Don't Ever Change Chapter 6

Chapter 6

>Soft brushes on your face rouse you back.
>You cough once, spreading tiny specks everywhere.
>Ash.
>The dark sky rained the particles, some settling on your face.
>You brush them off your cheeks.
>You turn to your left, noticing a pony hunched by you.
>You heard the sobs through the hooves clamped over her face.
>You knew this pony.
>To be specific, a changeling.
>Chrysalis.
“Christie…” You try to reach her with your hand, only to seeing fall to the ashen ground helplessly.
>She freezes for a moment, before slowly lowering her hooves.
>You notice her glossy green eyes through the holes on her leg, it fixated on you.
>You finally see her jet black face, with the stream of tears coming down her eyes.
>Her eyes are wide open, as if shocked to see you.
>”A-Anon?”
>You respond by coughing to the ground, blowing around more ash.
>”Anon!” She jumps to you, her forelegs sliding under your head and pulling you up to her.
>She holds you for a while, unsettling more ashes.
“Good to see you too, Christie.”
>She lets out a torrent of sobs, crying into your shoulders.
“I’m not dead, dammit, Christie…”

>You open your eyes to the blazing view of the town.
>Ponies screamed as they ran for cover, fear stinking up your taste buds.
>You were against that other queen for a second- and bam, here you are.
>You look up to the broken window, and the burning house it lead into.
>That was the queen’s mansion.
>What on equestria?
>You turn around again, trying to get a better glimpse of the situation.
>You hoof kicks something soft and you look down to Anon.
“What the hell happened, Anon- did we get her?”
>No response.
>Anon is sprawled on the grass, an arm curved over his head.
>You give him a soft kick again, to which you illicit no response.
>Your heart drops a little, and you immediately crouch over and put your ear to his chest.
>No sound.
>It must be your ears, that is all!
>You hold up his wrist, and put another one on it.
>Anon did this to pick up ponies’ pulses.
>After a few second, you give up.
>Nothing.
>NOTHING.
>Your horn lights up, as you begin to feel his body.
>You are Chrysalis, and you are scared.

>You pat Chrysalis’ back, calming her down a little.
“Hey, hey- come on now, we’re both fine.”
>You tap over your body, making sure nothing is missing.
>You push her back and each of her forelegs with a hand, and smile.
“See? No-“

“-thing..” You whisper to yourself.
>No heart beat, no thought, and most importantly-
>No emotions.
>You desperately put up two hooves to his chest, and give it a single pump.
>His body lets out a little jump, before going limp again.
>You give another pump, getting almost no reaction this time.
>Your hoof-pumps dissolve into desperate jabs, as you scream in anguish.
>No… You can’t lose him.
>You just can’t.
>You raise your hooves high, and deliver one final blow to his heart.
>Still nothing.
>You break into tears, burying your face on his still-warm body.
>You find your hoof still beating at his corpse, albeit very weakly.
>You look up to his smug expression.
>So calm.
>You trail a hoof over his face, your decrepit, holed hoof.
>There was warmth, but it faded away fast.
>You stay there in silence, looking down to your long lost friend.
>And then you take a deep breath.
>No.
>Not like this.
>You feel the tickle of mana oozing to your horn, and it begins to glow.
>Not like-

“-This?” You flick her leg.
>Christie recoils on the sting, but she’s smiling.
“Something wrong, Christie?”
>”No, nothing’s wrong. Just wanted to make sure.”
“Make sure on what?”
>She opens her mouth excitedly, but then clams up.
>Her expression disappears, and she looks away.
>”It’s fine really, just a test.”
“Awww.” You nudge her foreleg.
“Don’t tell me you’re going soft with me.”
>She opens her mouth once again, but stops herself.
>She hides a blush with a hoof over her face, as she turns away from you.
>”W-we should go.”
“Yeah, the other queen is still rampant.”
>”Right.”

>You close your eyes and tap his chest with your horn.
>The glow slides into him, disappearing under his skin.
>You keep your horn in place, concentrating.
>You found your way to his still heart, feeling around it.
>And then, you squeezed it.
>No response.
>You massage it harder, and yet-
>Dead.
>You feel your magic ebb away, and your body grows weaker.
>You can’t save him.
>You just can’t.
>Perhaps…
>You widen your reach, searching out for any form any emotions.
>You catch the scent of fear and pain, and bring it to you.
>It wasn’t exactly nourishing, but it contributed nonetheless.
>You try harder, bringing more emotions to you.
>You feel stronger, as you recharge on the gathered emotions.
>Your mana is back full, and you try for the second time.
>You toy around with his heart, trying to bring it back.
>In a spark of anger, you fire a bolt of energy to his chest.
>You recoil immediately, fearing the worst.
>But there is something else.
>His heart moved for a second.
>You glance at your horn.
>The lighting!
>You concentrate on his heart again, and fire a jolt of energy.
>His body jumps once.
>It’s working!
>You fire more and more, throwing progressively more powerful bolts.
>Fire.
>Again.
>And again.
>Again.
>You pant like a tired animal, sweat trickling down your neck and head.
>One more…
>You know this will work.
>You just-
>You pause.
>You’re out.
>You reach out again, trying to find any more emotions.
>You had little time, you just knew it.
>Anything you find either quickly leaves your grasp, or fades away.
>A chill runs down your spine, as you look down to Anon who might be in the same situation like them.
>And then, you find it.
>No fear, no pain, no agony.
>Something powerful.
>And it is nowhere far, very, very close.
>It was from where you were.
>And it was… Coming from-
>Anon?
>You tap into it immediately, quickly numbing away all pains and fully recharging you.
>You knew this emotion.
>This was… care?
>You don’t recall who put it that way, but it was powerful.
>And that is all you needed right now.
>You focus it all into a single bolt, and bring it down on him.
>His chest shakes wildly.
>And then-
>A beat.
>And another one.
>And-
>You suddenly feel light headed, and you lose your balance.
>You fall to the ground and look over to Anon.
>Silence. Dead silence.
>You were not enough.
>What if-
>Your vision slowly fades away, as you too, slump to the grass.

>Chrysalis’ vision failed, and she fell unconscious, sobbing to the belief that her friend died.
>What she didn’t know was-
>Your heart simply skipped a beat.

>Chrysalis woke later on, after everything burned down.
>Ashes, nothing but ashes.
>She quickly stood and shook it all away, until her vision fell on you.
>Unmoving, unresponsive,
>Dead.
>Tears flew freely from her eyes, as she covered her face.
>No, Anon wouldn’t want to see her like this.
>But it was too much to bear.
>She sat there is mourning, not wanting to face her lost friend.

>And then, you coughed.