It’s still so… barren… At least that’s what came to Twilight’s mind as she looked over the forest of her mind. The fire and chaos that ravaged it before may have long since passed, but very little progress had been made in terms of it regrowing. She did not despair, though. In fact, she smiled. How many people complain of their lives every day, wish for a clean slate? She’d been given just that. This field of ash may represent what has been lost, but it also represents what can still grow. What IS growing. She could feel it, without even looking for it, the roots and leylines of her forest rebuilding. She could almost see the little bumps of seeds taking root and sprouting under the ash.

She turned to see the familiar black wood of the Scarred Forest, though not the current Scarred Forest. This was the representation of Chrysalis’ mind. Each crimson leaf on every tree was ever so slightly different, she recognized, as she wandered into it. She had spoken with Chrysalis here in the meeting of their mindscapes, but she had never actually gone into the forest.

She couldn’t help but smile wide as she ran her fingers along a few branches, the trunk of one of the trees, rustling a few leaves as her fingers fanned out. She walked, seemingly for miles, though only seconds had passed. She could now see the hive in the distance, but there was no buzzing. The familiar hum of life was gone- but this was normal. The only two creatures here should be Chrysalis and herself.

Before long she did hear a hum, though not the usual hum of the thousands of wings buzzing around. A soft, melodic hum. She realized it was coming from her own lips, she was humming an unfamiliar tune. Before she could stop, though, she heard the same tune being hummed nearby. She followed the sweet noise and saw Chrysalis walking just a few feet ahead of her, har arms outstretched to gently touch everything they reached. Rather similar to what Twilight herself was doing.

They walked like that for a while, side by side, humming the same unfamiliar tune. Chrysalis was the first to break the silence.

“You feel it do you not, Twilight Sparkle?” The Queen asked. Twilight stopped her own hum to give an affirmative hum. She didn’t even need the other changeling to say what she meant. The Brood, the Hive, her kin. Her brothers and sisters, each and every one of them represented by a unique crimson leaf in the vast forest. She could feel them all, each individual consciousness peacefully congregating here. It was humbling.

Twilight would have gasped if she wasn’t too afraid to break the silence that had once again fallen. This wasn’t just the usual way she delved into the hive mind, her consciousness receding into the vast buzz of life that she was used to. This wasn’t even the usual meeting of the forests of their minds. This was THE Hive Mind. Chrysalis’ connection to every single other changeling in the brood. She had always thought it to be somewhat chaotic, like the hive itself. But this was… humbling. Peaceful.

“I’m glad you came, I was starting to get lonely.” Chrysalis said, once again breaking the silence with a small smile. Twilight was a little surprised by this.

How could she be lonely in a place like this?

“I suppose I should rephrase that. We, are getting lonely.” Chrysalis said, seemingly reading Twilight’s mind again. They had stopped now, and Chrysalis took a deep breath and spun around a bit as she spoke to emphasize the we.

“My Queen… I’ve only been gone one day…” Twilight started, but was immediately shocked as she processed what her queen had just said. It wasn’t just Chrysalis that apparently missed her, that would be at least somewhat understandable. They had become good friends after all. But the entire Hive… Her thousands of brothers and sisters, simultaneously missing her? She couldn’t believe it. In fact she really didn’t, but of course she had to be proven wrong.

All at once, she felt a massive wave of sadness creep over her. It was only for an instant, and it was certainly not her own. She was about to Question Chrysalis about it, but when she looked up she saw tears in the changeling’s eyes. This surprised Twilight, and Chrysalis herself as she wiped them and looked at them.

“W-What was that for?” Twilight asked softly, very confused.

“I am sorry, I had attempted to give you a small taste of what the Brood is feeling… Instead you got the full feeling of it, and it washed over me in full again as well…” Chrysalis explained, Twilight didn’t know that could even happen.

“Why are they all so… sad? They can’t be sad that I’m gone… I’ll be back soon…” She replied softly, the feeling almost bringing her to tears as well- brief as it was. It took Chrysalis a little while to reply, they had started walking again.

“They’re sad because they’re scared you won’t want to come back…” Chrysalis said, changing their direction. Twilight was, once again, surprised.

“But… but I’m absolutely coming back. Ponyville may have been my home in the past, and my friends life there, but... “ Twilight started, taking a deep breath and stopping. She turned back towards where her forest was. Even though they had been walking for a long while, she could still see the ashlands her forest had become clear as day. It was then that something occurred to her. She was still part of the hive mind, the connection that was pummeling Chrysalis with that sadness. She concentrated for a moment on it and she again felt the wave of sadness. It wasn’t nearly as strong as before, but she realized something. The brood was not the source of this sadness, this fear of her not coming back. They were just reflecting it…

They were feeling what their queen felt, as she feels what they feel. Twilight looked at Chrysalis then. She had stopped with her, but she was staring at the ground between them. Twilight looked down, following her gaze. There was a single leaf on the ground, a single lavender leaf. It wasn’t attached to a branch or anything, just lying on the ground. Chrysalis kneeled down and gently stroked the thing before looking up at Twilight. There were tears in her eyes again, but these were her own.

“I apologize… My mind gets away from me sometimes… This leaf fell not long ago… If it weren’t for the fact that I could still feel you alive and well in the hive mind I would have feared the worse… I am afraid, Twilight Sparkle, that just as this leaf will never return to the branch from which it fell, neither will you return to the Hive… To me…” The Queen explained, finishing with a sigh. She stood, shaking her head and wiping her eyes.

“I’m sorry… You’ve been away less than a day and I’m-” She started, but was interrupted as Twilight grabbed her shoulders and pulled her close into an embrace.

“My Queen… Chrysalis… I am, and always will be, part of the Hive. Of the Brood. Of course I will return to you, you are as important to me as anything in ponyville, if not more in most cases.” Twilight said.

As Chrysalis smiled and wrapped her arms around the girl, another wave of emotion hit both of them. Relief. Then a small wave of joy. Then, there was something else. Something familiar, but neither of them could quite figure out what it was.

“Thank you, Twilight… I guess I needed that… What a Mess I’ve become. I’d say I’m glad my subjects aren’t here to see me like this but.. “ Chrysalis said after a moment, deigning not to finish her sentence as the end was apparent.

“You should go, your fellow hunters are trying to rouse you.” Chrysalis said, taking a breath and stepping back to compose herself once more.

“We need to talk in person when I return.” Twilight said. Chrysalis smiled and nodded. She turned around and began her slow meander through the forest, once again fanning her arms out to touch everything she could. Twilight took a deep breath and concentrated on rousing herself.

She awoke to see Spike and Dash looking a little worried, while Charon and Nel were standing behind them with knowing looks.

“Shit Twi, we thought something was wrong. You were in such a deep sleep I thought we’d have to dump a bucket of water on you.” Dash said.

“Sorry, I was having a good dream.” She said apologetically and stood, stretching. Spike had a few pieces of armor on, almost like Barding for a horse. Dash had a composite bow on her back while Nel had a bow and harness similar to Twilight’s. Charon was carrying a a good sized pack that looked like it had medical supplies.

“While I’m no hunter, Applejack and her family have taught me how to use the bow. We should count ourselves lucky to have a true Hive Huntress with us tonight, especially should things turn to killing the beast.” Nel said. Twilight grinned.

This is what she was good at, she would show her friends what she had learned as a Changeling.

Author's Notes:

So, after some odd two years, I finally decided to try and write again.
and what do you know, I finally found the drive to do it, so here's a little something from me to apologize for the long Hiatus.