//------------------------------// // Chapter 05 - Phasmid // Story: To Be a Changeling // by PlagueRat //------------------------------// Phasmid trotted through the dusty dilapidated corridor, stopping at each doorway and checking every empty room. Despite being off duty he still felt full of energy and decided to do a quick patrol of the abandoned castle ruins. While surveying a ramshackle guestroom he noticed the bed’s dust ruffle move ever so slightly. He halted in place, eyes locked on the aged fabric, and waited. Again something disturbed the bed skirt. Creeping silently into the room, and changelings can be very stealthy despite having hooves, he took up a position adjacent to the bed, readying himself. With a swift burst of magic he sent the bed tipping onto its side, kicking up a cloud of dust and revealed the intruder. A single scraggly rat sat frozen on its haunches, staring up at the changeling. Its mouth was agape, just about to bite into the morsel of food held in its tiny paws. Sighing with a mixture of relief and disappointment, Phasmid let his tense muscles relax. The little rat took that moment to chomp down on its dinner and skitter past the changeling guard, out into the dark hall where it disappeared around a corner. While righting the displaced bed back into its legs, Phasmid wondered if he should have chased after and captured the rodent. It could have made a nice little addition to a meal but then again it didn’t look very meaty or healthy to him. With a shrug he left the room, closing the rotting wooden door behind him. After finishing his patrol he returned to the tunnels of the hive. While en route to his quarters he nodded a greeting to any fellow changelings he pasted. Once inside he removed his helmet and placed it on the tip of a stalagmite before he hopped onto the mossy surface of his bed. He let out a yawn, covering his mouth with the side of his hoof as he did, and then lowered himself down onto his side. He gripped a squishy lime green pillow with his front hooves and pulled it closer, resting his head against the cool surface. With half closed eyes he glanced around his spartan room, stopping his gaze on the empty guard helmet that faced his direction. The helmet that was still too big for him. “You can’t be in the queen’s army. You’re just not cut out for that kind of job.” the spectral voice of his mother said. “You’re going to be an infiltrator like me and your sister.” “But I don’t want to be an infiltrator!” shouted back the voice of Phasmid, still just a nymph. “I want to be a soldier like Mandible or Pharynx! Like dad was!” “I said NO! Now stop arguing with me about it!” roared back the memory of his mother. “For the last time you are not going to be following in your fathers hoof steps and that’s final!” Phasmid closed his eyes, inhaled through his nostrils, exhaled out of his mouth and then rolled over onto his other side. When he opened his eyes again he stared directly at small burlap sack doll that rested between a few other knick-knacks on a shelf. It was in the likeness of an earth pony with some of its stuffing sticking out between the loosely stitched together seams. “You can’t even pull that dummy’s tail off you wimp!” taunted the voice of a young changeling. “Are you crying? Hey everyling, Phasmid is crying wike a wittle pony!” “What’s going on?” Asked the voice of a female changeling. His older sister’s voice. “We weren’t doing anything wrong.” The younger changeling’s voice said defensively. ”We’re just playing.” “Just playing, huh?” his sister’s voice said with skepticism dripping from her tone. “Why don’t you all just go play on the other side of the cavern for now? I need to talk to Phasmid.” Closing his eyes again Phasmid pictured the silhouette of his sister from that day. “You’re getting bullied again I see.” The silhouette said with a pang of sadness in her voice. “Are you okay?” “I wish I wasn’t so weak.” The younger Phasmid said with a sniffle. “Cricket, why can’t I be strong like Dad?” “Phasmid...” The silhouette signed. “You and I take after mom more than dad. We’re just better fit for infiltrating and harvesting love then for fighting. There’s nothing wrong with being an infiltrator, it’s a very important job for the hive, just as much as being a guard or soldier.” “I know it is…” Phasmid said, his voice almost a whisper. “I just wish… I could be like Dad…” The silhouette placed a hoof on his withers but didn’t say anything. Phasmid sat up and buzzed his wings, puffing out his breath before laying down again. He adjusted his wings carefully before settling onto his back. He stared up at the ceiling, watching as little ruby colored insect crawled across the stone before closing his eyes again. “Phasmid you're back!” His sister’s voice called out to him from something he didn’t recognize. “So much has happened while you were away!” A mint green creature came flying up to him on transparent rose colored wings. Her red eyes shimmered with joy as she tried to grab him in a hug. He flew backwards, propelled by his buzzing wings, a look of confusion plastered on his face. He looked away from the creature with his sister’s voice, who now gave him a hurt expression, and over the ruined hive. “W-what happen?” He asked, voice shaking and full of disbelief. “Cricket, what happen to the hive? What happen to you?” “We’re better now Phasmid.” She said “We’ve been set free of out hunger, our need to harvest love.” “How..?” He softly asked. His sister explained to him how the Queen’s plan to capture the most important ponies in Equestria had failed because of a changeling named Thorax, two ponies and Discord. How even after the group of invaders had been captured, Thorax was able to teach his fellow changelings how to freely share love. Before their eyes he transformed into a new type of changeling, a changeling king! The other changelings quickly began to follow suit. The act of freely sharing their love with one another instead of taking it caused a butterfly effect throughout the hive and they evolved into their new forms. “But what happened to the Queen or the other infiltrators that had been away?” He asked. “She refused to freely accept the love of others and flew away.” Cricket said with pity in her eyes. “We’ve been teaching anyling who returns how to share love. Will you please let me show you?” Phasmid opened his eyes again and sighed. “No…” He said to the empty room.