Somehow found this story of yours, Unlicensed, and I demand that you continue it after Eyes on You!
Nah seriously, it's fine if you don't, but even if this was a random fic you wrote, there is so much potential to be exploited here. It would be a total shame to let it go to waste...
In hopes that you see and read this comment.
Your pal, Applejack-fan
3712934 I know! I really do want to continue it somehow, and the same goes for several of my other works. Just finding the time and focus to do it (I'm working on it
)
I'll let you know if I come up with a plan for this story! And thanks very much once again pal!
3754442
You're more than welcome, buddy
This needs to become something more.
Hah, nice. Though I have a feeling that in some of the possible futures it comes back to bite Applejack in the plot.
Another engaging read. Well-written too. Thank you for sharing.