The Road Home Ch3

>”Get up… Anon it’s time to go.”
>The hard chiton of Chrysalis’s leg pokes into your face.
“… do you just not sleep or something…”
>”Superior physiology.”
“Bullshit.”
>Pulling upright you realize she hasn’t directly insulted you or hit you yet.
>Progress?
>Wait, hold on, and progress for what?
>”Here, there wasn’t much left.”
>A small cup of all the remaining food is shoved in front of you.
“You want any?”
>”Are you sure? Your physiology nee-“
“The best part about being poor in land without cheap food is you learn to eat less.”
>You pull out the map from the tube and begin to take your current location.
>”Oh, Are you doing the location thing?”
>She stops taking the tarp down and trots up to you.
“Location thing?”
>”The one with the lines and the angles.”
>She sits behind you and looks at the map as you motion with your hands.
“So right now the only landmark we can see is Canterlot Mountain, using our compass we can tell that it’s at a 10 degree angle from us.”
>”Mhm.”
“So using my high tech lead and graphite applicator-“
>”That’s a pencil.”
“I know, now I draw a line at the angle listed on the compass. Just a little bit both directions because this continent is tiny.”
>”How big was your continent?”
“Maybe like four times this size, minimum. And so we follow this line to where I believe our location is.”
>You trace your finger down the line.
“So we are...”
>You look expectantly up at her.
>”…There?”
“And tell me how did you figure that out?”
>”Well, I was going to say there, but the river was much too small, so it had to be here.”
“See, navigation isn’t hard, just have to sit down and think about it.”
>For the next thirty minutes the two of you pack up camp in silence.

>It only took all day but the two of you made it through the Everfree and into…
>Check map…
>Ponyville!
“We still got a few hours of sunlight”
>”Whatever could you need from this wrenched town?”
>Well something crawled into one of her speed holes and died.
“What’s got you in a tizzy?”
>”…Nothing…”
“If we’re going to work as team, or at least traveling partners we can’t be keeping secrets from each other.”
>”Is that all we are? A team?”
>With a flash she takes on her usual disguise, grey earth pony mare.
>It’s really a good combination of bland and average, it draws no lookers, perfect for going through the town.
“Well what else would we be.”
>”What about friends?”
>Oh.
>That’s sad actually.
“You don’t think we’re friends?”
>”Well I haven’t heard you say it.”
>The outlying homes begin to flank either side of you as you move towards the town center.
“Friends don’t need to say it, they just know.”
>”Well it wouldn’t hurt to let me know.”
“What, have you never had a friend before?”
>The buildings grow thicker as you approach the town proper.
>”You mean apart from my children?”
>You nod as you enter the city center
>”No”
>You stop walking just as you pass by a building made entirely of confectionary.
“Wait hold up, am I the first person that you’ve dealt with as yourself?”
>”…uh…”
>She looks around on the floor for a few moments.
>”Yes.”
“Oh god, that’s…”
>You sit on the ground right outside the confectionary building.
>Chrysalis sits down next to you
“Really depressing.”
>The ground suddenly erupts in front of the two of you, a pink blur shooting out in front of you.
>”What’s depressing?! I’m sure I can cheer you up whoever you are!”

“Christ!”
>”You!”
>The pink earth pony cocked her head to one side, smiled and responded.
>”Have we met before?”
>Chrysalis gave the pony a cold hard stare back.
>”No.”
>The pink pony rears up on her back legs, throws her forelegs out, and for some reason confetti shoots out everywhere.
>You have long stopped questioning the things that happen in this land.
>Chrysalis is equally unamused; she looks like she wants to strangle the pony in front of you.
>”In that case my name is Pinkamena Diane Pie, annnndddd… Welcome to Ponyville!”
“Uh, thanks, but we’re just passing through.”
>Chrysalis sits back and continues her glare.
>”Yes, passing through… Let’s leave now.”
“We still need some stuff, the lamp’s wick is dead, and we are entirely out of food.”
>Chrysalis grins, and flashes you those slitted emerald eye.
>”Superior physiology.”
“Well, your good friend here needs to eat at some point.”
>”How much do you actually need to eat?”
“Well if you want me to keep trekking probably a lot more than I’m eating right now.”
>Pinkie shoves both of your heads together, unintentional mashing your bandaged parts.
>”Look at you two, like an old married couple.”
>The you and Chrysalis freeze in place as Pinkie begins to scrutinize your face.
>”What happened to your head?”
“I… uh, I walked into a doorknob.”
>Pinkie turns her head to Chrysalis.
>”You aren’t abusing this poor human are you?”
“How do you know what I am?”
>Chrysalis gives an uneasy smile.
>”No… Not unless he sleeps in too much.”
>Pinkie leans closer in to Chrysalis, you’re beginning to get worried.
>”Okie-dokie-lokie”

>Pinkie leans back.
>”Well if there’s anything you need don’t hesitate to ask!”
>She’s already dropped any suspicions.
>Pinkie is about to burrow back into the ground.
“Money”
>”A lobotomy”
>Pinkie still standing halfway into the ground and looking up at the two of you responds.
>”If you wait until morning I’m sure my friend AppleJack or Twilight will have some work for you.”
>You give Chrysalis a quick wink before turning to Pinkie.
“That’s a darn shame, you see me and my wife here were just going to Neighagra falls to renew our vows”
>”Aw how sweet.”
“So we can’t stay that long, and really, anything helps.”
>Pinkie taps her chin for a few moments.
>”We-ell I was about to toss the day old bread, but since we can’t sell it, maybe you could have it?”
>Chrysalis picks up the slack now.
>”Oh, bless your soul. My hubby here isn’t so good at planning the finances. Still, he insists.”
“Dear.”
>Pinkie lets out a massive smile.
>”You two love birds just wait here a moment.”
>Pinkie hops out of the burrow and goes through the doors to what you presume to be a bakery.
>The two of you burst out laughing.
>”I think our act is getting better.”
“Well, dear, she is a easy mark.”
>”Not as easy as you… hubby.”
“If I wasn’t you wouldn’t be here.”
>The two of you sit there catching your breath.
>”I know… Thankyou.”
>The sun is passing low now.
“Nice sunset”
>”It’s… acceptable.”

>Pinkie came back out with a few loafs right before closing time.
>The two of you thanked her, that was probably the most honest thing you said to her.
>The sun has been down for a about an hour or so, giving you and Chrysalis enough time to get the train schedule and find a new wick.
>So for the first time in four days the two of you split up.
>She’s off to the train station to find the next train to the falls, you, gotta find a wick somehow.
>It’s pretty easy, ponies are very trusting, so you quickly scrapped a wick from an unattended lantern.
>You walk back to the town square lacing the wick into the slot and turning the knob to get the right height.
>You stand in the town center for a few moments, waiting for Chrysalis.
>You think that’s her coming but you aren’t sure until she flashes those deep emerald pools at you.
“Alright, how long we got.”
>”20 Minutes until they start boarding… Are you sure about this?”
“About what?”
>”The train, won’t they do a security check… Especially since they seem to be cracking down on… well…”
“Changelings?”
>”Keep your voice down, and yes.”
“We won’t be in the normal cars if that’s what you mean.”
>She looks past you for a second, you hear a door close at the same time.
>”Give me the lantern.”
“What do yo-“
>”Give it to me!”
>She doesn’t wait for your permission taking the lantern from your grip and magically lighting it.
>She lifts the lantern with her magic as she illuminates the sign in front of a tree house
*Ponyville Public Library: Residence Twilight Sparkle*
>You walk up behind Chrysalis as she takes a few steps back and goes to throw the lantern.
>Lunging forward you manage to grab onto the handle right before she throws it
>”Let go! Let me do what I must.”
“I don’t know why you want to burn this place down, but you won’t escape the guards if you do.”
>”I can and will!”

>The two of you struggle and scuffle about; eventually she musters up the last of her strength and lifts you and the lantern off the ground.
>Well at least she’s healthier now.
>”I said let go!”
“Not until you calm down!”
>One of the libraries windows swings open and a child aged dragon sticks his head out.
>”Ugh… Some of us are trying to sleep you know.”
>Chrysalis slowly sets you down, and sits on the floor.
>”Spike? What’s going on out there?”
>At that voice Chrysalis seems to snap to attention, and slowly droop down.
>Her head sinks lower and lower as a purple unicorn comes up behind the dragon.
>Chrysalis’s posture resembles that of a dying flower.
>The purple unicorn studies the two of you for a few minutes.
>”Miss are you okay?”
>Chrysalis grabs you pant leg and screams into your thigh, you can feel a couple wet patches, and she’s shaking slightly.
>Maybe she hasn’t dealt with it as well as you thought.
“We’re fine, thanks for asking.”
>Chrysalis begins to hit her head against your thigh, little trances of green are lacing through her fake fur.
>She’s losing it.
>As fast as you can manage you pull one of the blankets from its straps on the side of the bag.
>”And you are sir?”
>You throw the blanket over Chrysalis, who has lost all composure, her disguise slowly falling apart.
“Albino minotaur”
>Picking up Chrysalis you make sure the blanket has her covered as the fur gives way to chitinous plates, and her horn begins to reappear.
>The unicorn lets out a yawn and levitates a encyclopedia in front of herself.
>Best to leave before she questions you too intensely.
>You can hear the unicorn calling after you as you run to the train yard, hoping that you didn’t miss it.

>You manage to make it right before the train departs, the perfect time for you to hop onto a freight cart.
>You go to set Chrysalis down on some of the crates that fill the cart.
>She’s since stopped crying, or even responding to any outside stimulus.
>She won’t let go of you.
>Any though of putting up resistance dies as you feel the weariness of your soul.
>These days are wearing the two of you down.
>Today was happiest, angriest, and saddest you’ve ever seen her.
>You’d say she turned on a dime, but, it all seemed to happen for a reason.
>Eventually the rocking of the train and the warm body next to you put you to sleep.
----
>It’s been three days since then.
>Chrysalis has slowly come back to herself.
>She demanded to be in charge of the navigation, it gave her something else to focus on.
>She still hasn’t told you who that purple unicorn was, you aren’t going to ask.
>Today, she’s exuberant; according to her you are only a few miles from her hive.
>”I can’t wait to introduce you to everyone! I mean, I only left the youngest behind.”
>You’re having trouble keeping up with her; she’s literally flying, now having regained almost all of her strength.
>On the other hand, you’re still stuck on the ground, plodding through the snow.
>”Well I didn’t leave them alone, that would be irresponsible. I left a few of the more responsible ones there to help them up.”
>But it’s worth it to see her this happy.