Luna clapped her hooves together. After adjusting to the modern age and the laws Equestria now abided by, she was ready to rule once more! Celestia was out on vacation for the rest of the month and left Luna in charge. She was so excited she could hardly contain herself! The ponies didn’t seem to dislike the change in ruling since she called for a star shower on her first night.
Now was especially important though. In the royal sisters’ private study, a scroll materialized above her head. Luna saw the Crystal Empire seal.
“Oh, a letter from our niece? Perchance she and her husband need assistance ruling the Crystal Empire. Shan’t be too difficult. If we can be deemed worthy of temporary singular control over Equestria, then we do not see why we cannot help another reign their territory.” She said as her magic broke the seal.
Dear Princess Celestia and Luna,
The Crystal Empire has been overrun by changelings. Not in the way you think though; the changelings claim their queen has died and since I was the one who killed her, they have named me their new queen.
I don’t know what to do with them! You know I’m still having nightmares about those things! They stare at us with their giant eyes swearing eternal loyalty! Did you know I even have a song now!? They sang a creepy song about how much they love me! I’m the Princess of Love not the Queen of Changelings! They see me as food! Oh sweet goddess I’m the Princess of their Food!
Hey, Cadence is having a panic attack in the corner. This is Shining Armor. Anyway, the changelings are keeping us confined in her office since she’s too scared to go out. Please help. I fear this may be some kind of trap. Lure us into a false sense of power then attack us. I don’t know what to do.
Signed,
Prince Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza
Luna grimaced. Celestia had warned her of strange and unreasonable problems ponies created. Last week some ponies complained about a few demons escaping Tartarus. How hard is it to read a sign that says “Do not cross: Tartarus Ahead; Keep Magical Gate Shut” and obey said sign? She had to round up the demons herself then scold every townspony for their ignorance. Now there is a mock changeling invasion in her niece’s kingdom? Luna sighed.
She didn’t want to fly all the way to the Crystal Empire just to investigate a possible changeling attack. Other than scaring the living daylights out of them, the changelings have done nothing in particular for the Crystal Empire to require backup. It almost reminded Luna of when she had to capture and release innocent spiders her older sister saw with a similar disgust.
Luna couldn’t just leave Canterlot, but she couldn’t leave her niece alone based on the letter’s urgency. She needed ponies who would work as a middle ground between nothing and international intervention. Some ponies who have experience with changelings before. Ponies who are really awesome.
“And that’s when the princess asked me to jump on the next train to the Crystal Empire and save the day with all my radical friends!” Rainbow Dash explained arrogantly. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack walked behind her to the train.
“Wow, I didn’t know Princess Luna was in charge for a while.” Fluttershy spoke softly. Pinkie Pie bounced over.
“I didn’t know she thought we were so radical and awesome!” Pinkie Pie pranced happily.
“Are ya’ll sure those were Luna’s exact words? It’s not like her to use modern terms, but it’s just like you to brag about yourself.” Applejack questioned. Rainbow rolled her eyes and flew upside down with her forearms crossed.
“Hey, I mentioned you guys too.” Rainbow said.
“Don’t you mean the princess mentioned us too?” Fluttershy inquired. Rainbow flew head first into a tree realizing her faux pas.
“Oh Dashie! You almost had me there! Good job Fluttershy!” Pinkie Pie offered a raised hoof. The more timid pony nervously hoof bumped it as delicately as possible.
The girls met Rarity and Twilight at the train station. A few of the hairs on Twilight’s mane were out of place.
“What took you so long? Rainbow Dash, I asked you to gather the others because I thought you were fast!” Twilight yelled. Rainbow flew out of the tree and got nose to nose with Twilight.
“Are you calling me slow?!” Rainbow shoved her with her forehead. “I can clear a cloudy day in ten seconds flat!”
“Yet you can’t ask our friends to meet at a train station at exactly ten a.m. now can you?”
“Break it up!” Applejack pushed the two aside. Twilight put a hoof to her chest and inhaled. She exhaled and extended the hoof.
“Sorry,” Twilight said quietly “I’m worried for my BBBFF and BSILAFSBFF.” Everypony tilted their head. She sighed. “My Big Brother Best Friend Forever and Big Sister-In-Law And Foal Sitter Best Friend Forever!”
“Oooohhh,” the ponies replied.
“Come on,” Twilight said as she walked to the train. “Princess Luna asked us to deliver this letter to Shining Armor and Cadence in pony then help fulfill the letter’s instructions.”
“What are the instructions about?” Fluttershy asked quietly.
“I’m not sure what’s in the letter itself; Princess Luna asked us only to open it with Cadence and Shining. But I do know this;” Everypony gathered around the unicorn waiting for this overly dramatic pause to end. “Changelings have invaded the Crystal Empire.” Fluttershy immediately fainted.
“Fluttershy? Fluttershy wake up! Rise and shine sleepy head!” Fluttershy’s eyes fluttered open. She looked up at her friends. Pinkie smiled brightly.
“What happened?”
“You passed out after Twilight said the ‘c’ word, silly! You slept through the whole train ride and briefing!” Fluttershy stood up and looked around. They were still on the train, but the windows indicated the arctic north. “We’re almost there but I can sum it up for you!” Pinkie Pie inhaled a large breath.
“The Crystal Empire has been invaded by changelings who all think Cadence is their new queen. But Cadence is afraid of changelings and the sight of them made her scream and since she doesn’t know how to chuckle at changelings, she sent the princess of Equestria an SOS from her office that’s also her shelter from the changelings! Though I think it’s silly to be afraid! The changelings are wiling to obey her every command but she doesn’t have the guts to do it! Shining tried to take over, feeling lucky with his military and leadership skills, but they’ll only listen to Cadence; the pony who wants nothing to do with them! From what was last said, she’s still in her office panicking in a corner. It’s our job to deliver Luna’s reply and help Cadence with whatever orders the letter has in them.” Pinkie smiled.
“Oh…that makes sense……I suppose.”
“Great! ‘Cause we’re here!” The train halted. “Everypony ready to kick changeling butt like last time?” Pinkie asked getting into her two-legged fighting stance.
“We’re not fighting, Pinkie.” Twilight further explained. “Luna said the changelings will not bother us if we do not bother them. I did a little research on changelings and it turns out they will do anything their leader asks of them and nothing else until otherwise said. It’s part of the ‘hive mind’.”
“Hive mind?” Applejack asked as they got off the train. The Crystal Empire didn’t look like it changed much considering there was a recent changeling invasion. The roads shimmered and the buildings shined. Crystal ponies chatted and walked the streets as usual with their coats enchanting those who saw. Some sold items from little wagons or pulled wagons to start a little stand of their own.
“Yes, I’ll explain on the way.” Twilight said. “Each changeling is connected to each other by some kind of magic. They all share the same thoughts and feelings with each other through this telepathic magic. The queen is the master of this telepathic system and influences it the most. So there are absolutely no miscommunications between the changelings so long as they are connected to this telepathic system of communication.”
“Oh…’kay.” the earth pony said. “I’ll just let you unicorns handle the crazy stuff.”
“Hey, not everything magical is crazy! How you earth ponies can buck every fruit off a tree in one kick or do physical labor for hours on end is crazy!” Rarity added. Applejack had submit to that. She’d never seen a non-earth pony do as much work as she and Macintosh did unless they were part of the royal guard or that weirdo, Snowflake.
“So they all have the same brain?” Rainbow asked.
“Oo! Oooo!” Pinkie Pie bounced to Rainbow’s flying level. “So if one changeling likes chocolate pie do they all like chocolate pie? Or if one changeling stubs his hoof, are all of their hooves sore?”
“Maybe,” Twilight answered “Not much is known about changelings beyond their required sustenance, abilities, and hunting behaviors.”
“Hunting?” Fluttershy started shaking.
“She simply means when they pull the old switcheroo is all.” Rarity patted her shaking friend’s back.
“Right,” Twilight reassured “I’m hoping to study them while we’re here. We could learn a lot from their culture or powers.” Twilight paused. “That means…I’ll be the first pony to study changelings on such an intimate level! I’ll be on the cover of Discovered Monthly!!” The other five ponies coughed on the dust cloud left by Twilight’s excited gallop. Pinkie put a hoof to the side of her face and leaned closer to Fluttershy. She whispered.
“Maybe my brain is connected with Twilight’s ‘cause right before she ran off, I thought of a cake made of strawberries and strawberries are Twilight’s favorite.”
Oh dear. Luna sends the Mane Six to deal with the problem.
::clears throat::
What could possibly go wrong?
2775324
Well it seems they aren't going to just beat the love clean out of them, so I think everything will work out just fine.
They just won't know "what went wrong".
Silly Prince Armor, do you have no sense of etiquette? When there are 2 people writing a letter you always do yourself last. Otherwise is seems like you have a huge ego (cause you put yourself before others).
Well, well, here is the third chapter in this chapter!
However Cadanze now is to command an empire of ponies and a swarm of Changeling, left without a queen.
Our friends must now find a way to talk to Changeling, anyway I was surprised by the fact that the ponies crystal have accepted the presence of a large swarm of dark creatures!
Now let's see what will happen even if ametto that for me if Cadanze not exceed his fear the Changeling will become extinct forever!
This story is actually really really good!
Why do I have the feeling Luna's orders to Cadenza are something along the lines of, "Get over yourself. Treat them like ponies. If it helps, order them to turn into ponies. They CAN do that."
2775865 ... BRILLIANT that idea deserves spikes
/
So here I was, just enjoying this kickass story, when all of a sudden this happens.
"Hive Mind..."
Author, I am disappoint.
Oh well. Different strokes for different folks I suppose. Either way the story is very good so far, and I'm certainly looking forward to the next chapter!
2775421
Thanks
My guess? Twilight will join the hive mind FOR SCIENCE.
2776109
Sorry I disappointed you. I was going to get a more....'changelings are individuals' kind of story up too later but this story is meant to express a hive mind feel. They're just robots... annoying robots. They'll do anything, but need specifics of how to do it hence why they telepathically argued so much in the beginning. That is role of their queen Good luck Cady, enter mane six!
2775376
That'll come up soon and the changelings did almost no damage on the city so what's there to complain about? An army of dogs walks into the mayor's office....I'm not the mayor so it's not my problem! .....
lol wow i cant wait to see them meet the changelings again XD
and seeing Twilight strap down a changeling into her science machine makes me grin >:3
Murphy's gonna have a field day with this...
sure love those acronyms
2776109
Okay, what would you call it, then?
2797428 Oh, I'm not saying that Hive Mind is the wrong term for what it is in this story.
I just happen to think that changelings are far more complex than a simple hive mind structure. They are shown in the show to have their own free will and personalities.
My best example is in the fight with the mane six when Pinkie Pie said "Do me! Do me!" When she did, the changeling she was up against rolled its eyes and went along with her request. If the changelings were a hive mind structure, then it would have most likely simply attacked Pinkie instead of stopping to have a little fun. Also, if they were a hive mind, then Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash would not have been able to trick them during the fight since they would be able to tell that they weren't part of the collective.
Anyways, sorry if this reply looks a bit wall-o-textish. I know that here are some stories that use hive mind based changelings, and that's fine and still makes for a compelling story. Hence why I said different strokes for different folks. I was just slightly disappointed since I prefer stories where the changelings are more of a monarchy-driven society. I assure you though that I meant no disrespect to the author, or the story.
2797623
And again, I shall write a fic more 'changelings are ponies too' kind of thing. I'm just working out the...bugs so to speak.
Random changeling: What the hoofhole is that supposed to mean?!
*hides*
2798353 I know. I remember you telling me that. I was simply explaining myself to another person who asked.
2797623
No no no no no!
That's not what I meant! I assumed you thought the term was overused is all. I have Aspergers (Ikr? Ass burgers. Teehee), which kind of prevents me from speaking in undertones. When I say something, I mean exactly what is said.
Also no worries. I don't mind walls of text. I have OCD, and I always see WOTs as bosses, and the only way to beat it is to read it, lol.
They should have brought Spike with them. He hated being left behind.
2856971
Silly Fatboi1000! Spike needs to take care of the pets! He did so well last time! Afterall, he still needs to make that gem cake
Me:
Twilight! That's very rude.
Is this story still going? Please tell me it is!
3285525 well, Yes and no. Writer's block you know? But I'll try my best I'm not sure where my story wil go, but I've been rereading it for weeks trying to find inspiration, but it's comments like this that make me read it yet again
3286777 That's good enough for me, keep fighting the good fight!
Don't worry, Cadance! Beau Bridges was King of the food of these little bug critters from Mars, and that worked out just fine!
filmworksfx.com/18/outer-limits-sandkings-10.JPG
Erm... on second thought, kill them all with fire.
I just realized that the changelings requiring really specific instructions reminds me of coding languages