//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Imprisonment/Escape // Story: Martyr of the Hive // by Taranth //------------------------------// Minutes turned to hours, turned to days, or so it felt like. Normally, even in the depths of the caverns she would know what the time was, for at least one of her children was sure to be outside, and it would take the work of a second to know what they knew. She almost had to thank the fuzziness that still held her mind in its grip. If she had been capable of thinking straight, fast, focused, she would have run out of things to consider and been driven mad by the loneliness. She'd never just... not had anyone to talk to. Sure, her children weren't exactly riveting conversationalists most of the time, but they were something, and if nothing else she could simply watch the world through their eyes. She could feel their devotion to her, know what they would do for her if they could - anything and everything - and they often would. She often gave them free rein simply so they could come up with their own simple gestures, small acts of kindness to surprise her with. She had loved it when they did that. It had a special taste all its own. Now they were all gone, forever. How could that have happened? War with Equestria? What had the ponies done that could have annihilated her entire brood? What had she done to cause them to do so? Why couldn't she remember anything at all? It was impossible. The last thing she remembered was being in her chambers - fuzzy, again, but there. Then, the flash. Then, the trial. She had no idea how long ago that memory had been. Sure, she had considered how she would go about... improving her lot in Equestria, but that was a daydream, certainly not something she had given serious thought to, never something she would actually attempt... right? What was the point? It was not as if her children could feed off a nation that knew of them, feared them, hated them. But if the Queen had said she had done it, and her sister Princess Vicissitudo had not spoken differently... then it had to be true. How could she deny it? Her sister and her hive literally fed on secrets! Had they consumed the knowledge from her mind? Could that be it? She had never truly come under their scrutiny before, for there had never been a need. Is this how it worked? They sought to know what she knew, so they took all the knowledge they sought, and left her with nothing? Was that why her mind was... damaged? How could it possibly be fair to condemn and punish her for a crime she had no memory of committing? Not even planning, not even contemplating! Because fairness had no room in the hive. The word of the Queen was law. She could barely remember what it was like to talk to another changeling... ~-~-~-~ One year later ~-~-~-~ "This way! Hurry!" "I'm... trying... please..." Spring Bounty panted and ran as fast as she could, the soft earth and thick vegetation making quick movement both tiring and dangerous for the earth pony. Her companion had it a little easier, her wings letting her skip the trip hazards and sinking earth a little, but even she had to dodge through the bushes. She couldn't fly high for the same reason Spring couldn't move twenty paces to the right and run on the road instead. The clack of hoof against cobblestone would spell their doom as fast as the sight of the pegasus's wings in the air. It was pure luck that both of them had greenish coats that blended into the undergrowth, but that wouldn't be enough to save them if they didn't hurry. Even the rush of air and plants past her ears couldn't drown out the ominous chitter and buzz of the swarm. She gave a breathless curse as her shoulder ran hard into a branch she hadn't seen, stumbling slightly but running on, trying her hardest to ignore the growing ache in her leg. She quietly cursed her family and her place in it - she might have grown up on a farm, but she wasn't a farmhand, she did the books and the sales! She wasn't built for this kind of physical activity! Then the guilt came crashing down a heartbeat later. Her sisters would probably be doing better than she was right now in her situation - but they were long gone by now, taken, transported who knows where. She imagined them locked in those foul green cocoons, barely conscious - an image all too easy to picture, as she had only just escaped such imprisonment herself. Their earlier brief run through a river still hadn't washed off the last of the slimy goop, but right now that was the last thing on her mind. Oh Celestia, my poor sisters... I'm so sorry! There's nothing I can do to help you now. Tears marred her vision for a crucial second. Her hoof hit a root she hadn't spotted, and that was all it took. At the speed she was running, it sent her tumbling head over hooves, flying through the grass into a thankfully soft landing in a bush. For a long moment she lay there stunned. She had to get up, she had to keep running, she knew it, but everything hurt so much and she couldn't breathe and all her hooves would do was kick weakly and she was done. A shadow dropped over her and she closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable as she felt it touch her. "Shhh! Quiet! Don't move!" A voice hissed. Her eyes snapped back open, showing her pegasus companion pressed over her, her wings wide and covering both of their heads. Their manes were the easiest thing to spot - her own was a daisy yellow, the other's a darker green - but with their tails buried deeper in the bush and their manes shielded by the wings, for the most part they were green on green in the bushes. She tried her best to control her wild breathing, staring out beside her saviour between gaps in the feathers and trees as black-plated figures buzzed their way through the trees slowly, and the clop of hooves could be heard from the nearby road. Any moment now she was sure they would be caught by the sound of her heartbeat echoing through the woods from her ears. It was impossible, there were too many... and... And then they were past. Eyes wide, she turned to look, trying to get a different viewpoint on their continuing searched, but the pegasus over her gave a hiss, holding her in place. Chastised, she froze once more, trying to calm further as the opportunity to rest finally let her breathe a little more normally. For long minutes they stayed in position, trying not to jump at every sound, staying still even once the changelings had left their sight. With the adrenaline fading slightly, she soon began to ache from the awkward position being forced on her, but still didn't dare so much as squirm. Finally there was a sudden concentrated buzz, and she looked up to see a swarm of black shapes moving together through the gaps in the canopy, heading back to where they had come from. It wasn't until the final buzzing faded away that the pegasus seemed to relax the deathgrip on her and pull off, helping her up as she did. "Well, that really wasn't fun." Her companion said with a slightly hysterical giggle. "I'm Papillon. What's your name?"