Gloom of the late evening has set over the rolling hills and grassland spreading everywhere around the three changelings other than directly ahead. What does lie directly ahead in the distance is a twisted, dark treeline managing to look like a wall of danger.
"Huh..." Chrysalis, walking next to the two warriors pulling the battered cart, looks into the distance, "Somehow, this took longer than expected and felt rather quick at the same time."
The Everfree Forest, a place of danger as well as safety for most changelings, yet a place of memories for Chrysalis.
"We're almost home..." she breathes out.
"It will still be weeks before we get to the Badlands with this cart, Your Majesty," reports 68.
"Badlands isn't my home," says the queen, "It's just a place where we can always hide after screwing everything up so badly that there's nothing else left," sensing the lack of understanding coming from 68 and 96, she asks, "Have you ever been to the Everfree outpost?"
96 shakes his head.
"The ruins?" 68 raises an eyebrow, "Once or twice. There's nothing there."
"The ruins used to be the seat of changeling power under my mother's rule," explains Chrysalis, "I hatched there, I spent my early years there, and it's a place I was thinking of the strongest when... when we failed in Canterlot. If there are survivors other than those we left after the whole Riverside incident, their instinct would have guided them there. If any of the top ranks managed to reach the outpost, there are resources there which they can reach to make sure they recover."
"68?" 96 looks at the other warrior.
"I have no idea," she shrugs.
"Not you two," Chrysalis shakes her head, "Only the few I truly trust out of the top thirty would know. Now, before we get there I would like to dive into the hive mind again."
"Umm..." 96 stops himself.
"Yes?"
"N- Nothing, Your Majesty!"
"Speak," she simply says. To her surprise, it's 68 who replies.
"Your Majesty, please, don't take this the wrong way, but... is that wise?"
"Hmmm?" Chrysalis raises an eyebrow.
"We are about to enter an extremely dangerous territory where the two of us might not be able to fully protect a defenseless target, and we haven't had much in the way of regaining love recently. Wouldn't it be better to wait until we get to the outpost?"
Instead of answering, Chrysalis charts several routes on the mental map of the Everfree, transmitting them to both warriors.
"Follow these," she turns around and walks onto the cart.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" the warriors nod.
I need to know as much as I can about what I'm facing before I can let it spread to other changelings.
She closes her eyes and concentrates.
***
I must be getting better at this.
Chrysalis slips into the hive mind with ease, almost feeling as if she's being invited, which admittedly might exactly be the case. Realizing that, she steels herself, because getting complacent now could be her downfall.
From what I've seen and heard so far, Shadow was one to attempt coexisting with ponies, and queens who tried that were almost pleasant to be around.
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They're EVERYWHERE!
FanfictionNo one really knows how many changelings were present during the invasion of Canterlot. Unfortunately for the rest of the world, it also means that the love explosion scattered them all over the surface of Equus. These are stories of their Queen and...
