The Fungus Among Us

by Xain Russell

Chapter 4: Trying to feel pain, but my heart's gone numb

4 days after first infection
Somewhere in the Everfree Forest.

A changeling that was now two days into it's journey stumbled about the under growth of the most dangerous forest in Equestria: Everfree. It was following the scent of pheromones left behind wherever its queen went, for it was this changeling's instinctual duty to be with the queen, to help and provide for her, where ever she was. It was having a rather difficult time of it however, thanks in part to the large growths that had started to obscure both eyes. The changeling was practically blind at this point, it could still sense light, but the ability to discern shapes or colours was forever lost to it. It would frequently trip over exposed roots or rocks in the grounds, groaning as it lifted itself up and continued unperturbed.

All around the changeling, creatures of the Everfree would watch it move about. Sometimes they would draw close, before backing off quickly when they inhaled the subtle scent of decay wafting off of it. This thing did not belong in this forest, it had brought with it something vile and sickly that terrified everything around it with even a slightly above average sense of smell. But not even the strongest nose in this forest could smell what the changeling could, it could tell that its queen had flown over this forest in a north westerly direction not even a day ago.

"Mother..." The changeling moaned as it continued on its way.

As the changeling pushed its way through a bush, it put its hoof down on a loose patch of earth, which gave way and allowed gravity to take hold of it, dragging it out of the bush and over the side of a cliff. A brief fall, and a sickening crunch later, the changeling was splayed out on its side on the forest floor. After a few moments of moaning, it attempted to get back up, only to find its left front leg had broken horribly when it impacted the ground. The changeling ignored this latest mangling of its body and began dragging its now good as dead limb beside it, its already slow pace now drastically slower. Some part of the Changeling's brain was screaming in pain, begging the fungus to just let it die... but the fungus pushed the changeling on, indifferent to its misery.

On the edge of Ghastly Gorge

In between the Everfree forest and the town of Appleloosa, there was a large crevasse that split open the earth like a great scar. Ghastly Gorge had earned its name by being one of the most eire and unsettling places in Equestria. Few ponies were daring enough to enter it, partly because of the high risk of rock slides, but mostly because of the Quarray Eels that made the caverns of the gorge their home, to say nothing of the rumors that the trench was haunted by the ghosts of those that had entered but never came out. Along the edge of the east side however was a lone figure, pacing about the cliff trying to find a way across.

"Mother..." The changeling moaned as it whipped its now lopsided head about. The fungus had basically consumed the entire right side of its face, leaving one eye completely gone and the other one barely capable of sight.

It was enough though to keep the Changeling from stumbling over the edge when it had followed the queens scent to this point. The wind had carried Queen Chrysalis's pheromones far and wide across the southern half of Equestria, but even half dead her children could follow the trail wherever it went. The fungus pumped more chemicals into the Changeling's brain to make it get a move on, and the changeling began to walk northward toward Ponyville, where it would possibly continue in the direction of its mother.

The Smokey Mountain Hive

Chrysalis and her kin, after two days of almost non stop flight, finally touched down at the western most hive under her control, the Smokey Mountain. Hundreds of years ago, the mountain was a former home to a large dragon population, before Celestia ran them out for ruining the weather of her kingdom with their constant napping. Although "ran them out" might not have been the most accurate description of what had happened. Chrysalis had learned that Celestia had only put down one dragon after they refused to leave despite her generous offer of treasure, and that had sent the rest running for the southern mountains. Had the stupid beasts thought to attack together, Equestria wouldn't have expanded westward past Ponyville.

Luck, Chrysalis decided, was the only reason the ponies had survived as long as they had and thrived as well as they were. 'I need some of that luck right now.' The queen thought.

All fifteen still disguised changelings entered into a large cave in the side of the mountain, just big enough for about fifty ponies to stand around in comfortably. At the moment though there was only one, a pegasus sitting by a fire and starring intently at the flames. When he heard the hoofsteps of a large group entering, he looked up and smiled.

"Hello there! Lovely day for a hike isn't it?"

"Open the gate." Chrysalis said as she dropped her disguise. "Your queen demands it."

"At once my Queen." The pegasus said, discarding his fake cheer as he stood and approached the back wall. He tapped three times on a particular spot of a featureless slab of rock, which then pulled apart at an invisible seem. The Pegasus stood to the side and bowed before Chrysalis.

"The Smokey Mountain Hive welcomes you my Queen."

"Carry on." Chrysalis said simply as she crossed the threshold, leading her children inside before it slid shut once more.

They entered into a large foyer like cavern, which split off in all different directions leading deeper into the mountain. It was decorated with all manner of tapestries and columns and statues depicting Chrysalis. Chrysalis herself sneered at the sight, she began to regret putting him in charge.

"My Queen!" Came a shout from a very proud looking changeling wearing a suit of all things rushed forward to greet her. "So very good to see you again!"

"Greetings Mimic. I see you've added your usual unneeded and undue sense of flair to this hive since my last visit."

"Ah, yes, well I've always felt that the chance to live in comfort is what drives many a creature to push themselves to do more than they are capable of."

"Mmmm... and by comfort, you of course mean insuring that the changelings under your care are well fed. Am I correct?"

Mimic's smile dipped at this. "Well, I assume the food situation at the main hive is no worse than it is here my Queen."

"The Food Situation at the main hive is nonexistent, as is the main hive itself."

"...I'm afraid I don't understand my Queen."

"I am not here for a casual visit Mimic." Chrysalis said angrily as she walked past the stuttering changeling. "I was forced to evacuate the Main Hive."

"What! B-but why? Was it the ponies? Did they find us?"

"No. The threat was not external, but internal. One of the drones found something in the mines."

"The Diamond Dogs then?"

Chrysalis wheeled around impatiently and bent her neck down, striking her horn against Mimic's and sending a torrent of memories and information concerning the last few days directly into his mind. Mimic reeled back in shock and curled over as he struggled to process the surge of data. Eventually his eyes flew open in horror, looking up at his queen in sure terror.

"By the ancestors." He said, voice quivering. "I guess that explains the reports I've received of increased changeling sightings in the east."

Chrysalis ground her teeth at this. If news had gotten here already, it would mean her swarm was in so much of a panic that they were revealing their presence far sooner than she anticipated.

"Mimic, please." Chrysalis said, trying to regain her composure. "I didn't come here just to avoid getting caught in the scramble, I have need of your...uniqueness."

Mimic wasn't simply another changeling, nor was he one of Chrysalis' brilliant children. Mimic was special in that he was one of the few changelings to have not been born as such. He had started his life as a unicorn pony in Canterlot, but ten years ago he abandoned his race to join with the Changelings. He brought with him scientific and magical knowledge he himself had researched, and in return Chrysalis had granted his wish to become as them. She never asked him of his reasons, because she knew that once he became a changeling it wouldn't even matter, he'd bend to her will like any common drone. But Mimic had a strong mind and heart, and what emerged from the pod she'd placed the pony in was close enough her own brood that it almost terrified her. Regardless, he was as loyal to her as any of her own was, to the point where Chrysalis started to suspect his reasons for wanting to be with her were... perverse to say the least. Still, he became a valuable asset and thinker, proving his usefulness time and time again until she saw fit to allow him to have some semblance of power within the hive. He grew into his role, and when the time came to set up another outpost within Equestria, he stepped forward and volunteered to lead it. Chrysalis would have preferred sending one of her brood to be in charge, or at the very least a Nurse, but this seemed like a good test of the pony turned changeling. He proved himself to be a good, if eccentric leader, and encouraged Chrysalis to find more ponies of great intelligence that she could turn to her side. The failure at Canterlot put a dash through those plans however, which infuriated Chrysalis even more at the time as Shining Armor would have been a perfect candidate. Alas, Mimic would remain one of only a few.

But now Chrysalis needed his experience as a researcher and scientist, he would find the cause of this plague, and perhaps even a cure.

"Mimic." Chrysalis said. "I have given you all the information we have on the Fungus that attacked the main hive. I want you to find out what exactly this thing is. And find out if there's anything in that massive collection of books you're so proud of that might give us some way of protecting ourselves against it. I'd hate to see such a vast store of knowledge go to waste after you spent so much time stealing it."

"Of course my Queen." Mimic said, bowing. "Though I'm afraid I might not have enough to find what you need. If I had a sample of the fungus-"

"Out of the question." Chrysalis said quickly. "No one goes back to the main hive. It should be considered lost from this point on. Is that clear?"

"Yes my Queen." Mimic said dourly as the weight of his work dropped on him.

"Now, my children and I will be appropriating your quarters for ourselves. You can have your 'comforts' back when you have results for me."

Canterlot

Celestia didn't journey down into the dungeons often. In fact, she didn't think she'd been down in these less than happy corridors in decades. Her guard led her past several empty cells before they stopped at one that was surrounded by a translucent blue bubble. Inside was the Changeling from Appleloosa, circling about aimlessly and occasionally stopping at a wall to thunk its fungus ridden head against it.

"Good heavens." She said softly as she looked upon the creature.

"It hasn't done much since we put it in there." The guard in charge of the quarantine spell said. "But it did freak out the other changeling prisoners we brought in yesterday. They screamed and begged to be let out, they kept saying something like 'It wants me next' or 'I won't become one of those things.'"

"Interesting." Celestia said, eyes still locked on the changeling in front of her.

"Indeed. Especially after they've been so tight lipped. We hadn't heard even a peep out of them until this one showed up." The guard smirked slightly as an idea crossed his mind. "You think they'll tell us where their hive is if we threaten to toss them in with this one?"

"Absolutely not!" Celestia said. "I will not condone such a cruel idea! They may be our enemies, but if this thing terrifies them so much, then it must be truly awful."

"Isn't that a good thing?" One of the guards whispered, thinking Celestia couldn't hear him.

Celestia sighed. "Has my sister seen this yet?"

"Yes, she oversaw us bringing it in early this morning. She said she wanted to know your opinion before she did anything with it."

"Meaning she already has plans for it." Celestia groaned. "Very well, I will seek her out. But first..." She paused, then she stepped toward the containment field. She noted that the air within the cell seemed to have groan thick with dust, probably from the cell's lack of use over the years. "Changeling." she said. "Can you hear me? What has happened to you?" The changeling ignored her and continued to pace around the small chamber. Celestia pursed her lips in thought, then lip up her horn and spoke again, the spell making her voice sound as close to the Changeling Queen's as she could. "Changeling. What has happened to you?"

The Changeling seemed to perk up at this. It didn't say anything, but it did start vigorously sniffing at the air. After a few moments, it simply went back to pacing.

"Doesn't look like this one's going to talk." The guard said. "We moved the others to another hall if you want to try with them."

"Thank you." Celestia said, casting one more look at the changeling before adding. "Take care of her, I think she's in enough pain at the moment."

"She?"

"It's a nurse lieutenant. You can tell by the lighter colours and the larger proportions."

"Oh." The guard said uninterestedly. "I thought it was just fat off of all the love it stole."

Celestia sighed again before she walked away. She and her guard took a few turns and found themselves in another hall with several more Guards watching over three occupied cells. Each one held a healthy changeling, sitting in the corner quietly.

"Have they said anything?" Celestia asked.

"Not since we moved them over here your majesty."

Celestia nodded and approached the first cell. "Hello." She said simply, getting the Changeling's attention. "I'd like to know why you were discovered in Baltimare yesterday, could you tell me?" The changeling remained silent, unsurprisingly. "Alright, then how about the Changeling we brought in this morning. What's wrong with her?" The changeling's face twitched slightly as he readjusted himself and turned his eyes to the wall. Celestia began to walk down the line of cells, looking to each changeling in turn as she did so. "Please, can any of you tell me? She seems to be in a lot of pain and I would like to help."

"You want to help her?" One of the changelings asked sneeringly.

Celestia stopped to look at the changeling in question. "Yes, I do."

"Then kill her and burn her corpse." The changeling said simply. "It'd be the greatest kindness you could give to her."

"How can you say that?" Celestia asked, shocked at the changeling's bluntness. "Surely her condition is not so horrible as to warrant killing her."

"Sun Princess." The changeling said with anger and spite. "She's worse than dead right now."

Celestia stood in silence, staring at the changeling for a few moments before turning away and walking to the dungeon's exit.

"I must speak with my sister now," She said to her escorts. "This might be worse than we thought."

Comments

[lordofmyth]

hmm, at least you are not yet causing them to jump to ponies for no reason.

it is intersting what is going on here though.

[ThatClosetBrony]

Hey, do you know what would be savory? If this never happened, and Celestia, in her infinite "kindness" and "non-violence", helped out the infected changeling and spread the fungus to half of Equestria, then refuse to kill the infected until it was too late. Oh, how delicious the irony would be...the look on her face...the resignation, the self-hatred...DAMN that's good!

[SomeRandomMinion]

What could Luna be up to...?

[Maiah]

This is heading for the feature box, I'm sure.

And when this does and it also gets the attention of the whole fandom. I'm sure a lot of bronies will be crying out for a movie. Because I CERTAINLY AM.

Now if only I was a master in animation.