Set immediately after D=S-M, the dethroned Queen of the Changelings escapes her prison and is found succumbed to her injuries by an unlikely savior. As their journey begins and war brews, the two become unlikely heroes in a world of betrayal
"You taught me that even the fallen can get back up again."
A side story set immediately after the events of D=S-M and before D=S-M2, the renegade and dethroned Queen of the Changelings, Chrysalis, escapes from a derelict dungeon located deep under the Crystal Empire's palace, once used by the tyrannical King Sombra to contain his most powerful of enemies.
Fleeing across Equestria as a broken shell of her former self, Chrysalis is found succumbed by her malnutrition and mutilations by the hooves of her torturer by an unlikely savior that nurses her back to health.
As their relationship deepens and their journey takes them unwittingly towards the longest and bloodiest of wars to ever plague Equestria, Chrysalis comes to terms with something she had never thought she was capable of.
(It is recommended to read D=S-M, but not entirely required.)
(If someone has a link to the author of the picture I would appreciate it. That being said, I do not own the picture and if the author demands it so, I shall have it removed as soon as possible.)
“I have stood exactly where you are. Smug and basking in the glorious invincibility of the weakened shade that was my progenitor, but, unlike you, I had the tenacity to make sure her life was extinguished before she had a chance to formulate a single thought of vengeance.” Chrysalis shifted forward, moving until the shackles drew taut and pulled back at the crystalline choker around her neck, her face grimacing.
Cadence stared through the small porthole in the door, her eyes unsympathetic to her discomfort. A hoof played with a golden chained necklace about her neck to which held a very curious looking trinket. “You brought this all upon yourself, Chrysalis. You kidnapped me on my wedding day and tried to steal the love of my life… all to satisfy your hunger… no, killing you is of little use to me. But, alive, on the other hoof… that is an entirely different subject matter altogether.”
“When I escape from this prison, you will wish I had killed you on your wedding day. Your feeble little holdings will only last so long and I have all the time in the world to kill you. Eventually, you will make a mistake; trust me, Princess, I will find that opening… and when I do? There will be nothing you can do to stop me from ripping you apart limb from limb. I will reclaim my title and my army and then, I will flatten the Crystal Empire like I have done to so many kingdoms before… your home will burn to ash and I will slaughter every single one of your subjects before your very eyes.”
The Princess’s eyes narrowed through the porthole of the cell door, silently challenging her to do so. Then, after breaking into a smile, she shook her head. “Without your horn, you are useless," Cadence lifted the necklace, revealing the dismembered jagged horn that onced belonged to the exalted Queen, “your power and your army of drones is now mine to command. I have integrated them peacefully with my subjects so that they may never fear to grow hungry again. They reviere me. I am their saviour and do you know what it took? Compassion. Something you, Chrysalis, can never think to comprehend. You have nothing—no, let me rephrase that. You are nothing. All of this? It is all your fault. You underestimated me and that was your final mistake, Chrysalis.”
“Ah-ah-ah! Is that the correct tone to address your elder, Cadence? It’s Mother, to you,” Chrysalis sarcastically tutted, “at least have the manners to address your parent appropriately… and you? A pony? Come now, my daugh—”
“You did not birth me so don’t you dare ever call me that again!” Cadance snapped, her amethyst orbs fading into a balefire of green. “You tainted me… warped my body… you changed me into some kind of hideous monster and I have been hiding that shame ever since that day! If Shining were to ever find out… he would…”
“Just, your body?” Chrysalis smirked. “I think a lot more has changed than that. The transmutation process must had most certainly messed with your head, as well. I doubt very much you would had done something like this,” Chrysalis gestured to the stump where her horn used to be, “in the past… am I right?”
Cadence’s eyes lowered, then slowly drew up, her muzzle turning into a vile sneer that broke the natural, youthful beauty that she possessed. “I will make you wish that you had never set a single hoof back onto Equestrian soil. You will remain forever down here, rotting away until there is nothing left of you… and, just to make sure your suffering is extended, I am going to come here and feed you just enough to keep you barely alive...”
“Such harsh words for a Princess that signifies love and compassion… you’re beginning to sound like a true Queen of the Changelings. I am so proud of you... I could never had imagined you would grow up so fast and into such a fine specimen.”
“I am nothing like you!” Cadence growled angrily. “I will never be anything as vile and as twisted as you.”
"No, you're right," Chrysalis droned dryly, "you're far worse… for you see, I had the decency to put the one that turned me into a Queen out of her misery the moment I realized my position. I accepted it with open hoofs and all the power it would bring. Unlike you, I do not deny my purpose in life and I certainly do not play with my spoils, like you do… I had a sense of mercy. So, do I honestly think you are anything like me? Hardly, my dear. I think you’re worse. A lot worse.”
The fallen Queen beamed a smile that seemed almost content. She loved getting under her skin. “I wonder what will Shining Armor say when he discovers—”
A spark of green and pink bolts sprayed into the small, hoofcarved cell, covering Chrysalis from head to hoof in a maelstrom of magic, causing her to tense up and drop hard against the ground, screaming in agony and writhing against her bonds in a useless attempt to escape the vicious onslaught.
Green magic-fire smothered Cadence entirely, the flesh upon her muzzle fading into a dark chitinous material, her teeth bearing sharp, deadly fangs as she spat her words in anger. “You are in no position to threaten me! You best keep that serpent tongue of your's shut! Or this pain you are feeling right now? It will be mild in comparison if you continue to test my dwindling patience."
The inside of Trixie’s trailer was dimly lit; the entire chassis of the wooden carriage shaking as a terrible storm raged on outside. The black, ominous clouds cracked a thunderous cacophony of electric from time to time, growing more frequent as the storm droned on; blazing the inside of small living space with a blinding flash of light that allowed the pony to better observe the large creature that she had placed in her bed.
Originally, Trixie had suspected the object that laid in the road to be some kind of strange rock formation, considering the chitinous material displayed a number of holes randomly dotted across the Changeling’s body and, when you complete the entire ensemble with exceptionally long, mossy green wet hair clinging tight to its thin, malnourished frame…
She looks… almost… feeble?
Again, the situation hits her like a ton of bricks.
I must be crazy… what in Tartarus am I going to do?! I just… this is perhaps one of the worst ideas I have ever had. I mean, sure, I’ve had a few bad ones but this? This definitely takes the biscuit.
After all, this was not just some ordinary drone—this was the Queen of the Changelings, resting in her bed… and she was the one that had put her there!
I-I know she’s dangerous and all but… but her body… she looks nothing like her posters… she’s thinner and… it’s like looking at a completely different pony… uh… bug? Whatever she is…
Trixie had used her magic to levitate the large creature into her abode and, upon her inspection, she had noted a great many differences to the information that she knew about the Queen.
I think she needs a doctor… I mean… her wings… where are they? The wounds on her back; it almost looks like as if they were pulled out, or something… and, her horn? What happened to her horn? It almost looks like someone had taken saw to it and...
Trixie gulped.
Just what could had done this to the entity that almost took over Canterlot and even bested Princess Celestia in single combat?
She looks so thin… and she’s breathing really funny… Oh, what if… what if she dies? She must had lost a lot of blood when her wings were… um… removed… I mean, the wounds look quite fresh so... what kind of monster could do such a thing?
Whatever the answer, Trixie certainly hoped that whatever had done it was not still after her.
Trixie shifted nervously on the spot at that rather scary thought, taking herself away from the bedside to move up to the carriage’s bolted shut door and to stare outside of the window.
“Well, Trixie, you certainly chose the time to be compassionate to somepony else… I mean, just what are you going to do with the most powerful of the Changeling—wait a minute…” Something had occurred to her, causing her ears to perk in excitement. Her eyes had widened. “The posters… they said they had a reward for any information that led to her capture...”
A thousand? Was it a thousand bits? I can’t remember but…
Her mind raced with the possibilities of this most fortunate outcome.
What if I hand her over in person? M-Maybe they’ll give me more? Maybe… just maybe if I say it it was I that captured her, then, wouldn’t that make me some kind of hero? Ponies would reverie me! The Princesses would honor me and… and if I use that to my advantage… I could sell out shows across Equestria with no problem at all!
Smiling wide, Trixie stole a glance back to the immobile entity, listening to the short shallow gasps it was taking.
Id finally get the recognition I deserve… and get stinking rich off of it, to boot…
Turning about to silently walk back to the bed, Trixie gnawed at her lower lip.
“But, what if she wakes up and isn’t as weak and feeble as I think she is,” Trixie whispered to the air, as if the wooden walls that surrounded her would answer back, “and then… eats me?”
Isn’t that what Changeling’s do? Eat you?
Trixie was not entirely sure if she wanted to find that out.
Nervously, Trixie glanced to the bedside cabinet, releasing a trembling sigh.
M-maybe if I…
She glanced from the heavy candlestick, then back to the sleeping face of the monster she had just only realized that could very well wake up at any given moment.
Using her magic, she levitated the lit candlestick up and then glanced down to the Changeling’s head, then trailed a path back to the heavy brass bottom of the object she now held suspended; ready to strike with every single ounce of force she was prepared to muster to complete her sinister purpose.
I-I can do this… sh-she’s not a pony… she’s a monster and… it doesn’t say… t-that they need her alive and…
Sweating profusely, Trixie sucked in a deep breath through her nose in an attempt to calm her nerves. Unfortunately, it did not help one bit. She was debating on killing another living being after all and, although she has done many terrible things in the past, she had never once thought of physically causing harm to anypony before in her entire life.
Well, not to this extent of finality... there was a rather long list of ponies she would love to give a good slap with the back of her hoof.
“I-it’s me… o-or her…” Trixie swallowed hard as she brought the candlestick high above her head, her magical grasp trembling rocked side to side in a poor attempt to motivate herself to finally do the deed.
With one final gulp of air, Trixie moved her head to lunge the candlestick forward, only to stop midway when she heard a pathetic and hoarse whisper.
“I-if you’re going to kill me, just do it already…”
Stunned, Trixie opened her eyes, taking a sudden step back as she met eye-to-eye with the Queen’s half-lidded emerald gaze staring back at her.
“I-I…” Trixie stammered, fear gripping her heart as she stumbled over a stool she had forgotten was close by, causing her to lose her magical grip upon the candlestick. As it clattered to the ground, the the flame upon the wick was forcibly snuffed out, throwing the room into a momentary darkness; brightened only by the occasional flash of lightning.
However, when the darkness did once again encroach to blacken Trixie’s sight, the Queen’s tired gaze; like two green serpentine beacons shining in the night, was more than enough for Trixie to keep her gaze transfixed in horror upon the thing in her bed.
“Did I scare you? I-i I might be weak right now, but I can manage this much... but, It’s okay, pony… I’m tired, now… I just want to rest... besides if I wanted to stop you, don't you think I would had done so by now?”
The Changeling Queen’s voice, sent every hair on Trixie’s body to stand up on end. Even if she sounded weak and feeble, there was a quality to it that just simply instilled some kind of fight or flight response.
It was the voice of a predator; an injured and perhaps dying one, but, still… something that was still able to instill fear and to intimidate without little effort.
“I… wasn’t going to…” Trixie began, but was immediately interjected by a dark chuckle.
“I saw it in your eyes, pony… I know that look so well... it’s okay… it’s only natural to eliminate your enemy… it is the order of things… go on… do it… become a hero and kill the Queen… it is what is best for Equestria, right?”
Trixie could not contain herself. She was shaking like a leaf in the wind; confused as to why she was being encouraged to end some other pony's life.
“You… you don’t want to live?” Trixie asked meekly. “Why?”
“It is as I said… I am tired… and I am in so much pain… I just want it to stop… besides, I have nothing to live for… no place to call home, or a family… nothing to depend on me… I’m alone… so please, let me die alone and in peace...”
The beacons of green faded as the Queen’s eyes drifted to a close and, as the lightning threw Trixie’s carriage into a wash of white, she saw something that tugged at her heart she had never thought possible.
She... She's like me...
The monster was crying. Her hideous face was covered in fresh tears that fell across her chitinous flesh like a water skating across a leaf.
Taking a step forward, Trixie levitated the fallen candlestick up into the air, using her magic to relight it so that she could properly see the Changeling’s position.
Opening her eyes for what she felt like was one last time, the Queen felt a smile tug at her lips upon noticing the determined expression upon the face of her executor. She wanted to drink in the pony that would finally put her to rest. To make her enduring pain finally ease on into the afterlife... not that she believed in such a thing.
“Thank you," the Changeling whispered, "you... you are doing the right thing."
Slamming the candlestick down, the flame flickered violently as the base came into contact with the hard wood of the bedside cabinet.
The Queen winced at the noise, but and half expected it to land a fatal blow—or several, onto her skull. Instead, she felt her head lift up from the soft hay and then for an even stranger occurrence to commence.
Embracing the Queen, Trixie bit so hard on her own lip that she had broken the skin and had caused to bled.
W-what am I doing? It's like I'm hugging a damned Manticore and not expecting myself to be eaten!
“I-It’s okay. I a-Im not going to hurt you.” Trixie whispered nervously.
Don't eat me. Don't eat me! DON'T EAT ME!
"Huh?" Came the confused response from the Changeling.
“I… don’t think I could take another’s life… I’m… not that kind of pony… I... I don't know what I was thinking and... you deserve to live. You, deserve a place to call home and... well, that is what I believe anyway... I mean, I... I don't exactly have a place, or a family either so... maybe Trixie thinks you should not think like that...”
Stunned, the Changeling could do nothing but accept her fate. She hadn’t the energy to lift a single hoof let alone reject this sudden display of affection… and it was affection that was what she so desperately needed.
It made her hungry.
“You feed on love, right?” Trixie muttered. “I’m being compassionate right now so can you just, do it is whatever you do to feed? Do you like, drink my blood or something?”
“It... doesn’t work like that… and… w-why are you doing this?” The Queen asked. “I… but, I’m… I’m your enemy. I tried to enslave your kind... ”
“You’ve done nothing wrong to me directly, so… yeah...” Trixie responded, still hugging the monster in her bed. Granted, she was absolutely terrified and half expected to be gutted at any given moment. But, still, she still embraced the chitinous thing as gently as she could, even if it felt like she was trying to hug a suit of armor. “B-besides, I’m not exactly well-liked myself. I’ve done some pretty bad things in my time… well… most of the time… So, can you just, like, hurry up and do whatever it is you need to do? I am not sure I can hold up this amount of courage for much longer.”
Stunned into a momentary silence, the Queen moved her muzzle to rub her lips into the nook of Trixie’s neck. She felt the mare tense up, causing the Queen to chuckle. “I’m not some kind of vampony… I’m a Changeling… what you are doing is enough.”
“Oh.” Trixie remarked, somewhat a little disappointed. “So… T-Trixie just hugs you? And… that feeds you?” She blinked. “How does that even work? I was expecting something a little more… monstrous?”
“There are other methods…” The Queen grinned to herself. “None of which I really don’t think you want to be a part of.”
“Yeah, no… no thank you.” The mare made a face of disgust. “Sorry but you’re not my type. Or gender. Or anything.”
"Urgh... Could you please just kill me? Your voice is annoying."
Trixie blinked. "Excuse me?"
"But thank you," the Changeling whispered, "this is the kindest thing any... pony has done for me..."
"N-no problem." Trixie nodded a little stiffly. "Just... just stop smiling against my neck... I-I can feel your fangs and it's freaking Trixie the hell out."
