//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: The Hive // Story: Temporal Disequilibrium // by Wild Wire //------------------------------// We walked in total silence for a very long time. So long in fact, that I was bored. Not that making me bored is a difficult thing to do, but this was ridiculous. You want to know how long we've been walking? TWO HOURS. Two whole hours in complete silence. We've left the forest long ago, and I believed we were getting close. I decide to say something. "So wait, why am I coming to the hive again?" I ask. "Because you have a nearly infinite stream of love emitting from you. You know how useful that would be to the hive?" She replies after a moment "Not very much, because you could just try giving love instead." I say factually. "Ha! Giving love away? That would never happen! Why would that even help?" She asks. "Oh, you'd be surprised what the future holds for you changelings. You'd be surprised. Unless my being here interferes with the timeline. That would probably be bad." I say, more to myself at the end there. "So, are we nearly there?" I ask her. "Not even close." "W-What!? but it's been like two hours!" I shout. "Yep, and unless you have a way to get there faster, I suggest you don't ask again." She says threateningly. "Was that a threat?" "Maybe." A pause. "Actually, I might have an idea." I think after a moment. If I can control time, then maybe I could localize it? "Go for it." I grin. I lift her up off the ground in a quick scoop, and hug her close to my chest, her body actually facing away from me. Then I pump as much speed as I can into just my legs. "WOOOAHHHHOLY SHIT! THAT'S FASTER THAN I WANTED!" I shouted as I zoom past everything, our surroundings just a blur. Since I apparently don't get tired, physical exhaustion is nothing to me, meaning I could have kept running from Rainbow Dash without slowing time down more. But now, I'm fast as fuck, boy! The changeling in my arms was also screaming. "ARE WE GETTING CLOSER TO THE HIVE NOW!?" I shout at her over the noisy wind. She shuts her mouth as tightly as she can and nods frantically. "YOU KNOW, I NEVER ACTUALLY GOT YOUR NAME! WHAT IS IT!?" I yell. "ITS CLAIRE!" She shouts back. "THAT'S A SURPRISINGLY NORMAL NAME FOR SOMEONE, AND THAT'S COMING FROM AN ALIEN." "YOU'RE AN ALIEN!?" "BASICALLY!" "WAIT, STOP!" "I KNOW, ITS UNBELIEVABLE, BUT IT'S TRUE." "NO I MEAN STOP, WE'RE GONNA CRASH!" "OH SHIT!" Seeing the black wall up ahead, I do the only logical thing. Jump at it. "WAAAAAAAIT!" Claire shouts. I begin to steal time right before I hit it, and stop as soon as I think I've reached the other side. I also try to steal my own speed, and suddenly all momentum from me is completely halted, and as such, the ride ends. Claire was hyperventilating, but I felt fine. "Let me go! Put me down! I want off!" She cries, worming her way out of my grasp. "Sorry! I actually didn't mean to go that fast but I didn't want to slow down either!" I apologize. She looked like she was going to throw up. "I-I-I-I need to sit down for a little bit." She stutters, slowly placing herself on the floor. "Alright, sorry again." I say, leaning down to rub her back. "J-Jerk." "Hey, I didn't do it on purpose, and I apologized, and it's over now, and we can take a moment to calm down after that whole situation. Just, take it easy, okay?" I try to calm her further, but I can't really tell if it's working. "What is the meaning of this!?" A familiar voice calls out. I turn to the voice and find Chrysalis herself siting on her throne. Wait, wasn't the throne closer to the top of the hive? Did I really jump that high when I jumped at the wall? Holy shit! Wait, right, Chrysalis. "Uhhhhhhhhhhh." Is the first thing that comes out of my mouth, for a solid five seconds, and it doesn't really seem like Chrysalis is pleased with that at all. In fact, she looks absolutely livid. Oh, wait! An Idea! I begin to rewind time a few seconds and think of something to say. "?!siht fo gninaem eht si tahW" The reversed words poured out of her mouth, before I stop rewinding. "What is the meaning of this!?" She shouts once more. "Apologies, I do believe I've frightened this one with a high speed lift. My name is Turner Youth, I was requested to come by this changeling here. She believes I could be... beneficial to the hive." I explain in a quick but calmly manner. This time, Chrysalis just frowns softly at me, before turning her head to Claire. "Is this true, Claire?" "Y-yes, my queen, I also apologize, I was caught by surprise when he picked me up and started running at mach two. I would have had him stop outside, but instead he jumped really high and... through the wall?" She turns her head to the wall, completely confused. I realize I was still rubbing her back, so I stop and stand up to full height. Despite how Chrysalis was in the future when it came to taking over Equestria and all that, both times could possibly be explained by it being a desperate act. The second time when she Ironically denied change, it could have been just that she was scared, and then pissed for losing everything. Then she went crazy after that. For all I know, she could actually be a nice-ish ruler scared of changing how she does things, and slowly going mad, she did what she did. Season 9 might of shown something, but I got sucked here instead of seeing the premiere. I decide to stand straight instead of casually, Chrysalis is technically royalty after all. "So, did she say why you could be useful to the hive?" Chrysalis asks me. "Yes, she explained that I seem to have a nearly limitless supply of love emitting from my being." "Really now?" She eyed me in interest. "Yes." Claire replies for me. "Now this I want to see." She gets up from her throne and walks her way towards me, not a smile nor a frown adorned her face, probably because she's a changeling and they should be good at hiding their real emotions. She stops some distance away, and opens her mouth. A very large amount of pink mist begins to flow out of me, and I begin to feel... well, not any different. I could tell it was a metric fuck ton though when Chrysalis' eyes widened. She absorbed some of the mist, and the rest flew back into my body. "W-well, I believe that settles that, I'll allow you to continue to visit the hive." "Just visit? I was hoping for a place to stay, I don't really have anywhere to go after all. I suddenly arrived in this world about yesterday." I admit. "Really n- wait, you mean you're an alien?" She asked, her blank face dropping for just a moment. "Yes, and now I have no home to go to." Chrysalis seemed to think about it for a moment, before sighing. "Sorry, but physical food is very scarce here, we wouldn't be able to feed you." "I don't need to eat. I possibly could, but it's not a requirement for me." "Hmm, what about water?" "Not a requirement either, nor do I feel physical exhaustion." "What would you gain from being here? You don't require food or water, and if you can really run as swiftly as Claire described, you should have no trouble finding a place to stay." "I would gain company, and a bed to rest in." I swiftly reply, before quickly stumbling to correct myself. "Not- not both at the same time, of course! Just, I mean, um?" And she actually laughed at that, like an actual, full blown, non evil laugh. We both quickly composed ourselves, and she cleared her throat. "Well, why would you need a bed, if you have no feel of exhaustion?" She asked. "I don't feel physically or mentally tired, but I do believe I still feel mental exhaustion, and that could be a whole 'nother head ache if I don't find a remedy for it." I simply reply. "Was that a pun?" "Yes." "...You can stay." Mission one: complete!