FimFiction Link - Short ID: 301126/coming-home
Published: Nov '15
'Coming Home' is a four thousand and three hundred-word oneshot. After the complete disaster at Canterlot, Chrysalis and her Changelings find themselves on the bring of extinction and out of options. The queen's despair, however, is interrupted by an unexpected calling from a distant land, which she can't help but heed. As they journey to the north, troubling dreams and an ancient tale unfold before the reader's eyes.
What makes this story pretty interesting is its structure. Instead of just following Chrysalis' journey, we are treated to her dreams and a glance into the past, all of which ultimately turn out to be intertwined with each other. While I wouldn't say I was shocked by the revelations in this story (the twist, if you can even call it that, is fairly obvious,) the way the author executed things is still sweet enough to make the story well-worth reading. The prose isn't particularly flowery, but it does set the tone quite nicely, especially in the dream sequences. I like that Chrysalis is portrayed as smart and caring: Her justifications and choices, while desperate, make a lot of sense and are both pragmatic and surprisingly empathetic. I also really enjoyed the ending, the contrast between "her face slammed against a familiar shining pink barrier" and the way they are rescued by their old friends conveys the Changelings' lowest and highest moment better than any direct description could.
The headcanon this story is based on, however, left me feeling pretty ambivalent. On one hand, I like how cleanly it ties Changelings into the lore. On the other, I kind of feel like Sombra being the cause behind the Changelings is a bit underwhelming. He already has his defining moment and, due to the length of the story, the whole event feels less impactful than it should be. The idea that the Changers' suffering is completely inconsequential to him and while he didn't even necessarily intend it to happen, he certainly doesn't mind it due to his sadism, could be an intriguing and tragic concept if it was elaborated upon more.
Overall: 7/10 While I feel like the story could have been elaborated further, it is still a fic I can easily recommend due to its unique style and storytelling.