//------------------------------// // Chapter 61 // Story: Welcome to the jungle // by Hiver //------------------------------// “How sure are you of this place?” Sunset asked as she looked down at the craggy ground beneath. With the engines off, we could hear the crashing of waves in the distance. “As far as I can tell,” I agreed with a small frown, “Or rather, about a kilometer that direction and thirty meters beneath the ground, “Didn’t want to alarm them unnecessarily by hovering an airship above their hidden underground base. Such things make ‘lings nervous.” Of course, if they don’t cooperate, that’s where the gunboat diplomacy really comes into play. “Might be for the best,” Twilight agreed and walked over to the ramp, “We’ll fly down and approach on hoof. We don’t want to scare them.” “This will be tricky enough without that,” I agreed, “Ready Skitter?” Skitter nodded, “Ready, sir.” “Let’s go then.” With that, we took to the skies and then glided down towards the stony surface and landed among the lichen. The air smelled of saltwater and somewhat rotten seaweed. “This is so strange,” I commented, “This is not a good changeling environment.” “Too wet,” Skitter agreed and looked around, her wings buzzing softly. Twilight looked thoughtful, “Changelings like dryer climates?” Skitter nodded, “Especially not saltwater,” she said and then shook water from a puddle off her hoof before starting to walk in the direction of the hive, taking the lead. I fell in behind her, keeping an eye out for hidden changelings. I might not be able to detect them from too far away, but if I spotted one, it would be a nice warning for a possible ambush. “How are you feeling?” Twilight asked quietly as she walked next to me. I shook my head, “I’m fine, Sparks. I have been hurt before, compared to when I almost blew up my horn, this is just some scratches.” Twilight frowned slightly, “Page…” I smiled at her, “Really, Sparks. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine, I promise.” She shifted her wings, her right ear flicking once as she looking at me before she nodded and glanced around, “Any sign of the Hive?” “Not yet,” Skitter said before she stopped walking, “But they know we’re here. We should wait here.” We walked up next to her and then we waited. And waited. The sun slowly moved across the sky. It had been hours and I had sat down on the lichen covered stone to wait. Skitter was standing where she had been. Twilight was laying on a flat stone close to where I was sitting. “Are we sure they know we’re here?” She asked finally. “They’re here,” I said, poking a stone with my hoof, “Four of them, three drones and a queen. They’d been watching us for the last hour or so.” Green fire flashed upwards, revealing four changelings a dozen meters in front of us, three drones and a queen. They had crawled into place in the form of crabs, but that had done very little to hide them from me once they got into range. The queen looked younger than Chrysalis, younger than Pincer even. It’s tricky to tell with changelings, but that was my impression anyway, her pink back scale was shiny and her mane shorter than either of the other queens. She looked a bit… worn though. I could see white remnants in her leg holes. Salt? Same on the drones. “So you really had seen us, pony,” she said, taking a stop forward before looking at Skitter, “Give me a reason why we shouldn’t deal with you as we should by tradition?” Skitter buzzed her wings and then stepped forward, “Queen, I am Princess Skitter, I bring word from Queen Chrysalis of Ca-” “I have no interest in the words of that weak failure,” the pink queen said, interrupting Skitter with a sweep of her hoof, “You are all pathetic, bowing to the food.” I couldn’t help but laugh. That got her attention, “What is so funny, pony?” “You are,” I said with a grin, “Seriously. The Canterlot Hive is by far the largest and most successful Changeling hive in existence. Plenty of food, a lot of changelings that aren’t starving. Doesn’t sound like failure to me. Queen Chrysalis is a genius.” “I am Queen Ambrosia and I will not allow you to corrupt my Hive, pony!” she exclaimed and stomped her hoof, “I have heard of you, Prince of Lies! I know what you have done! You corrupted Chrysalis! You murdered Pincer! Breaker of Hives!” Standing up, I gave her a bow, “All we ask is that you hear Princess Skitters message. That done, we will all leave here.” Ambrosia buzzed her wings, baring her fangs at us before she visibly forced herself under control before she nodded, “Very well.” Skitter took half a step forward, “Queen Chrysalis would like you to consider breaking secrecy and moving openly among the food species. Working openly has shown a marked increase in love harvests among the food. Especially when it allows us to harvest easily from the Kzzrt. It also gives us protection against other dangers from the Alicorns and ponies without risking the constant danger of discovery and extermination from alerted food. Moving openly has earned us safety, free range happy and loving food that assists in protecting the Hive.” “Is that why you brought them?” Ambrosia asked her with a hiss. “I brought them to get you to listen,” Skitter said seriously, “To show you what that protection can give. Two Alicorns stand beside me. What do you have next to you?” Ambrosias drones looked between themselves and then up at their queen. Ambrosia made a buzzing sound and spat something in ancient changeling at Skitter. I know those words! Well, some of them. None translated to Equish very well which was good because none of them were very polite. Ambrosia buzzed again, stomping one hoof, “You have given your Queen's message, Princess. Take your masters and leave us.” Skitter buzzed her wings, looking annoyed before she walked over to Ambrosia, telling her something quietly in ancient changeling, too quiet for us to hear. Ambrozia hissed at her, wings rising in answer and buzzing louder before she answered in the same language. Loud enough to hear, but too quickly for me to really follow, I could only catch a couple of words. You. food. dronefucker. Skitter looked frustrated but she backed away before turning and walking back towards us. She stopped and looked at us, “We’re done, sir,” she said quietly, “We’re not getting any further.” “Understandable,” I said and got up, “Can’t expect other Queens to be as intelligent as you or your mother.” Ambrosia made another angry buzzing sound. I bowed at her, wings spreading, “With your permission, we’ll take our leave, Queen Ambrosia. Please, have a nice day.”