This is Home.

by Lucy_Marigold

Chapter 11 - The Enigma Hive.

The sun had already risen by the time Twilight stirred awake, her own body working against her as it urged her back into her old bed. She shifted, suddenly feeling highly uncomfortable as the bed below had seemingly shrunk since her last visit to Canterlot. Easing her eyes opened, she yawned, stretching her hooves and her wings. Oh, she thought, pausing and glancing downwards at her holed hooves. 

She was still undisguised. 

Her head was buzzing with new thoughts, some of them were so overwhelming it was beginning to give her a headache. “What time is it?” She groggily mumbled, sitting up completely at this point as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“Almost ten. You’ve been passed out for a while.” Rainbow Dash’s voice answered back as the mare dropped from the ceiling with all the grace and stealth of a yak. Dash was also undisguised as she stretched her wings, letting loose a loud yawn. “Yesterday was awesome. We were all awesome, but I was the most awesome.”

“Okay, I get it, Rainbow. Can you be quiet for just a second? My head hurts.” She gritted.

“You want me to get somepony?” Dash said, frowning.

“No, no. I think I’ll-Ouch!” She let loose a sharp gasp, clutching her head again. Buzzing, there was nothing but buzzing as it threatened to become even more overwhelming. Multiple voices and sounds echoing through her head. 

"Is everything okay, sugarcube?” Applejack had entered the room, her voice echoing above the buzzing. 

“She said-hurts-don’t know-on” Twilight could only hear parts of what Dash was saying at this point. She screwed her eyes tightly closed, placing her hooves against her ears in an attempt to silence the countless voices around her.  

“Twi’. Ah think ah know what’s wrong.” Applejack had crouched down beside Twilight, a hoof being placed against her shoulder. “Rainbow, do you remember what happened when Queen Rhene was crowded?”

“Sort of. She went-like an hour-her mother’s-chambers.” She said, tapping her hooves. “Oh.”

Twilight let loose a grumble and a groan. “What the hay are you saying? Why are there so many voices in my head?!” 

“Twi’, ah think yer body is going through the final stage of being a queen. It happens when another queen dies or a princess defeats another queen. Ah think yer fight with Chrysalis triggered it. And there shouldn’t be anypony else. It’s just you and me in the hivelink.” 

“Ugh!” Twilight dragged a pillow from her bed, stuffing her muzzle into it as she groaned again. There was a rapid knock on the door as somepony rapidly shouted something through the door. “What is it?” She shouted out.

“Princess Twilight, some of the changelings in the dungeon have grown restless. We’ve separated them from the rest of them but they keep demanding to see all the princesses. Princess Celestia has sent me to get you.” It was a guard, she was politely asking through the door. 

Applejack and Rainbow Dash resumed their disguises in a swirl of flames, Applejack carefully lifting Twilight from the ground. “I’m fine. I’ve got it.” She rapidly said.

Shutting her eyes closed for a moment, Twilight willed herself to maintain a disguise, pushing the many voices away from her mind. Shakily, she stepped forward, peeking her eyes open once more. Stretching her feathered wings before opening the door, she stepped out to face one of the day guards. “Take me to her.”

Stepping down the echoing stairway, Twilight ruffled her wings as cold and musty air permeated the air. The headache had dulled to a slow throb, just a minor annoyance now. Applejack stood by her side, mouth shut as she frowned a little in concern. “I wonder why they’re asking for all of us. All the princesses I mean.” 

“Who knows, sugarcube. Ah have no idea why you’re suddenly bein’ crowded either. This has never happened before.” Applejack muttered, hooves clopping against the ground as they continued to descend downwards. 

Eventually, the stairway opened up to a large hallway, cells lining the walls. They looked ancient and old, somewhat unused. Celestia stood a little further down the hall, engaged in discussion with one of her guards. The regent of the sun nodded her head as the guard left before approaching the two mares waiting for her. “Are you alright after last night, Twilight?” The princess addressed her. 

“Yes. I’ll be…” She paused, frowning. “I think I’ll be alright.” 

“That’s good. As Officer Stone Sword has probably informed you, some of Chrysalis’s changelings have become rowdy, to say the least. Luna’s asleep and Cadance is helping to tend to Chrysalis' wounds so they are currently unavailable. I am also glad you are here, Applejack.”

“That would make sense. Love magic and all.” Applejack commented.

“Princesses! Another group of changelings are at the main gates. They’re demanding to know where their Hive is as well as somepony called Queen Enid.” A guard had rushed up to the group, pausing shouting out his information before pausing for a breath. Applejack’s eyes widened, nudging Twilight in the side.

“What colour may I ask what colour may these changelings be?” Twilight asked, tapping a hoof against her lip for a moment.

“Uh. Purple, Princess.” 

“Bring them to the throne room. Not down here.” The lavender alicorn ordered. With that, the solar princess dismissed her guard almost instantly.

“Why would they be asking for Enid?” Applejack whispered, a questioning look directed towards Twilight and Princess Celestia. 

“She hasn’t reigned over your hive since before Luna’s banishment. We shall deal with that shortly but first, we must find out why only a few of Chrysalis’s changelings have become aggravated. Follow me please.” Celestia led them down the corridor, passing a few cells with other changelings inside them. 

Chrysalis wasn’t with them.

After trotting through musty stone hallways for a few minutes, Celestia halted them with her wings, ushering the guards away. “These three were the loudest. The others are just a bit further down.” 

In the cell at the end of the hallway sat a group of three changelings, each shuffling on their hooves. Their eyes darted towards Twilight the moment they spotted her. Applejack had paused, dropping her disguise. “Bee? Nova and Midge?” Applejack spluttered out, three of the changelings seemingly instantly recognizing Applejack. They darted up to the bars, one of them climbing on top of the others. “Is it really you?!”

“We thought you had died, Alyssum.” One of them said.

“I mean, I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t know, Midge said she saw you running from the hive but I kinda didn’t wanna believe it.” Another voice said, the one on top seemingly a male.

“I told you she was alive! To Enid and above, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” The third chuckled, Midge.

“Applejack, do you know these changelings?” Celestia asked, eyes glancing at Applejack. 

“APPLEJACK?!” All of the changelings shouted. 

“You changed your name? To Applejack? Really?” The male one narrowed his eyes, crossing his forehooves.

“Ah happen to like it.” The mare stated, grumbling a little. Twilight nudged her friend slightly, holding back laughter. 

“Where were you guys during the fight between Chrysalis?” Twilight asked, tilting her head a little.

“We were posed as guards, uhm. Sorry Princesses. We’ve never wanted to be involved in Xenica Hive stuff. Nor did the others.” Midge awkwardly said, shifting a little.

“Princess Celestia. Bee, Nova and Midge are my brood mates. They were Odonata’s Lieutenant Generals.”

“Actually, I was still Major General Bee when everything happened. But I guess I’ll never get that promotion, huh?” Bee, the first one stated, frowning a little. “What happened to the princess? Chrysalis said that she had been crushed with Queen Odonata but we couldn’t find-” Her voice had become a whisper. “-the body.” 

Applejack glanced at Twilight who shifted nervously, raising a hoof. “About that-”

“You didn’t do anything to her did you?” Nova, the male, suddenly shouted, rattling the bars. “She was our last chance. Some of the others said they saw another queen during the fight in the ballroom, is that true?!” 

Twilight let loose a small yelp, pulling back a little in surprise. The suddenness caused her disguise to falter slightly. She still hadn’t gotten the knack for maintaining them when frightened it seemed. Celestia remained silent, simply watching the events unfold before her.

“You-” “You’re the-” “Oh my.” They said at the same time, staring intently at her, undisguised and shuffling awkwardly back and forth.

“Uh… surprise?” 

“Oh my Enid, this explains everything!” Bee shouted, pulling back from the bars slightly. “This explains why you vanished!” She shot a hoof forward and towards Applejack who was rolling her eyes, a stern look appearing on her face.

“You’re so pretty.” Midge was titled her head, smiling widely as she gazed in Twilight’s direction. “You look a lot like Queen Iris, at least from what I've seen of her painting.”

“Applejack? Twilight? Some guard got bothered by me hanging around the steps and told me to head down here-By Ayana, what’s going on here?” Rainbow Dash had shed her disguise as she was trotting towards them, seemingly distracted until her eyes glanced at the trio of changelings near AJ and Twilight.

“A Libellua?!” Nova and the other changelings gasped. “But your Hive is-”

“Gone? Destroyed? Yeah, I know.” Dash flicked her wings a little, looking over at Twilight before trotting over to her. “I’m just that awesome I survived.”

“How many others joined Chrysalis’s Hive?” Twilight asked. 

“Six, nine if you include us. She didn’t give us much choice. Join or die, I think were her exact words.”

“Oh yeah, she was pretty brutal about that. She stripped us of our ranks and then forced us to work our way back up. We were only up to basic guard status until now. We can’t go back to her, you have no clue what she’ll do to us all if she finds out that we know you're alive.” Midge looked desperate, the air around them thick with tension. “We need our queen back. You’re our only chance at restoring the hive.”

“I-” Twilight glanced at Applejack before turning to look at Celestia. The ancient mare nodded in approval. Rainbow Dash placed a reassuring hoof against Twilight’s side. Her two friends nodded, almost as if they were saying that they’d be there by her side and that she could do. 

She could be the mare her destiny said she could. 

She could do great things. She could be somepony great.

“I’ll take up my mother’s mantle. I’ll accept the position of Queen.”