//------------------------------// // Chapter 01 - Awakening // Story: The Nameless Queen (Legacy) // by AniMun //------------------------------// “Wake up, my child…” A muffled voice brought you to consciousness, its sound so soothing and welcoming. “Can you hear me, my child?” the voice asked in a motherly tone. You tried to answer but found out you couldn’t. You were trapped in some sort of viscous liquid, without much room to move. You began to struggle against your prison, panic creeping up your mind as you felt a thick membrane embracing you in some sort of chrysalis, your lungs beginning to burn from the lack of oxygen. “Open your eyes, my child,” the voice came again, calming your nerves. You slowly opened your heavy eyelids. Your gaze wandered all around, taking upon your black, holed legs and iridescent mane. Looking through your chitinous prison, you spotted a black and silvery blur passing by the other side of your confining pod. Colorful sparks danced around the creature as it lit up its horn. “Come to me, my child…” Its horn, you thought, raising a hoof to your head to see if you also had one. Finding a small, pointy bump on your forehead, you reached for the back of your pod and pushed it with your hind legs, dashing forward and puncturing its membrane with your horn. The puncture widened into a tear as the suffocating ooze gushed out of your chrysalis. You laid down on the cold hard ground, your legs shaking and your lips gasping for air, coughing the remaining slime out of your system. You could feel a hoof tenderly patting your back, comforting you. “Are you alright?” the creature called, her voice much clearer now. You forced your holed legs beneath you to stand up. You nearly tipped over, but the creature caught you, helping you stand straight. “Do you know who I am, my child?” the creature asked, raising your chin with her hoof to meet her rainbow-y gaze. Your thoughts wandered deep within as you searched for an answer to that question. She was a changeling, like you, that much you knew… But she was different, she felt different. She was about a head taller than you and had a regal aura surrounding her. Her iridescent slitted eyes and mane matched the opalescent crown on the top of her head. She was a Changeling Queen, but there was something more… she felt so… familiar, like she was connected to you, deep within… “M-mother?” you asked in a shaky voice, your lungs still recovering from the shock. You noticed that your voice carried an echoed undertone much like her own. The Queen smiled dearly at you, nodding. It almost felt like her smile was seeping into you, charging you as all the exhaustion faded away. “Yes, my child, and even though you just awoke, I am in need of your aid. But first, why don’t you go meet your brothers and sisters? They are eager to meet you,” the Queen suggested, walking toward the room’s exit tunnel. “Please come see me in my chambers when you’re done.” “Yes, my Queen.” You bowed until she left. Now completely alone, you made your way to the exit. Time to meet my siblings. You followed along the dimly lit tunnels toward what seemed to be the main chamber of the hive, you didn’t know how, but you felt like that was the correct direction. Effortlessly navigating the labyrinth of tunnels and passages, you’ve reached the Gathering Chamber. It was a huge room with several floors, a huge golden crystal hanging from the ceiling serving as a light source to what looked to be hundreds of changelings buzzing around and having a good time with their hivemates. As you descended the stairs that led into the room, you were tackled by a black and light pink blur. A high pitched voice assaulted your ears as the weird changeling with pink carapace hugged you tight in glee. “I can’t believe it! You’re the princess! You’re the princess right?! Are you?!” “I-I… I...” you tried to reply, the sudden barrage of questions staggering you. The pink changeling gasped, buzzing its wings in excitement. “It is you! We’re so happy to see you!” You could feel a small pain in your head as all the changelings in the room turned to you in cheers, buzzing their wings in celebration. It almost seemed like you could hear distant voices in your head, but you couldn’t make out what they were saying. The pink changeling got off of you, allowing you to stand up, and gave you a quick bow. “Allow me to introduce myself! I’m a Cicada-Changeling drone CC-0152 of the Pink hive, and my brood is over there!” the drone said, pointing a hoof to the room’s third floor on the other side of the room where a mass of pink changelings was gathered. They all waved their hello’s as the drone waved back frantically. “Hi, everyling!” Taking some time to sort your thoughts, you explained, “Mother asked me to meet my brothers and sisters…” The pink drone jumped into the air, buzzing her wings. “I know! Come with me, I’ll show you around!” She knows? you thought, confused, still hearing those faint voices in the back of your head. Pushing those thoughts aside, you began beating your own wings and followed the energetic changeling. Drone CC-0152 led you to another room connected to the Gathering Chamber. The hardened slime that composed the hive’s structure turned a dark shade of pink as you got near the room’s entrance. “This is the Cicada-Changelings’ hanging spot, we like to come here to practice our singing and sound imitation. We’re really good at it!” the drone explained. Feeling the drone tugging at your mane, you left the room’s entrance and followed the drone to the next room. Nearing the red chamber’s entrance, you could smell the faint scent of melted slime. Noticing your reaction, the pink drone said, “This is the shooting range of the Bombardier beetle-Changelings, they can shoot boiling acid at you! They were kind of banned from training in the open after they nearly collapsed a barrack chamber when they melted its supports pillars…” Raising an eyebrow in surprise, you decided that it’s better to stay clear of that room and proceeded to the next. Nearing the orange chamber’s entrance, you could see some beautiful and intricate designs carved into the slime. “Pretty neat, hum?” the pink drone said. “This is the work of the Paper Wasp-Changelings, they are master sculptors and they know some pretty cool origami with their special paper.” You were about to leave when a yellow changeling accidentally bumped into you. The pot it was carrying went flying through the air as the pink drone dove to catch it. “Careful, BC-032! You might spill your honey!” The yellow drone shook its head and took the honeypot back from her. “Sorry, CC-0152, I’m late and didn’t notice you two.” The changeling bowed to her and then you before buzzing away. “Sorry, Princess.” The pink drone rolled her eyes. “Hum, Honey Bee-Changelings, always working.” The two of you continued down the path deeper into the hive, passing through the blue and purple chambers. “These are the wingless changelings, the Spiders, and Scorpions respectively. The Spider’s web can really mess with your head while the Scorpion’s venom can really mess you up in general, just be careful around them.” You passed by a changeling couple in the corridor on their way to the next chamber. They were a green and white changeling. “Oh, come on MC-403! Just one more lap at the gym, I know you can keep up with me!” the green one pleaded, flying beside its white companion. The white changeling rolled its insectoid eyes. “Ugh, you Locust-Changelings are all the same, only care about flying…” “Fine, what do you want to play them?” The green changeling gave up. With a grin, the white changeling replied, “Hide and seek.” Confused, the green changeling turned around to look at its companion, only to find that he completely vanished! “Oh, come on! Camouflage isn’t fair!” As you approached the gray and the black chambers, a freezing chill ran down your spine, a creepy aura emanating from the black chamber. “These are the Moth and Firefly changelings respectively. They’re mostly nocturnal, the Moth-Changelings can put you to sleep while the Firefly-Changeling can cause some horrific visions with their black light… Queen Mother, I hate those guys…” The pink changeling’s explanation was interrupted by a heavy armored, brown-carapaced changeling with a long, razor-sharp horn patrolling the corridor. The pink changeling quickly threw herself on the brown changeling’s hooves, who rolled his eyes in annoyance. “But this handsome gentleling will protect us from the creepy fireflies, right?” the pink changeling asked, fluttering her eyelids seductively toward him. “Not now, Cicah…” the brown changeling replied, trying to hide his strong blush. “Uhm.” The pink changeling moaned teasingly. “His strong hercules beetle muscles and hardened carapace can stop almost anything!” “Cicah…” The brown changeling tried to get her attention. To no avail. “And that horn! Look at it! It reminds me of his…” “CICAH!” The brown changeling threw her away, who was laughing hard at his expense as she fluttered next to him. Feeling a little embarrassed yourself, you decided to leave the couple be and return to your mother. But then you realize that you didn't know where exactly she was… “Uhm… can you point me in my mother’s direction?” you asked the brown changeling, trying to get his attention away from Cicah, who was still teasing him. “What do you mean? You can find Queen Elysia through the hivemind,” he replied, confused at your request. “Hivemind?” you asked, unsure. Cicah stopped her teasing and looked at you worriedly. “You mean you haven’t heard the hive this whole time?” Maybe she’s referring to those faint voices in the back of your head? “Barely.” you finally replied. “I felt something, but it was distant… like it was behind a closed door.” The couple stared at each other for a couple of seconds. “Maybe Queen Elysia has already disconnected her from the hive…” the warrior suggested. “But it’s so soon! We barely had time to meet!” Cicah said, visibly deflating. She turned her attention back to you with a weak smile and continued, “Well, I’ll guide you to her, follow me.” After a couple of minutes, you’ve reached the heart of the hive, the throne room. Cicah gave you a tight hug and a bow before giving you privacy. You knocked on the ornate black and silver door to announce your presence, even though you suspected she already knew you were there. “Come in, my child.” Your queen called you. As you entered the throne room, you took in all its beauty. Intricate glyphs carved in the pillars seemed to glow softly in a synchronized array of colors, the ceiling had an enormous stained glass depicting all the different changelings coming together in unison under the same hive, while the floor had a black, silver and golden carpet leading toward the ebony throne where your queen was resting. Queen Elysia got up from her throne and walked toward you. Giving you a small hug, she asked. “How was the tour, did everyling like you?” “Y-yes, Mother,” you replied, but then you remembered Cicah’s words about your hivemind. “But I think there’s something wrong with the hivemind, I can’t hear it for some reason…” A frown took hold of your Queen’s expressions. “I’m sorry child, I had to sever your connection to our hive, so you could develop one of your own.” “I don’t understand…” Queen Elysia walked back to her throne, grabbing a small ebony crystal that sat on the seat’s arm and brought it to you. “A storm is forming between the changeling hives, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to protect my subjects alone, I won’t be able to protect you…” the Queen said, hoofing you the crystal. “That’s why I need you to build your own hive, I need you to grow and prosper so that you can succeed me and be a beacon of hope for the lost changelings when I’m gone.” “What?!” The Queen took her crown and placed it on your head. Suddenly, a surge of energy and knowledge ran through your mind, you could feel every single being inside the hive as the hive itself. Everything in perfect harmony. “I wish you wouldn’t have to bear my burden, but I’m afraid there’s no other way…” Your Queen's voice broke you out of your stupor, her sad tone piercing a hole in your heart. You reached out to her and snuggled her neck reassuringly. “I won’t disappoint you, my Queen.” You could see a small smile creep up on her face as she returned the snuggle. “Thank you, my child.” She got up and beaconed you to follow her to a crystal table. “Here.” She lit her horn and fed her magic to the table, powering up to project an image of a map. “This is Equestria, I’ve connected this table with the location of good hive locations that my scouts have found all around the world. When you’re ready to leave, just touch the desired place with your magic and you will be teleported to that location. Choose wisely, this spell will only work once.” You took a deep breath and nodded, worry still looming over your head. “But, what will I do once I reach my destination? How will I build a hive on my own?” Queen Elysia smiled and nudged you encouragingly toward the enchanted map. “You’re a changeling queen by birth, trust your instincts and you’ll find your way. Besides, you won’t be going on this journey alone.” With newfound confidence, you approach the enchanted table. Time to find my new home.