I follow Axiom through the forest. A few tiny changelings dart and weave above us, clicking and chittering to each other, baskets slung across their back. As they fly closer, I can hear their voices echo back and forth in my mind.
So, after we finish our harvesting shift, wanna stop by the Pods later? It’ll be nice to grab a bite to eat straight from the source, and I’m famished!
Hon, you know I can’t. That would be totally random, and besides, I told Phylus I’d be an animal for him tonight. He’s a Flutterite, you see. Maybe another night, though.
Aw, but it’ll be swishy! They’re hosting a party, and there’s music and dancing and food, and then they’ll bring out the cake, and I heard it’s got chocolate in it, and...
Their voices fade as they fly off, still clicking in their strange language. I turn to Axiom for an explanation, a questioning look on my face, but it doesn’t look like she heard them. “So, what’s a Flutterite?”
She spins around and walks backwards to face me. A few ‘lings dart within inches of her head but she doesn’t bat an eye. It must be the hivemind at work, I reason. “A Flutterite, or any pony-ite, is a changeling who idolizes a pony so much, they try to be like them. I’m a Sparklite. See my Twilight Sparkle mane?” She flips her purple bangs, and even though I have no idea what a Flutter or Twilight Sparkle is, I nod and smile encouragingly.
Axiom blinks and stares off into the distance for a second before focusing on me. “We’re about to enter the outskirts of Hive Quarry, Flurry Heart. Try to prepare yourself mentally if you can. There are a lot more ‘lings here, so you’re about to hear a lot more voices over the hivemind.”
It’s brighter here, with so many trees around. They cast a cool blue light on us, making Axiom’s carefully-styled mane look dark indigo. In front of us, a bridge crosses a stream, which burbles lazily around the border of the forest. Beyond the bridge, the scenery shifts abruptly to a sprawling cityscape.
I can see the buildings a lot clearer now. They look a lot like the ones I saw in the city aboveground, in that they’re tall, made of brick and wood, and look haphazardly planned. A few look as though they were stacked on each other like building blocks, at crazy angles that I didn’t know were possible for mostly-rectangular buildings. They’re lit up with bright neon signs advertising things in a script I can’t read. They’re made of clear tubes of glowing mana in all different colors. Some of the signs have outlines of changelings eating pasta or drinking a soda, their holes decorated with swirls of light. One flickers with magic as the changelings on the sign seem to dance, spinning around each other.
Instead of windows, though, there are balconies, some decorated with delicate-looking railings or curtains. I watch as a small cluster of changelings land on one and walk inside what looks like a fancy restaurant. Axiom must sense my confusion, because she turns her head to watch them enter the building with a smile. Since everyling can fly, there’s no need for stairs.
Changelings don’t just fly about, they also walk, and I can see lines of changelings waiting to get into one of the buildings. I’m about to ask Axiom what they’re waiting for, when I feel a faint pressure on my mind. With it comes a sense of understanding and clarity. Oh, that’s the movie theatre, and over there is one of the fancier restaurants in the outskirts.
I blink stupidly into the middle distance as I ponder. It must be the hivemind at work. I bet that for every question I have, the answer will probably involve the hivemind, since it seems to be the answer to everything. Axiom laughs and nuzzles my cheek gently. I feel myself flush as I realize that she probably heard every word I was thinking. Does being a part of the Hive mean I won’t ever get any privacy, even in my own head?
Axiom’s smile falters as she leads me over the bridge. I pause and watch a few twigs float underneath it and reappear on the other side. It’s pretty calm over here, and I hope I can visit this section again. The changeling clears her throat and I look up at her. She looks troubled, and somehow, I get the peculiar certainty that it was something I said… er, thought.
“So, you were wondering about privacy, right?” I nod at her question, and she continues, choosing her words carefully. “Being a part of the hive means you don’t… you have individuality, but it’s different. You can keep secrets, and someling will teach you how to hide your thoughts and feelings later, because you’re super easy to hear and read right now. It’s just… unless it’s something super personal, like a crush, or something nice, like a surprise party, why would you keep it a secret?”
I stay quiet. I don’t really have an answer to that. Maybe I’m just making a big deal about nothing. Why worry about privacy if the hivemind helps you realize with absolute certainty that everyone will accept you for who you are? But, then again, if everything is shared over the hive mind, how do I know where my thoughts stop and another ling’s begins? Am I truly an individual, or am I just pieces of others? Wait, I’m giving myself a headache. Perhaps I should save the philosophical discussion for a later date, but I’m still curious.
“So, what about if I just don’t like someling? I’d want to keep that a secret, right?” I press, thinking out loud. The lack of privacy isn’t sitting well with me, and I wish it didn’t show.
Axiom harrumphs and scrunches up her muzzle, as though she smells something foul. “I mean, I suppose, but why would you want to? If you share why you don’t like someling, you could both work together to fix it, and then everyone wins!” She speaks with an air of finality, and though I have more questions to ask, I get the feeling that the matter is closed for discussion, at least for now.
Axiom nuzzles me gently and leads me into the city. The streets don’t have any signs, I notice as I step off the bridge. The hivemind must be their map. It would be so easy to get lost here, with all the neon lights and-
Oh my STARS, did you see the way she was dressed? It was almost like-
My soup is too hot! Waiter, I ordered it to be-
No, really, if you stretch every morning, your wings will get-
Caramel Crisps for sale! An hour’s pay for a bag, samples are free for all ‘lings who-
And then he was like, no way, and I was like, yes way, and then-
This coat was marked as half off, but the price rings it up as-
I don’t remember collapsing, but for some reason, when I open my eyes, my muzzle is on the ground. My hooves press against my temples. There’s just so much noise! It’s like being in a crowded restaurant, with everyone talking at once. And there’s no way to stop it! It keeps going on and on, layer after layer of discussion.
I thought I told you never to speak of that again! Especially around-
I can’t make it to work today, I caught Yixa’s cold and I don’t want it to-
Hey there, gorgeous. You look like you’re enjoying the-
The bookstore is now closing. Please take all your purchases to the nearest-
My ears are ringing, and the world is spinning, and all I can think is that it’s too crowded in my head. There are too many voices! I must be going insane.
And then I was like, oatmeal? Are you-
I’m going over to the Village later, if you wanna join me and-
I can’t hear myself think, not with all these other thoughts! I’m hyperventilating and my head hurts so much, and they just keep talking, and I can’t stop them!
“Flurry? Are you okay?” Axiom crouches down, her wings buzzing anxiously. I try to open my mouth to say something but it tastes like ash, there’s too much going on and my senses are overloaded. The best I can manage is a quick shake of my head. No. I’m not okay. This is loud, it’s too much, I can’t take it!
Axiom takes a deep breath and looks into my eyes. “Okay, breathe, sister. It gets better, soon you’ll be able to tune some of this out. Until then, do you want me to help?” I bite my lip so hard I taste copper and nod. Her horn lights up, and for a moment I don’t feel any different, and I think her spell must not have worked. Then I feel it. One by one, the discussions fade to a murmur. I can still hear them, and if I focus, I can tell what they’re saying, but they’re quieter. A sense of peace washes over me, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.
“This is what it normally sounds like,” Axiom says, holding out a hoof to help me up. I stand shakily. This isn’t so bad, really. “I’m sharing what I hear with you, until your mind adjusts. Most ponies aren’t used to hearing things, and I read that the ones that do take it as a sign of madness, so, um, don’t worry, you’re not nuts. This is completely normal, the voices are just us. And we love you!”
A feeling of warmth and love surrounds me, so intense I almost fall over again. I can sense changelings focusing on me and giving me the sensation of love and acceptance, and I feel a rush of happiness and elation. My wings unfurl slightly, and I close my eyes, relishing the feeling. And yet, even though I’ve got all this love, I feel… empty, and hungry, somehow. I start to ask Axiom why when she cuts me off with a hoof.
“You’re part changeling, Flurry. You’re rewired to be like us, so… you kind of need to feed off of pony love. We’ll get to that, though. For now, just bask in the awesomeness that is the hivemind and follow me, okay?” She walks backwards, watching my expression with an amused smirk. I wonder what she’s staring at, then I reach a hoof up to my face. I’m grinning like an idiot, and I can’t stop. That would explain why my cheeks hurt.
“Yeah, it’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” Axiom chuckles and smiles gently, and I feel her empathy wash over me. “Most changelings feel this when they’re first born. We love our little grubs, and reminding them that we care is an important part of their induction into the hivemind. And we love you dearly, Flurry Heart. You’re one of us, a sister and a friend.” She reaches out, and I don’t realize I’ve teared up until her hoof gently brushes against my cheek.
“I just… don’t know what to say,” I whisper, and she beams at me. There’s so many emotions running through me, and I can’t tell where mine end and other ling’s love begins. “So, do you feel like this all the time?”
She shakes her head slowly, turning around a corner without missing a step. “Not really, but we can always ask the hivemind for a reminder of how much we’re cared about if we really need it. It’s one of the benefits of being part of a hive.” She laughs and turns again, coming within inches of a salesling selling some sort of iridescent black jewelry.
“Another benefit is the mental map. It’s how I know not to hit others. It’s updated all the time, but that’s too much information for one ‘ling to handle, so the Hive is split into sections. Each part is covered by a few changelings, who keep track of everyling’s position in space. They send pings to changelings if they’re about to collide, and then we change course. It sounds like a lot, but it’s honestly not too hard. You’ll get the hang of it in no time, I’m sure.”
We swerve past a pair of ‘lings as they trot side-by-side towards a shop on the corner. A swarm of changelings duck and weave around each other as they carry and deliver things across the Hive. It’s remarkably efficient, though I pity the ones that work to make it happen. How precise must they be to keep track of every single changeling? I feel like I’m missing something, something important, but what?
I look around as we walk on in relative silence. The shops here are filled with a warm light, and I can see changelings at work inside them. There’s less neon here, and windows replace the signs, washing the road with their honey-yellow glow. Despite the streets lacking any sort of lamp light, I can still see what’s ahead of me pretty well.
When I pause to peek inside some of the buildings, I see changelings weaving cloth out of threads, using the holes in their hooves to guide them in complicated patterns. In another shop, I see changelings comparing different pieces of glowing fruit. Do they grow all of their own food here? Or do they trade some of it with ponies? I save my questions for later, and look into another building.
A trio of changelings are singing along to a strange humming tune. Their wings are fluttering behind them as they sway slowly back and forth, eyes closed in rapture. I wonder where the strange sound is coming from, and slowly I get my answer in pulses of certainty. The holes in their wings create a noise, and the speed they flap them combined with the way they hold them changes the tone. It’s eerie and alien, and somehow beautiful. I take one step into the room, then another, mesmerized.
A tap on my shoulder jolts me back to reality, and I turn to see Axiom rolling her eyes with a smirk. As fun as it is to listen to them sing, we really should get going. The Queen is expecting you.
“The Queen?” I bite my lip as we walk away from the show, the melody still in my mind. “We’re going to see the Queen? Is that good or bad?”
“Oh, it’s good, don’t worry too much about it. You want answers, right?” Axiom looks over her shoulder at me, and I nod eagerly. “Well, she’s got ‘em. And besides, the Queen loves you too, and wants to make sure you’re doing okay. She’s not scary, she’s nice!” Her face lights up, and I feel her excitement ripple through me. She must really be eager to see the Queen, and if that’s all she feels at the prospect of seeing royalty, then I have no reason to be worried, right?
The buildings are beginning to look different. While the ones closer to the forest were built out of wood and brick, these look like they’re carved from stone and something else I can’t quite place. It’s molded together in spirals, grey shimmery material and solid stone. It gives the impression of the buildings growing straight from the rock ground, and they make me feel small as I stare up at them.
The changelings look different, too. There are fewer with colorful manes. Most of them have silvery manes, just like Pixie Cut did, and they carry themselves with a sense of urgency. I desperately wish I could stop one and ask what they’re all in such a hurry for, but when looks at me for a split second all I feel is intimidated and shy. I stick closer to Axiom as a group of changelings hustle past, looking straight ahead and not saying a word.
The hivemind here is quieter, too. I can faintly hear commands and soft conversation going on, but when I try to concentrate on one it slips away into silence. “Axiom? Why is it so quiet here?” I whisper, trying not to disturb anyling around me.
This is Hive Central. See how the buildings are getting taller? Well, the tallest one is the Queen’s castle, and that’s where we’re headed. This is where a lot of the administrative changelings work, like the ones that run the mental maps, and accountants and such. Where we were - the Outskirts - is where most of the recreational buildings are. I can see a smile flicker across her expression, and I suspect she enjoys being my tour guide. I still feel like I’m missing something important, though. It’s frustrating me to no end.
Axiom points up, and I follow her hoof. The building in front of us spirals upwards, so high I swear it pierces the blackness above. Changelings dart in and out of open windows, carrying things slung under their backs. I can hear chittering and singing through some of the windows, and the noise is comforting after the silence of the streets in Hive Central.
It doesn’t look much like a castle, at least, from the image I get in my head. The towers are pointed, and there aren’t any bricks. It’s one smooth surface from the ground to the spires. It looks like someone dipped their hoof in liquid stone, and flipped the dripping, swirling liquid upside down and burrowed into it. Bridges of the sparkly grey stuff connects towers, and I watch as a changeling walks across one, from one window to another. There aren’t any guards, as far as I can see. It’s intimidating and awe-inspiring, and I take a few steps back to try to take it all in.
Axiom giggles. Yeah, it’s quite the sight. When I first saw the castle, I didn’t look where I was going and ran straight into a wall. My hatchmates laughed, and it was a good time. You’d like them, they’re a load of fun, and they cause trouble a lot. I’m the mild-mannered, calm, no-fun-at-all sibling. That’s okay, though, I keep them in line. She gives me a mischievous grin, and I snicker despite myself. She strikes me as the sort to cause a little chaos, and if she’s the calmest of her siblings, I can only imagine the ‘trouble’ her brothers and sisters create.
We walk inside. The junction between the walls and the floor is smooth and seamless. I can’t tell whether they carved the entire hive out of the ground or used some sort of spell to create the castle. The ceiling is lined with more of the iridescent grey material, but a cool light shines through it, lighting the hallway. The spirals of it snaking down the wall shine and shimmer. I’m dazzled by the walls, but Axiom nudges me onward.
“Hey,” I say, breathless at the spectacle. “What’s the gray sparkly stuff on the wall?”
That’s chitin, she responds, amused. It’s the same stuff that makes up a changeling’s armor. It’s incredibly tough, and translucent. If we had only an exoskeleton and no skin underneath, you’d be able to see our guts! She waves her hooves teasingly at me, and I laugh. It’s an unsettling thought, but surely she’s joking. Right?
I pass a few changelings in maid outfits - I’m not kidding - levitating bundles of clothes as they sashay past. We walk past kitchens, storage rooms, and a room full of waxy pods that I honestly have no idea what they’re for, and I don’t know if I want to. There aren’t any stairs, just semi-smooth slanted floors. The hallways spiraling up the castle all look the same, too. Nothing distinguishes one hall or floor from another, and without Axiom leading me, I’m sure I’d be lost.
We cross over one of the bridges between towers, and I have to pause. There aren’t any rails, but that’s the least of my concerns. It’s a breathtaking view. The hive is laid out in a giant circle, with walls climbing up the sides. Changelings flit in and out of openings in the walls, and flutter down to the city below. The Outskirts shine with cluttered squares of buildings and rainbows of neon, making Hive Central looks grey and orderly in comparison.
To the right of the Outskirts, next to the forest, is a huge dome that takes up a good quarter of the space, shimmering like a bubble. To the left, the Hive is mostly dark and flat, but every once in awhile a few beams of light spark up and out of it, flickering for a moment before bursting into sprays of flame and color. Fireworks, I realize. Changeling-style fireworks, underground.
Even though the Hive’s colors seem to be different shades of grey, I’m surprised at the amount of color. It’s dazzling and comforting, from the haphazard rainbow appearance of the Outskirts to the dull ordinary sculpting of Hive Central. It’s not a giant beehive, like I thought it would be. It’s so much more. I beam and wave at the changelings below, and a few flying past me wave back.
We move on after a bit. It’s kind of Axiom to wait for me to take in the view, and when I turn to follow her I catch a glimpse of a gentle smile on her face. I can sense how she’s feeling. It’s understanding and joy and… pride? I want to ask her about it, but I don’t know if I should tell her that I read her emotions. Is that rude, for a changeling to do that to another changeling?
It’s cold up here in the castle. I wish I had a coat on or a blanket or something. Axiom grins sympathetically back at me. Welcome to being part changeling, sister. We’re built for warmer climates, but you’ll get used to the chill of the Hive. I grumble under my breath, and she giggles. We’re almost to the throne room, though, and that’s warmer. Try not to freeze, sis!
The throne room? Oh, right, to see the Queen. I don’t know what to do in front of a Queen. Do I bow? Do I kneel? Is there a book on meeting a Queen I can read? Or a pamphlet? I must be fretting rather loudly over the hivemind, because I feel several changelings try to calm me down. Relax, sister, it’ll all be okay, don’t worry, they murmur over and over. It helps, somewhat, but it doesn’t take all my anxiety away.
Ahead of us are a pair of guards, the first I’ve seen. They stand at attention, their hooves spread exactly shoulder length, and eyes forward. Unlike the other changelings I’ve seen, their chitin shell is spiked and decorated. Their helmets have mandibles like an insect. I slow down in front of them, but Axiom doesn’t bat an eye as she saunters past. She’s not intimidated, so maybe I shouldn’t be either, right? I gulp and scoot between them through the door.
The first thing I notice about the throne room is the wall. The sparkling chitin spirals away from the throne in elaborate swirls around the oval room. The ceiling looks like it’s been cracked, and the cracks filled with glowing chitin. It’s warmer in here, and I shiver despite myself. The throne itself is smooth as melted glass, and the chitin is watery and translucent.
Seated on the throne is a large changeling. Her steel-grey eyes bore into me, and I notice in my peripheral vision that Axiom is bowing low. I want to mimic her stance but I’m frozen in the taller changeling’s gaze. Her wings are spread slightly, and shimmer in the cool light. Atop her head is a crown with three tiny orbs on the tips of its spikes. Her chitin seems to shine brighter than any changeling’s I’ve seen, and her gaze betrays her cunning and compassion alike.
To her right is a changeling guard, equally as fierce but with less poise of the female on the throne. His eyes never leave mine, either, but he smiles wearily at me. I would relax if I could, but I can’t seem to take my eyes of the female changeling.
There is no question in my mind. This is my Queen. This is my ruler, the center of the hivemind, and the mother to the Hive. I don’t know what to do or say. How can I respond to something that every part of me is screaming to love? My breath catches in my throat as the guard next to her steps forward and cries out in a loud voice.
“Long live Queen Quartz!” His voice echoes around the chamber, filled with mighty purpose. It breaks my concentration, and I drop to the floor, kneeling and trembling, fighting back tears. This is what I’ve been missing. My Queen of my Hive, I think. She’s the center of the Hive, and the answer to everything. Her heartbeat is the rhythm that the Hive runs off of. She’s that part of every changeling that I’ve been missing, and she’s above each and every one of them. My Queen. What an awe-inspiring truth.