The Queen

Well this is awkward.

It is an uncomfortable situation, when one finds them self standing above the near-dead form of someone who tried to hurt their family. Only days after, too. This is where I find myself.

Lying at my feet, two days after the events of the Royal Wedding of Captain Shining Armour and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, is Queen Chrysalis. Not only that, but there is a puddle of blood beneath her, her wings are crushed, her chitin dull and cracked in a few places, and an eye obviously swollen shut. Her chest is barely lifting, and she is limp as a rag doll.

Around her lay the already dead bodies of five of her changeling drones, in various states of dismemberment and disembowelment. It is quite sickening really.

Hence why I am currently on my hands and knees with a puddle in front of me comprising of my last meal.

I am unsure how long I have been like this; the effects my stomach are having on me have caused time to blur. But I do know why I am here.

Eight days ago, I was on my way to Zecora's hut in the Everfree forest to pick up a potion for Twilight. On the way I noticed through the trees on the side of the path that a large swath of branches and bushes had been snapped and trampled, leaving a trail through the woods. Despite the danger it posed, my curiosity snuffed the protests that the sensible part of my brain was spouting, and I followed the path.

I walked down the winding trail of destruction, and eventually it reached a clearing with two Timberwolves deeply sleeping around the carcass of an animal. What said animal was, is up for debate; it was too mutilated to identify. I hastily - but quietly - backtracked, wishing to escape the danger zone surrounding the carnivores. As I followed the trail back, however, I discovered a large, odd-looking grey rock. I examined it, and as I walked around it, I tripped over a root and landed on my belly in front of the stone.

Right in front of my face, was a black hole masked mostly by vines.

I stood back up and brushed myself off before brushing the vines aside, revealing a cave going downward. Ever curious, I made it a goal to explore the cave as soon as possible.

So here I am, at the edge of the Everfree Forest, on the way to go explore said cave, and here I find the Queen of the Changelings.

I pick myself up, albeit shakily, and carefully step over to the queen. I take the stick I have my lunch tied to, and gently prod her with one end of it before jumping back, ready for anything.

She groans and a hoof twitches.

I stand there, breathing heavily, ignoring the bodies around me, and finally muster up the courage to act. I grab some of the vines from the trees around me, a large leaf, and a couple of large sticks, and fashion a hammock. I carefully load her onto it, and drag her with me to the cave.

If she wakes up, I want some answers as to why she hurt my friends and family.

A couple of hours later and I am now sitting upon a small, flat rock inside the cave, with Chrysalis at the other end of the chamber, propped against the wall. I rested her chin on a small outcropping from the wall, keeping her head up and throat unobstructed, allowing her to continue her ragged breathing.

I am eating a sandwich, watching her, waiting for her to do something. I have my stick from before, and now, I also have a small pointed rock strapped to the end of it, fashioning it into a small spear - that's what they always do in the books, make a simple weapon - resting at my side within easy reaching distance. I tried to recall what little I knew of her race.

They are insectoid, with the ability to shapeshift into other ponies - hence the name changeling - and feed off of emotions. Ahh, yes, there's the important part. They don't need to eat like other races, they suck in the emotions from the ponies around them for sustenance. It would make sense, then, that she needs those emotions to heal as well, like how we use the nutrients we garner from eating to heal.

Come to think of it, that would explain why her condition hasn't improved at all. Then again, it's also a miracle it hasn't gotten worse - she doesn't have access to anypony's emotions right now to feed.

Well, except my own.

But I highly doubt disgust and pity are very fulfilling for a meal.

I was brought out of my musings by a surprising display of life from the changeling queen; she groaned and shifted ever so slightly her position. I stopped chewing my current bite of sandwich, and slowly leaned over, grabbing my spear. I held it tipped towards her, and resumed eating.

I had finished eating with no more signs of life from the queen, and decided it was safe to go you use the bathroom. I walked up to the mouth of the cave and quickly went about my business, and returned. This is the interesting part.

Her eye is open now. Glassy and dull, but she is semi-conscious.

She heard me coming back down, and I could tell she tried to leave, because her legs twitched a few times and she grimaced. Then, realizing her plight, her eye widened and came into focus, darting about the room in panic. She started to desperately try and get up, and a couple of the lacerations along her sides started to ooze again.

"Relax. You're only goin to make things worse. You're safe for now, changeling."

I could still see the fear in her eye, but now she was simply tensed up. She let out a small whine, and her eye slowly slid over to look at me.

Wanting to keep an air of superiority, and feeling confident in her lack of mobility, I had walked right up to her, and was eye to eye with her. As such, her vision was filled with draconian eyes only, making me seem larger to her. Her pupil dilated, realizing she was alone in a cave with a dragon.

I smirked, having had my fun. I stepped back and sat on my rock again so she could see the entirety of me; a baby dragon. When I turned back, her expression was quite comical. One eyebrow was raised, the other lowered, her pupil at a normal size, the corner of her mouth turned up, in the perfect 'wtf?' expression. I couldn't help myself, and a few laughs escaped me, genuine mirth expressed.

"Okay, sorry, that was good." I said after regaining my composure. She looked at me, annoyed, and appeared to try to speak, but all that came out was a wheeze, followed by a wracking cough that threw up a bit of blood. I stopped, and after a pause approached her. She grew incredibly wary, tensing again. I held up a bottle of water I had been nursing. "Here. You need some." I held it to her mouth, and still distrustful but left with no other options, she opened up. I slowly tipped the water back, just enough to wet her throat, and paused to allow her to swallow. She pushed the water down with an expression of bliss across her features, and her mouth widened to beckon for more. I obliged, and for a few minutes I slowly fed her the water.

There was already a noticable improvement in her demeanor; she could now afford the energy to maintain a constant scowl directed at me. I bristled slightly. "Well, you're welcome for saving your life. Don't need to say thanks, oh no." I scowled right back, and suddenly surprise donned her features. I turned away and walked over to the supplies I had brought, and grabbed the book I brought with me. I settled down to read and glanced at her just before starting, and this time, it was my turn to be surprised.

She had a look of sorrow, guilt, and regret, showcased across the chitin of her snout. She was staring at the floor, frowning, and her limbs managed to appear even more limp and lifeless then before. I raised an eyebrow at her, curious. "What?"

Startling her out of her thoughts, her eye widened and she met my eyes. Her pupil dilated again, attempting to mask her feelings, but having already gotten a glimpse of them, I could read through her mask. "You can't hide your sadness from me. If you can talk, you might as well spit it out."

She winced at the terse tone I used with her. She looked back to the ground, and appeared to think for a few moments before she tried to speak. She managed to squeeze out a single, raspy word;

"Sorry."

As one will expect, that is the last word I ever expected to hear come from her mouth. I tried to ask her why, but she had expelled enough energy as it was; she fell right back asleep. It had also started getting late as well, so I used some of the paper I brought to map out the cave and left her a note letting her know I had to return home and I would be back tomorrow, and sat it near enough for her to see it. I assume she can read; she had to pose as a pony for most of her life anyway, and that would be a bit of a necessary skill to stay inconspicuous.

As I made the trek home, I lost all track of my surroundings and the time; I trusted my feet to take me where I needed to go. I grew engrossed with my thoughts; Should I tell the others about her? They would want to know, but. . . They were hurt more directly by her, Twi especially. They would want to turn her in. But if they try that, she'll die. So is it right for me to keep her a secret and nurse her back to health?

But if I do that, she could escape when shes strong enough and not answer for her crimes. . . Gah, why did I have to find her?! She is going to add a million complications to my life! I sighed and looked up from my musings to find I was already at the library. I grabbed the door handle and walked inside. "Hey, Twi! I'm back!"

"There you are! You said you were going exploring, but never said where or for how long! I was worried sick!" She said, coming down the stairs with a book levitating in her grasp.

I chuckled. "Yeah, I did."

She gave me a stern look. "Now, Spike, don't lie!"

I gave her a flat stare. "Encyclopedia on The Wild: Tracking Edition."

She blinked. "Huh?"

"You were pulling it down off the shelf when I said it. You missed what I said, so I wrote it down and left a note in the kitchen." I sighed, shaking my head. "Have you even eaten today, Twilight?"

She blushed, chuckling nervously. "Eh heh heh. . . No?"

I groaned. "I'll go make you something."

She grinned. "Oh, thank you!" She ruffled my spines with her hoof, much to my irritation, and I playfully pushed her hoof away, laughing.

The next day, I returned, but this time I had a backpack of supplies; first aid, food, rags for napkins, extra water, a pot and fire starting kit, more quills and paper, an inkwell, and a blanket. I followed the trail through the brush again - it's starting to regrow, going to need to find a way to mark this area - and re-entered the cave. The queen sat where I left her, examining the walls of the cave in boredom. I stopped just out of her line of sight, watching her. She attempted to move a hoof. It quivered and slid out an inch, but thats about it. She sighed dejectedly, and resumed her study of the rocks around her.

"I'm back." I suddenly said, startling her, drawing out a surprised yelp. I chuckled, shaking my head, and walked over to my rock from the day before. I sat the backpack next to it and looked at her. She looked right back at me, straight in the eyes, with an unreadable expression. I grabbed the backpack and started speaking again. "I brought more water, and some food as well. I know you feed off emotion, but I imagine hard food can still keep you alive yes?" I looked back at her, and her eye expressed irritation. "Still can't talk properly? If so, just grunt."

She grunted.

I smiled. "Well, okay. Back to the food; one grunt it will keep you alive, two grunts no.

She grunted.

I waited a few seconds, and after not receiving a second grunt, I nodded. "Alright. I also brought a first aid kit. I don't know what I can use to help you, different body chemistry and all, so I will ask if something is safe. One grunt yes, two no. Okay?"

She seemed to be getting more and more surprised by the care I'm extending for her. But, she grunted.

"Good." I pulled out the kit and walked over to her, opening it up and laying it next to her against a rock. I grabbed some bandages and held them up.

Grunt.

I paused, and then grabbed some ointment for burn care.

Grunt.

Again I paused, and grabbed antibacterial cream.

Grunt. Grunt.

Nodding, I put that back in the kit. Then, I grabbed alcohol. "This would hurt, but I'll need to clean out your wounds. The ointment is enchanted to clean on it's own, but this is our only option now."

She winced, but grunted once.

I nodded again, and bearing the supplies, I walked up to her. I started with the burns, being easier to care for, and applied ointment. Based on the way she just sighed, I'm going to assume it's working. I then took the alcohol after taking care of the worst of the burns, and turned to her. "Get ready."

She grunted, and then grimaced, preparing for the pain. Just before applying though, I though of something. "Hold that thought." I stood up and returned to my bag, grabbing a rag and some water. I walked up to her face and asked. "You can still clench your jaw, cant you?"

She stared at me and grunted.

I rolled up the rag and poured a bit of water onto it. I lifted it to her mouth and explained myself. "We dont want you hurting your jaw or tongue, and you need to drink. I'm going to put this in your mouth, so when you clench your mouth, it won't hurt you more, and you will get a drink. Okay?"

She grunted again, gratitude visible in her eye.

She opened her mouth carefully, and I gently deposited the rag between her jaws. She closed back down on it, and sucked a little water out right away, relaxing as it rolled down her throat. I smirked and walked back over to the alcohol and her worst wounds. "Okay, I'm starting now." I opened the alcohol, and poured a small amount across the length of one of the worse cuts. She made the closest noise she could to a scream in her condition, coming out more as a high pitched, crackly moan. I dabbed it down with one bandage, and started rolling another around her body, gently picking her up to get it all the way around. She whimpered and had her eye squeezed shut, tears rolling from it. I continued to treat her wounds for a good hour, and after I finished the last major one, she appeared more white than black.

I returned to her head after, and she opened her eye to look at me, weary and in agony. I grimaced. "Sorry. I had to."

She grunted once in agreement, so I sighed. I grabbed the water again and removed the rag from her mouth, giving her a drink for the next few minutes.

Honestly, I'm not even sure why I am caring for her so much.

After I finished giving her the water I cooked a little bit of solid food for us, and went off to start exploring. I'm using the inkwell and a quill to mark the walls behind me, allowing myself to find the way back, and I have been marking the general idea of the tunnels on a scroll as I go. My draconic eye sight allows me to see enough in the dark to know where I'm going.

Anyway, back to the topic at hoof; I am baffling myself as to why I am helping this villain. Perhaps, in her weakened state, I simply can't see any threat in her. Maybe it's some sort of morbid curiosity to see how long she will survive. Or maybe I am generally more compassionate and forgiving than I previously thought. I don't know. But one thing is for sure; I am trying to keep her alive as long as possible. I started to descend down one of the passage ways, seeming to spiral my way downward.

She has definitely improved over time, and is regaining her strength. Although even I can tell magic for her will be a long time coming. She has been able to actually shuffle her hooves and wings a couple of inches every so often, so she is regaining mobility. The tunnel stopped twisting and the incline lessened.

Perhaps she will be able to actually walk a short distance in a few days. This is a cause of worry for me however; she might leave, and not properly answer for her crimes. Well, one can argue nearly dying might be enough, but that doesn't mean she is sorry for her past wrongs. The tunnel split in two directions now, one dropping down a pit, and the other elevating, with a stream of water flowing down. I proceeded up, following the water to its source.

Maybe I can not only learn the justification for all she has done, but something about the changelings as a whole. Maybe bring some information to Twilight. I would have to be carfeul, though; she would get very suspicious if I just handed her notes on them. The tunnel continued to ascend, but the sound of falling water grew, and I noticed a large opening ahead with light. I trudged furthur.

I would have to drop hints; ask questions, and say things like opinions, not facts. See how she receives it. But then, my sudden interest in the changelings would cause suspicion. I will need to find a way to make this work. But I should focus on my exploration again; the end of the tunnel is just ahead.

When I reached it, my jaw dropped. I found myself in a massive cavern, stalagmites and stalactites littering the ceiling and floor everywhere, massive pools of stagnant water, and off to the far right, a waterfall cascading from another tunnel opening high up in the wall. The dominant structure to the cavern, though, was one stalactite hanging from the ceiling near the far wall. It was large enough that if hollowed out near the top it could fit a full grown dragon. Along the outside of the stone structure were dozens of holes large enough to comfortably fit four full grown Alicorns, and one hole roughly central in the pillar big enough for thirteen, as best I could tell from my lower vantage and the distance I was from it.

When I examined the surrounding cavern, I noticed a ledge around the walls near the ceiling, leading to a stone bridge connecting with the central pillar that seemed impossible to have been formed naturally. My suspicions of this being a fabricated bridge seemed to have been well founded when my gaze followed from it, down the ledge, to a stone stairwell carved into the wall, proceeding down around halfway to the floor, and stopping at a cave mouth on a ledge overlooking one of the lakes. Under the lake was a dark splotch with light deep within it.

As to the light allowing me to see the rest of the cavern. . .

The stalactites suspended form the ceiling had crystals of various hues protruding from them, charged with natural magical energy. A few, however, followed ther path along the wall and seemed to be perfectly spherical, suspended by stalactites that met the stalagmites below them. They were definitely manufactured, along with the path they illuminated.

I stood there, gawking at the enormity of it all. It was breathtakingly beautiful in its own way, and I found myself having trouble tearing my sight away. When I finally did, I looked at the closest lake to me. It was also the lowest. The stream ran next to it, leading away from the farthest lake from me at the base of the waterfall. I approached the edge of the pool in the depression to look down at it. I found myself curious as to what the water was like. I walked around and down towards it to a shallow patch, and tentatively dipped a toe in it, seeing what the temperature was like.

Hot.

Hot springs hot.

It was only then that I noticed the steam hovering above the lake. As I looked furthur into the lake, I noticed that this one wasn't lit with gemstones, but lava, underneath a thick layer of glass. Not manufactured glass, but natural glass from when lava meets water under certain cirumstances. The heat of the lava was going through the glass into the water, creating a natural hot spring. I slowly lowered myself into it and sighed blissfully at the relaxing sensation. All my worries drifted away, and I grew content.

Then I noticed a hissing sound.

I looked down at the quill I had been using to draw the map, and I had accidentally lowered it partially into the water. It was dissolving. Stunned by this, I lowered my head towards the water and sniffed.

It's not water.

It's acid, one I recognized from Twilight working on chemistry experiments once. It has a sharp, bitter sort of smell, and smelled a little like burned food as well.

Thankfully my scales protected me from any damage, but now, with no method of mapping anymore, I lifted myself from the hot acid pool to return to the surface and Chrysalis.

When I arrived, Chrysalis was awake and had changed position. She had rolled to her opposite side, leaning up against the rock I had propped the first aid kit next to. Her forehooves were crossed, and she had her head resting on them, napping.

Surprised by the massive change in position, I walked over and and sat on my rock, staring at her. Eventually, my stomach growled, reminding me I needed to eat. It also served to rouse her from her sleep.

Her eyes opened - yes, the other one managed to open, so the swelling must have gone down - and she blinked, directing her gaze up at me. Then she surprised me furthur.

"Well, hello again, dragon."

She must have really recovered fast while I was gone. How, I have no idea. But her voice has returned to her. "Huh. Hi."

She leveled a flat stare at me, unimpressed. "How articulate."

My eyes narrowed. "Excuse me for being surprised that you were able to move so much." I deadpanned, turning to my bag and grabbing a sandwich. I glanced up the tunnel entrance to see what time of day it was. I could see the sun, meaning it is on it's descent towards nightfall. A little time left.

I saw her tilt her head at me, a look of curiosity plastered plainly on her features. "Why exactly is a baby dragon helping me anyway?"

I turned back to her, meeting her eyes. "Honestly. . ? No clue."

Curiosity morphed into confusion, and her head tilted the other way. "What?"

I shrugged, chewing and swallowing a bite of the sandwich. "Perhaps I want answers. Maybe information about your race. Maybe I want to watch you die as payment for the pain you caused my friends and family. Or. . . I care more than I thought. I have no idea."

Her eyes narrowed. "Hurt your family? I am not stupid! I have never crossed a dragon! I-"

"Who said I was talking about dragons?"

She blinked, caught completely off guard. "I- but- huh?"

I smirked. "Now who's articulate?" Her eyes narrowed. "The ones I am talking about for my friends and family, are the ponies who raised me. And what you did during the wedding hurt them. Big time."

Her eyes grew bigger and more wary as I progressed. "Who?"

I looked her dead in the eyes. "Shining Armor. Princess Cadance. Princess Celestia. Rainbow Dash. Applejack. Fluttershy. Rarity. Pinkie Pie. And Twilight Sparkle."

With each name, her eyes grew wider, pupils got smaller, and her body trembled more and more. Then, recognition. "Y-You were there a-at the w-wedding! Y-You're T-Twilight's-"

I cut her off. "Assistant. Close friend. Adopted younger brother. And most importantly, close family. You hurt her. Her friends. Her mentor. Her brother. And her foalsitter, turned sister in law. So, yeah. You hurt the ponies closest to me." I stood up and walked over to her, grabbing her muzzle in my claw, staring daggers from scant inches away. "So that's why I'm confused why I am helping you. Like I said though, a likely reason, is a method of revenge. Don't expect forgiveness any time soon. I plan to keep you here until I know what to do with you, though." I turned back to the entrance to the cave, and found it was growing dark.

I looked back to the changeling I was nose to nose with, and I could see the unbridled fear in her eyes at now fully understanding my connections. "I have to get back now. I will be back tomorrow. I warn you, though. Don't try escaping or making loud noises over night; you're in the middle of the Everfree Forest." The fear grew. "I see you understand you can't do anything in your current state. Good. Now, goodnight. Sleep well, changeling." I spun on my heel, repacking my bag and setting off for home, leaving a quivering queen on the verge of tears in my wake.

The Vessel

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I. am. livid.

Something about the way she was talking to me, set me off. I don't know why, I just. . . snapped. She dredged up emotions I didn't know were in me. All my anger came up, and flowed forth. Her being the only available target for it, I ripped into her. And no matter the fact that I am still ruminating on those negative feelings, she didn't deserve it.

I continued trudging back to the library, feeling miserable. I just left a pony in tears, just because she pressed one of my buttons. I kicked a loose stone on the road in front of me, watching it skip as I walked. It bounced and rolled away, going down to the side, ending its journey in a creek. I had no right to do that. What even sparked that outburst, anyway? I tried to think about what she said, wondering what could have not only pushed me over the edge, but hurled me across.

"Y-You were there a-at the w-wedding! Y-You're T-Twilight's-"

Maybe that was it. Her reminding me of the event that resulted in all this mayhem and pain, her just realizing that I am such a close friend as to be family with the one she hurt most. You would think it would be obvious, being only a few days after it transpired. How-

I sighed and closed my eyes, beginning to breath in through my nose and out of my mouth, attempting to calm myself. Okay. Yep, that's a sore spot, then. The fact that she so emotionally devastated the one closest to me, and barely even remembered doing so. The sheer apathy she expressed towards others, only caring what happened to her.

I wasn't upset with how she treated me. I was upset that she couldn't care enough to give a buck about the consequences of her actions. She had no foresight, she lived in the now. And look where it left her.

I returned my senses to the physical plane, and realized the library was coming up a few steps away. I reached the door and pushed it open, setting my supplies just inside next to the entrance. "I'm home, Twi!" I called out. It was just after sundown, and knowing that mare, she would likely remain awake for a couple of hours yet before passing out with her snout pressed between the pages of a book.

I heard a thump from upstairs accompanied by a sharp hiss, and a few seconds after in a high-pitch whine, "Ow. . ." I walked upstairs to find that Twilight had been digging around for something in her closet, and appeared to have slammed her head against a shelf above.

I chuckled. "What the heck happened?"

She shook her head, wincing at the encroaching headache. "I was looking for my compass, map, and star charts. I was going to test some of what I have been learning from a few of my books tomorrow." She turned back to me from the closet, rubbing her head just above her horn and between her ears, muzzle scrunched up and one eye squeezed shut. "Do you mind grabbing me some migraine pills and a glass of water? This feels like it's shaping up to be a doozy."

I nodded and trotted back downstairs to the kitchen to get what was asked. As I poured the glass of water Twilight came down to the kitchen, settling into a chair just as I finished getting her drink. Looking at her for a moment after she downed the pills, I grabbed her an ice pack as well. She gratefully accepted it, pressing it to her head. After a few seconds I figured it would be good to ask, though I had an assumption based on the obvious. "So I know how you hit your head now. What might the why be?"

She chuckled. "I was in work mode. Your yell broke me out of it."

I nodded, and laughed as well. "Yep, just what I thought." We shared a good natured laugh before we settled into a companionable silence. I stood up and went back over to my stuff by the front door, grabbing it all to put it away. However, this resulted in memories coming back of Chrysalis. I sighed thinking about how awkward it will be going back tomorrow.

Twilight caught this, and cast a questioning glance over to me. "What's got you so down all of a sudden?"

I blanched for a moment, thinking frantically. Crap. What do I say? "Uhh. . . Sorry. Just. . . my favourite quill melted in acid. It's nothing really."

Her eyes widened. "ACID?!"

I blinked. Oh. Buck. "Y-yeah, there was a pool of it in the cave I have been exploring. I didn't realize what it was till I saw the quill dissolve."

She grew frantic. "Oh Celestia, are you alright?!" Her gaze began to dart around. "W-we need to get you to the hospital!"

I stopped her by grabbing her shoulder with one hand and her chin with the other, directing her gaze to mine. "I'm. Fine. All it did was clean my scales. C'mon, I can swim in lava. Do you really think acid would have an effect on me?"

Her gaze remained on mine for a few seconds more before she closed her eyes and sighed, visibly relaxing. ". . . No. Seriously, Spike, don't scare me like that!"

I chuckled and hugged her. "Sorry. Didn't mean to. Now, let's head off to bed. I'm getting tired." After I said this, Twilight herself then let out a big, long yawn. She blinked blearily for a second, eyes out of sync, resulting in a chuckle from me. "Looks like you are too. Let's go." She only grunted in response as I led her upstairs. She reached the bed and stepped up, faceplanting in it the moment all four hooves were on it, asleep instantly.

I chuckled yet again, and curled up in my basket for some of my own shut-eye.

I was roused from my sleep by the sudden bath of sunlight sweeping across my face. I turned away from it and blearily opened my eyes, trying to grow accustomed to bright light. "Rise and shine!" Twilight chirped as she trotted across the room, from behind me to the window opposite, and she swung the curtains open there as well. I vocalized my protests quite loudly with a groan, stuffing my face into my bed. So much for getting accustomed to the light.

Twilight Sparkle clicked her tongue. "None of that. It's already ten o'clock on a weekday. Be happy I let you sleep in that long."

"Ugh. Fine." I forced out as I lazily rose to my feet, stretching my arms up and behind my head. I walked over to the bathroom to get ready for the day, starting with a hot shower to wake up. About fifteen minutes later I walked downstairs to the kitchen to find Twilight sitting at the table, nose buried in a book about wild plants and explaining which ones are safe to eat, have medicinal properties, and the like. In the center of the table, where her magic would occasionally grab from, was a large tray of hay fires. I snorted at the sight. "Twilight, what happened to cutting back on the fries?"

She looked up at me over the book. "Well, you weren't around to cook. I needed something to eat."

I gave her a flat look. "We have butterfly orchids in the vase on the fridge. Lettuce, tomato, and cheese in the fridge. Bread in the box next to that. And your magical toaster oven next to that. Make a BLT."

Twilight blinked, then grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."

I sighed, and then chuckled. "Do you ever think about what you eat, Twi?" I trotted up to the table and hopped in a chair, pulling the hay fried over and eating a couple.

Twilight looked up at hearing my chewing and furrowed her eyebrows. "Hey! No hayfries for breakfast!"

I stopped chewing and swallowed my current bite. "Twi, what money did you use to buy these?"

She blinked. "From the jar on the counter."

"And what is that money used for?"

". . . Groceries."

"And who is in charge of getting the groceries?"

". . . You."

"So would it be safe to say, that you used my grocery money, to buy food you didn't need to buy?"

". . . Fine." She pouted as she went back to her book, levitating over a fry and chomping down on it forcefully.

I chuckled again, grabbing as couple more and eating them as I packed up a lunch. I grabbed a handful of gems as snacks for exploring as well, and loaded up my bag with the food and more ink, quills, and parchment. I also got a couple of books for reading if I felt like it. Twilight looked up at me after a couple of minutes. "What are you doing?"

I looked at her for a moment before returning to packing. "Heading out to the cave again. I want to do more exploring, see what other stuff is down there." Remembering the acid, I realized I could do something to make Twi happy. "Want me to bring back samples of things from the cave for you to study?"

Instantly she brightened. "Okay!" I smiled and grabbed a case of glass vials with stoppers, labels, and a few canvas bags, stuffing them in the pack as well.

"Alright, I'm heading out! See you later." She called out a farewell as I closed the door, and I trotted off for my cave.

I arrived to find Chrysalis laying on the ground, head resting on one of her forehooves gazing forward at a rock in boredom as she nudged it around with her other hoof. "Hey." I said as I descended, still slightly put off by the turn of the conversation the night before. She glanced at me, but her face grew forlorn and she returned to nudging the rock. I walked over to my platform and rested on it for a moment, watching her and thinking.

Finally, I forced out a sigh. I knew I needed to break the silence. "Listen, I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't have treated you like that. It wasn't fair."

She blinked and looked at me with surprise. "You had every right to."

I shook my head. "Even if I did, that doesn't excuse my actions. I was raised better than that."

She blinked, and cocked her head in even more confusion. "You were raised to forgive those that wronged you?"

I looked at her. "Yeah. . ? What else would I do, hold a vendetta against them?"

She nodded once. "Of course. Hold it against them until they pay you back for it, willingly or otherwise. What have these ponies been teaching you?"

This was interesting. "Well, I don't know how you were taught, but ponies don't work that way. They don't like conflict. And being raised by them, neither do I. What's the point in conflict if all it does is bring about pain?"

She shook her head. "One enters into a conflict to take what they want."

Deciding to steer this in a more literal way to see where it goes, "Why not just ask for it, or trade what you can afford to give away?"

She blinked. "That takes extra time and cooperation between enemies, which is no small feat."

"What makes you think ponies were enemies in the first place?"

This gave her pause. "I. . . But we. . ." Suddenly her gaze dropped to the floor. ". . . Mother."

Now I paused. She completely turned the tables on me. "I'm sorry?"

She sighed and dropped her head to rest on her forelegs again. "My mother, the previous Queen. She never paid attention to me except to mold me into the next Queen. She drilled into me about how ponies are simply prey, not worth anything other than that. No matter what I tried, she would never offer anything more than cold detachment." She sniffed. ". . . I just wanted to make her proud of me. I thought that by taking Canterlot, the Equestrian capital, and ensuring we had a food source for years to come, let alone enough to stave off the current starvation, I would have done something she would appreciate. Something that gave her reason to love me back."

I was floored. This was the last thing I ever expected. "Where is she?"

"Back at the Hive. She stepped down about four years ago, acting now as more of an advisor. Few of the populace trusts me yet though. I took what Changelings were loyal to me, and we planned the siege. We had been working on it for a couple of years, when suddenly the wedding was brought up. It was the opportunity we had been waiting for." She sniffed again and turned her head away, a lone tear sliding down her cheek. "And look where I led them. To their deaths."

I couldn't think of a response to this. But I did know one thing that always helped ponies when they were upset. Despite my shaky truce with Chrysalis, I went ahead with it.

I walked over to her and gave her a hug.

She startled at this, looking down at me with shock. "No mother should treat their child like that." She stared a moment longer before tears welled up in her eyes and she brought her head down around me in a return of the embrace, sobbing into my back. A few minutes passed before she was composed again and she separated, wiping away the tears.

"Blast. Not having been properly fed in so long has caused my emotional barriers to weaken. I am pitiful for showing my weakness in front of you."

I shook my head, unsurprised at this turn of emotion. "Not at all. I don't consider it a weakness."

She gave me a level look. "Crying over my mother to my enemy?"

I pointed a finger at her. "Someone she taught to be your enemy. Tell me, would an enemy be sympathetic to your plight?"

"You could be dragging me into a sense of false security." She began grasping at straws to justify her mother.

I chuckled and shook my head, turning around to my pack. "I could also simply be refusing to label somepony before getting to truly know them. Although I am upset that you hurt my family, I understand it was for your people. You have a nation to feed. The only thing is, you could have asked for help. Princess Celestia is a very benevolent ruler; she is very inclined to forgive and forget." I turned to the changeling Queen again. "If you were to turn to Celestia in peace and own up for your actions, then put forth an honest plea for help from a dying race, I think she would aid you."

I turned back to my bag and started pulling out supplies, and paused. "Although that says nothing for the nobility. They are a snobby bunch, quite inclined towards putting others down for their own gain." I resumed unpacking, and a few minutes went by before I turned back to Chrysalis with a book in hand to see why she was so quiet.

She had her gaze directed to the floor at her hooves, eyes darting about as the thought deeply. I walked over to her and met her eyes, drawing her attention. "I am going to go back and explore some more. You can accompany me if you wish, but I have no objections to your staying behind. It's your choice. But I have a few books here. You can read one if you like to pass the time." Her eyes expressed wonderment at my actions, and she simply nodded. I chuckled. "Okay, which is it?"

"I. . . I would prefer some company."

I smiled. "Alright. I will pack up here then and help you out. Give me a moment." I returned to my bag, putting everything away again except for my simple map. After donning my bag I approached Chrysalis. "Alright, let's take this slow; your injuries are healing well, but we don't want to reopen them." She nodded, and I carefully lifted one of her forelegs and draped it over my back. She carefully rose to her other three hooves, and we began our descent into the cave.

We slowly made our way down the tunnel until we reached the main cavern, and upon entering, the Queen gasped.

"So what do you think?" I asked, looking up at her from my lower vantage point. She appeared to be incapable of formulating a response. I chuckled and continued walking her, aiming for a stone platform near the body of liquid below the ledge bearing the cave mouth to the stairwell.

The path to our destination skirted the acid lake, and she walked perilously close to the edge. "Careful," I warned. "That lake is super-heated acid." Her eyes widened and she adjusted her path as hastily as she dared, lest she lose her footing, and found herself clinging to my side. Letting another chuckle of mine roll forth, I diverted my attention back to the task of walking us both.

We meandered our way over in silence, following the winding path of stone and sediment to out destination. We reached the flat space of rock we aimed for, and I took a moment to examine the surrounding area up close. There was the body of what I can now confirm as water due to the smell, about the size of an average swimming pool, and at its deepest it appeared to go down about as far as it was wide. Our current resting space was roughly seven meters at its thickest, four at it's most narrow. The edge of the shore it rested off was also the area with the most gradual decline into the pool, and on the opposite end of the standing water and under the surface was the dark splotch I noticed my first time in this chamber from across the way. I was now close enough to discern it being a submerged tunnel, and there was just enough light from crystals within to see an upward slope just past the entryway. On the stone platform in which we stood, a trio of large rocks rested near us, so I lead Chrysalis to the flattest. I removed the blanket from my pack that I had left within it the day before and draped it over the plinth for her to rest on.

"I'm going to explore this cavern for a bit, so if you would like you can rest here." I offered to the queen, pulling out and setting up the rest of my equipment. I could see her slowly make her way over the makeshift bed and lower herself onto it in my peripheral vision. When I turned to her again, confusion laced itself into my features.

She was laying there facing me, forehooves crossed, and snout turned to her left. Her eyes were directed to the ground, mane shielding them slightly from view. But looking more closely I noticed the chitin over the bridge of her nose and what I could see of her upper cheeks was a few shades darker than normal.

She was blushing.

"Um. . . what's up?" I slowly asked. Rather than snapping at me as she had last time, or as I expected, she turned her gaze back to me with a soft expression.

"I. . ." she hesitated, gaze darting back to her hooves as she nervously played with the hem of the blanket. "The only times I have ever been treated like this are by my adjutants, and out of fear. But. . . you legitimately enjoy doing this. Helping others, that is." She paused once more, and looked out to the cavern main. "It destroys everything I was ever taught about ponies and dragons. I feel lost in an unknown world now."

At last she met my gaze again, and I could read the genuine emotions held in her eyes, matching her words. "This is all both terrifying, and. . . oddly enough, refreshing and reinvigorating all at once. It's too much to process all at the same time."

I smiled. "Here," I handed her the books I brought with us. "Read while I explore. It will give you a chance to work through things without having to focus on them. Plus, sounds like a bit of an escape will help you."

She looked at the books in surprise before letting forth a proper smile. ". . . Thank you, Spike." She gently took them from my grasp and set them to her side before picking one and settling to read.

All while I stood slack-jawed, not believing the words I just heard her utter. After a full minute of simply gawking I shook out of my stupor, and gingerly gathered the sampling materials I brought, irrationally afraid any sudden movements or sounds would shatter the tentative friendship I had managed to form with the Changeling.

For a couple of hours I simply sampled what I could of the cave—the acid, water, stone, moss, algae, crystals. . . Everything that caught my eye. Throughout it all, Chrysalis merely sat and read from her book, the slight shuffle of paper on paper as she turned the pages being the only sound to emanate from her.

Finally deeming my sampling adequate to sate the voracious appetite of Twilight's curiosity, I returned to our outcropping and packed them away. Pulling out my food, I set to prepare a meal for the two of us: A daisy and haybacon sandwich with orange juice for her, and a handful of tourmaline with mineral water for myself.

Laying her food on a towel next to her, she distractedly mumbled her thanks, leaning forward for a bite while turning a page before rooting her eyes to the text once more. A grin split my features as I hopped onto the third stone, taking a quick swig of my drink before leaning in to take a bite.

Before my teeth made contact I hesitated, withdrawing to observe the precious stone again. This is a nice one, I thought to myself, examining the features of it. It was twice as tall as it was wide, and a quarter of the width thick; roughly the size of a pony eye.

Turning it over I completely froze, wide-eyed and shocked: I nearly ate a possession of mine with great sentimental value. This was a gift to me from Twi's parents, I realized. How did it get in with my snacks?

Etched into the surface was a letter from Night Light and Twilight Velvet, stating how happy they were for me, how they considered me their own son despite no genetic relation or official documentation denoting me as such. According to Equestrian courts I was more along the lines of Twilight's son due to her hatching me, but we viewed each other more as siblings than anything else. The last of the letter on the gem was them wishing me luck in Ponyville, hoping I quickly settled into my new life.

I flipped the stone over again, returning to the perfectly polished back. In my mind's eye there was a reflection of my two surrogate parents rather than my own.

I can't eat this. I decided with finality and a sharp nod to myself. I looked up and around, thinking what to do with it, when I spotted what appeared to be a small hollow in the wall to the side of the pool. Trotting over I found a small cubby, about a foot deep and a foot wide, two thirds one tall. On the ground in front of it was a stone slab slightly larger than the opening that it appeared to have fallen from.

Placing the tourmaline within the wall I then lifted the rock plate and took a few seconds to properly wedge it in place. Satisfied with my handiwork I stepped back, marking the location in my mind.

Blinking, I shook my head. What possessed me to do that? I wondered. Shrugging, I returned to the rest of my meal, making quick work of it.

After eating, I stood back up and stretched, ready for the last chunk of exploring for the day. I grabbed my tools for it and was about to set off, when I decided to look back behind me at the pool of water. I stared at the submerged cave for a moment before directing my eyes to the cave on the ledge above me, pondering the two. Deciding to give it a shot, I put my things back thanks to their not being waterproof and turned to Chrysalis, who had been staring at me curiously.

"I'm going swimming for a few minutes." I told her. "I want to see if there's anything to the cave under that water."

She blinked for a moment before shrugging and returning to her book. "Try not to drown yourself. If you die, I will have no one to care for me, and I will die too." She said, earning a pause from me.

"Um. . . okay." I lamely said in response, unsure of how to take that.

I turned back to the water and stepped up to the edge, preparing myself. After a moment I walked forward and down the incline into the pool, quickly finding myself up to my waist. The water was a little cool, but not uncomfortably so, and smelled strongly of the minerals it was saturated with. Deeming this far enough, I closed my eyes, held my breath, and jumped forward, diving under the surface. I merely floated at first, feeling as though trapped in a void of black with my eyes closed. When I could hold my breath no longer, I pulled upright, kicking off the bottom of the pool and swam up, breaking the surface with a mighty change of breath. Wiping the water away from my eyes and opening them again, I held my position at the surface of the water, enjoying the feel of the pressure around my entire body, and the water washing away my stress.

Finally relaxed, I opened my eyes again and looked around to see where in the pool I was. Slightly off to the left of the pool, with Chrysalis at my right and the submerged tunnel at my left. Adjusting my bearing, I aimed for the tunnel and started forward towards it. Upon reaching it I held my breath once again and dove under, opening my eyes below the surface this time. Thankfully, my draconian nature grants me a second set of eyelids for precisely this situation; I could still see clearly without having to let the hard water irritate them.

Now swimming towards the cave mouth below me, I examined things from the different perspective water grants. The undulating ripples of light at the bottom; the soft, slightly pulsing glow from the crystals; and all the little pockmarks and holes in the stone, granting a likeness to some sort of coral reef. When absorbed all at once, it was breathtakingly beautiful.

The entrance to the shaft now loomed over me, and I glanced ahead to try and see where it went before proceeding. It appeared to only be about thirty feet long, and it sloped up at the end to surface once more. Kicking lightly I proceeded forward, again examining everything I found myself passing by. As I made my progress to the opposite end, I neared the wall to my right, where a cluster of pearlescent crystals grew. Their colour seemed to shift as my angle in relation to them changed, and I slowly when I reached them. Grabbing ahold of one of the more average sized crystals of the bunch, I braced my feet against the wall and snapped it off, turning it over in my hands.

Naturally formed in a shape like that of basalt stacks in cliff faces, it had six sides with a flat top, about an inch in diameter at the widest part and five inches long to where I snapped it from the base. When looking at one of the faces straight on, its colour was an opaque white with the slightest off-tint of a green glow. Returning to my journey through the water, I reached the slope back up to the surface. Breaking it, I once again loudly expelled my previous lungful of air, taking in the stale air of the cave again. I swam to the edge of the water and sat there, feet still submerged, and looked at the crystal in my hands without the water surrounding it.

Still the same white with green glow, but I could now hear a slight hum from it. Putting it to my ear, I listened. As I listened, my eyes widened upon finding the gentle sound adjusting, matching the double-thrum of my pulse. Holding it in front of my face in wonderment, I rolled it in my grasp for a moment before giving it a sniff.

Lemon?

Pulling back in confusion for a second, I then brought it to my mouth, taking a bite.

Which I then proceeded to violently spit back out.

Blegh. . . like chalk.

About to toss the unappetizing thing away, I chanced one more look and found myself hesitating, giving it a second glance. There, embedded in the jewel, was a smaller one, the size of a pea and more richly coloured lime green. Using a claw to scrape away the stone around it I snapped the little pebble of a gem away, holding it between to claws. Immediately, the glow left the rest of the crystal, and it assumed the colour of limestone. Blinking for a moment at the odd event, I turned back to the smaller stone.

The glow was much stronger with the little thing, and it pulsed still with the beat of my heart, in perfect synchronization. Sniffing this one now, the smell of lemon was strong to instantly clear my sinuses and make my eyes water. Wow, potent stuff. Still not fully trusting the stone, I gently licked it, holding off on biting.

My face scrunched up. Nope. Still gross.

Still being curious about the properties of the mineral, I looked back into the water, and saw another cluster of similar gemstones near the surface of the water. Wading over to it, I broke off a half dozen of similar sized stones, ranging from about three quarters thick and four inches long, to an inch and a half thick and seven long. Holding them in my grasp, I turned around to examine the cave I found myself in.

Similar to the rest of the cave before, but as I looked in the direction it went, I could see the cavern again. Smiling, I trotted up to the cave entrance, and looked down. There, below me, was Chrysalis on the stone slab next to the pool of water, reading. Looking to my left, I could see the stairwell carved into the cave wall leading up to the spire. "Hey, Chrysalis." I called down lightly, startling the changeling and causing her to flail for a moment.

She looked up at me, eyes wide. "How did you get there?!"

I smirked. "The cave under water connects up here."

She stared for a second before looking below the water. "Huh."

Chuckling lightly, I took in another lungful of air and closed my second eyelids, and I dove off the ledge into the water below. Surfacing near the side, I climbed out of the water and walked back to my backpack. Putting the crystals in with the samples, I then packed up the rest of my equipment again. "Anyway, I think that should be good for exploring today. I'm heading back home."

She nodded. "Very well. I will see you in the morrow then?"

I thought for a moment. "Maybe. I should probably stay home and help Twilight at the library, but I will stop by on my lunch to see you and eat. Maybe bring another book for you, too."

She nodded again. "Thank you. I would greatly appreciate it."

I smiled. "No problem! Anyway, have a good night!" I called back as I worked my way back out of the cave. She offered a polite wave in return, and nothing more.

New Years Shipping Challenge: Spike & Chrysalis

by Kaille

The Queen

The Vessel