//------------------------------// // 35 - Within the Hive Mind // Story: Change: Queen of The Hive // by tom117z //------------------------------// The First Hive Immortalis hummed to herself. The Empress could feel the new additions to the hive mind clear as day, she had sought them out the moment Queen Cocoon had reported back to her about Ponyville. She was most pleased the Queen had followed her instructions without fail, it meant the conditioning was working as intended. No changeling had questioned her, and all were loyal beyond reasonable doubt. At least on the surface. Should she concentrate enough she could still feel them squirm within the hive mind, helpless as their bodies did things they didn’t want to do. As their minds thought things they did not want to think. It was really quite entertaining. Of course, if they ever wanted even a modicum of free will they would have to learn to accept it, to embrace it. Like a dog becoming loyal to the hoof that feeds them. She had been too lenient on them last time around, she would be careful not to make the same mistake as before. Especially when it came to her. She had quickly become the Empress’ favourite new pet. She had power, knowledge and experiences beyond the other Changeling Queens despite her young age. While the others had hidden away like cowards, she had fully engaged with the world beyond and been forged by those experiences. So much like her ancestor. Far more than Chrysalis or Crudelis, right down to the cutie mark. A prime opportunity for revenge on the deceased queen, and even more of an opportunity in the subjugation of Equestria. She held a place in the hearts of all ponies, but none more so than the powers that rule. Twilight Sparkle would break their hearts. And in doing so, the Empress would break the Changeling Queen’s spirit. Immortalis became curious as she reached out towards the mare in question, and found her not to be squirming as the others were. Rather, she could feel almost a sense of nostalgia emanating from the Changeling Queen. “What are you up to…?” The Empress closed her eyes and plunged herself into the hive mind fully. When she opened them, she found herself in a vast blue tinged void filled with a thin layer of mist. Electrical impulses shot around her, and thousands of little blue orbs floated around the expanse like petals against a breeze. Her subjects. Oh how she pitied the other changelings, they could never experience the hive mind like she did. They were stuck forever in the outside world, only ever experiencing the hive mind as some form of communication between one another. They could never see what lay within, the eternal beauty of her realm. From Queen Twilight’s memories, she surmised that Princess Luna of Equestria might be the only being to even remotely understand with her command of the dream realm. But even then, the hive mind was far more. Like Luna, she could interact with each of those individuals before her, but unlike the alicorn, she could do far more than that. They were hers to control, to command. She was the power here, and they had none unless she allowed it. And what happened here would affect the waking world, and it was through her divine will that any of it was able to function as it was. Because that was the natural order of things. And there she was; one lavender coloured orb floated down towards the Empress as she directed it to. It flickered gently as Immortalis took it in her hoof, examining her connection to Twilight Sparkle’s subconscious curiously. She then gently lowered her horn to the orb, and on the connection being made the orb vanished in a brilliant flash of light as the world around Immortalis shifted. Gone was the vast expanse of floating minds. Gone was the mist, and the view of the whole hive mind the realm offered. Now she found architecture rapidly constructing around her as if time was moving at an accelerated rate. Walls, pillars and stained glass windows formed around her, culminating in a long stretch of red carpet and a red throne at the very end of the elongated hallway. It was then the shade of a little lavender unicorn filly of around eleven years of age scampered through the Empress, jumping around excitedly. She was followed shortly thereafter by a large alabaster alicorn with a mane that flowed like a living rainbow gently through the wind, the alicorn walking regally with an amused smile upon her face. This was the throne room of Canterlot Castle. The two almost translucent shades being none other than Princess Celestia and a very young Twilight Sparkle before her nature as a changeling had been discovered by either of them. “It is only court, Twilight. There is no need to get so worked up,” Celestia stated. “Oh, but I get to see you performing one of your most important royal duties!” Twilight practically squeed. “I have a whole scroll ready to take notes!” “I thought you might. Remember, this is meant to be a learning experience about duty and responsibility.” The filly nodded in understanding. “I will make sure to pay extra attention, Princess!” “Good. These are things you may have to do later on in life.” “Me? I’m just a plain old unicorn, Princess,” the young Twilight dismissed. “I couldn’t do this like you do…” “Oh Twilight,” Celestia began, nuzzling the filly affectionately as she took her place on the throne. “You are an exceptional young mind, and you must have more faith in yourself. I believe you will do amazing things in the years to come.” With the alicorn on her throne, the filly took a seat at her side before the guards summoned in the first ponies seeking the Princess’ help or approval on one matter or another. The scene shifted again, and this time Immortalis found herself in front of a fourteen-year-old Twilight Sparkle in what appeared to be a bedroom. She was looking in a mirror, heavily panicking as she examined the black chitinous form that stared back at her. The day she discovered the truth about herself. Concerned about this activity within her subconscious, the Empress quickly checked to see what the Changeling Queen was doing in the waking world. As it turned out, Twilight was still overseeing the training of drones in the art of combat as she had been all day long, and even now into the depths of the night. The scene shifted a few more times as Twilight seemed to relive various key moments of her life. Immortalis saw her first encounters with the other Element Bearers along with the moment they faced off against Princess Luna back when she still held the title of Nightmare Moon. She next saw their disastrous trip to the Grand Galloping Gala, their troubles with Discord and finally the Canterlot Wedding and the meeting with her biological mother. Finally, the Empress found herself in a vast room she recognised from Twilight’s memories. Before her sat the statue of Queen Avia, which sat right in the centre of the atrium of the Badland’s Changeling Hive. Changeling drones went about their days, and all of them, if you asked Immortalis, seemed a bit too happy. Likely a product of Twilight’s nostalgia, remembering the hive at its possible best. There was no sign of Twilight herself this time, and as interesting the history lesson was Immortalis was quickly running out of patience. “Twilight Sparkle, your Empress demands your attention!” Immortalis shouted out. There was no response, and the shadows of past changelings continued on with their daily lives uninterrupted. The Empress growled in frustration, staring at the statue accusingly. And then Immortalis was only remotely aware of a lavender blade of magic forming behind her, a blade that then streaked towards her at unbelievable speeds. A blade that shattered feebly against Immortalis that it was like nothing more than sugar glass. “Ah, there you are.” Immortalis grabbed the offending changeling within her grasp before she could retreat, and with a heave, she sent the queen careening directly through the statue. Said statue was reduced to rubble immediately as all the shades around them vanished from existence. With a flap of her wings, Immortalis bounded over the ruined base of the statue and landed beside Twilight, who had already scrambled back to her hooves and was glaring hatefully at the Empress. “You should have realised you cannot harm me here,” Immortalis chastised as if to a child. “I own the hive mind, and through it your subconscious.” Twilight huffed. “What do you want, Immortalis?” “You stopped squirming against your chains. I grew curious.” “It was just a little reminiscing. Unless that harms your master plan somehow, which I would be happy to hear, I ask that you go away.” Immortalis frowned. “It seems you misunderstand the position you are in, Twilight Sparkle.” “No. I understand fully,” Twilight rebuffed. “But these are my memories, and you’re not welcome.” “You no longer have that choice,” Immortalis stated tauntingly, beginning to circle the Changeling Queen predatorily. “And these memories are… interesting. I must admit to finding you absolutely fascinating. The Element of Magic, raised by ponies of all things…” Twilight snorted. “You’re not about to ask me out on a date, are you?” “Nothing so grandiose,” Immortalis assured. “Your power is great, you have faced many foes that would claim other Changeling Queens and won. Nightmare Moon. The Spirit of Chaos. Lord Tirek. I think you are more than ready to face the alicorns.” Twilight snarled. “Never! I will never harm them for you!” “You will,” Immortalis stated as a simple fact. “You are my prize weapon to be used against them.” “But why!? What’s the point!?” “It’s the natural order of things.” “You keep saying that,” Twilight pointed out. “But how is any of this within the ‘natural order of things’ you claim it to be?” “Our hierarchy is clear, and you’re clever enough I’m sure you can figure it all out,” Immortalis remarked. “Enlighten me,” Twilight deadpanned. Immortalis stared at the queen a moment, and then she snorted. “Fine. We have a hierarchy, do we not? The Empress, then the queens, then the drones. The ponies and other creatures do not fall in line with that hierarchy, they are below even the drones and yet act otherwise. For there to be true order in this world, they need to be put in their place.” “You’re wrong,” Twilight rebuffed. “Neither is superior. Among friends you are always an equal.” “How amazingly naïve,” Immoralis stated. “Just look at you among the other Element Bearers. Your superiority to them was clear from the beginning.” “I don’t think so. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.” “What a shame.” “Who are you?” Twilight asked, glaring at the Empress. “I mean really, who are you? If the Changeling Empress remains at the top of this ‘hierarchy’ of yours, why has there never been another?” “Because there is only one,” Immortalis stated. “I was much like you once. A young Changeling Queen with such a starry-eyed view of the world. But my abilities grew and grew, and I gained a hold over the hive mind no other queen could ever hope to match. The apex of all changelings.” “So, in the end, you’re just a normal Changeling Queen with a bit of extra power and a massive ego,” Twilight taunted. “I thought as much.” “I am SO MUCH MORE!” Immortalis proclaimed, slamming Twilight into a nearby wall with a burst of magic. “Don’t mistake me for that fool Crudelis. She was nothing but a helpful pawn in my return!” “Then why do you fear me?” Immortalis blinked. “What did you say?” “I may not have your power or influence over the hive mind, but I can still feel your fear of me,” Twilight stated with an almost sinister chuckle. “I do not fear a lesser changeling.” “Oh, I think you do,” Twilight stated, standing back up once more. “Because I remind you someone, another from your past, correct? You called me the ‘blood of your jailor’ not so long ago. An ancestor, might I surmise?” Immortalis growled. “Queen Crepuscule. A defiant queen who wielded all six Elements of Harmony and gained a cutie mark from it. And four thousand years ago she imprisoned me with them.” “Ah,” Twilight said in understanding. “So that’s why. I wield an element. I have a cutie mark. You are scared of what I might do should I break free.” “Which is why you won’t,” Immortalis stated. “She broke free because she had too much free will granted to her. You will have none. And I shall break you before long. Your friends, your family… I shall make their blood stain your hooves for all eternity!” Twilight’s pupils dilated and, with a shout of rage, she lunged at the Empress again. But the Empress was done entertaining the Changeling Queen, thus she swiftly departed back into the waking world while taking immense pleasure in her kicks and screams against the unbreakable chains that imprisoned her.