Water For Changelings? {OPEN}

[Deleted]

The road back from Manehattan was a long one. Fangy clopped down the road, pulling her carriage loaded with books and luggage. The sun was shining down hotly and she'd already been out here for a long time. It didn't help she was wearing a thick cloak to cover herself. It was too much work to keep up a disguise the entire time. The only thing that showed under the hood was locks of her sapphire colored mane. She kept her head down, watching the road disappear underneath as she continued. Fangy knew that she was close enough to Ponyville that she wouldn't have to worry too much more... Still, it was so hot. She guessed winter was saying goodbye. Spring was basically here. Fangy coughed, holding her chest. She needed water. Fangy was fine on love, but her water supply had run dry three hours ago. Great... Fangy briefly glanced up to survey the road before her. There had to be somewhere she could get some. Or someone who could give her some...

[Queen Chrysalis]

Planning. Plotting. Her takeover was moving so much slower than she had anticipated, and she was getting antsy. Chrysalis built a small replica of Equestria (As best as she could remember from the atlases she'd seen) out of bits of sticks and rocks. Small, black pebbles served to show where her still-loyal scattered changelings were. (Of course, one larger pebble served for her location. Not too far out of Ponyville, but still far enough the wandering pony wouldn't stumble on her war table)

Then a sound hit her ears. A pony with a wagon, a heavier wagon from the sounds of things. The traveler would be thirsty, and tired. An easy combination for a quick meal... Chrysalis covered her map with some brush, taking on a disguise. Deciding on one would be difficult, not knowing who she was disguising for, but she went with her go-to. A Midnight blue mare, with a silver-white Mane.

She walked out of the treeline just up the road from the cloaked traveler. Sure enough, the traveler looked weary, and Chrysalis gave a quick smirk which turned instantly into a look of concern. "Oh, my, you look tired. Perhaps you should take a rest, and probably a bit of water?" Chrysalis asked, levitating up a Canteen (Which she had procured from a Pegasus back in Appleoosa) full of clean, cool water. She slowly levitated it toward the traveler for them to take, her face kind.

[Deleted]

The young Queen froze where she stood. Crap. She didn't expect someone to just appear immediately after thinking it. She hadn't even had enough time to change into a pony form. The flame would be too noticeable. Fangy made sure to keep her head down and spoke softly. "O-Oh, thank you... You're too kind." Fangy kept her hoof down. The mare would be able to see the holes in them. Instead, she lit up her horn and took the canteen. She gulped down a portion of the water. Ohhh, it was so refreshing... Her throat felt so dry after pulling the wagon all day. "Thank you for your charity. It's most appreciated." Fangy pulled her cloak tighter, despite how hot it was. The last thing she needed was to be found out. Out here, where nopony could see anything... Fangy didn't want to hurt anyone and didn't want to be hurt.

[Queen Chrysalis]

A quick scan of the pony as she took the drink told Chrysalis a few things. This pony was /really/ into books. This ponies voice was soft and light, with a bit of fear behind it. And, probably the most interesting fact about this pony; She wasn't a pony at all. The holes in the darkly colored legs. Chrysalis knew this effect well. It was a Changeling she was talking to. How convenient for her to have found yet another changeling that wasn't part of her hive mind. Perhaps from another hive nearby?

'Penumbra' put on a light smile after a few moments. "It's alright, dear. Helping and paying it forward and whatnot, right?" She said, walking around the changeling and her cart to get a better look at some of the books, wondering if there was any rhyme or reason to their collection. "You're a changeling. Aren't you~" Her voice didn't sound scared, it sounded more happy and intrigued. "It's alright, I'm not afraid of them. In fact, I'm a fan of them~ I've been researching them at the Academy in Canterlot!" She said, crouching low and trying to see below the hood. A gentle magic grabbed the edges of Fangys cloak and pulled it back slowly.

"It can't be comfortable with this cloak on. You don't have to hide yourself from me, let yourself get a nice breeze on that lovely chitin of y..." The sentence was stopped short as 'Penumbra' caught a glimpse of the changeling under the hood. A Cute, thin face, a light blue mane. This was a queen. But not just any queen. Chrysalis KNEW this queen. The pony stumbled back a little sitting down with a hard thwump as she watched Fangy, and the magic dropped the hood back into place. There was no way, she was seeing things. She had to be.

[Deleted]

'You're a changeling. Aren't you~' So much for keeping a secret... Fangy didn't move as the pony crouched low and started to pull back her hood. No point. The pony seemed more-What? The young queen frowned. No, that look on the pony's face. Fangy cleared the distance that had been created when the pony stumbled back. That look was not normal. That was recognition. This pony recognized her. No, nopony could recognize her. No pony could. "You know me. You know me! Who are you?! You're not Silver or Mirage... You're someone from the hive, aren't you? Just... Just stay away! I'm not going back!" Fangy shook softly which was caused by a mixture of fear and... something she couldn't explain. But, she stood her ground.

[Queen Chrysalis]

"There's not much of a hive to go back to." 'Penumbra said, still in a bit of disbelief. Her eyes were no longer a purple hue, instead taking on a light grin with a slitted pupil. She stood, her horn flaring to life again to pull the hood back to confirm her suspicions. "Fangella... It IS you..." She said softly, lowering her head slightly. "When I let you leave..." She paused, biting her lip and looking away. "I never thought I'd see you again. I thought you'd have been found and locked away by now."


"But here you are... A Year after the siege, and you're still alive and well." She said, her horn flickering to life as the disguise started to peel away, starting at the horn and slowly revealing a long, crooked horn, Sickly blue-green mane, and a black spiky crown. Her size rose about another foot in height, though it wasn't very noticeable where she was sitting. After a few moments, the slow change finished, and Chrysalis looked at Fangy, eyes somewhere between happy to see the young queen, and sad that she'd been gone so long. "Hello.... Fangy."

[Deleted]

Those eyes. Fangy knew who it was before the pony even had to continue. Let her leave...? Never thought she'd... Fangy didn't know what to feel as the the pony's formed shifted into one she knew all too well. Chrysalis. Better known to her as Mother. Fangy peeled off her cloak and threw it on the wagon. There was no need to be secretive now. She was standing beside the changeling who led an invasion on Canterlot... Not much room for secrecy there. "Hello... Mother..." Was that the proper greeting to give Chrysalis? The queen responsible for the invasion of Canterlot... But she was still her mother. Maybe that counted for something... "This is... strange. I guess it's... interesting to see you again?"

[Queen Chrysalis]

'Hello Mother...'

The words almost caused Chrysalis to shudder. They hit her with a sourness that was almost tangible. Chrysalis put her water away carefully, not letting the changeling out of her sight.

It's true this was her daughter. And Chrysalis was her queen. However... Fangy was her own changeling now. She had been away from the hive for quite some time. Was she working with the ponies now? Was she going to tell everyone that Chrysalis is still around?

Is Chrysalis gonna talk, or is she gonna stare at Fangy all day? Clearing her throat, Chrysalis began. "I haven't seen you since the day I let you leave... It's good to see you're still alive... have you found your drive yet?" Fangy had left to find her true purpose, right? Find out how she would rule?

[Deleted]

This couldn't be happening. This had to be a dream. A nightmare. Fever dream. Any moment now, she'd wake up and find out she had passed out on the road from dehydration... Why couldn't that be the truth? Instead, Fangy stared at her mother. Good to see she was alive? Fangy didn't know if she could say the same... But, what was that about her drive? "My drive? What are you talking about? I... You... You think I left to find some sort of purpose?" Fangy took a step forwards, frowning. "I left because I hated it there." She spat that word out with as much venom as she could muster. But... "I... Maybe I didn't hate it at the time. It was the only home I knew. But, now that I know what the world's like?  Now that I know what you... what you did?" All those ponies... Those ponies Fangy lived beside now. "I'm never going back." She spoke the sentence breathlessly but she was sure Chrysalis could hear it. "I'm never being a queen! I'm going to stay at my bookstore and I'm going to find someone who will love me for who I am, and I'll love-" Fangy bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears that suddenly begged to be released and any more words that could slip out in her heated and emotional state. This was too much. Too much, too fast. Her mother found her. She was alive. She thought... She let her leave... She... Her mother... "I don't... I don't want to be a changeling."

[Queen Chrysalis]

Chrysalis quietly listened to Fangy. Until she stopped speaking. Not interrupting, knowing Fangy had to get a lot out of her system. Then, she stood tall, over the almost-crying changeling. She looked down at Fangy with the same eyes she used to use when she stood in front of her army. Cold eyes, eyes that were going to get straight to the point.

"What I did, I did for the life of our hive." She said, looking about to make sure they were still alone. "We feed on Love. We can't survive unless we get that. This place is full of it. Food for the entire hive, food so our kind can THRIVE" Chrysalis spoke the last line with a growl, stamping at the ground before shaking her head.

"You don't want to be a Queen. You aren't strong enough to see what I've seen. Hunger plaguing my Changelings, I can see their fading life through each and every one of their eyes. I can /feel/ their pain. I can hear the silence when the hunger takes hold." Chrysalis said, her eyes not sad, but angry. "A Queen needs to take responsibility for the fall of her hive. I'm not ready to take that responsibility. I'm not ready for my hive to fall." She shook her head, turning away from Fangy.

"You don't want to be a Changeling, and you want to fall in love and have a storybook life." Chrysalis illustrated the point by levitating up a book, opening it and showing a picture of a Prince and Princess, living happily ever after. "But try being with someone that loves you like a spouse, and your nature will take hold and you will drain them for all they're worth." She said, looking to her Coldly. "Trust me. I know how an unconditional love feels. Even if it wasn't for me, there's no denying that emotion. No ignoring your urges to feed." She paused, chuckling weakly.

"You don't want to be a Queen or a Changeling... Then it seems You're no longer my Daughter. My scouts will be hunting for you and the other defectors as though you're one in the same. No more special treatment. Goodbye, Fangella. Next time we meet, I won't be so kind." And with that, a fire flickered up around Chrysalis, ready to pull her away from Fangy, and out of sight of the other changeling forever.

[Deleted]

This... This was her mother. Fierce. Cold. Fearsome. Like a blizzard that rolled over all in its path. But... she had to see all of that? To feel it? That's what it meant to be a queen... All she could think about was how disconnected the actual rulers of Equestria must have felt from their citizens in comparison to the changelings. But, that one thing she said. Why that one thing? "A Queen needs to take responsibility for the fall of her hive. I'm not ready to take that responsibility." What did that mean? That Chrysalis wasn't a real queen in her own eyes? No, that couldn't be it. It was more... she'd do anything to make sure she didn't have to take responsibility for it? Why did they have to do that in the first place?! It didn't need to be like this. She wanted to yell at Chrysalis. To tell her she was wrong. Fangy could control herself! She could! If it was with someone she truly loved, she could do it... Right? The next words that left her mother's lips hurt Fangy much more than she expected. Not the fact she'd be hunted. Or she'd have no special treatment. No... For some reason, it hurt for Chrysalis to say Fangy was no daughter of hers. It did more than hurt. It killed her inside. Why? Fangy hated her! She'd hated her for so long! She'd held onto that horrible feeling in her heart for so long. Why did it hurt so badly? "M-Mother..." She'd been close to crying before. Tears streamed down her cheeks now. "Mother, please! I-I'm sorry! Don't go!" The words tumbled out without a filter. She couldn't help herself. The thought of losing Chrysalis as a mother hurt her so deeply, despite all the feelings Fangy had previously harbored. She ran towards her mother and skidded to a halt right before where the flames flickered. "I just wanted to be loved! I don't know what I'm doing out here on my own! I barely know what to feel! I just feel... I just feel alone! Pl-Please... Mother... Please don't leave me... I'm sorry! I don't... I don't know what I'm doing..." Fangy had left because she wanted to find love. She wanted to just be free to make her own decisions... Pretend like she wasn't what she was. Maybe if she pretended hard enough... Nothing. It wouldn't work. She'd still get up in the morning and see her reflection and feel so empty inside... "What do I do? Wh-Who am I? I-I need you, Mother... Please..." At this point, part of her even wondered if she could go back to the hive. Like it never happened...

[Queen Chrysalis]

Chrysalis used her magic to turn Fangys head slightly to look to her. Her face was that of a mother. Kind, compassionate, caring. She smiled at Fangy. "You want to be loved. As does anypony else." She said, releasing the magic from Fangy. The flames died down around the queen, forgotten for the time being.

She took a few steps forward, closing the gap between her and Fangy, and walked past her, to the cart Fangy was pulling, and the books. She pulled the corner of the tarp up and out of the way, looking through some of the books before pulling two out, and returning the cover to its rightful place, putting the books in her own pack.

"You don't NEED me." Her voice was once again cold, and she wasn't facing Fangella. "You didn't need me when you left the hive. I didn't need you in Canterlot. And you don't need me now." She looked back to the other Changeling. Her slitted pupils narrowed slightly, a thought moving through her mind before she looked away again. "I wont hunt you. But that is the only help you will receive. If you are going to Live among the Ponies, you deserve no benefits from my hive." She said, licking her fangs with a slight Smirk.

"Thanks for the books, Fangella. They'll give me something to do while I wait." The Horn flared again. The Flames reappeared. One jet licked at the bottom of Fangys cart, but didn't ignite it as it quickly wrapped the queen up, taking her away from the area, returning Fangy to silence. A Single bottle of water sitting where Chrysalis once was. A bead of condensation rolling down the side, hinting at its Icy Cold nature.[/b][/b]