Letters to the Queen

by AlaskaIsCold

Path's Obligation (Part 1)

PATH’S OBLIGATION: Part 1

Path yawned a little as he looked over to Proper Place and Iridia where they were seated opposite him. The train was almost to the Hollow Shades station, its final stop, but he had taken this trip so many times now, it was hardly exciting anymore. It was still nice when they were all greeted as they disembarked at the train station.

“So – how many days do we get to stay for?” Proper Place asked.

“Hmm… it’s just going to be an overnight trip this time. I need you back in Griffonia to help me with the expansion project. We need to make sure we can upgrade all of the staff living quarters from the shambles they are currently in, to a Changeling/Griffish-inspired living center.” Path nodded thoughtfully. “And I need Iridia to keep tabs on Free. With Pif running amok, I worry about the hive stability.”

Proper started to chuckle slightly. “Yeah Pif is going overboard, but then again she’s three, so what would you expect?”

Iridia rolled her eyes with a smile. “Well, if her love intake is any indication, she’s going to be a powerful one indeed. How did you manage to feed her for four days while Free and Twilight were freaking out over Chrysalis’ gift and you were isolated?”

Path smiled. “I just really love my daughter... that and it almost killed me. Once everything was settled down, I passed out for a day and a half.”

The trio nodded to the guards at the hive entrance, and they all signed in. Once they passed that point, everyone talked in the changeling tongue, and even though Path had been down this way many times previously, the drones and harvesters that they passed always seemed to be impressed that he did not carry an Equish accent when he talked.

When they reached the main chamber, Dianthia stood up with a smile as Iridia ran up to her mother and gave her a huge hug. The older queen smiled and hugged her back while changing her daughter’s connection to the Green Hive from secondary to primary.

“My little Iridia – how have your travels been? I mean aside from your letters, I almost never hear from you,” Dianthia said in a soothing mental voice as the two started chatting via the network.

Proper Place looked at Path. “I imagine that as soon as they are done talking, she’s going to want to link with you again; it is that time of the year, after all.” He sat down and half-closed his eyes, communicating via the network.

Path just smiled as he looked to Proper Place. “You know – between you and Free, I think that I’ve been connected to hive networks so many times it could make my head spin. But… I have been thinking about how the hive-minds work, and I think I understand how the connection works. I’m going to try something this time around.”

Path looked over at Dianthia as the Queen smiled and walked over to him, while Iridia left to go to her chambers.

“I am glad that you still fulfill the obligation that you made all these years ago. It definitely helps my hive when it comes to events outside Equestria. They love the influx of knowledge. Are you ready to be connected?” she asked him as the two walked over to the large pillow that he usually sat upon for these sessions.

“Before we do, I want to try something first,” Path said as he got onto the pillow, while the Green Queen sat down next to him. “Previously, whenever I tried to focus on my internal pathways, my chi as you called it, I could only feel magic, be it my own earth pony magic or the magic of the alicorns that I seem to be around. But recently I’ve been distancing myself so that I can get to know my internal systems. Without earth pony magic to rely on, I’ve been able to explore myself in ways I never could have considered before the accident.”

“What are you saying?” Dianthia’s head tilted in puzzlement.

“I am saying that I’m going to try to connect with you by myself,” Path replied with a grin.

“W-what? I don’t think that’s possible, Path,” Dianthia said with a deprecating smile.

“I think it’s possible. I just have to realign my own chi paths to mimic yours. It’s actually quite similar to how Warfist taught me how to hit harder and move faster by shifting my own internal power to different parts of my body – I just have to adjust mine until it mimics yours.”

“Are you saying that you can see the chi paths?!” Dianthia asked with a touch of shock.

“No, no – I’m not that good, but I can feel them and I remember what yours felt like.” Path closed his eyes and started to focus and concentrate. His own internal chi paths shifted and started to change their resonance.

Dianthia’s eyes started to widen as she felt Path’s chi lines move and shift, their resonance changing until she felt a light pressure against her network. Path did not have the capability to enter a network on his own, but he was able to match his resonance with that of the Queen, so the act of bringing him into the network was as easy as a pulling a pony into a cuddle, as opposed to how it was before which was more like pulling a pony in through a window.

Path materialized smoothly into the virtual grand library of the Green Hive, as opposed to just snapping into existence as he normally did. This transition was a lot easier on Path as well as those nearby.

“Hmmm… I think it’s time that I give another one of my speeches, don’t you think?” Path asked Dianthia rhetorically with a grin, and he started to walk over toward the center of the infinite library. After a few moments, nymphs and younger ’lings started to appear, eager to hear yet another story from the one that quite a few of them had started calling: “Uncle Path”.

Path and Dianthia laid quietly on the pillow for quite a while, and for all those that happened to walk in they would see the pony and changeling apparently motionless and inactive. However, in the network, it was a completely different story.

Path was walking back and forth on his virtual stage, talking to the entranced crowd of nymphs and young ’lings. “Nightmare Night, as you all know, is a very popular holiday in Equestria, and indeed many of you have already been to a few of them, while some of you will be going to your first one soon. Did you know that there is also a Griffonian version? We had to make it more intense due to how griffons are raised.”

Path’s form suddenly blurred slightly, causing confusion among a few of the changelings before he re-solidified. “T-The other thing that I’ve been working on lately is setting up the House presence in the Crystal Kingdom. I have been talking with Prince Shining Armor and Captain Diamondhard, and they are considering opening admission to every ’ling since we have perfected the Ambient Love Deflection charms, so you can set foot on the Kingdom’s campus without LSS becoming an issue.”

Several of the Harvester changelings perked up in excitement over the prospect of visiting the Crystal Kingdom which until then had been strictly off-limit.

Path’s figure blurred a second time. “And I was… The thing is you… I hope that we can all… classes will be….”

The changelings all began to look confused before Path suddenly faded from the network. The sudden drop startled Dianthia, and she opened her eyes to look at her friend.

Path was passed out on the pillow, panting heavily, even though he was clearly out light a light.

Dianthia sighed. “You did something ponies are not meant to do, so it only makes sense you would overexert yourself doing it.”

The Queen levitated Path’s limp form over to her large pillow in the center of the room and made him comfortable for an extended rest. She then sent a message through the hive to reassure her subjects, and to alert Proper Place and Iridia that they would be staying a few more days than expected. Lastly, she ordered that some food be brought up for their guest. He was going to be ravenous when he woke up, and he needed to build up his strength to complete his speech, but perhaps next time in not such a drastic, albeit fascinating, manner.

Author's Note:

So I know this story is supposed to be all about Iridia but I want to do about two chapters involving path, so this one and the next update is going to be a radical shift back and forth. The next update will involve Path, Azon, and Warfist and its going to be DARK.

Comments

[pahnazd]

"That time of the year." I thought of something completely different than this

Anyway, another good chapter! So, next chapter is going to be dark? Let' see if you mean dark as in there will be no light and they'll be constantly running into each other, or dark story-wise. Probably the 2nd option.
Nevertheless, always a huge for more of this!