Creatures of Deception

by eggtosser

Chaper 11 - The Amethysts

I return my focus to the endless fields in front of me, shimmering from the rays of lights that shine onto each blade of grass that is coated in water droplets. The cool and windless atmosphere attracts the birds out from their nests to begin collecting their food, the squirrels making themselves aware by poking their heads through the leafy branches of the tress they've scurried up.

While others are only just starting to awake for the day, or continue snoozing in their beds, I have already woken up to greet the early morning. I breath in deeply and cool and grassy air, washing away my drowsiness and continuing along my away across the hills. Even though I should do more than going on a small stroll, at least it is exceedingly better than cooping myself in Tremor's home until he returns after five o'clock.

Feeling like lying down, I drop myself unceremoniously, ignoring the sudden coolness and dampness on my belly as the water drops onto my faux fur. I cross my forelegs and rest my chin onto it while letting my eyes close for a few moments before reopening them to witness a fast approaching blue blur. It probably is a just a bird, but I'm pretty sure a blue bird sporting more than five colours can't travel that fast. It's coming straight for me.

I frantically jump away in an attempt to get out of its way, the hurtling object on a collision course directly on top of me. I throw my hooves around my head and lay myself as low as possible. Moments pass as I await for the sudden crash that'll leave a huge crater within the Earth, but not happens. Cautiously, my head rises from out of the dirt to see a certain cyan mare hovering above with a amused smirk on her face.

"Enjoying the taste of the grass I see, don't worry, you're not the only one who has got a taste of it after I leave 'em in the dust. Anyways, watcha doing?" Rainbow Dash asks before landing on fur hooves-not without performing a flip for good measure however.

"Nothing," I reply as I climb up from off the ground, lightly patting myself from the loose bits of dirt and grass that refuses to detach from my legs and chest.

"That's nice, I'm just wandering cause I'm usually the early bird out here."

"Well, I just thought I should probably go outside for once, get myself some fresh air instead of staying inside to wither." I reply, sighing as I concede in trying to clean myself.

"So, you've been doing anything recently?" she asks.

"Not much really, I usually spend my time inside and talking to Tremor." I look away from Rainbow Dash to face the distant village. This doesn't feel right.

"Also, how's Tremor? I don't get to see him often anymore, with me training for the Wonderbolts and all."

I look back from being distracted, realising that Rainbow is asking me a question. "He is doing fine, although seems to be busy with work now. "

"That's good to know, it has been a while since we last spoke as at least he's taking care of himself. Have you heard about this wedding that's happening in Canterlot? Apparently Princess Cadence is marrying Shining Armour, who's Twilight's brother by the way," Rainbow whispers the last part into my ear.

So Twilight now has a brother who is going to marry one of the princess'? I don't know whether to feel scared or not; this is turning more and more scary the more I think about what this may result in the future.

"Hey, I need to go. I forgot I needed to meet with AJ soon. So I'll see ya around," Rainbow says quickly before launching straight up into the sky and turning to the direction of the apple orchard on the opposite of Ponyville.

I watch the rainbow blur shrink into the distance, slowly disappearing out of sight before vanishing behind Ponyville's town hall. With my interest fading just as fast as her, I turn away to locate a nearby tree to see a one standing alone on the way back to Ponyville. Dragging myself over underneath and into the yellow dotted shade, I collapse against the trunk as I let out a groan. While taking the liberty of being alone, I drop in a flash of green flames, allowing myself to stretch after being in my pony disguise after far too long. I let out a relaxed sigh as I recline back against the trunk.

"Might as well enjoy this for now," I mumble.

***

On the way back into Ponyville, a familiar bouncy pink mare stops me in the middle of the semi-packed street. Her emotions are bursting with an unhealthy amount of joy that could give a changeling diabetes, even more so than usual.

"Have you seen the new ponies, huh, HUH!" she screams, causing my to flinch back from the assault my ears are suffering. "When I saw them, I was like 'I've never seen these ponies before, they must be new', and then I was like 'there's is two of them meaning double the party'" she grins excitedly.

"Um, no?" I still don't understand this mare, and I doubt I ever will. "Wait, new ponies came here?"

"Yup, they're very secretive though, like spies. But nopony can hide from me for long, and if you find them, bring them to Sugar Cube Corner for their surprise. You can come as well; free food is hard to resist." Okay, she is starting to scare me. What is she planning?

"I don't even know what they look like," I reply, but by the time I can, she is already out of hearing range as she merrily hops away.

I've never know anyone like her before, a ball of an excessive amount of joy but is more baffling a little bit annoying at the same time. Is a being like her even possible, to have that much energy crammed into her? Maybe there will be a day where we can understand her, which is probably the same day the sun falls into the Earth.

More worryingly however, she mentioned about two new comers making their way into town in a suspicious manner. As soon as she mentioned it, alarm bells started ringing inside my head instantly under the words 'possible threat'. I felt something from here, it is a changeling but this time it is a different. Well, I'm about to find out because they're right up ahead... Right in Tremor's house.

When I reach the door to Tremor's home, as soon as my hoof touches the handle to open the door, the front door slowly creaks open. Gulping, I enter the dim house and into the main room where two forms are waiting, however they're not the company I am expecting.

"At least we got the right house this time," the one on the left mutters under her breath.

Unlike the changelings I am more familiar with, these two have dark violet carapaces and bright purple eyes. This is a completely different hive I'm dealing with. My question is what they want with me, and I hope I won't need to find out the hard way.

"Hello Silver, or should I call you by your guise?" the nymph says.

"What is it that you want?" I growl, shedding my disguise to reveal the chitin underneath.

"Woah, calm down there," the other nymph one rises, detecting my building tension. "We come in peace, we're just here to take you to our queen. Apparently she really wants to see you," the changeling explains.

"And whom may that be?" I question, still not quite convinced.

"Queen Amethyst of the Amethyst hive, not sure why she wants to meet you but apparently she spoke to someling who knew you."

"Did they happen to serve Chrysalis?"

They both shrug in unison, "we weren't told much other than to get you."

The two changelings engulf themselves in a purple flame and adorn their disguises. The one on the left, a female yellow earth pony and a pale blue mane that's tied back into a small little bun. Her tail is short but curly, and she has a cutie mark of a spark and a piece of string. One can only imagine that that means. The other changeling is now a female purple unicorn with a long night blue mane and tail, waving down her neck like a waterfall. She has purple star for a cutie mark.

"What are your names?" I ask.

"My name is Purple Star," says the purple 'unicorn'.

"Flaming Fuse," replies the other.

"So where is it we are going, I don't recall there being any hives near here." I return back my disguise before moving towards the front door with the two disguised changelings trailing behind.

"In the Everfree, thirty minutes from here," Purple Star answers before taking the lead and guiding me out of Ponyville.

"It's always the Everfree isn't it," I mutter quietly to myself.

The two changelings roll their eyes. "It isn't that bad, at least where our hive is there aren't any manticores or cockatrices. Although we do have a slight timberwolf infestation though," Purple Star turns and nudges Flaming who receives an unheard message. She advances further forward, almost out out of sight to the edge of the Everfree and waits patiently.

"What did a changeling like you do anything to gain the attention of our queen, she's not so easy to impress. I've tried but only got looks from her," she asks.

"I may have done something in my hive which forced me to go into hiding," I vaguely explain.

"Care to elaborate?" she asks intriguingly.

"I don't think you need to know."

While the Amethyst changeling may want to know, I don't feel as comfortable as her in order to give my reasons. The last thing I want is to be sent off back to Chrysalis or killed because they're afraid that I might target their queen, so to keep secretive is my only option. Of course when I confront their queen I will have no choice but to spill out the truth, but for now I'll just keep doing what I've been doing most of my life.

"Okay, keep being the changeling you're taught to be." She looks away to scan her surroundings. "Why are you so concerned about Queen Chrysalis? Is she after you?"

"Yeah, she will kill me if I return without a doubt."

"That serious?" she stares are me sceptically. I hum in response.

She stays silent, a thoughtful expression on her face. Maybe it will be best if she stays quiet, at least I won't have to answer anymore question of hers. Something tells me this is going to be a long thirty minutes.

***

"How much longer do we have? I thought you said it's only thirty minutes, and I'm starting to think you are lying." I was expecting a short journey to their hive, but it is looking life there is no indication that we're getting close and it is becoming really tiring.

"It's close, have patience little one." Purple Star says mockingly which earns a laugh from Flaming who's hopping next to her.

"I would if you two were more serious than this."

"But where's the fun in that though?" Flaming Fuse whines with her annoying grin.

If I have to deal with these two for any longer, I can't be held accountable for what I may do. For soldiers, they seem to lack any sort of discipline what so ever.

"Why did she choose to find me?" I mumbles just loud enough so they can hear me.

"We're her most trusted guards, doubt she can do anything without us." Purple Star says proudly.

"Yup," Flaming agrees before leaning in into my ear. "Although between you and me, I doubt Purple can operate without me," she whispers. Okay, I don't even want to know what that is meant to imply, assuming it is suggesting anything in the first place. The best thing I can do now is remain quiet for the rest of the duration if I can.

Soon after, we push through a thick layer of bushes and into a grey rocky cliff face. Looking around, I see nothing out of the ordinary or worth noting. We must've went the wrong way, do they even know where their own hive is? Before I can question their navigation skills, a changeling emerges from the rocks, materialising through it!

He wears dull metallic violet armour, padding his shoulders and legs which leaves the joint slightly exposed, and wrapping around his body. His head gear has a simple design, fitting around the head with three holes on the top for the ears and horn to fit through. On the sides are small spikes that stick dangerously out, most likely for anyone who gets too close which will render his weapon obsolete.

"Who's this?" he speaks in a low and imposing voice. Both Flaming Fuse and Purple take off their disguises, which receives a nod as a response from the guard. "Welcome back cap, I assume this is the package the queen wants to see," he says with a lighter tone. Although, I feel slightly insulted that he is referring me as only a 'package'.

"Yeah, she's a package alright," Purple giggles before walking through the wall.

"Well, you going or are you just going to stand their?" Flaming ask. I haven't even realise I've been staring.

The changeling, who is starting to get really impatient, comes behind me and begins shoving me towards the cliff face despite my protests. With one last push, she thrusts me forwards which ends in me tripping up and collapsing into the... ground?

Dragging my head from the gravel beneath my chin to see, instead of expecting to see the grey cliff face, I see is a gaping crystal cavern. All around the entirety of the Amethyst Hive, decorated with luminescent crystals that bathe the large cavern in a dim purple glow. Occupying the air and the ground are changelings who, look similar to Flaming or Purple, are moving and interweaving with each other to get from one location to the next.

All around me are stone houses which share almost identical designs, each one built on a different elevation to the next. Some houses are poking out of the hive walls whiles others are dug into the ground, into small tunnel systems that house both residents and workers. On the other end of the hive, there is a cathedral building carved into the wall.

The changelings around me, their faces and emotions show no sign of oppression or the hatred against their queen. They look happy, if only home was like this.

"Wow, this place is amazing, I never knew a hive could be like this." I say dumbfounded. This is absolutely shocking, not only the hive itself but the changelings here who live here. "It is beyond anything else."

"Welcome to the Amethyst Hive," Flaming Fuse says while picking me up onto four hooves.

"How did you do that?" I ask, gawking like a nymph who discovered honey for the first time.

"Illusion magic accompanied with sensor blockers to mask our location. Nothing fancy and we're pretty concealed except for those pesky timberwolves who keep sniffing us out," Purple Star explains. "Pretty neat, huh?"

"This is something," I comment, regaining control of my mouth.

"It's in our name, come before you get distracted even more." Flaming motions for me to follow her, and I do so while eating in the breath taking hive.

We take off down the gravel roads, weaving through the stretches of roads which web throughout the ground. Some of the changelings I pass by stop and stare at me with mild curiosity, before going back to their occupations. I probably would've been bothered about it if it weren't for the fact that the crystals that surround the hive are so distracting, I've never seen anything like this before. Why don't we have these back home? It would've made a great home improvements, maybe I can being some back for a closer look.

I can hear my escort in front laughing quietly, but when I ask they only respond with even more laughing. We turn off from the road and into a large pathway that leads into a large dome. The large pillars that supports the structure is connected by a ring that circles all around and connects the pillars to the roof. The ring is written with changeish scriptures that speaks about previous monarchs and history of the hive.

We pass the large gate like entrance, guarded by a number of guards, that goes into a large hall. There're paintings of different changelings which line the walls, with tapestries hanging on the side of each one. At the end of the long carpet, rolled out through the center of the dome, is a large throne that sits high on a platform which ascends up by a staircase. Upon that throne is the changeling queen. The tall figure with bright violet carapace that goes along the length of her neck has a hole filled purple mane is tied back behind her head. An escaping strand hang over he left eye which covers a partial amount of her left eye.

The throne itself is slim, and a tall backrest that's decorated with sharp spikes that curve upwards along the spine of it. Though it has a red cushion that goes up the back rest, it doesn't look like the nicest of thrones to sit in.

When I look over the queen, compared to Queen Chrysalis, she isn't as intimidating looking-maybe it is because she isn't staring me down with piercing eyes which can kill a cockatrice. If anything, Queen Amethyst looks calm, perched upon her over-sized personal chair.

"My queen," Purple star and Flaming bow their heads, now only standing a few feet from the queen. I follow their example, leaning my head downwards.

"Rise," she says slowly. "I assume she is the one that I've been told about?"

"Yes my queen," Purple answers back.

"Good, Flaming you're dismissed. Captain Star, Silver, please come with me." The changeling queen lifts herself from her throne and lands on the ground, walking behind her throne to a door.

As me and the captain follow the queen, Flaming makes her exit from the throne room and back outside. The queen looks back at me for a moment as she unlocks the door into a narrow corridor, which then enters into an endless stairwell that spirals upwards. On one side of the stairwell are small slits that, when looked out of, views over the entirety of the hive. We begin climbing up in, already knowing that it may take a while before we reach wherever we're trying to go to.

"You're name is Silver, correct?" I nod my head, earning a small hum from her. "Someone appeared on the doorstep of my hive; they spoke about you. You're a rebel warrior against Queen Chrysalis, escaped after a failed assassination attempt, I'm quite impressed."

Purple looks at me in surprise, not expecting that about me. It is to be expected to gain such a reaction, it isn't often that changelings will stand up against their queen. When it does happen though, it is usually a sign which means something is terribly wrong.

"I've never been one to care about another hive's affairs, but if what they said is true, then I will have to take matters into our own hooves."

"What do you mean by that?" I ask.

"Your hive, before she ascended the throne, had quite a history. It was seen as one of the most powerful hives out there, respected and fears by many hives from here all the way to the Badlands. Ever since King Elliptical died, she took to power and completely shattered everything he built. Right now, she threatens, not only her hive, but every other changeling. It is my duty as Queen to ensure that harmony between us and the ponies is balanced.

The reason you're here is because I want to help you, but in return I need information. I'm not just doing this for the sake of the Chrysalis Hive, but for everyling that will die due to her ignorance and stupidity."

I haven't even realised that the situation has escalate so badly that other hives are now being included in the fray. It is bad enough that there's is a civil war raging within the hive walls, but this is a deceleration of war we're talking about between the Amethyst Hive and the Chrysalis Hive.

When we reach the top of the stairwell, we're greeted by another door which is guarded by two guards who are already in the process in unlocking it. The door leads to a small pathway that has been dug out into the wall of the hive, the left wall has been completely demolished to overlook the bustling hive down below. It looks like I'm staring down into a disco ball from up here from the sparkling crystals down below.

I feel Purple poke my side, and lean close to my ear. "You never told me you're fighting a rebellion," she whispers.

"I doubt the conversation about why I am trying to kill my own queen will bode well with you," I reply back in a low tone.

"I don't mind, she doesn't sound nice anyway."

I turn back towards Queen Amethyst, who's staring at her hive below with a faint smile. "If you don't mind me asking, who was it that came to you that day?"

"A ling by the name of Fireclaw," she says.

Of course it was Fireclaw, only he'll go out of his way to gather pretty much everyling he can to join the cause. How did he even discover the hive in the first place? He doesn't seem like the changeling to have connections to royalty, but that is a question for another day.

"He told me I can trust you, which is why I haven't imprisoned you yet," she says coldly. I whimper, flinching away from the queen. "So that's why I need to ask you what I'll be dealing with?"

"If you do try to attack the hive, most of the lings that will be fighting on the front will be because they have no choice. There are some loyalists, but they're usually her personal guards or infiltrators. If you want to direct attack, then there will be a lot of collateral damage. Can I ask that you don't fight them, at least no yet. She may be a fool, but she is a smart one. Don't underestimate her, because she will beat you by her superior strategic ways."

"What is her army like?"

"They're trained well, both physically and magic. However, you might be able to talk some of them onto your side given the circumstances. There are two main groups you want to look at for, the infiltrators and the police. You know what the infiltrators are trained to do, implement themselves into pony society and feed off them and then return back to hive. Their training is hard and vigorous, but attack them in their hive gives them a home advantage. The police is different, they regulate the military. They're usually made up of the loyalists, so they have special training thus making them even more dangerous than first line of attack."

"So Chrysalis feeds off her changelings through fear, she is going down the wrong path. We need to hasten our efforts if we are to stop her in time before she does something she will regret!" Queen Amethysts looks like she ready to charge into the battlefield with her rising fury.

"Now won't be the best of times to attack, with the hive in total lock down, the guard will be on the highest of alert. If we wait for Queen Chrysalis to make the first move, then we might be able to strike."

"I suppose we can delay a battle, but when will we know when?" Queen Amethyst asks.

"I don't know, but I have changelings at the hive who I can't risk getting caught in the crossfire."

The queen looks at me for a moment, her face showing understanding. "Okay then, but if Queen Chrysalis makes a move then, I will not hold back."

"Understood," I reply back.

"I can't delay myself any further, I must go. Captain, please escort Silver to the exit and then await for me at the planning base. Hopefully you managed to remember this conversation," the queen says to the captain who is waiting to the side.

"Yes my queen," Purple bows and then turns away as she starts tugging me to follow.

"And before you go, Silver, good luck and stay safe," the queen calls out.

"Understood," I say before going back in following Purple out.

Author's Note:

This took quite a while to write up, I didn't expect to delay this for that long so here is a extra long one. Hopefully it is good enough, I tried my best to edit any and all errors as possible.

Hopefully the next will come sooner. With that done, enjoy life.

- King of Eggs