Joining the lineup, a rather tall changeling comes at the forefront of the small crowd and surveys it. The whole way, Carina and I never falter in our static composure.
“Alright, we’re a few minutes behind schedule, but we will carry out with attendance anyway! When you hear your name, you will raise your hoof!”
Everyone nods and solutes, prompting me and Carina to do the same.
“Ana! Buzz! Ciba! Cora! Cornicle! Evola! Giza! Gossom! Henka! Jag! Rep! Mio! Moph! Node! Lean! Leaper! Link! Lucence! Shade! Shell!”
With each name called, every one of the crowd around us raise one hoof belonging to changeling being called.
“Are there any changelings that didn’t have their name called?”
Carina and I raise a hoof each.
“You two! In the back! What’re you names? Your left first!”
“Hatch!” Carina says enthusiastically.
“Gac!”
Every one of the changelings burst into laughter, hearing my impression of Rusty Flashlight. The changeling on my right, Mio, I think, elbows me under the wing.
“Wow! You are such a cocoon! How did you learn to do that?”
“ATTENTION!!!”
Everyone freezes to the outcry from the captain of the guards.
“We do not condone noting of overly insignificant details! YOU!!! You’re name’s not an interjection! What is your real name?!?”
“...Disc.”
Everyone starts giggling again, only to stop when the captain glares at them.
“Listen, buddy. We have enough guards as it is. So why don’t you and your friend just run along the hive and talk to King Thorax about switching positions? Do you hear me?”
I nod at the captain.
“You are dismissed...”
I nod again and run off, Carina following suit. When the two us enter one of the pitch black nestrooms, we stop and catch our breath and clear our throats. The two of us dump our two helmets onto the floor, allowing me to sigh.
“That went well.”
“What’re we going to tell Chrysalis now, Carve?”
“We’re not. We’re going to do what we were assigned, even if it’s by any means necessary. I just took off my helmet to keep up the illusion. Now quick; put yours back on before any of the changelings come by.”
I put my helmet back on, as does Carina with hers, but with a shocked expression.
“Really determined aren’t you?”
“You have no idea, Carina. Chrysalis lost her hive, so I will make sure she gets it back. Aita is with her right this moment.”
“...okay. I agree to stay with you.”
Suddenly, two separate shrieks pierce me and Carina’s ears, prompting us to run to the source.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“What’s going on?”
“Oh, I’m so glad you’re here! I thought I was seeing a clone of myself!”
“Hang in there. Everything is fine. We’d like to have a word with this ‘clone’ of yours alone though.”
“C-Carve?”
“No time for confirmation! We need to talk with your ‘clone’!”
“Okay. Take care then?”
Carina and I nod at the changeling, leaving us with an exact replica of who leaves at that moment.
“Carve... Areola...”
“Hello, Cervix. Not many changelings get that mixed up with that now, do they? There’s one thing that I’d like to address though. You’re supposed to turn the changelings against Thorax, not senselessly cause a panic!”
“But starting a panic is the key to tur-”
“It’s not the key to anything!!”
“Listen, Carve. You can’t just accuse me of being senseless. I know what I’m doing.”
“Oh, okay then! Let’s see how well turning the changelings against Thorax works out with your method, Cervix!”
“Heh, okay. Bye then.”
With that, Cervix walks out on the two of us.
“Man, that changeling can really get on my nerves.”
Carina chuckles briefly.
“So, I see that you two don’t get along so well.”
“Yeah, there were a few drones during my invasion years that I didn’t get along particularly well with.”
“Wait, how old are you?”
“Twenty-six. I started helping out with the invasions following one thirteen.”
“One who now?”
“I know you don’t remember, but it was over thirteen years ago when it happened.”
“What happened in one thirteen?”
“That’s not important. We have to continue with-”
“Continue with what?”
Another one? Well, okay, I can hear galloping, that is until we see her.
“Well?”
Oh, it’s Correal. It looks like she’s followed Thorax.
“Oh, we were just on guard duty. Carry on.”
I wave my hoof outward, but it looks like Correal isn’t having any of it.
“Wait, don’t I know you?”
Carina and I shake our heads. I chuckle.
“No. How would you recognize one ch-”
“It’s you, Carve, isn’t it?”
I tightly close my eyes and pull my hoof abruptly, only to stamp it back into the stony floor. I growl.
“But hey, not a bad guess, right?”
Carina steps in front of me.
“Will you stop that? Nobody likes a conspiracy nut!”
Again with Carina’s weird terms.
“No... body? Areola, is that you?”
“SHUT UP!!!”
“Actually, do you two promise to keep what I tell you a secret from any other changeling that doesn’t live around the hive anymore?”
I blink.
“Um, okay.”
“Some of the changelings here are really getting us worried. Plus, it’s starting to get a little crowded in the hive.”
“How many more changelings do there appear to be?” I ask.
“About a dozen?”
Carina tries her best to hold in a chuckle.
“Wh-what’s so funny?”
I step beside Carina.
“Oh, nothing really. Correal, are the changelings the same kind like we are?”
“Um, yes?”
“Then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. If you feel so inclined as such, just see if Thorax can do anything about the whole newcomer thing.”
“A-are you sure, girls? I wouldn’t want anything to happen to the hive because of me.”
“No way I wouldn't be sure. To quote Luna, ‘do what you feel is the best to do’.”
“O-okay. I hope it works.”
And Correal runs off.
“Luna? That sounds familiar. Is she that rocker sibling out of a dozen or so of them?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. But no. She’s one of only two sisters, here in Equestria.”
“Oh. I thought you might’ve heard of it.”
“Heard of what?”
“Nothing.”
“Well, no matter the case, Chrysalis gave us the mission of posing as guards. And I’m going to keep falter to a minimum.”
“Actually, Carve, that could be harder than you think.”
“Why?”
“I got the impression that that changeling is a conspiracy nut. And when a conspiracy nut hears, they tell all.”
My eyes widen, causing me to gulp.