I started to wake up. There was a humming sound in the air and I pulled my wings tighter around myself, pressing my ears against.
The soft droning engine sound didn't go away.
Slowly my brain started to catch up with the rest of me and I slowly blinked my eyes open. Oh yeah airsh- Looked down at a changeling sitting beneath where I was hanging, looking up at me.
I blinked sleepily at him.
He blinked back.
"Good morning, Thorax," I said and suppressed another yawn, "...Actually, I have no idea what time it is anymore," I said and glanced at the window where sunlight was streaming in.
"Early afternoon, sir," he said, "Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon," I answered and yawned again, "Skitter wants to see me, I take it?"
He nodded, "No hurry, sir. She said when you had a moment."
I slowly stretched my wings before releasing with my tail and flapping down onto the floor, "Might as well now, on the way to food. Lead the way."
Thorax nodded and got up, "This way, sir," he said and headed for the door. Not that we needed to go very far, the changeling quarters were literally straight across the narrow hall.
He pushed it open and allowed me to enter, causing me to blink at the sight.
Well, they had been careful not to make a mess at least. But everything in the room that wasn't bolted down had been piled up in one corner and tied down. Someling had covered the porthole with a blanket and they had set up those small glowing balls of resin they favored for light. As close to one of their hives as you could get on an airship and without covering the entire place with resin.
Skitter was in the middle of the bed, surrounded by every drone that accompanied her, bar for Thorax. Six in total.
She looked up from talking to one of them when I walked in and smiled, "Good morning, sir."
"Good morning, Skitter," I said and suppressed another yawn, "...How are you guys doing? I know you don't like airships."
"We're good, sir," Skitter said and looked at me for a moment, "You taste better."
"I feel better too," I admitted, "had too much to drink last... night before last."
"Mhmm," she said with a small frown, "If you say so, sir."
"So what's on your mind, Skitter?" I asked and sat down, "Curious about Nocturnis?"
"...Yes, but not what I was thinking about," she admitted, "Wanted to know how you felt today."
I smiled at her, "Thank you," I said and sighed, "...And yeah, yesterday was not the best. But you don't need to worry," I said before I smiled at her, "And don't eat a large meal before we arrive or you'll turn into a princess twice from me meeting Luna, Sparks and Sunny again."
Skitter smiled at me, her wings making a small buzzing sound.
"Now, I think I'm going to go find something to ea-" I said and then paused, spotting Thorax getting to his hooves as well.
I sighed softly and looked at Skitter, "I don't need a guard here. And we're soon back to Nocturnis and Amber."
"Yes sir."
"...You're not going to stop are you."
"No sir."
I rolled my eyes and turned towards the door before I paused, "Skitter, what does Zeez...Zeezzke...That thing Chrysalis sometimes call me..."
"Zeezzkekeezzkzk?" Skitter asked, shifting slightly as she regarded me. Every changeling was looking at me.
"Yes, that," I said and turned back to her, "What does that mean? I never did find out."
Skitter looked down at her hooves, her wings doing another small buzz, "W-well... it's difficult to say really. Old changeling words take a lot from context and position and who the speaker and listener is so I'm not su-"
"Skitter, you're being evasive," I said with a small smile, "Is it something rude? I don't mind, I'm just curious."
She shook her head, "The most likely translation... there isn't a word for it in this language. In context it means something similar to... maybe... 'friendly queen of different hive'."
"Queen?" I asked and frowned, "Wait, old changeling don't have gendered words and I'm a royal so that tracks," I agreed before I raised my eyebrow, "Wait, wouldn't I be princess then? I guess you could argue Queen for Celestia or Luna, but I'm not sure it applies to me."
Skitter blinked at me in slight confusion.
Oh, hey, my headache is coming back.
I took a deep breath before slowly letting it back out, "What are the other possible translations to that word, Skitter?"
She considered it for a second, "Life giver, sister, lover, hunter of predators or honored daughter. It can also mean future enemy and largest threat in a political sense. Ancient changeling isn't the most precise language, it's a lot of emotion and context."
"Thanks Skitter," I said and headed for the door, "I'm going to get some breakfast now."
And forget this conversation ever happened. I have to stop asking questions of changelings.
so basicly page has been dubbed the strong trustworthy pony to changlings? that tracks
Yeah, all of those except sister and daughter are potentially possible. "Lover" would be blatant trolling but I wouldn't put it past a competent Chrysalis.
Now that I think about it, the closest translation devoid of context would be the exact same thing she calls him as a pet name: "my little predator".
Oh god, the comment section is gonna love this one.
Imagen the comment section get a hold of the story.
The story would be somewhat different
Page: so what does it mean
Skitter: I'd rather no say
Page: come on, it can't be that bad
Skitter:... *sigh* if you got rid of that yee-yee ass haircut you'd get some mares on your dick
Page: WHAT!?
Skitter: Pone
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''My little predator'' is what she's comfortable telling him to his face.
But when speaking a language unknown to the other person people will find ways to amuse themselves a little.
Honestly this has been the most uninteresting story to me so far. There's a bunch of cool ideas or lil plot points or facts like Alt luna killing alt tempest, which was immediately dropped.
The whole page making everyone talk was the only actually interesting part of the story for me and it's making me go insane that everything else interesting is immediately getting dropped or otherwise
great chapter
All hail Blank Page ! Hive-Queen of Alicorns !
Figures changeling language would have "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" baked into the language
Chrysalis: "Since Zeezzkekeezzkzk has generously donated all females of our Hives his seed-"
Page:"...Aaaaaa my legs, I can't feel my legs..."
Chrysalis:"-we will start a new Hive to our now new growing Hive-Empire-"
Page: "I think my my Foal bringer has major friction burn all over it!"
Chrysalis: "This is a mark of a new age of-"
Page: "Why is noone snuggeling me? After snuggels are a thing by law in Nocturnis!"
Chrysalis:"-Prosperity that will ensure that we will-"
Page: "You do realize that Luna will be mad at you for making her 'Snu-Snu welcome back' encounter a problem..."
Chrysalis: "-be the dominant Hive in the World!
And for the Swarms sake, throw him already in a regeneration Pod. After all, we want a second breeding marathon before we arrive at Nocturnis~♤"
Page: "YOU WHAT ?!"
Changeling Kevin: "That's why you don't bluewall a Hive worth of females for years."
Nice
"esteemed foreign partner", perhaps?
He's ALL THE THINGS!
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Again, that's true but it doesn't appear to be what's going on here. The implications of "my little predator" can potentially cover basically all of the stated definitions.
>.>
<.<
>.<!!!!!
...I think I say for many here in the comment section that Windy_prance's versions were better.
Take it for what you will. That is all.
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What???
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Actually, those two are still possible. Remember that not more than a couple of lines earlier Page mentions that old changeling doesn't assign specific genders to words. So "sister" and "honored daughter" are gender neutral in old changeling.
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omg, you are right. We are trying to pick one meaning when it could be all of them.
Skitter: "...And he left the flyingmobilehive even more confused than when he came in."
Chrysalis: "Oh, I wish I could have been there to see that. 'Even more confused' than he normally is? Pretty hard to imagine *that*! That prettytor is predy much THE most confused creature ever!! At least you didn't let him know the UT is on the fritz."
Skitter: "MOTHER!? Language!!! Fritz!? How could you say such a thing! We have impressionable lings listening in!! "
Chrysalis: "Wait--you thought I said...? OBOY! Are these comms even working anymore!?"
Skitter: "Uh--mom? You're breaking up..."
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Continuing the last comment section random fun
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Like it a lot. Is a nice one.
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I rather worry about them catch randomly on fire...
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Indeed
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Sweet sweet Titel. Or Honey King ♡
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The ultimate Changeling Stud. They love and fear him
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Damn... Now I can imagen a Fleet of B-17 worth of flying Hive-Members...
Awesome
So.... Friendly Life Giving Hunter-of-Predators of a different Hive, who will destroy us if we miss step?
Possible future lover? You all know you want to see it! XD
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Especially with that first word "MY little predator"
Reminds me a bit of the Kif from C.J. Cherryh’s Chanur books. They’d grok that a competent underling or powerful ally today can be your worst rival tomorrow (or sooner if your luck is bad enough) in a heartbeat; their entire society basically works like that and yet somehow manages to function well enough to have propelled them into space.
I'm not sure what I expected the word to mean, besides some nebulous position of intimacy, but I wasn't expecting that set of words.
Yeah most of those track
Why? they have such interesting answers
Thanks for chapter!
Have a good day!
HAHA hunter of predators aka HUMAN
lover of different hive then ha
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Yes, the point is that she's probably not referring to him as a relative.
...PAGE LEAVES THE ROOM...
*Every drone staring at their princess*
Skitter: Don't look at me like that! What I said was absolutely...within the truth.
Thorax: Well you could explain to him the full context. You know? The part about his role in the Hive's future?
Skitter: I told him a long while ago. Around the time of his and Luna's wedding! (in the comment section)
Thorax: Well clearly Page completely forgot about it!
Skitter: We will remind him...eventually.
Thorax: ...you gonna wait until you drag him into the cocoon huh??
Skitter: YEP!
Page 'bugger from a different mother'
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Well I'm sure we can get it close to "Beloved Seed Provider" if we repeatedly put Zeezzkekeezzkzk thru Google Translate enough times!
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Is that a thing? I totally join the effort
Well that was clear wasn't it?
Clear as mud.
I love it.
Hiver, you troll! Hitting us with the best lie is actually just the truth routine? Gah!
What does it mean?! This says what it means without saying what it means!!! Aaaaaaaah!!!
Nice chapter... you troll.
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...Now I'm thinking of another fic where ponies actually could be morphed into changeling queens, and my headcanon that the whole of nocturnis dissappearing to a massive hive of unknown changelings just gets stronger
Probably won't happen though, the monsters in the jungles of Page-verse are too tame compared to the monsters in that fic
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/133544/of-the-hive
Interesting. Friendly royal of another hive does certainly fit, as does the 'hunter of predators' thing to an extent. 'Life giver' also could fit in the sense of being a saviour, considering Page's role in the accords, and it certainly feels like the sort of respect loophole so to speak that Chrysalis might use for her own satisfaction.
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I see what you mean, but to me at least it feels more like Chekhov loading his gun than anything. I could potentially see Midnight and Tempest getting some character building shown off, for example (cue that having already happened and my still being a little behind is taunting me ).
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Ehh... Much as Windy is very often funny, I prefer a world that is wider than pure shipping. I don't think anything along those lines would make much sense considering that Changelings are not mammals, which would pretty much kill any form of attraction.
Main grammar jackboot of the day:
Against what? I assume the side of his head?
Oddly enough, something people have not really considered, with all the conotations that Skitter gave for the word, another way to view it might also be equil. As in she sees Page someone that she can reguard as an equil, wich does mean, potential enemy, and potential aponant. Look at how alterword Qrysalis resonded to him being called that. She was at lest partly suprised, and emediatly gave him some respect. Thats also when she really started to listen to him, rather than look down at him.
Life giver... Lover... Largest threat in a political sense... Yep, everything checks out
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Chrysalis was trying to ship Page and Skitter
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But she already did, didn't she? They are on the same ship together, after all .
Yup, crystal clear. As long as that crystal is obsidian, or tourmaline.
crystalsofatlantis.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/000330-800x800.jpg