//------------------------------// // 3 - Long Live the Queen // Story: A Change of Heart // by Silent Whisper //------------------------------// Queen Quartz stares down at me, full of regal majesty. I wish I could tell what she was thinking as she regards me, a flurry of emotions flickering across her face. With a graceful sigh she steps down from the throne and approaches me. One of her hooves, polished until it shines, reaches out towards me. I flinch, and instantly regret it. But she doesn’t look offended, and it is only when her hoof brushes against my cheek that I realize I’ve been crying. Why was I weeping? I’m not sad, just awestruck. Somehow, I get the feeling that I can only comprehend a little of what a Queen means to her Hive, but the little I understand is shaking me to the core. Queen Quartz lifts my head gently with a hoof, and helps me to my hooves. I can feel affection radiating off of her, and I realize that, despite how intimidating she looks, I feel safe and secure with her nearby. “Flurry Heart, welcome to Hive Quarry,” she says. Her voice is low and gentle, but carries a sort of in-control firmness that comes from experiencing hell and coming out battle-worn but alive. It resonates in the hivemind, even though she’s speaking out loud. How much power does she have, that even the hivemind itself whispers with her voice? “Th-thank you, my Queen,” I manage in response, all too aware of the trickles of tears running down my fur. I’m embarrassed of them, even though I can’t control them. Why should I cry when my Queen is right in front of me? She’s warmth and life and literally the center and summit of the Hive. A gentle hoof wipes away my tears as she brushes against my back with her wing. “You poor dear,” the Queen murmurs soothingly, her voice rising and falling melodically. “You must have so many questions. To think, you know nothing of what’s happened. You must be terrified, Flurry Heart. Still, do not fret, my child. I will answer your questions. Come.” Queen Quartz nudges me towards the open doorway of the throne room, and I follow next to her. Her wing is still fluttering lightly against my back. It’s comforting, like a hug. “I’ve heard you’ve been getting along well with my children,” she begins, leading me through the winding passages of the towers. I nod back automatically for a few seconds before what she said clicks. “Wait, they’re all your children? The whole Hive?” I sputter, stumbling on my own hooves. The Queen catches me, laughing softly. I blush, but feel a gentle pressure of reassurance through the hivemind. She isn’t laughing at my clumsiness, but my reaction to her comment amused and delighted her. “In a way, yes. While most of the eggs hatched don’t come from me directly, they come from my children, whose genetic material is altered through chemicals to create viable offspring with their siblings. Their children grow on to have children of their own, and so on and so forth. After the first few hundred years, the generations start to blend together, so it’s much simpler to call them all my children, and for them to call each other brother and sister and sibling, and leave it at that.” Wait. They’re… something about that doesn’t seem right to me, but I can’t quite figure out why. I try to think through it again. Siblings with siblings. There, that bit seems off, but I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just a changeling thing, and I should get used to it? Well, it’s something I’ll have to deal with later, when I have more time to think. Queen Quartz gently leads me up one of the spires of the castle. It’s cold, but I like it up here. Closer to where I remember the sky is. I miss the sky, I realize with a pang. My Queen? Why isn’t the Hive aboveground? The Queen stops suddenly and I brush against her outstretched wing, scooching back next to her. Slowly, she looks down at me, an unreadable expression on her face. I can’t make out her emotions, even though I’m standing right next to her. I catch flickers of fear, grief, a pain I can’t even begin to describe, but they’re gone as soon as I’m able to name them. Her expression solidifies into a neutral mask. Oh dear! I hope I didn’t offend her. That would be the worst possible thing, to offend a Queen, my Queen. Queen Quartz sighs deeply after what feels like hours of me mentally panicking. It’s… a long story. Suffice it to say that another Queen ruined our chance to one day live aboveground and intermingle with ponies without a disguise. She was cunning, ruthless, and impatient, just like the Queens of ancient times. Without a thought towards our plan to one day reveal ourselves, she invaded a pony city, was banished, and eventually attempted to take over again. Queen Quart scowls out over the city as she continues. The first attempt was well before you were born, Flurry Heart. The Queen had been planning this invasion for quite some time, and neither I nor the other Queens of the other Hives could stop her once we knew of her intentions. Her Hive is - well, was - one of the strongest and most powerful. She could defeat any of us in battle, and she knew it, and she assumed that Equestria would be equally easy to conquer. I tried to warn her not to go, but she did not listen, and she soon found out that Ponies were a lot stronger than she had imagined. I bite my lip and fidget underneath my Queen’s wing. Her eyes are unfocused, and I can feel her sifting through some sort of memory. It’s making her very sad, and when she’s sad, the whole Hive feels the echo of her emotions. I want to apologize for ever making her feel this way, to beg for a chance to lift her spirits. But she continues. It was quiet for a while after the first invasion, and we tried to win our way back into ponies’ hearts. Our clandestine efforts to get back into their good graces began succeeding, and some of the locals even befriended a few of my children. We had a few unofficial trade agreements with a few of the smaller villages, and for a short time, everything seemed to be going well. Perhaps we could have the peace changelingkind had always dreamed of! An alliance would benefit both species, and we’d learn from each other. It could have been great! The sad truth is, Flurry, that things do not always go the way we intend for them to. The Princesses had been stolen… you included, Flurry Heart. Queen Chrysalis escaped after her Hive transformed into grotesque pastel moose creatures - don’t ask me how they did that - and she took a few of her remaining followers with her. When the rebel changelings defected, they destroyed their Queen’s hivemind. Deplorable as she was, I wouldn’t wish such a defeat on any changeling, no matter how evil. The disgraceful appearance of her renegade subjects only added to her anger, as is understandable. Queen Quartz closes her eyes, and suddenly my mind is filled with images of rainbow-colored antlered changelings standing alongside some ponies during a diplomatic meeting of sorts. The altered changelings look wrong. Sick, perhaps. I wonder why I am so disturbed by this mental image, when ponies are just as brightly colored. Perhaps it is because I know they once looked like every other changeling of my Hive: dark-colored, bright manes, eyes that glow gently in the dim light of the cavern. Why would anyling give this up just to look like they fell into a hazardous paint waste plant? I look up to see my Queen smirking at my thought. Oh, she must have been listening in. I’m glad I managed to brighten her spirits for a moment, but her face soon falls as she continues with her story. Naturally, we, the Hives who had been fighting to better our relationship with Equestria, couldn’t stand by and let our greatest enemy escape after what happened. We chased the runaway Queen down as best as we could, but it is hard to track a culprit in a land where you yourself are not welcome. Our old friends didn’t trust us, and few believed that we weren’t behind the attack when we tried to explain. I lost too many drones to frightened ponies, Flurry Heart. They acted in self-defense, and I understand that they just didn’t understand, but the Hive was hurt nonetheless, and fewer and fewer of my children volunteered to go above ground. Luckily for us, our Hive is situated underneath a major pony city. Las Pegasus is full of life and excitement, and there are plenty of ponies up there who are willing to overlook a poorly-timed shapeshift or a less-than-convincing acting job for the price of a good time. Some of our allies have not been so fortunate, and I am thankful that we have been able to procure our love needs from our surroundings and the remaining few lings who are willing to interact with ponies. It’s difficult, Flurry Heart, but we manage. Still, someday we do hope to live on the surface for good, without fear. The Queen hesitates for a second before nuzzling me gently. I hope that answers a few of your questions. Do not worry, I will answer more once we are seated in a more comfortable spot. Queen Quartz laughs aloud, the musical sound ringing through the slanted corridor like the tinkle of a bell. I would much rather we sit somewhere less hard than the sturdy chitin of the floor. With a flick of her tail, my Queen leads me onward. We pass by a room filled with changelings dusting off what looks like hollowed changeling exoskeletons. I shudder, but my Queen notices, and reassures me. These are old relics of our most heroic soldiers, she pings to me as we watch the working changelings bustle about. After battles, we locate where they’ve fallen and save their armor. To others, they may be the battered shells of the dead, but to us they are priceless reminders of those who died to serve the Hive. I stare slack-jawed through the doorway for a few moments longer before rushing to catch up to my Queen. The strangest things mean the most to my siblings, but I can’t help feeling slightly awed anyways. They have so much respect for each other, even though there are thousands of them all bunched together in one little hivemind. Instead of focusing on what’s the same, they celebrate their differences, and remember the outstanding. Changelings have a unique sense of community, and it doesn’t quite make sense to me how they embrace individuality, but there’s definitely something more to this than I first thought. My Queen turns suddenly, and I bump into her side. I instinctually apologize, distressed that I caused such a magnificent ruler discomfort, but she laughs and brushes her wing against my cheek. “You have no reason to apologize, Flurry Heart. I assure you, I am not as fragile as I look.” I nod as she chortles to herself, clicks and chitters intermingling with her chuckles. She doesn’t look so fragile to me, she looks strong and powerful, but I don’t dare to argue with her. Queen Quartz pauses as we reach a bridge connecting the two tallest spires of the castle. I can see the whole hive clearly from up here. The view is no less breathtaking than it was the first time I caught a glimpse of it. A spray of fireworks lights up the darker sector of the Hive, revealing buildings covered in faded murals, pinpricks of lamplight, and changelings bustling across grassy ground. The outskirts shines in its neon hues, and the glittering dome to the right of it glows dully from whatever light fills it. I can see changelings ducking and weaving between the trees of the forest beyond. Closest to me, Hive Central bustles with life as changelings fly from one stone building to the next. I feel at home, even though I just got here. Is it the hivemind that’s made me so comfortable, or some sort of inbred instinct? I’m not certain. I also wonder for a brief moment why I’m so adamantly in love with my Queen, but the worry flickers away like the last light of a snuffed-out candle. I adore her because she’s the mother of my Hive. If there’s anything to be unquestioningly devoted to, it’s her. Right? Well, if I’m wrong to feel that way, I’ll think about it later. Right now, I’m perfectly comfortable taking in the view next to Queen Quartz. I look up to make sure she’s not bored, and to my relief I see she’s also enjoying our higher vantage point. I can feel her pride and contentment through the hivemind. It’s like a warm comforting glow in the back of my mind, and I catch myself smiling without realizing I’m doing it. Then I feel a tinge of sadness cloud my Queen’s contentment, and her expression falls a bit. Flurry, she says over the hivemind. I’m delighted that you’re happy here. I hoped you would be, especially after what happened. I try not to sigh dramatically, but it’s hard to resist the urge. So, what did happen? Lings keep skirting around the answer, but I want to know. I HAVE to know. I feel different, and I look different, and Pixie Cut said I was a mare, and almost a changeling, and it doesn’t make any sense to me. What’s going on? Why am I here? Queen Quartz takes a deep breath and looks down at me, hooking a leg over my shoulder and holding me in a gentle hug. You were not always a changeling, Flurry. Pyaxis - Pixie Cut - was correct in that you were born to the houses of Cadenza and Sparkle. Your parents were ponies, royalty even. They were the victims of not one, but two changeling invasions, but in between those invasions Hive Quarry reached out to them to make peace. We offered them something long before the second invasion, something they could not guarantee: your safety. You see, my Queen continues cautiously, rubbing my back with her hoof, after the second invasion, they realized that not even their royal guards couldn’t keep you safe. They loved you, Flurry Heart, and as the daughter of the Princess of Love herself you became a target for every single Hive. Most Hives didn’t have your best interests at heart, so we had to act quickly. Well… as quickly as we could. Our first attempts to contact the Crystal Empire were met with aggressive warnings, but we persisted. There were numerous attempts to foalnap you by other Hives, and the royal guards had difficulty telling the difference between Hives who wished to harm you and Hives that wished to protect you. After a particularly brutal attempt left the guards reeling, we managed to make contact with your parents. They were shocked by the hostility of the hives who wished to do you harm, and tentatively agreed to let us assist them in your protection. Our relationship with the Crystal Empire grew slowly but steadily, and we eventually were able to propose a plan to keep you safe. Some Hives, we heard, would sooner destroy you than allow you to fall into their enemy’s hooves. Once the true danger became clear, your parents were quick to listen to our idea. I snuggle closer to my Queen, and she holds me gently, pressing me against her cool chitin for a few moments before releasing me with a loving squeeze. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself before she continues in a tremulous voice. The day your parents came to an agreement with us, we began our preparations and coordinations with them, including the training of a nymph to take your place. The plan was to have a disguised changeling take your place for a few years, until the danger had passed and you could return home. Your parents wanted you by their side more than anything, Flurry, but they wanted you safe more. There had been numerous sightings of enemy assassins near the Crystal Empire, and the tension was rising. Yissik, your replacement, was delivered to the Crystal Palace a few weeks later. It was during the night of the Winter Solstice celebration, and you and Yissik met outside the palace to swap places. We kept watch over the castle, and we thought in naive hope that the royal guards would keep a decent watch over the palace grounds. We… Her voice breaks in anguish over the hivemind, and I want nothing more than to ease her pain, but I don’t know how. We were mistaken. It is easier to show you what happened next, Flurry. With your consent, I can show you Yissik’s memories before… the incident. Queen Quartz’s face contorts into an expression of unbridled grief. I nod solemnly. I have to know. I don’t know what I’ll do with myself if I don’t find out who I used to be. Prepare yourself, then. My Queen’s voice echoes through my mind, and my vision is thrust into darkness, a splitting pain arching like lightning through my mind. The grass below my hooves are soggy. It squishes whenever I shift my weight. I don’t like that. Curse the dewfall from the evening fog! Curse it to the stars above and the liquid flame below! I don’t like feeling damp, especially now that I have fur. When I woke from the transformation, my fur was the first thing that bothered me. It’s nothing like cool, smooth chitin, and I miss my old form, but the Queen chose me for a reason, surely, so I dare not complain to her. Besides, this is an unprecedented honor! I’ll get to meet the Princess of Love, and maybe someday I’ll get to meet Princess Luna, too! Stars and moonglow, maybe she’ll even sign my poster of her back in the Hive! I cannot wait. I’ve heard she’s nice and graceful under pressure and everything I hope to be. I could think about her for the next moon and not be bored, but for now I have to focus. Where is- ah! There she is! Princess Flurry Heart. Princess of… I don’t know, actually. I don’t think she’s been declared the Princess of anything yet. She looks fearless, but I can sense her anxiety. The poor dear. I’m amazed at how composed she is. Her confidence is unwavering, and it’s admirable how she manages a smile at me when she sees me in the shadows. I’m nervous too, but she’s downright fearful. I guess that makes sense, considering her family’s… tumultuous past with other Hives. I can’t believe she agreed to this. That’s real courage, right there. I wish I could say something to her to make her feel more secure, but the words die before they leave my mouth. She’ll love the Hive, though, I’m sure. Everything about us is the same, thanks to the permanent effects of my transformation. It’s pretty rare for one of us to undergo a permanent shapeshift, since our ability to change forms at will is our greatest strength. Still, it was necessary for the plan to work, and I suppose there are worse ponies to look like. The last few weeks were focused on how to act, but there wasn’t enough time to learn everything. What if I eat wrong, or speak incorrectly? What if I panic, and accidentally speak in our beautiful rhythmic language instead of that of ponies? Well, at least I have anxiety in common with Princess Flurry Heart. Her smile looks almost forced. I can’t imagine how strange it must be to her, to see a mirror image of herself move and act differently. I shift uncomfortably in the dress I’m wearing. It matches hers, and she got to pick it out, but there’s no way hers is as itchy and uncomfortable as mine! There’s a rustle in the bushes nearby, and we both perk up our ears. She probably can’t see it, since pony eyes can’t spot things well in the dark, but I can see the outline of a rabbit between the branches of the hedge. False alarm. I guess we both are on alert tonight, especially after Hive Bramble tried to poison her food a month ago. It must be hard being her. It’ll be a tough few years ahead of me, but I’ll manage, for Hive and Queen. I hold out my hoof for her to shake, and she smiles and takes it. Her fur feels soft against mine, and for a moment I understand why ponies like it so. Being fuzzy must be comforting when they hug each other. I wish I could pull Princess Flurry into a hug, but if I’ve learned everything over the past few weeks, it’s that ponies don’t usually hug strangers, especially royal strangers. “Nice weather we’re having, Yissik,” she murmurs to me, and I smile gratefully at her. She even pronounced my name right! I open my mouth to respond, the tension somewhat broken, when a near-silent whisper catches my attention. Princess Flurry cocks her head when I tense up and look around. Ponies must not have as good hearing as we do, as well. Pity. A quiet click makes her stand at attention as well. We gaze into the mottled shadows of the palace grounds, but even I can’t see what’s going on. It could be just a royal guard on his rounds around the courtyard. They’re notoriously noisy, clanking about with swords and spears. I turn back to Princess Flurry, trying to resume our awkward conversation. “It’s an honor to meet you, Princess,” I say in my normal voice, all too aware of the changeling accent I spent a week unlearning. “I wish the circumstances were different, but-” A glint of metal in the moonlight is my only warning that something’s wrong. I crouch and shove the Princess away from me, as hard as I can. The hiss of something whirring through the air is the only thing I hear before my world explodes into light, and an agonizing pain races through every nerve in my body as the white light consumes me. My eyes open blearily to see my Queen’s hoof brushing a few stray strands of mane out of my face. My jaw aches, and I open and close it a few times. I must have been clenching it. I can feel the cool trails where tears have dripped down my face, and I shakily reach up to wipe them off. Yissik took the brunt of the damage, Queen Quartz says sadly as she tenderly hugs me close. Our guards flew you away from there as quickly as they could while the royal guards went after the assassin. They found its corpse tangled in the hedge. It had served its purpose, and killed itself to avoid interrogation and punishment. Our priority for the moment, though, was you. We moved you as far as we dared to. The flight from the Crystal Empire to Los Pegasus was a long journey, but you were stable enough to carry safely, and we had to get you away from the palace as soon as possible. Upon reaching the border of Canterlot, though, your health took a turn for the worse. The plague bomb that the assassin had thrown had sapped your body of most of its energy, and you would have begun decaying had we tried to fly you any closer to our healers. There is no equine cure for the mana plague, Flurry. It drains a pony of their life itself, killing their body and eroding their mind until they fade away, physically and mentally. We couldn’t let you die, so we placed you in a pod and began to convert you. It was a race against the clock. Our healers traveled far and moved you often to make sure you weren’t being tracked as they worked. A pony eventually succumbs to the mana plague in a matter of days, but for a changeling, there is hope. We live off of borrowed love. The passion of others drives us, literally, which gives us a fighting chance against the mental portion, and inside of a pod we can heal continuously until the plague has run its course. I was so terrified that I would lose you, Flurry, but you have a strong mind and a strong will, and you survived, albeit partially transformed. However, the first thing that the plague devours is your memory. We have lings that watched you from afar before you were transformed, and I’ll help you contact them later, but there’s nothing we can do to regain what is lost. I… I’m so sorry. Queen Quartz looks troubled, and I can sense her misery through the hivemind, but I feel like I can’t cry anymore, so I nuzzle close to her cool chest. Yissik, unlike you, wasn’t quite as lucky. She succumbed to her wounds a few days after the attack, having taken most of the force of the mana bomb. With her death, Equestria grieved. I struggle to my hooves, wobbling slightly. “And my parents?” I choke out, looking up at my Queen tearfully. “What did they say when they found out that I was alive?” Queen Quartz closes her eyes and takes a breath to steady herself before looking me in the eyes mournfully. They don’t know, Flurry Heart. I’m sorry, but when Yissik died, we had no other choice but to tell them that you didn’t make it either. You’re safer this way. I stumble back, my back hoof brushing against the smooth edge of the bridgeway. “What?” I manage, my brow furrowing in a mixture of shock and outrage. To her credit, my Queen doesn’t hide the tears that well up in her eyes. Flurry Heart, I’m so sorry, but to Equestria, you’re dead. You’ve been dead for a few months now.