//------------------------------// // 04: Take 2 "You are formally invited to..." // Story: Among Hives // by Nova_Wings //------------------------------// The preparations for the ‘Royal wedding take two’ went far quicker than Twilight had anticipated, with her own doppelgangers checking everything with her, and the doubles helping her friends, everything was back together before sunset. The ceremony went off without a hitch, the crowd was even bigger than before with the added changelings. The reception was held in the palace’s main garden, it was a lively atmosphere with ponies and changelings mingling together. Twilight had been concerned about some hostility from ponies, but it seemed being rescued by these changelings had given them a positive image, at least in Canterlot. Twilight had just waved her brother and now sister-in-law off as they left in their carriage, she went in search of her friends. She found them, the crusaders, both princesses and all four queens in a group talking. “Princess!” “Ah my faithful student, we were just talking about how ponies are taking the changeling presents in Canterlot far better then we had hopped.” Twilight nodded. “They did help fight off Chrysalis and her changelings, it seems they realize that not all changelings are the same.” “True, however we can’t expect all ponies to react the same way.” Celestia said. “We’ve been discussing how to present changelings as a whole to ponykind.” Wisp added. “And I think Celestia’s plan will go a long way to helping alleviate ponies fears.” “What plan?” “Chrysalis was the changeling equivalent to Nightmare Moon, playing to that will help greatly.” Luna shifted, she didn’t like being reminded of her fall into darkness, but seeing it from the outside now, she had to agree. “I have an idea as well.” Glimmer added. “Yes Glimmer?” Celestia eyed the changeling princess. “What if we have some ponies everyone trusted come to visit our hive, to see what it was like, after all most of the fear ponies are going to have will be from not knowing us.” “We already have ponies living in our hive dear.” Wisp pointed out. “But they are use to us, but if we had ponies visit who were new, and came back telling about what they experienced coming from ponies who had no prior experience with us, it might help with the misgivings pones would have.” Celestia rubbed her chin. “Your plan has merit Glimmer, did you have any ponies in mind?” Glimmer looked around the group. “Oh a few.” Twilight and her friends looked at each other. “You want us to visit your hive?” Twilight asked. “Who better? You're the Elements of Harmony, ponies would believe what you told them about us and our hive.” “Our subjects would merely think thee were replaced, or being controlled.” Luna interjected, “That’s why you would come with princess, to make sure everything was on the level.” Luna blinked, not anticipating having the invitation extended to her. “Thou would have us enter thiy domain?” Wisp rested a hoof on Luna’s shoulder. “Glimmer gave you the old pass code during the attack, where do you think she got it?” “Tis true, Equestria and Emerald Hive were indeed allies, such was in the past, we did not presume such after our return.” “You knew my mother, Queen Shard. After Nightmare, she would tell us stories of how the two of you would stand together in battle, she wanted to make sure those stories would be passed down, and they still are today.” Luna could only look on in shock. “If you would accept my daughter's offer, you would be most welcome in my hive, many of my children have been fascinated with mothers old tails.” Luna had to blink to clear her misty eyes, there was an entire hive that thought of her as a champion of nothing else, if only ponies a thousand years ago had the same admiration for her and her night, perhaps… “We accept thye offer, tis only right to insure the safety of those who rescued us from our nightmare, should they accept thou offer.” Wisp leaned in and whispered to Luna. “You can drop the old accent, I can tell you're doing it on purpose.” Wisp finished with a friendly nuzzle on her cheek. The six friends looked between each other, surprisingly it was Fluttershy who spoke up first. “I’ll go visit the hive.” The other five gave her an odd look. “I’m a bit surprised darling, normally you don’t want to venture off into new things.” Fluttershy shyly mumbled something, Wisp was happy to translate for the others. “She’s been to our have before.” Everyone looked at Wisp. “Since when?” Glimmer asked. “I don’t ever remember her being there.” “It was about five years ago, one of our scouts got into a tangle with a manticore, Fluttershy was able to calm the manticore saving the scout. She brought him back to the hive afterwards, I invited her to stay the night as it was late by then. We’ve kept in contact since then.” Twilight facehoofed. “That's how you were able to sneak around the fight without Chrysalis’ changelings finding you.” Fluttershy nodded feeling very nervous as everyone was looking at her. “Correct, the scout she saved offered her some lessons on how to blend in as thanks.” “Alright I’m in.” Said Rainbow Dash. “Shy has been my friend for years, if she is alright visiting your hive, then I’m game.” “Can we go too?” Sweetie Belle asked bouncing in place. “Now Sweetie, I don't think that is such a…” “Of course you guys can come, did you think I’d want to leave my best friends out? Besides we haven't had a sleepover at my place yet, now’s as good of time as any.” “Now wait just one gosh darn minute,” Applejack started. “Y’all aint just takin’ ma sister by yer self.” Glimmer lifted Sweetie Belle and Applebloom onto her back with her magic, even though she was bigger than they were, the two fillies took up all the room on her back. “Well if you don’t want your sister's going by themselves, guess you’ll just have to come with.” Glimmer smirked. “Now listen here you ruffien…” Before Rarity could get any farther, Glimmer lifted off flying just out of reach of the two ponies. “Hay now, since when can you fly?” Rainbow asked hovering next to Glimmer. “Rainbow, don't just sit there, do something.” Rarity exclaimed waving her hoof around. Glimmer gave Rarity a flat stare. “Rarity, do you really think I’m trying to foalnap my friends?” “You could drop them!” Glimmer just pointed around her. “We have two alicorns, four queens, one future wonderbolt and easily the most powerful unicorn in Equestria, I think they're fine, assuming they fell in the first place.” “She’s got a point Rare, but seriously how are you able to fly now and not as a pegasus?” Glimmer rubbed one of her forelegs. “I have a rare condition among changelings, it's called ‘disguise warping’, a changeling can’t get how to use a ponies magic, for me I can’t get how to use a pegasus flight magic.” “So you can fly with your normal wings, but not with pegasus ones, is that why your are smaller than they should be?” Rainbow questioned. “Ya I made them like that so I would have a reason I couldn’t fly, and not just ‘she's not smart enough to fly’.” Rainbow winced. “Sorry, I was just…” Glimmer waved her off. “It's alright, it's nothing important, besides I’ve been practicing and I’m getting better.” Rainbow beamed. “That's the stuff kiddo.” Below them Rarity and Applejack continued to fume, still not happy with their sisters being so high off the ground, even if that was only about eye level with Celestia. Glimmer turned her attention back to said ponies grinning widely. “So are you guys going to come with, or are you going to let us loose on the entire hive unsupervised?” Applejack threw her hat on the ground with a huff. “Fine, we’ll come with ya, if in only to make sure y’all stay safe and ya don’t try nothing with ma sister.” “I agree with Applejack, we’ll have our eyes on you three.” Oh we’ll see. With that Glimmer landed, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle remaining on her back. Everyone looked at the last two who had yet to agree to join, Twilight and Pinkie Pie. “I’ll go, then I can throw a ‘We beat the cheese queen’ party!” Pinkie Pie bounced. “You're not allowed into the love store.” Wisp stated. “Aww but…” “NO. Refined love has weird effects on ponies, we are not having another incident like Lemon Twist.” Celestia gave Wisp a curious look. Wisp sighed. “She was one of the ponies living in the hive, back when I was a princess she got into the love store, she became drunk, hyper and overly affectionate all at once, for three days. There are still stories being told about her.” Twilight raised a hoof. “You said she was living in the hive, what happened to her?” “Old age, this was long before any of you were born.” Twilight felt silly for a moment, thinking they had kicked her out or something. Shaking her head she looked between her friends, they were all going to this hive, let it never be said she wouldn’t stick with her friends. “I’ll go too, everypony else seems to be.” Glimmer smiled. “I’m glad you all agreed, I’m sure the hive will have lots to offer you all, if nothing else you could read our history in our library.” “You have a library!” Twilight perked up, her eyes sparkling. Rainbow nudged grinning Glimmer. “Next time lead with that, Twi here can’t pass up a book.” “Its settled then,” Celestia began. “You all will visit the Emerald hive as a ‘cultural exchange’, with the goal of helping alleviate any fears the ponies of Equestria might have.” “So, where are we going anyway?” Twilight asked. “Fluttershy is the only one who’s been to the hive, but nopony mentioned where it's actually located.” Glimmer tilted her head. “It's not obvious? A scout ran into a manticore, close enough to Fluttershy’s house for her to help.” “Wait… that means it's in…” Twilight said eyes going wide. “The Everfree Forest.”