Well, it's been some time now hasn't it?
So much has happened since the last time I updated anything. I left my job and got a new one looking after those suffering with dementia. But as with most things, I became unwell and so it didn't last. Now I am back home, living again in the same place where I first started writing Never Judge A Bug By Her Cover.
I guess my muse stayed behind, eh.
And so here we go, I do so hope some of you come back to read this. I know it's been some time and so interest may have waned. But if you stick around, you may just find it to be as enjoyable to read as you did so long ago.
So without further ado…
Begin!
Naerx
Chrissy Pov
Before I could even begin to enact my plan, a vast wave of purple energy swept through the corridor, a sharp sizzle emanating from it. All too aware of my unconscious mate slumped atop me, I wasted no time in erecting a barrier against it…only to watch in disbelief as it crumbled to dust as its touch.
I braced myself as it passed through me and almost collapsed in pain as I felt my disguise become undone, the very essence of who I was impersonating being ripped away from me by the unforgiving magic.
"Fuck me," I hissed aloud, gritting my teeth as I carefully righted myself. "I can't transform in this…bubble!"
And what a bubble it was, my eyes following its path as it phased through the palace walls. I could feel its presence around me, supressing my powers of transformation.
'But is it only transformation?'
With nary a second thought, my horn lit up and its power reached out to one of the guards Richard had killed, a smile upon my muzzle as I effortlessly picked her up and tossed her aside. Concentrating again, I tried to teleport only to hiss as the feedback of the failed spell reverberated through my skull.
'Almost all magic still works then, just not the teleportation or transformational side of it.' I bit my lip and focused for a moment, deep in thought. 'It's Celestia's pet, has to be. She unveiled me before, it's not too far a stretch to believe that she can do so on a scale this size. But still…'
Sometimes the Ponies could surprise me. The magic was powerful, very much so to constantly negate a side of my own magic.
'I should have drained the life from her when I had the chance,' I lamented, vowing silently to do so if I encountered her again. 'Still, at least I'm the only one who's-'
A soft groan snapped me from my thoughts, a clear pang emanating from Richie as I swiftly turned my head to look at him. His face was contorted in pain, eyes flickering a bright green behind his eyelids as his mouth twisted into a grimace.
"Richie, what's…" And then it hit me, hard and unrelenting.
'It's suppressing his magic too, but it can't…he's raw, his magic is raw. If it's supressed when so young then it'll kill him!'
I cursed myself for not considering the possibility sooner.
Of course Richard's magic would be affected, it came from me. And whatever bubble had encased us didn't discriminate. It didn't care that it would inevitably crush him with his own magic, it didn't care that his magic hadn't developed its barriers to stop such yet, it was brand new. As long as I stayed within the bubble, he was dying.
I had to leave, now!
Wasting no more time, I pushed myself into action and took to the air, caring little for anything else as I blasted my way through the nearest wall and flew outside.
Briefly taking in my surroundings, I noticed that I was hovering above the Royal Garden which thankfully appeared to be deserted-
"It's the Changeling!" yelled a gruff male voice, diverting my attention to the right where a small platoon of guards were soaring their way towards me. "After her, stallions! With me!"
Cursing, I secured my magical grip on Richard and powered my way upwards, rapidly gaining altitude through a mixture of strength and desperation.
'I can breathe easier up here, they can't. I should-'
A brief flash of orange light was all the warning I received before a sharp line of magic brushed inches from my face, almost knocking me off balance. I turned around and looked in disbelief as the group of guards continued in their pursuit, a strange orange glow coating their muzzles.
'Fuck, they can breathe as well as I can, perhaps ever better.' Realizing that gaining altitude would only hamper myself, I abandoned my first idea and went with another.
I could only grin at their faces as I stopped using my wings and allowed myself to fall, rushing past the fools as they flew on by, flapping their own wings too hard to suddenly stop. Once I was certain I'd reached a low enough altitude, I resumed my flying and used the sudden drop to propel myself forward.
By now I had flown beyond the palace and upon descending slightly, realized that I was somewhere to the east of Canterlot in general. There were only fields of wheat and green ahead and behind me.
And yet I still couldn't access any kind of transformation.
'How is that bubble so far out from Canterlot. It can't be, nothing can cover that far an area without…without…oh…'
I was right, the bubble couldn't possibly cover both Canterlot and beyond…unless the one who cast it was its point of origin, and carried the bubble with-
"CHANGELING!"
A shout caught my attention, the sheer volume of it being easily carried through the wind, almost forcing me to lower my ears out of reflex.
To my right, a truly massive carriage was being pulled forward by four muscular Pegasus, an all too familiar bitch sitting atop it.
But it was the irate Pony flying beside the riders seat that caught my attention.
She was an Alicorn I had yet to meet in person. Her coat was a dark blue, her mane a wavy mass of stars hidden within the dark of night. But it wasn't either that caught my attention. It was her eyes, filled with an anger and loathing that even without my feelers I could easily sense.
"SURRENDER AND RELEASE RICHARD TYLER AT ONCE!" she commanded, her horn aglow with powerful magic. "OR WE SHALL WREST HIM FROM YOU AND YOU SHALL PAY THE CONSEQUENCES!"
Wave after wave of hate were rolling over me, all of it coming from her. There were so many reasons for her to dislike me, but the sheer volume spoke…well, volumes about her intentions, and how serious she was in her threat.
What else could I say but…
"GET FUCKED!"
I didn't need to look at her to know how she took my response, the harsh wave of anger told me all I needed to know about that.
"THEN PAY WITH YOUR BLOOD!"
I instinctively turned around and threw a shield in front of me, catching the blast of magic sent by the Princess and flicking it away like nothing. Her eyes widened in disbelief but quickly narrowed as she sent a harder, and clearly more powerful blast that hit my shield like a herd of buffalo, cracking it slightly before I once more forced it away.
'I can't keep shielding in one spot, I'll be overwhelmed!'
Focusing on the love I had for my beloved mate, I tilted my head back before thrusting it in the directed of the carriage, the clearly unexpected return of magic forcing the Princess on the defensive as she raised a quick shield to block it.
It was in that one moment that I had the rare privilege of tasting her shock as the sheer magnitude of power smashed the shield to smithereens, continuing until it hit the group of Pegasus pulling the carriage.
Who promptly disintegrated before her eyes.
"NAY!" she screamed, watching the carriage for a moment before chasing after it as it fell, a barely audible cry for help coming from within it.
'She's in there…she's vulnerable…I could kill them both now and keep my Richie safe.'
I admit for a brief, stagnant moment…I paused…
But then a groan reminded me that I had more important things to concern myself with, the sound causing me to look at my mate with concern. His nose was bleeding, and his eyes were still flickering a bright green behind his eyelids, which of course meant the bubble was somehow still raised.
'But there's no way that disgusting Unicorn is still keeping it up. The amount of focus to do so, especially after I just destroyed her ride…it's simply not possible.'
Which of course meant one thing.
'Another is helping her…AGH, no time, no time!'
I had no time to stop and think, I had to keep moving, had to fly so far that even the one helping Celestia's pet control the bubble couldn't follow me.
"Beware…still in danger…protect…mate"
A whisper, a tiny voice barely audible in my head…
Without control, something forced me to tilt my head backwards just in time to avoid a blast of raw magic, my eyes wide as I immediately sensed the deadly intent coming from it.
'I would have died on the spot if that had hit me!'
I felt her before I saw her, eyes aglow a blinding white, filled with nothing but unadulterated hatred as they stared at me not a few feet away.
"You…killed them," she hissed, words coming from her as if pulled kicking and screaming. "They were innocent."
"They killed themselves by coming after us," I spat, glaring at the Princess in disgust. "You made this more than it needed to be by not simply leave us alone. I may have fired the shot, but you put them in harm's way to begin with. Blame yourself for their death, Princess!"
She took a breath, a harsh steadying one, breathing out with barely controlled rage.
"We shall kill you for this," she said, horn crackling with power. "No more mercy, no more warnings. You die today…"
I lit up my own horn in response, watching, feeling and grinning as I felt her uncertainty.
"You can't beat me, Princess," I said, smiling viciously at her growing doubt. "And you know it. You felt my power when I destroyed your shield. You can't beat me on your own."
"She's never alone, Chrissy."
…
I felt it before I saw her. Arrogance, superiority, anger.
A battered, bruised Celestia flew beside her sister, her eyes pure gold and emanating power as they glared furiously in my direction.
I suddenly didn't feel quite as confident. One I could take, but two…
"It. Is. Over!" Celestia commanded, narrowing her eyes further with each syllable. "The entire guard is currently surrounding the area, all of it. You may be able to deal with a regiment or two, but can you overpower a thousand as well as us? I sincerely doubt it."
"Oh I'm quite ready to try," I threatened, my eyes naught but a dark green as I lit up my horn. "The question is how many more are you prepared to lose?"
Celestia chuckled at my warning, her eyes glancing to the man on my back and losing a touch of their anger, before focusing back on me and swiftly regaining it.
"You bluff well for what you are," she said, her tone just shy of mocking. "But I'm not convinced. You may be able to best the both of us, but my guard will fire everything they have at you. And I doubt you'll be able to both fight back AND protect your…mate."
My retort caught in my throat, the steadily rising amount of emotions emanating from an untold number of Ponies around me not helping in the slightest to alleviate my sudden concern.
"You wouldn't dare," I hissed, fangs elongating as protective instincts deep within rose to the surface before I could so much as try to tame them. "You need him alive."
Luna smiled…no, she grinned at me as she shook her head. "True, but accidents happen. He could lose a limb or two and still be useful."
Blinking in surprise at her seemingly one eighty concern for Richard, I couldn't stop myself from backing a few inches away. Celestia noticed, her grimace mellowing down to a sympathetic smile as she extended a hoof.
"We of course do not wish harm to befall him at all, you and I both know that I care for him," she said softly. "Surrender yourself to us and he shall be spared…only he."
"And myself?"
Her eyes narrowed, but her sister spoke before she could.
"You shall be imprisoned in stone for the time being, and only released once Richard has died of old age." Luna spat, glaring at me heatedly. "Then and only then, when you come to the realization that you have nothing and nopony, shall you be executed for your crimes."
Celestia looked at Luna, a dark expression upon her face for a moment before she returned her gaze to me.
"Doesn't sound particularly appealing if I'm being honest," I replied, fear mounting as the emotions of hundreds neared with each second.
"You have no choice here, Changeling!" Luna snapped; eyes naught but slits. "I would have you burned within the sun for all you've done. Be thankful that I am merciful!"
"I would decide quickly if I were you," Celestia chimed in, her gaze resting upon Richard as she spoke. "He doesn't look well at all."
A quick glance at my beloved told me much the same. Blood was pooling down from his nose. His breathing was unsteady, and I could sense his magic beginning to give out.
He had mere minutes.
'The two of them I could fight, hold off for a good while perhaps. But Richie doesn't have that long. And with each second that passes he grows closer to deaths door. Not to mention her fucking ARMY is surrounding me. I…I have nowhere to go where I won't be caught in a crossfire.'
I lowered my head as it sunk in.
'To save my beloved…I have no choice.'
I closed my eyes and said. "I-"
"Give in to them not…"
My eyes flew open…but it wasn't either of the Princesses that were before me.
She looked almost exactly like me. Her plating was the same colour and shape, her mane was silky and was without holes. There were a couple here and there on her forelegs, but overall she looked remarkably healthy. The only difference was her eyes, not a dark green as mine were, but a stormy grey instead.
"What's happening?" I asked, confused and to be honest…frightened.
The Changeling smiled at me, comfortingly…as a mother would do to her child, as I had done to my children.
"It is often when all seems lost that hope comes," she said softly, her voice light and smooth, only the slightest buzz within her dual tone. "Fear not, Chrysalis. I am here to help."
"Who are you?" I whispered, suddenly noticing the sheer magnitude of power her aura was projecting at me. "I've never felt such strength. I've fed on love for over a year and mine isn't even close."
She seemed to…breeze towards me, gracefully and effortlessly. A hoof was upon my cheek, a warm smile upon her muzzle.
"It seems I am but an ancestor to one who needs guidance,"she replied, her horn alight as she bent down to touch mine. "You were not worthy for some time, but now…as Queen Vaesk was to me, Queen Naerx is to you."
My eyes widened in recognition. "Queen Naerx, but you've been dead for over a thousand-"
"Shhh…"
Her horn touched mine…and I knew no more.
…
Celestia Pov
I watched carefully as the Changeling…as Chrissy lowered her head in submission, a smile upon my muzzle as I began to realize that she had indeed understood the impossibility of her situation.
"Finally," Luna growled out, her horn losing its glow as she slowly made her way over to Chrissy. "Tis wise of you to know when you have lost, Changeling. Tis only a shame it took so long."
As she neared, a feeling of trepidation suddenly overtook me, filling me to the brim.
"Luna!" I shouted, to no avail as she ignored me. "Something isn't right, wait!"
My sister snorted at my warning, turning her head back to look at me, an eyebrow raised. "Truly sister? This feels quite right to me."
She turned her head back and sneered at the unmoving Changeling. "I see a creature that has finally understood its place."
…
I looked…looked…unable to move, unable to form a word as my baby sister was impaled by a transformed hoof. Black as death and sharper than any sword I'd seen, it went straight through Luna's barrel and out the other side, blood splattering all the way down onto the ground below.
"I-Impossible," Luna grunted, blood dribbling down her muzzle as she fought to get out that one word. "C-Can't t-transform…"
"You always were a fool, Luna," the Changeling intoned softly. "So arrogant, so sure of yourself that you never saw the danger until it was too late."
"Impossible…" I whispered, unable to move as I watched my sister begin to fall. "I know that voice. I killed you."
"You should probably catch her," the Changeling said, a calm smile upon her face as she took in my expression. "She might survive if you do."
Not wasting a second more, I tore my gaze from the Changeling and flew down after my falling sister. I didn't see her vanish as she teleported, the sheer enormity of her magical prowess smashing through the negation dome Twilight and Cadance were keeping up.
I didn't need to, for I knew her, I knew what…who she was.
And as I caught my sister with my magic mere seconds before she hit the ground, I looked back at the spot Richard and she had been.
"Naerx…"
Chrissy Pov
I awoke with a start, my eyes blurry, a painful tingle behind them as I took in my surroundings…and inhaled sharply as I realized where I was.
Where we were…where we…
"Richie!"
I spun around but couldn't see him anywhere, he wasn't with me, he wasn't…wasn't…
"Chrissy?" A voice, his voice! Oh but it sounded so weak, so…so…
Ignoring my concern for the moment, I followed the direction the voice had come from, a huge relieved smile breaking on my muzzle as I saw him lying upon a bed of moss and chitin.
His face had a thick line of dried blood that went down past his lips and onto his chest, and his breathing wasn't completely steady but…but he was alive!
"Richie!" I raced over and nuzzled his nose, breathing in his scent as if I'd recently surfaced from a deep lake. "Oh, you're okay. I'm so sorry baby, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean for you to get hurt, for…for any of this."
"Chrissy it's…it's o-okay," he said, his voice strained, exhausted and tinged with pain. "I'm fine…are you okay?"
I shook my head and looked at him, at my mate, at my beloved Richie. "I'm so sorry my love." I began, choking back a sob as I took in his bloody face. "The dance is meant to be filled with joy and you received only pain and fear. I'm so s-sorry!"
Tears ran down my cheeks, and I let them. I had done this to him. Now that the adrenaline had faded and reality had begun to set in, I realized how close to death he had been…all because of me.
"I should have taken my pain, my instincts. I should have run away, should have let you be. You would never…this would never have…"
"Hey, hey…" he reached up with a hand and cupped my cheek, his eyes watery as he looked into mine. "Don't do this to yourself. I wanted this, wanted you…wanted to be yours in every way possible. I only regret that I couldn't stop them from hurting you."
I laughed and sobbed all at once. "You couldn't have done anything to stop them, Richie."
"Nor could you with me, with this," he whispered, voice fatigued.
He was barely hanging onto consciousness, and yet held out his arms for me, an invitation I couldn't begin to consider refusing. I lay beside him, the both of us warming the other. I could feel his love for me, could feel its strength invigorating me.
As he could mine, all of it as I gave unto how I felt for him and gave it to him entirely.
We lay there for what felt like forever as he finally drifted back to sleep. I held him to me, as he held me to him. In that one long moment…I was at peace.
"Welcome home my love," I murmured.
Together with him in the vast empty room.
My room.
My hive.
And that is that, hope you like it.
Cya, stay snuggly
