Well, here we go again. But this time with a time skip!

I did say they'd come

I must admit, I've been quite enjoying the rapid hate this story's Princess characterization has managed to attract. I've already mentioned this in a comment, but I never made this story with the intention of bringing out such…interesting responses to Celly and Lulu.

Ah well, mark of improvement I suppose :D

The starting Pov will be different from usual, but if you like, see it as an outsider looking in. Who the outsider is, is…well, that'd be telling.

Begin!

Remembrance

(Eight Months Later)

Pov

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Have you actually given the slightest bit of thought to what might happen should he prove of stronger will?"

A snort, derisive laughter.

"You are ever an amusement, sister. Perhaps you should give your current role and take up that of a jester?"

"I'm serious! It has barely been ten months since your accident. Are you so quick to forget what happened the last time you underestimated somepony?"

A short bout of silence, the sound of breathing being all there is to act as a counterbalance.

"I have not forgotten, and I will never forgive. But that was she, and it is not she whom I seek to break down."

"You will not break him down, that is not what I asked."

Another snort.

"Fine, I will bring him to our light. Is that better?"

Another bout of silence…

"Do what you need to do, sister. But remember that we only need to know where he is. If you cannot bring him around, then at the very least decipher his whereabouts."

"Very well."

"And do not push yourself, you have only recently come into your full power again. I would be most displeased if you pushed too hard and only hurt yourself."

"…very well."

A nuzzle, fur against fur, a comforting gesture.

"And now we wait."

"…and now we wait."

Richard Pov

If someone had told me when I was an angry young teen that I would one day arrive in another world, be forced to spunk in a cup to save the locals, fall in love with what is basically an alien species, and then become more or less half of that species.

Well, I'd likely have asked what they fuck they were on and where I could get some?

What can I say, I wasn't a perfect youth. Though I grew out of drugs pretty quickly, as in after my first and only acid trip that fucked me up so badly I had to go to the hospital.

And then have a word with the fuzz…

And then get the shit kicked out of me by my then gang of buddies because they thought I'd snitched the name of their dealer. I hadn't and they ended up finding that out later, but by then I was gone and they were nothing to me.

My teenage years were a lot like that. Skipping school, drinking with the lads, beating up some unfortunate kid with acne because he'd had the sad luck of looking one of the more angry boys square in the eyes.

I still remember his squeals of pain, it made me laugh at the time.

Now it just makes me nauseous.

I look back at the boy I was as little as I possibly can. I don't like him, no in fact I rather despise the little shit. He was a touchy, angry(ier?), violent, sad excuse for a Human being. He liked to go out with his other shitbags for friends and fight for the fuck of it. He liked to walk down a dark road behind girls his own age because he found the way they panicked and ran to be amusing.

He was a disgusting little maggot, he was a waste of air better tossed into the nearest furnace and forgotten about.

He was…

"He was me…"

Chrissy looked at me, her expression unreadable though her emotions were not. I could feel sympathy, pain for the pain I felt…and a little recognition, as if it were all somewhat familiar to her.

"It took finding Emily again to snap me out of it," I continued, rubbing my chitin covered arms absentmindedly. "If I hadn't then I think I would have likely died ages ago…or at the least gone to prison for something horrible."

"Your past shames you?" she asked, almost rhetorically.

I sniffed, amused as I looked at her and cocked an eyebrow. "I never looked back at it and smiled, not before I found her again."

"What about before she was taken from you?" Chrissy asked softly, her eyes flicking down to my arms as I retracted the chitinous armour, only to bring it out again with ease. "Do you not have any fond memories before, perhaps when you were still with your mother?"

I smiled somewhat fondly as I remembered my sister's youthful laughter, the sound of her voice as we ran in the back garden chasing each other.

"Yeah, I suppose," I admitted quietly after a minute or two had passed. "I don't remember our Mom much, she was either working or drinking. She rarely ever had time for us, I ended up doing more or less everything in her stead. Making dinner, helping her with her homework even though I had enough of my own. I was a different kid before we were left at the orphanage…and even more so when Emily and I were separated."

"I can…see, I can see both of you. How old were you?"

"Sixteen, she was ten," I replied, anger rising as I remembered Emily screaming for me, my attempts to reach her subdued by men I couldn't possibly hope to fight.

"It wasn't your fault, they were bigger than you, stronger," Chrissy soothed, even with my eyes closed I could sense her nearing, her muzzle close as she nuzzled my nose.

"You can see them?" I whispered.

"I can feel them, I can feel that man's hands holding my shoulders. It's so tight, it hurts…"

"You don't need to-"

"I want to," she cut across, her voice soft as her lips kissed mine ever so gently. "This will help you, I will help you. Keep going love."

I paused, but the memories threatened to overwhelm me if I stopped. I could feel them, feel magic coursing through me as I my anger grew, as my hategrew.

"Shhh…"

And then the hate subsided, a far more powerful emotion gently smoothing its way over and around it, smothering it.

"I'm here with you," Chrissy intoned softly, her scent calming me. "They're just memories, Richie. They can't hurt you, I won't let them."

I breathed in and out…in and out…and then exhaled as I let go of my anger.

"I think that will do, Chrysalis."

I blinked and looked to the right, taking in the ghostly form of Queen Naerx. The dead Changeling was smiling at the both of us approvingly, her eyes settling on me after a moment.

"Well done, Richard," she said. "It's been a fair few months, but I think you're making good progress now."

"I hope so," I replied, rubbing my eyes wearily. "I hate the dreams I have every time we do this."

"I know love," Chrissy said soothingly, placing her hooves in my hands. "But I agree with Naerx. You're making great progress, we both are. This is the second time you've let me in, and that's fantastic."

"Better than the first time you tried?" I joked, smiling as she rolled her eyes.

"You mind is strong, Richie. Even without consciously doing it, your mind put up a fight to keep me out. I still have that damnable tune in my head."

"Shooting stars is a good tune, I like it."

"Yeah? Have it repeat over and over in your head for a month and then see if you still like it."

"Tetchy."

"Idiot."

We smiled at each other before she leaned in and kissed me, my slowly depleting chasm being filled up once more with the love she gave me.

It'd been about six months or so since we'd begun our little therapy sessions. Ten months since I started to learn how to control my magic…and seven months since I almost died to it.

Chrissy had started small at first, not so much as mentioning a spell until I managed to gain a firm sense of my magic, where it was and how to bring it to the surface. Doing so took some time, a fair bit to be honest. Thankfully however, time was something we seemed to have in abundance, safe as we were in Chrissy's old hive.

I'd seen it in all its splendour, weaved my way through the catacombs and visited each and every room the hive contained.

All four hundred and fifty two of them…all empty save for whatever the previous occupants had left behind before they went with Chrissy for her failed invasion. My stomach had twisted unpleasantly when I noticed that a fair few had what appeared to be cots made from the material that was the hive.

I was confused until I remembered that Chrissy had once told me that her children could have children of their own, though only one or two.

But perusing her children's past wasn't going to aid in gaining some form of control over my magic, and so I continued, testing and probing, sensing and feeling until finally…I found it.

And brought it to the surface.

I couldn't see my eyes obviously, but I could feel the power as I had opened them, looking at Chrissy's clearly proud gaze. It had taken three months to bring it out of me, to find it.

"I know you're not a child, Richie," Chrissy said. "But my children couldn't do what you have done until after their first year. And that was with the hive mind helping them, you only have me and I've not done no more than guide you."

It was a happy day for both of us…and then it horribly wrong.

I still don't know why but I had woken up angry and Chrissy was hesitant to probe, although I could sense her curiosity. I had sat down, practicing bringing out the armour that Changelings had naturally, although me being me, mine was underneath the skin.

And then I wasn't there anymore. I wasn't sitting down but rather standing up, watching, glaring, filled with hate as I strode up a flight of stairs. I watched as two of Celestia's guard raced forwards towards the almighty cunt herself, hate and anger driving me to force my newfound power out of me and towards her.

…but my aim was off and it hit the two guards instead. The two Pony's gave nary a cry before I heard their helmets collapse and crush their skulls.

"I didn't mean to kill them, but they shouldn't have gotten in my way!"

The Princess looked at me with an expression I savoured. Horror, fear, dread…for so long had I been nothing to her, to them, to her disgusting species. But now…

She was saying something but the anger…it roared in my head, the magic, my magic cried out for justice, for vengeance.

No words were going to appease it.

"Shut the fuck up, Princess! Ever since your disgusting pet stole me from my world, you and your kind have done nothing but look down at me and I couldn't do a fucking thing."

I looked up at the ceiling, at the fancy patterns belonging to a mare who had given me nothing but grief since I arrived. Who had bribed me to stay, to help her, knowing that I would likely die on the streets without her aid.

She had me…had had me.

I laughed and looked at her once more, ignoring the pleading expression, the…her eyes…the…

ANGER

Who gave a shit about her eyes, her expression. She was nothing to me, nothing but an obstacle…nothing but dead.

"But now I have power," I continued, my voice far calmer than my emotions. "Now I have magic. And you…well, now you're dead."

Magic flew from my eyes…but the world fell beneath me as I fell with it. I could see…see memories, memories of me, of my youth, of…of Emily.

All gone now…I had nothing and no one. I was alone…and I hated it!

"Richard!"

My eyes opened…but I wished they hadn't. Chrissy was leaning over me, her eyes wide and frantic, tears spilling down onto her muzzle.

"Chrissy?" My voice was…it felt weak. "W-What happened?"

"Oh, Richard you…you…"

"You died, Richard," Naerx's voice came from behind me, her head entering my vision a brief moment after. "Your magic was about to connect to your love, it's what powers it and strengthens you. But before it could, it connected to something else and you…you were overwhelmed. Your body couldn't handle it and shut down."

"Shut down?" I echoed, distracted suddenly as Chrissy whimpered against me.

"Your heart stopped, Richard," she whispered, lip quivering as her distraught gaze met my eyes. "It…you…It was like someone had cut your strings. You just collapsed and…and died."

I didn't say anything for a bit, choosing instead to sit up and hold Chrissy against me as her body became wracked with sobs. We stayed there for a while, possibly a day…I didn't know, I didn't care.

From what little I could get from Chrissy, our bond had fractured when I died. Even though I had only been gone for a bare fifteen seconds or so, it was enough to damage it. And so to repair it we had to stay close, be close…and I had no problem with that.

Naerx had explained more later, had told us that something deep inside me had stopped my magic from connecting itself to the love I had. Something inside me wouldn't let it and had chosen instead to try and connect it to a far more deadly source of emotion.

Hatred.

From there Naerx had suggested that to perhaps kill two birds with one stone, Chrissy and I try to connect further, try to make our bond so strong, so powerful that nothing break it again.

Not even death…or at the very least not for a bit if it happened.

And hopefully as we did connect further, became closer than ever before…we might find the root of my emotional difficulty and fix it.

At first I had believed what she proposed to be some form of magic.

But as it turned out, Chrissy and I began to kind of act like each other's therapist. We'd talk about anything and everything, and though it took a while to talk about something of greater substance, we ended up learning more about the other.

Like how she hated the colour blue, and loved the smell of strawberries.

Like how she disliked any stubble I grew on my face and removed it whenever I was distracted, which basically meant sleeping. But how she loved my natural eye colour, even though it was blue and she hated the colour.

Have I ever said how little females make sense?

After a few months, I found that I could…well, see her memories whenever she let me. I could hear her thoughts when we looked into each other's eyes. I could feel her love for me in a whole new way…I could feel it before she gave it to me. I could feel it raw…and it felt wonderful.

As for myself…that took a lot longer to gain any form of traction.

My mind, as Chrissy had put it, was locked up tighter than a Minotaur's wallet. She tried, gently of course, but she tried again and again to probe, to gain any kind of wiggle room inside.

And even though I tried everything I could think of to let her in. My mind or whatever was protecting it just wouldn't give.

Until one day, many months later, it did. She got glimpses of something, of memories and faces, and places. It was gone quickly, but progress had been made. And as we then found out, it was the heavy stuff in my life that made it so.

And today we had finally, finally made greater progress. Chrissy had done more than see a memory, she had felt it as if it were her own. And as she did, I felt whatever it was blocking the connection loosen somewhat.

Not much…but still, progress.

The day was good, it was very good.

And then Chrissy said something I would never, ever forget.

We were sitting beside each other, simply enjoying each other's presence as we bounced emotions off of our now reasonably powerful bond. The silence was nice, as soothing as her warmth as she snuggled against me.

"Baby," she murmured sleepily, not opening her eyes as she buried her muzzle into the crook of my neck.

"Hmm?"

"Don't be mad."

Now my eyes were open, though only slightly as I peered down at the blush on her face.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Nothing…not yet," she replied, voice not quite as sleepy now, though she kept her eyes closed. "I…do you remember when I asked you that question?"

"You're going to have to be more specific hon, you ask me a lot of questions."

She snorted quietly before opening her eyes and gazing up at me, a rather adorable expression upon her face.

"When we woke up after coming here," she continued, a tiny bit of nervousness leaving a slightly sour taste that I deliberately ignored. "I asked you a question and you told me that you didn't know…that you'd have an answer but not then."

"Ah."

"Ah?"

"I…I don't really know what you're getting at love?" I answered, trying as best I could to remain diplomatic. "Are you asking the same question?"

There was a pause. "Yes…and no," she replied, confusing me further. "I've been thinking about it for a while…ever since you gave me your answer. And our sessions, they've let me know you in a way I never did before."

"Okay…"

"W-What I'm saying is…is that I'm wondering if you'd be more inclined to have a family if it looked more like you?"

I looked at her as she opened her eyes and peered up at me, a definite shyness in her expression as she bit her lip worriedly.

"I…I don't understand what you're saying, Chrissy?" I said, baffled at her words. "What do you mean more like me?"

"Human."

I opened my mouth and…kind of left it there, looking like an idiot. But in truth I was stunned, I didn't know what to say.

"I'm…you…what?"

Chrissy let out a nervous giggle but stayed put, looking up at me with that same shy expression.

"I've been thinking about it for some time," she explained softly. "I think…and please correct me if I'm wrong. But I think the idea of having hundreds of little Changelings terrifies you a bit?"

I opened my mouth-

"Please be honest with me…please."

And closed it for a moment, trying to formulate a response.

"It…does I suppose, but it's nothing to do with that they're not Human, I'm not Human anymore, at least not completely."

"So it's the numbers, the amount that concern you?"

"Yes, no…it's not…" I took a breath and sighed. "I never knew my Dad, and my Mom was never around. I just don't think I'd be a great Dad, let alone a Dad to hundreds of kids. I like to pretend it never affected me but it did and I just…I just don't know if I'd be a good enough parent, never mind a bloody King."

If she disliked my answer, her expression certainly didn't say so as her smile widened a touch when I finished.

"Being a King takes time, and I'd help you with that. Being a parent, a Father is more important than being a King. As being a Mother is more important than being a Queen. They're just titles love, in the end we're just a Mom and Dad with a shit load of kids."

I chuckled, enjoying the happy emotions I received in return.

"I think you'd be a great Father," she continued, smiling up at me encouragingly. "Regardless of your own parents, you told me how you cared for your sister. How you took care of any and all of her needs before your own, and that was when you were a child yourself. You were more than a brother to her, whether she knew it or not."

I fought back at the traitorous tear that threatened to escape…but I did hear her, I understood what she was getting at.

"But if it is a number thing then why not just have one…a child like you?" she finished, cocking her head as she bit her lip nervously.

"Why not like you?"

"I couldn't just have one, Queens can't. We lay eggs in hundreds, not one or two."

"But then how-"

"Did I know your species can only have one or two?" she interrupted, a crooked smile upon her face. "I've seen the Ponies have at most two at a time. The Griffons can have one, though they can have two but it is rare. Minotaur's can sometimes have triplets and Yaks…I don't know. In any case I've seen inside your head, saw bits and pieces of memory here and there. I got a glimpse or two at your females and they don't look like they can give birth to hundreds."

"They can't," I agreed, somewhat amused. "Though there was this one woman who had eight at once…but that was about a one in a million chance. Usually we have one at a time, though twins aren't rare and we can sometimes have triplets too."

"I think one sounds perfect."

It was like the weight of her words finally landed, the question she was asking came to the forefront of my mind once more.

"So…if I could change, become Human like you. Would you…I mean, a child…you and I?"

"I…" I paused, thinking and yet not really thinking of anything at all. I just paused. "Yes…"

Her ears perked up, eyes beginning to shine slightly as her smile grew wide. "Yes?"

I looked down and felt a crooked grin begin to form, a soft chuckle escaping me as I answered.

"Yes hon, I think I'd be alright with that."

"Really?" she sat up, beside me though not touching as she was before. Her eyes were big, shining bright as her smile threatened to break her face. "You mean it. You and me, a child, a family?"

"I mean it, love," I said, nodding as if to solidify my words. "You and me, a child, a family. Together."

She made to come close, but was stopped when I raised a hand, the Changeling looking at it quite confused.

"But how?" I asked, watching as her confusion seemed to melt away, an almost cheeky smile upon her muzzle.

"It's called a true form, Richie," she explained, her voice tinged with joy still. "It's rare and not done nowadays, at least not that I know of. But Naerx has shown me how to do it, it was…well, it was common in her day."

I blinked. "A true form, is that like a transformation?"

She shook her head. "Transformations are masks, but a true form...it's as real as me. I'd still be me, a Changeling, I'd still have my original form. I'd just have one more."

"What, how?" I asked, disbelieving. "H-How is that even possible?"

Chrissy smiled softly at my expression and stroked my cheek, the love I felt flowing from her and into me clearly expressed within her eyes.

"Changelings...we can be anything, anyone we want to be," she continued, her tone calm, kind. "But we can only become someone that we know, that we've seen. We look into a strangers eyes and from their essence do we draw upon our power to become them."

I looked at her, baffled. "But then if that's the case, how can you transform into a woman? You said it yourself, you've only seen glimpses."

"There are exceptions to the rule, love," she said, smiling at me. "In your life, you must have seen hundreds of women. And we're connected, Richard. We share a bond so deep, so strong. I admit that even after all this time I still barely understand it myself. But I know that from it I can look into you, and see what you've seen. And from that, I can create a form all my own. I need only the basic shape, my magic will handle the rest."

"What about organs?" I asked, watching perplexed as she looked down. "I don't know how to even start describing where and what every organ is, let alone bone structure. How can your magic do that?"

Chrissy, for the first time in our conversation looked...well, nervous.

"I'd need someone closer than a random female for that, Richie," she replied quietly, looking at me almost shyly, worried. "Normally this isn't the case, the shape would be on this world to begin with. But you're special...my special mate." She stopped talking, but the emotion, the raw strength within it told me a thousand words.

I meant everything to her.

"Naerx knows as I said, and we've...discussed it and we both agree that in order for this to happen, we'd need to enter the great hive mind. From there...well, you'll be able to talk to her again."

"Her?"

Chrissy smiled and spoke a name oh so softly. "Emily, love. You'd be able to talk to her again."

For a few moments I couldn't breathe, her words echoing in my mind.

'Talk to her again...Talk to her again...Talk to her again...

"How?" I croaked, voice suddenly dry. "It wouldn't really be her..."

She moved close and pulled me to her, nuzzling my nose in a comforting gesture. "This is what makes our species different from the rest. They would shun it, despise it, call it dark magic. But it's not, it's not I promise. The great hive mind would take every ounce of essence it can from you, every ounce of her essence that remains. Every touch, every memory, every word and from it, it can retrieve her memories and bring her back within its mind, if only for a time."

Chrissy looked at me and smiled softly, wiping away a tear I didn't realize had fallen.

"You'd be able to speak to her again," she whispered lovingly. "I know how much her death haunts you, but with this you'd finally have closure. And from her, I'd gain knowledge of how to create a new form, a true transformation. I'd be like you...and we can have a family."

My mouth opened once, twice…

"When?" I croaked.

Chrissy looked up, seemingly at nothing…and then looked back at me, smiling.

"How about now?" she asked softly. "You'll close your eyes and fall asleep. And when you open them again, she'll be there…and I'll be there with you."

I took a moment, I took a breath, then two.

"I really, really love you."

She smiled. "I know."

Before I could say anything else, before I could so much as move, her horn lit up and touched my head…and the world fell away.

Chrissy vanished.

Her presence, her warmth, her touch left me.

And I stood alone in the darkness.

"Richard?"

I froze…I knew that voice, I knew it…

And so I turned around, slowly, ever so slowly and looked at-

"You…" My eyes widened and I quickly tried to back away, to move but I couldn't. I was stuck, I couldn't move!

"It's alright, Richard. I'm not going to hurt you."

Emily…wasn't standing in front of me.

It wasn't Emily!

IT WASN'T EMILY!

It was Luna.

Dun, dun, dun!

And I'll leave it there! Probs some typos, I'll sort them out in the morning if so.

Cya, stay snuggly! :D