//------------------------------//
// The Hated 
// Story: Not happening 
// by Arkinstone 
//------------------------------//

Admiral Bullhorn hissed, incredulity clear "Leave the hive?! This is our home! And I'll be damned to Tartarus if we abandon it!"

Admiral Honey looked at the floor as we walked down "It was our home. Can any of us say that we are not the odd lings out? This place, our hive... It is taken. Gone. It is no longer ours. It is theirs"

I feel my chest tighten as Hawkwasp growled, flaring her crest to accentuate her anger "Then we take it back! These daisy pushers couldn't fight back even if they wanted to! We are still strong!"

I snap at them "No! If we fought as we are, we would lose. We are too few in number and too weakened from hunger to mount an attack. If we dared to invite another Queen to help us, they would take over, and while they might keep me around, they would kill the rest of you. And that is not a sacrifice I am willing to make, I would rather our hive fall into obscurity than be overrun by a Queen who has no attachment to it"

Taking a few deep breaths, I continue explaining my plan "We need more food if we ever wish for the pupae to hatch, and we need a secure location to raise them to allow our hive to survive," My Admirals are not outright protesting, so I continue "I need suggestions of possible locations that would allow what few infiltrators we have to harvest easily, but still secure enough to raise our pupae undetected"

After a short pause, Admiral Honey speaks up "Perhaps the caves underneath Canterlot? They are certainly expansive enough to hide the new hive and we could easily gather love from the ponies above"
Admiral Lonomia hisses "It is far too close to the prey! They are aware of the caves since Queen Chrysalis imprisoned two Alicorns there, expansive and confusing? yes, but the risk of being discovered is too great!"

Admiral Bullhorn cuts off what looks to be the beginning of an argument "Perhaps one of the outskirts? Such as Everfree or Appleloosa?"
Anopheles quickly counters his suggestions "Who said we have to stay in Equestria at all? We could very well head for the Hippogryfs or Zebras, they produce love just as well as Ponies, and are not as aware of changelings"

Admiral Hawkwasp scowls at the floor, a natural look when she is deep in thought "I believe we should remain in Equestria, we know the ponies there the best. We know how they think, act, and most importantly, how they attack," Admiral Anopheles scoffs, and is rewarded by a fierce glare from Hawkwasp "No listen! As much as I adore a good brawl, it is important to know how our opponents will attack us should our new hive be discovered! I will not put pupae at risk just because our information on other prey species is lacking"

General Pharynx, who has been dead silent the entire conversation, speaks up "I don't think we should abandon the hive at all," Everyling turns to look at him, but let him continue "I don't want to give up our legacy for anything, but we can't just leave this hive, OUR hive, unprotected, even though it is filled with eyesores and safety hazards. This is our home and our family, however weak they have become, are still here, and I don't think we should leave them behind"

I close my eyes briefly before responding "I understand better than most, General Pharynx, but our culture and history is dying. Soon enough, the creatures will begin to expand back down into the lower hive and begin changing it, getting rid of what no longer fits their new ideology," Pharynx winces at the word 'creatures', but he knows my meaning enough to not interrupt "If even for a moment I believed those creatures could come to a compromise about it, I would try. I would bargain and scream until their ears were bleeding and my throat wore out. But whatever force that changed their base forms also changed the way their minds worked, they have become so love drunk and hyper-fixated on sharing love with each other that they have no room for those who won't"

Admiral Honey takes over quietly, but we can hear the truth in her words "You saw how Thorax just tried to push us out, to banish us if we did not conform to his new reality.  It won't be long before the rest of the reformed changelings begin to push us out in other ways, such as cutting off our infiltrators on their way in or out."

Admiral Hawkwasp hissed quietly "What I would like to know is where Thorax got the spine to attempt to banish us like that. Before he leaves, he bends like wet paper whenever something so much as hisses at him, but one trip to Equestria and suddenly he can backtalk lings who have been around since before his parents were even a thought?"

Anopheles suddenly perks up her ears, and we cut chatter immediately, staying completely silent until she hisses "The abominations have begun to scrape at the walls not far from here, they are moving closer"

Great. Of course they wouldn't hesitate to wreck the lower hive to create more space for themselves. Standing up, I look directly at pharynx even as I address my Admirals "Gather what little supplies and belongings you have. We are leaving, sooner rather than later"

Admiral Honey interjects "But what about the pupae! We cannot take them all, nor do we have enough love to hatch them"

I let her interruption slide as it is a decent question and answer "We will take three eggs. Two eggs will hatch normally once we have enough love, but with the third egg, we will overload with love once we have enough" The Admirals, and Pharynx, are stunned. 
It is known that Royal eggs can be created when overloaded with enough love, but it is incredibly rare due to the fact that it takes an absurd amount of love to even begin the process.
Ignoring the slightly incredulous look on Bullhorns face, I continue with my plan "Once we have gathered supplies and the chosen eggs, we will leave the Badlands Hive to create a new hive. Once we have the new hive secured and a steady stream of love coming in, we can begin the process of creating a Royal Pupae and hatching the regular pupae."

How glorious it will be to have a Queen once more! Even a princess can help restore the fragile mess the hive-mind has become!

My loyal Admirals nod, understanding the unspoken dismissal, and trot out of the dark hallway in different directions. Pharynx, however, does not move and instead glares at me "I don't agree with your plan to leave the Hive, and if you speak to my brother that way again, I will personally rip out your throat. But I won't stop you from leaving, nor will I tell Thorax"

I scowl at him "You wish to stay with these creatures? Fine! I know your too stubborn to leave your broodmate behind, but know that when they eventually banish you, and they will, your real kind will be waiting for you"
I continue down the hallway at a brisk trot, completely done with the conversation.

I am disappointed. And angry. Of all lings, I thought Pharynx would be all for leaving the hive for the survival of our kind, but I guess his loyalty to his brother and the memories of this place are strong. I don't expect him to allow himself to become one of the creatures, but he will be alone. Alone, surrounded by creatures, isolated from the hivemind, and pressured from all sides to give in.

Trotting down deeper into the darkness to gather what little I hive, I can only hope that Pharynx keeps his sanity and does not become a love-drunk traitor like the rest of them.