by Bekdontraz
~~~
Twilight Sparkle made her way down the twisting corridors of the cavern with her eyes adjusting to the dim light cast by her horn. She heard the chitters and scratches as the caverns denizens followed her. She’d caught sight of one of the black carapaced creatures when she’d first stumbled into the cave system below Canterlot. It was intriguing to see such equine creatures. She stopped as her hoof sank into something soft squishy. She glanced down seeing the cavern coated in a black substances. She pulled out her tools scratching away at it and collecting a sample. This was all so exciting!
___
Princess Cadence of the Swarm was confused. She’d met many ponies over her lifetime, but none that showed such blatant curiosity in the face of the unknown. She crept along the shadows hiding her as she followed this curious creature. Her eyes traced the mare’s body surprised at how young she looked. She was barely a mare it seemed! Who would send such a pony into the Hive?
___
“Hello? Is somepony there?” Twilight called out to the darkness. She could feel the being’s eyes on her. She shivered, her coat crawling. Everything in her screamed at her to flee; to run back to her warm room in the palace and lock the door. She stamped her hoof to silence such thoughts and swallowed.
“Please, I just want to talk! I’ve never met another species so close to my own!”
___
Cadence blinked at the mare’s words. She wanted to talk? Who would want to talk to a changeling? They were feared and shunned, yet here was a mare who wanted to meet her. She swallowed and stepped forward shifting into a pink pegasus guise as she did so.
“Then talk pony”
___
Twilight spun around seeing a flash of green in her peripheral vision. She blushed as a beautiful mare stepped into the glow of her horn.
“Hello! I’m Twilight Sparkle” She said bowing to the newcomer with a smile. “D..do you know anything about the creatures I saw coming in here?”
“Yes” The mare replied tilting her head as if confused by Twilight. She was silent for a long while, long enough for Twilight to consider speaking again. “I am Cadence..” She spoke again before Twilight could.
“Oh! That's a pretty name.” Twilight said, and then facehooved as she realized just how stupid she’d just sounded.
The strange mare giggled into her hoof and then broke into a genuine smile. “You are not like other ponies are you?” She asked.
“Err...no not really..” Twilight admitted gently tracing her hoof on the cavern floor. “Wait, You're a pony too!”
“No Twilight Sparkle I’m not” The mare responded stepping forward. Her form was consumed in a green fire burning away the pink coat and revealing a tall black carapaced equine form. Her mane was pink, her eyes a light purple. Twilight smiled and stepped forward drunkenly.
“Isn’t that nice.” She said before toppling onto her side in shock.
___
Cadence let out a soft sigh as she watched her mare pass out. She’d felt her curiosity and fear peak at the same time. The poor mare passing out from the overload. With a burst of her magic she moved Twilight onto her back with her magic and smiled carrying the mare back out of the caves. She stopped as she stepped out onto the streets of Canterlot. She glanced around and placed Twilight on the road.
“HELP GUARDS!” She cried out at the top of her lungs before stepping back into the shadows heading back to the Hive. She’d made a mistake revealing herself to Twilight. She only hoped that it would cause the Hive trouble.
___
Twilight had spent months convince Celestia that she hadn’t simply imagined the whole ordeal in the caves. She’d only managed to do so once she rediscovered the sample she’d taken from the cave floor. It had taken her weeks longer to convince the Princess to let her back down there on her own.
___
Cadence glanced up as the first drone sensed the presence outside the Hive. She stepped down off her throne sending a claiming feeling through the hive. She made her was quickly through the winding corridors. She soon laid eyes once more on the mysterious mare. A smiled came unbidden to her lips as she watched Twilight search the hive.
“Hello again Twilight Sparkle.” She said stepping out into light once more. The mare’s eyes widened and she bounced happily towards the changeling princess.
“You’re real! You’re really really real!” She bounced around examining Cadence. “What are you? I’m so glad you’re still here! Where is here? How long have you been here?”
Cadence was baffled by the surge of emotions from the mare. She giggled and watched as she examined every bit of her. “I’m a changeling..” Cadence responded. “We’ve always been here..”
“What exactly is a Changeling?” Twilight asked blinking and looking up to meet Cadence’s eyes.
“I..umm” Cadence glanced down her enthusiasm gone when she realized the mare had honed in to the tough question quickly. “A shapeshifter..” She answered diplomatically.
“That is so cool! Have your people always been able to do that? Is it something you can teach?” Twilight asked with undiminished joy.
“We have always been able to shift forms.” Cadence answered “I don’t think I could teach it.”
“Oh, thats okay. Umm can we just sit and talk?”
“Yes, I’d like that very much Twilight” Cadence sat down and began to talk with the young mare. Perhaps it was an opportunity for the Changelings to step into the light. The Princesses might allow peaceful contact.