//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: My Life As A Royal Changeling // by Tangent //------------------------------// I sighed as I went over the day I had just had. Which had started with intense, but thankfully brief, pain. Followed by finding myself covered in what I would later realize was changeling gore. Not to mention the fact that not only had I somehow changed species, I was now the queen of the changelings. Prereformation changelings. Specifically the late Queen Chrysalis' hive of changelings, in the Badlands, south of Equestria. Placing me in a world where the only previous knowledge I had about came from a children's show, a movie, a comic, and innumerable speculative art and fanfiction. Any amount of which could be either frighteningly accurate or wildly off model, and I would never know which I was dealing with until I was able to do some research. And even then, I'd never be able to know for sure. Where, or rather when, in the timeline was I? Before Thorax' ascension, certainly, but by how long? And did it even matter? I mean, it's extremely clear to me that I wasn't the first former human from my world to end up on this one. Either that, or the names of Gandahar, Amorphous Metamorphous, and Ambisextra were the mother of all coincidences. Not to mention the prophecy I quoted from the very same movie. How much would even be the same if somebody else had already been thrust into this world generations ahead of me, making God knows what changes just from being here so long ago? "Pardon, my Queen, but Humblebee said that you requested sustenance?" A changeling entered the throne room, pushing a trolley. I recognized it... her... as the more sensible of the pair who had helped clean me up shortly after my arrival. "You may approach," I stated, once again cribbing my phraseology from what little I knew of royal mannerisms. Mostly sourced from novels, movies, some television shows. And, yes, cartoons. Still, it seemed to be working so far, even if I caught my subjects giving me odd looks from time to time. At least noling had turned on me yet... And that was another thing. Why the bloody Hell was I using ponyisms (or would that be changlingisms?) even in my head!? Calm. Remain calm. Above all, don't panic Huh. The tray on the trolley has a bit more variety than I had been expecting. Bowls filled with various consistencies, ranging from watery soup through jellies to one bowl of thick pudding. A plate with what I assume is the solids version of the variety platter, considering that it seems to have balls of gel, cookie-like things, and a sort of... I want to say cake? And a smaller tray of crystalized samples. Unfortunately, all of it being a particularly unappetizing shade of snot-green. I poke at one of the gel things experimentally with a hoof, then carefully take a sniff of the offerings before me... Well, at least it smells better than it looks, even if I can't identify the scent. A quick nibble proves that it also tastes better as well. "Thish ish acshually pretty goosh," I comment, forgetting to swallow first. I correct that immediately. "Condensed love, right?" "Yes, my Queen." I couldn't really describe the flavor, as I had literally never tasted anything even remotely like it before in my life. This one or the previous one. No point in worrying about going back. If it happens, it happens, but so far all signs point to "no." Otherwise my distant "ancestor" wouldn't have had the time to have founded Gandahar. I really need to learn how to read so I can get started on those archives Humblebee told me about. Well, that and find out what passed for written entertainment in this world. Daring Do novels of course (assuming that I hadn't arrived too early for A. K. Yearling to have started writing down her adventures), but what else? I seem to remember Spike reading a story about a heroic dragon to a group of kids at the Ponyville Hospital during one episode, and Rarity is apparently into mystery novels. Not to mention the fact that comicbooks were a thing here. Assuming, again, that my knowledge of the show actually has any bearing at all on the world I've found myself in. And I've just been sitting here, eating and thinking to myself while my attendant is standing there dutifully. Is she waiting for a command or a dismissal? I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to give her ear-scritchies or a treat... Oh, God, my mind goes off on some pretty damn strange tangents. Some people have trains of thought. My trains are rollercoasters. Complete with switchbacks, loop de loops, and sharks with freakin' laser bea... Stop that, Brain! I'm trying to make with the thinky thinky here! Hmm... The crystal things are a bit harder to chew than the other goop. "Ah, my Queen, you are supposed to suck on crystalized love. If you chew on those, you could ruin your..." CRUNCH! "...teeth." Jawbreakers never did last very long with me. I run my tongue over my teeth, but don't feel anything I hadn't when I had done so earlier, and no sudden pain either, so I figure that my new teeth are fine for now. "Ah... My Queen, you might want to slow down your rate of consumption. You're projecting..." Aww, she's adorable! Like a big huggable cuddlebug! C'm'ere, you!