//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: Fiend Shifter // by Xinrick //------------------------------// The day finally came where Gilda, Sweetie Drops and I had to head off to the Changeling Territories. We got packed up and headed off. It was a three day train ride to the southern borders of Equestria and when we got there I was surprised to see it was far more… metallic take on the great wall of China. Walls going as far as the eye can see to the right and left of us and easily towered over three miles high. Gilda gave an impressed whistle. "Now that is defense." “I didn’t expect to see the Great Wall of China here.” I said in honest surprise. "Are you two coming?" Sweetie Drops asked as she stood at a nearby guarded doorway. The door guards were both earth ponies, both a level of size and muscle I've only seen on Peppermint and Minotaurs so far. “And here I thought Peppermint was a rarity.” I muttered as I followed after Sweetie. Once inside we followed her through the oddly thin hallways into what looked like a war room. At the end of the table with a large map covered in figures of fiends, monsters and even ponies, Griffons, and other races, was a mare half my size but armed to the teeth in daggers and various combat potion vials. Her eyes were also covered in an old wrap. Her mane was a bright orange and coat a ginger yellow. "Well, if it isn't Drops. Back for more of what I gave you last time?" "Why don't you just try and stick it back in me again. I might like it this time." Sweetie Drops replied with a grin. "Holy…" Gilda started. "Context, cat." The small mare huffed. “Listen, no amount of context will help this situation besides ‘kinky’.” I stated. “So hello there ma’am.” "Did I address you ape?" She snapped. "Drops, who's the cat and the ape?" "Snaper, this is Gilda and Anna. They're the mercs I have to escort." Sweetie Drops said. "Ah, the femboy and the alien." “Already feeling welcome.” I replied sarcastically. "Oh don't take it personally, she hates everyone." Drops stated. "I don't know if I should roll with that Femboy comment or be insulted…" Gilda asked thoughtfully. "Alright, Changeling Mission. You three are going to enter their territories and if they are working with fiends, kill them all." "So the basic." Drops said. “Wait, hold up." I started. “Just...straight to murder?” "That's what we do here. Everything out there wants to kill us so we kill them first." Snapper said. "Uh, Miss Snapper-" Gilda started. "Elite Captain Neck Snapper." She stated. "... Right, what about taking prisoners or… those who surrender?" "Optional." She shrugged. "Christ…" I sighed out. "Alright, so we go in, see who they're working for, and beat whoever tries to attack us." "Basically." Drops said. "We're expecting majority of any fiends to be within their underground hive. Now, the bad news is that magic doesn't work once you get within a range of their hive. However, fiends are unaffected, so your powers should be fine Anna." "Their hive nullifies magic?" Gilda asked. "Just that of any race capable of casting magic with a horn." "And what about the changelings? I've heard they have horns and use them for magic." I pointed out  "Unaffected. This anti magic barrier nullifies all magic save their own and non horned races." Neck Snapper stated. "Part of why the majority of our staff are Earth Ponies and Pegasi. Unicorns while useful here are a liability, the southern badlands seem especially cruel towards them." "Well that sucks." I said nervously. "So...any good news?" "Your amulets are over there, the ones to hide your love and scent. Tested and they work within the field. I also hear that when one of these… Unsent's die around you, you gain their form, is this correct?" "Yes." I nodded. "Whatever has Pyreflies, I absorb and gain their forms." "Then head to the Zoo before heading out. Might make use of the freakshows down there." "And...what's down there?" I asked worriedly. "Better to know what they are beforehand instead of not knowing…" "Halfbreed monsters, mindless bastard monsters of gods and shit that comes from other worlds on the regular." Neck Snapper said. "The Badlands is home to many freaks and devil's both born on Equis and fallen from the stars, these are just a few we managed to catalog in the four hundred years this wall has stood." "Well...then let's take a look if they have Pyreflies…" I said honestly, kind of not liking the thought of them holding sentient beings that wanted to enjoy life but was put inside a cage for being different. Sweetie Drops got out amulets and lead us to their Zoo. It reminded me a lot of the one in Zanarkand. All kinds of… things lashed out against the steel and magic cages violently with primal roars of rage and malice. Some even had guards next to them with various weapons to keep them at Bay. "Welcome to the Zoo. Take your pick." She said. "Jesus, I didn't think they were all just...monsters here." I said nervously. "Any with brains enough to think are in the Daycare ten floors below us." "Okay thank God…" I sighed out happily. "And the Daycare is… better than this?" Gilda asked. "Depends." Drops said. "If they are smart but would prefer to use us as food or slave labor they get put in the Sandbox, if they are peaceful or at least neutral they get placed in the Playpen. And one special little shit has a room all to himself in a maximum security, isolated cage that if he so much as sneezes will teleport his ass right into the heart of Celestia's sun." "So he's evil?" "And crazy." "Damn…" I blinked. "Didn't think it would be that bad…" "So, take your pick." Drops said, showing all the caged monsters before me. I counted at least fifty cages here, but there was turns and hallways I couldn't see from here. “Well...let’s take a look through them…” I said, moving around to look at each of the monsters carefully. The first beast I found was a snake. This snake was as wide and thick as a semi truck, and it's coiled body I could easily see reaching the length of the titanic. "Is that a basilisk?" Gilda asked. "Yup." Drops said with a nod. "Been here the better part of the last two hundred and thirty years. Tried slithering over the wall." “Long lived.” I said honestly. “Too bad I can’t speak snake.” "Do you want it?" Sweetie Drops asked me. I took a moment to truly think about this. “How many duplicates are there in this place?” I asked carefully. "Duplicates?" “Are there more than one of each of these monsters in here?” I asked. “Like multiple basalisks and the like?” "Not here, but they are out in the badlands. None this big though, this big guy is the only one of his kind to get this big, most aren't even half his size." "How did it get so big?" Gilda asked. "Necromancer most likely. With the right dark magic the corpses it eats can make it get bigger and bigger. " “Neat…” I sighed out. “Let’s just do some ‘window shopping’ as it were before I fully make my decision.” "If you insist." Drops said. The next cage had what looked like smoke in there, just floating by itself… till a collection of skeletal arms reached through the bars at us. "Lich Spawn. Nasty peice of shit." “Lich Spawn? The hell are those?” I asked. “Lich’s are fully undead...so how?” "Even undead life finds a way. The more it kills or the more corpses it collects the more it will grow until it becomes a full blown lich. This little guy is nine bodies away from becoming an adult too." “Jesus christ…” I muttered. The next cage held within it a small assortment of Boxes, backpacks and even hats. "And these are?" Gilda asked. Drops pushed a button near by, a large chunk of meat falling inside from a shoot above. Instantly everything in there opened up, revealing massive maws filled with teeth as they moved to their meal. "Mimics." She said plainly. “I could have told you that without even needing the demonstration.” I said honestly. “But their...a bit more mobile than what I’ve seen in fantasy stuff.” "They're specifically used as assassination weapons." We moved onto the next cage, this one looked like… she looked like a foal, no older than two with a bright pink mane, white fur and adorable blue eyes. "Featusvores." "It's a kid…" Gilda said. "No. It eats unborn children right out of the mothers womb, takes its form and grows looking like the child would have til it finds another pregnant mother and repeats the process." “That sick fuck!” I snapped. "Yeah. They're a rare species too and don't reproduce easily either so, not too many of them in the world to worry about." The next cage had within it a beast that looked like a tree that grew rather large apples. "Sip Tree. Grows in the desert and dry climet areas as far from water as possible. Those large apples once touched open up and eat what or whoever tries to pick them by attaching to the head, eating it's way through the skull, brains and eventually the body entirely." “Well...that is a pretty solid sneak attack option.” I said honestly. "Good thing AJ isn't here. This would give her nightmares." Gilda said. “It would indeed.” I nodded. “Apples betraying an Apple? Unheard of!” I said in a not good AJ voice. Gilda gave a small laugh and we all moved onto the next cage. This one had within it what looked like water in a glass box. Water with red glowing eyes moving around as the water thrashed about inside the glass box. "Water Demon." Drops said. “Simple enough.” I nodded. “So far we have quite a roster.” "Not really. This is still just level one." Drops said as we walked to the next cage. "One of…" Gilda asked. "Sixty. Not including the Daycare which had thirty seven in the Sandbox and fifteen in the Playpen." “Okay, that’s a lot of shit to go through, so I’m going to make the unilateral decision to take every single one of the monsters.” I started.  "Heh, fair enough. That will have to wait til after mission though, so for now, I'll just show you where they are keeping Unsent for you to dispose of." “Alright, lead the way.” I nodded. We headed off to the Unsent cages, and I saw lots. Ponies, Griffons, Minotaurs- "Gilder?" Gilda said, the cage we stood in front of now showing a familiar male griffon I've seen in memories. The male griffon looked up, seeing Gilda and eyes going wide. "Oh shit…" He huffed. "When I think I've got rock bottom…" “And what are you doing here?” I frowned. Gilder didn't reply to me, just looking at the wall opposite of us. "Answer my mate bro." Gilda said. Gilder turned back, facing Gilda with wide eyes. He sighed, rubbing his arms where he sat. "After that night, I ran. I told Zer to shove it and left. I am a monster now, so I figured the Badlands is where I belong. Got caught trying to cross and tossed here." “How did you become like this?” I asked carefully. “No, the better question is...why?” I asked as I stepped closer to the cell. “Why do any of that to Gilda!? Why let those bastards do that to him!?” I asked, not wanting to be mad at Gilder cause Gilda still believed they were a good person but...I had a lot of pent up anger towards the people who hurt him and I needed to vent it to at least one of the people responsible. He looked away. "At first, I wasn't… but Zer always wanted Gilda… wanted to break them, make them an obedient doll… he drugged my beer and… it was all hazy but in this form, even drugged to hell once it wears off I remember everything. As for why… Zer is in charge, defying him means death. Even as an unsent this… Father thing gave him the power to eat Pyreflies from others. Not like you do, more like…" "A monster." Gilda finished with a sigh. “Jesus christ…” I sighed out as well. “So...you have two choices, either I absorb your Pyreflies...or you redeem yourself for Gilda.” I stated. “Cause even after all that shit...Gilda still holds onto hope you’re better than what Zer forced you to do.” Gilder and Gilda both stared at one another for a long time. After several minutes Gilder sighed, looking at the ground. "I know what Gilda will want… two things. One I can give happily, the other…" "You swore if something like what happened ever happened, you'd do it." Gilda said, now grinning. "Fucking Griffon Word of Honor…" “Oh?” I asked, getting a grin of my own at what saucy things might be arising. “What is this all about?” "Gilder swore back when we shared an apartment that, given my looks and dress style, that if something ever happened, most likely from being drunk, he'd happily, proudly adopt my lifestyle." "You suck…" "Hey, I still have my penis. So you can at least keep that." Gilda laughed. "Ugh…" “That depends, does it mean getting a sweet pair of tits or what?” "He'll become a larger, possibly thicker looking me given his size." Gilda said laughing. "... At least it will be worth it when you knock Zer down a peg or down to hell…" Gilder huffed. "He has three primary hideouts… one in your own backyard." We both looked over to Gilder now. "His main spot in Windy Cavern, a large storehouse in the dragon lands, and one new one… in the Everfree Forest." "Why? Is he stalking me again?"  "Possibly… honestly I'm not sure. When I heard about it he was just making the plans for it… a few days before that night so probably not. No idea what he does there but it's near the heart of the Everfree." “So that’s why the monsters in the forest are starting to move towards Ponyville…” I said worriedly. "Maybe. Can't know for sure until you get there. If you're lucky he might even be there." Gilder sighed. “Well...shit…” I said worriedly. “We’re gonna have to send a message back to Blueblood, he’s not gonna like to hear there’s an enemy base in our backyard.” I sighed out. "Nope." Gilda nodded in agreement. "I'll send off a courier with a message." Drops said, taking leave. "Damn. Forty Unsent and only my Brother was the one not batshit crazy." Gilda said as we headed to the armory. Gilder was chained and shipped off to the GoE in Ponyville same time as Sweetie Drops sent off the letter. Those other unsent were not as friendly or smart as Gilder was. “Their being mind controlled…” I sighed out. “By the one fucker I really didn’t want to see, Seymoure…” "Wonder why Zer, Gilder and those others from Zer's gang are still thinking unlike so many others? That seems pretty odd doesn't it?" “Most likely they were ‘willing hosts’ for some reason or another.” I shrugged. “Zer being the leader probably wants something big, and if it was just you then this Father wouldn’t have bothered with Zer just being a dick bag.” "Whatever the hell is going on all I know is it isn't gonna end pretty." Gilda sighed. "So, think Sharp Cut is gonna make my other all prim and pretty? Being an Unsent I imagine basic plastic surgery isn't gonna cut it." “No idea.” I shrugged. “The only time I’ve seen an Unsent’s body change is when they fuse with a Fiend, or create a Fiend body with enough Pyreflies.” I explained. "Well whatever the case I am gonna drag them with Rarity and I clothes shopping just to torment them." “And I will follow and laugh at their pain.” I chuckled. "If you're gonna follow you're also gonna shop." Gilda added. “Like hell I am.” I huffed. “I maybe a woman, but shopping can get...oh so boring sometimes.” "That's the price babe, take it or leave it." “Can’t I just enjoy someone’s suffering without being apart of the punishment?” I pouted. "If you tag along you can help Rarity and I pick out lingerie in the adult toy shop~" “I hate how I’m becoming more and more pervy with you here.” I grumbled, sneakily reaching a hand over and squeezing Gilda’s rump. They reached a wing out and gave mine a slap. “I didn’t slap yours.” I blushed brightly at the slap. "Yeah, but yours makes a sexy sound when I slap it." “We’re gonna need a quickie if we’re gonna be doing this…” I muttered nervously. Sadly we didn't get that quickie as we swept up with Neck Snapper outside with Drops. "Alright you three, the Hive is fifty miles from here, once you near the hives borders, keep unseen otherwise you'll be in for a three on an estimated fifty thousand battle." “Sounds about right.” I nodded. “But before we go...is there anyone we should stay away from?” "Queen Chrysalis, Prince Glowfit and Princess Grublime, and if you see a white Changeling, good luck." Snapper said. “A white changeling?” I asked curiously. “Who’s that?” "More like what is that." Snapper corrected. "White Changelings are natural born killers. Much like how the elite guard like myself and the GoE are the currently Equestria's best defensive, offensive and attacking forces, the Noble white Changelings are a Hives best defense, offence, and attackers. Hide three times as thick compared to a normal Changeling, three times bigger than the queen and ten times as loyal to her. Their magic rivals most professional unicorn warlocks and they can fist fight full grown dragons. Thankfully there are only ever three to five born to the hive at a time." "Damn…" I said nervously. "And...since I just have to ask because they're all shape shifters...where's the ancient changeling in the group? Since in some rare cases in fiction shape shifters can live stupidly long lives." "Hmm… that might be the old queen, or king. Not sure, we've never seen one outside of their hive so we can't say for sure where it might be." "Alright." I nodded. "Good to know, so we go in, look to see if they're working with the Fiends, and leave before we get caught?" "No, you get in, look to see if they are working with fiends and if they are slaughter the hive." "And yet there's at least eight we shouldn't fight." I brought up. "Bureaucracy and Hypocrisy go hand in hand. In the end neither matters so long as the job gets done." I sighed out. “Fine fine…” I grumbled. “So, kill any who resist, capture any who surrender?” "If you wish." Snapper shrugged. “Alright.” I nodded. “Anyone else coming with me, Gilda and Sweetie here or is it just us three?” "Just you three, a small, strong infiltration team that can become a strike force on the fly." “Goodie.” I grumbled. “Gonna have to be extra careful when us three need to fight...an entire hive’s worth of shit.” "This can only end in one of three ways…" Gilda grumbled.  With that we were off. That wall could be seen from the ten miles we've walked already and I was thanking god it was getting cold already. That sun is a death ray out here…" “Walking in a desert sucks…” I groaned. "Agreed…" Gilda huffed… damn it even their sweating soaked their clothes just right in those places. "Griffons are better suited for the cold and high altitude winds." “And I don’t really have a form that is accustomed to this crap…” I sighed out. "You two need environmental training." Drop said, still in that suit and not a sweat stain on them. “And you also told me you were going to train me with these.” I said while raising a hand as a shadow sword appeared in my hand. “Sombra’s pieces letting me do this fancy crap but...still not enough time in the day.” We hiked well into the night. The cold got bad so I shifted into my griffon form. Thankfully, Gilda was right, Griffons are naturally built for the cold. The natural night vision helped a lot too. Predators for the win. We made camp in a small tunnel Drops made literally by touching the large rock next to us and the tunnel and small cavern formed instantly. Once in the end chamber she built a fire and we began setting up our gear. “It’s still both cool and terrifying how earth ponies can just do this without much trouble…” I said nervously. "Not many can." Drops said, taking off her sunglasses. "Some can as it's linked to their special talents, but most can just aid in the growth and recovery of sick plants. And my special talents don't even relate to plants or the earth in any way." “Yes, your special talent is making Bon Bon’s with Lyra.” I brought up her ‘civilian’ name along with her civilian profession. She rolled her eyes. "Dumb ass. Cutie Marks aren't always so literal as the image they display." "Awh, Anna's first act of cultural insensitivity." Gilda said with a laugh. “Oh, you’re right, it’s just the names for ponies.” I countered. “If it’s not the cutie marks, then it’s the names, and that’s not ‘culturally insensitive’, that’s just a fact.” I said, having so much proof behind that claim it’s not even funny. “Or should I start listing the dozens of names that prove my point?” My nose… ouch… owe… owe… "You sure it was a good idea to piss off the mare capable of moving a literal mountain?" Gilda asked, keeping me walking while I held onto my broken nose. “It’s not my fault I’m literally pointing out facts and not being racist.” I stated simply. "Maybe Twilight should school you on racial sensitivities…" “I’m stating a known fact without any racism involved.” I started. “Also, Sweetie was mad that she also agreed with my point...what’s up with that?” I asked. “She said her cutie mark isn’t about the earth, I brought up her Civilian life and how she works selling Bon Bon’s, and she agreed with me but called me a dumb ass about it…” "You should stop talking within ear shot of her…" Gilda said, now carrying me as Pyreflies from within me worked to fix my legs. “Is it her civilian life she doesn’t want me to talk about?” I frowned. “Cause if not she can say it like an adult instead of assaulting me like a child.” I frowned. “Cause I’m not saying anything racist about Ponies, I’m just stating a fact that everyone in the world knows.” I started. “There’s a massive difference between being racist and stating a well known and obvious fact.” "You gonna tell that to her face?" Gilda asked as I looked up, seeing Drops punch a large seven ton boulder aside like nothing. “If she’s willing to act like an adult and tell me not to bring something up then yes.” I frowned. “But if she’s going to physically assault me everytime I say something then no.” I rolled my eyes. “Christ it’s like high school all over again…” "That's the thing where you go to school more and don't learn anything about how to work as an adult in life, right?" "Yes, as well as not bothering to deal with people bullying withers, either physically or emotionally." I rolled my eyes. "So, mind if I ask… how come your Pyreflies came out to help fix your legs but not your nose? Both were broken but they only came out then, why?" "My leg actually has bones in it to heal, my nose isn't as important." I said honestly. "I heard the same thing happened when you faced that Sombra fragment up north in the Empire. Makes me wonder how they heal you." "Their energy probably does something to my natural regeneration or something." I explained. "Is there a limit to it?" “I don’t know, and I’d rather not figure out if my new robo heart can’t pump my blood anymore.” I said nervously. "A what?" Gilda asked. “Oh...I guess I forgot to mention all of that…” I said nervously, going onto explain what happened to me during and after the fight with Sombra back in the Crystal Empire. "Oh… no wonder you last so long in training and in bed." Gilda said almost in thought. "Never would have guessed given the lack of scars." I frowned… I did have scars though… I checked my chest again and to my surprise there wasn't. Was that my Pyreflies? “I could have sworn I had the scars…” I said nervously. “They basically had to cut me open to give me a new heart...and then lo and behold, after the fact my biological heart was fine….” "Huh… and your injuries change with your forms too?" "I think so, cause I got injured in one of my forms and it stayed the same as far as I remember." I said honestly. "Huh." A few more hours of being carried and finally my legs were fully healed and finally I was able to walk with them. We came to a cliff side drop where the landscape went from looking dry and baked to dead and… pulsating. Moving as holes in the mountain before us and the land below opened and closed like mouths. "We're here." Drops said. "Uh...the fuck is all of this?" I asked worriedly. "Queen Chrysalis's hive. It changes just like they do. The tunnels and such anyway. Always opening, closing and even trapping intruders in dead ends or leading them right to their deaths. Only a Changeling can actually navigate it." "Well...alrighty then." I nodded. "So...where are you going to find me a changeling?" "Leave that to me." Drops said, cracking her Knuckles as she kneeled to the ground, placing both hands on it. She was still for a time before suddenly it looked like the earth ate her. Several seconds later she jumped out of the earth, a changelings badly beaten head sticking out of it. "You ready?" She asked, grabbing it's head with both hands. "Uh...yeah…" I said, prepared for what's about to happen. As Drops prepared to snap it's neck, it's eyes opened wide. "Woah! Woah! Stop!" It yelled. "I was sent to greet you three!" Drops stopped, just shy of making the Changeling's neck spin passing the ninety degree mark. He let out a breath. "Uh...I thought you died...and you wanted to meet us?" I asked carefully. "Why didn't you send a messenger?" "I'm not dead! Not like the others, and we only saw you three arriving last night. We could actually use your help, one Shapeshifter to Another." "Why should we help you?" Drops asked, keeping the Changeling's head at a ready to snap possion. "Cause it's civil war down there! Mother started feeding a lot of the younger lings and grubs these bright white orbs and next thing we knew they were all like rabid animals, only she could make them stop. She tried to get us to eat them too but we bolted, most of us anyway. Thankfully Grandfather didn't agree with what Chrysalis was doing. It's been a civil war for the past month and we are losing." "Who's leading the resistance?" I asked curiously. "And why didn't you tell anyone outside the hive sooner?" "Chrysalis's father, Old King Dirakai. As for why we never sent an SoS, I belive my current situation is explanation enough." Drops let his head go, stomping the ground as the rest of his body flew out of the earth and onto the ground over inside it. "Names Cricket." He said, getting to his feet. "It's nice to meet you Cricket." I nodded. "I'm Anna, and looks like we're coming to help you win this war." "How many in the resistance?" Drops asked. "Including younglings, grubs and eggs… four hundred sixty three. Three hundred and fifteen without the eggs and younglings." "And on the Queens side?" "... Four hundred and fifty thousand…" “Certainty of death, small chance of success.” I started, only to crack my knuckles. “What are we waiting for?” "It's better to evacuate the survivors of the resistance over fighting those odds." Drops stated.  “And we’ll need to figure out how to get rid of whatever the hell is causing these changelings to go feral.” I said nervously. "Did they change after eating those Pyreflies?" Drops asked. "Yes. Some are like dogs, others have become living elemental energy, some even look just half pony, Griffon, Minotaur." "Oh joy, it's those Pyreflies…" Gilda said as we both groaned. "Some even look half like Anna, half… hooman?" "Human." Gilda corrected. “I can...maybe take away their Pyreflies and save them.” I said honestly. “It’ll be something new, but I’ll try.” "But if it's the artificial ones they'll hurt you." Gilda brought up.  “It’s better than letting an entire species go extinct.” I stated bluntly. "We won't. As long as a single one of us lives we can repopulate." Cricket stated. "Are you repopulating Asexually?" Drops asked. "Asexually and sexually." “I didn’t think Changelings could do that.” I said honestly. "That's the point of us staying hidden as a race til last year with the Canterlot invasion." “Alrighty then.” I nodded. “So should we call backup to get the refugees out of here?” "I'll take Cricket here back and inform them about the civil war and about the evacuation." Drops said. "I can call someone else to lead you two inside." Cricket said as his horn lit up. Drops seemed on the defense but soon another, slightly smaller Changeling came out. "Thorax, this is Anna, Sweetie Drops and Gilda. You're gonna have to lead Anna and Gilda inside while Sweetie Drops and I get help." "Oh thank the Hive." Thorax said. "Hurry up, the Queens army is gonna be patrolling the tunnels we use soon." Thorax went back down the small hole and Gilda and I followed. “So, how long ago did this start, and who gave Chrysalis these weird orbs?” I asked worriedly. "I don't know, she left for a week to find new love harvesting sites and when she came back she was… different. As for the orbs she was… making them, I think?" Thorax said, waiting for the tunnel entrance to open and close twice before entering it and taking the drop down as Gilda and I followed. “Has anyone seen how she makes them?” I inquired carefully. "Not that I know of." Thorax said. “Cripe…” I muttered. “So how bad are things down here?” As I said that… we passed a tunnel filled with chunks of meat and black chitin pasted and tossed about the place. "Clearly bad…" Gilda said with a gulp. "It's actually… ugh, good we came here. You need essence to gain a form, correct?" Thorax asked me. "I...don't know if I can absorb normal souls…" I said nervously, walking over and softly touching a more...whole piece of a changeling. "This is fucking awful…." I picked up the arm piece. So far nothing… "You need souls to obtain a form?" Thorax asked, carefully looking through the corpses. "We need to find an intact Emotion Stomach." "Emotion stomach? Do you have two stomaches?" Gilda asked. "Three." Thorax said. "Okay…" I started. "I'm not going to ask about changeling biology yet, but where can we find one?" I asked. "Look for the one glowing a bright blue." He said. We looked around for a while and finally Gilda found the bizarre organ. It was smaller than I expected, but glowed that blue color. "There it is. The Emotion Stomach, it takes in love and other positive emotions and converts it into a soul." "Wait wait wait… converts it into a soul?" Gilda asked. "Changelings by nature are… souless. If we don't feed on love and other emotions to sustain the soul this organ generates, we become drones. Mindless husks only capable of doing what we are told, and no amount of love placed into a drone can turn them back." "So...there all fucked at that point." I said worriedly. "All the possessed…" I trailed off. Thorax looked at the organ, sighing. "They're not my brothers and sisters anymore… they're no different from drones now, worse… they're monsters now." "If their souls haven't been destroyed yet." I said honestly. "Cause...maybe I can take away what's making them into Fiends…" "Hopefully…" Thorax said. I took the organ… sighing as I crushed it. The single bright blue light floating to me and- woah! I fell to my knees. That's… way more intense than from Pyreflies. Soul Obtained. Changeling form Obtained. Summon Ocellus Gained. Ocellus memories Intergraded.  Warning! Mutation detected! Stability of Shifter forms at 98-88-44-12- forms unstable. Shifted forms- I blinked, feeling my body change and now I was… a Changeling. I tried changing into a fiend… nothing… human… nope… oh shit... "First they kill a child...and now I can't shapeshift, what the fuck?" I growled. "Well… wait… that was a kid's…" Gilda said. "Ocellus wanted friends…" I teared up, seeing her memories and how she wanted to help change her hive for the better. "She wanted change...not this…" Gilda gave me a hug, I flinched a bit, feeling… woah. Worry, sorrow, sadness, concern, regret, anger… I can feel… no, I can taste it. "Uh...okay, that's a lot of tastes all at once." I started nervously. "That's how Changeling's are. Welcome to the hive, Anna." Thorax said as we headed off. This time, because of Ocellus's memories I knew where Thorax was taking us. An old tunnel system the hive hasn't used since the old king was in power. We arrived in the massive chamber and I saw just how bad things here were. Lots of lings were injured, some were love starved, almost drones. "The need love...why aren't people giving?" I asked. "Channelings can't be emotionless can they?" "It has to do with the emotion stomach. While we can feel and emit emotions, it drains our own souls as well. Those who had high enough reserves can't spare any more. It's actually why we needed you two here…" Thorax said nervously. "You wanna feed on Anna and my love?" Gilda asked. "Freely given love from two lovers is endless. And… Well… we need a very… potent those of love to save everyone here…" "A potent type of… Wait, are you saying if Anna and I wanna save you lot here… we have to fuck?" Thorax blushed, but nodded. "Love and sex together when harvested can keep the hive full on reserves for… well, months from just a single couple. It's why most of us took on the disguise of a wife or husband when… harvesting." "Whoever created your race is an idiot…" I growled. "But...if it means saving all of you…" "So… am I just getting it on with Anna or…?" Gilda asked, a shade of red himself now. "As a Changeling Anna's body will passively absorb the love while you two are… at it, and store the excess in her third stomach, taking form of a green jello like slime she can regurgitate and we can feed that to the starving and injured lings." Thorax explained. "Gross…" Gilda said. "Agreed, gross." I agreed. "But...we should...get to it, even if changeling biology is dumb…" I grumbled. And so, Gilda and I found a nice private area and… got to it. It was awkward at first but I quickly realized a few things. Firstly, as a Changeling, being able to reproduce both asexually and sexually, apparently meant I had both sets down there, my newly discovered male set Gilda was more than happy to let me… get some practice with. Second, everything about my female set is almost three times as sensitive, so that made things way more intense for me. Third, Changeling fangs give off a venom that is a natural aphrodisiac and performance enhancer. Fourth, that excess love stored in my third stomach stores up makes me look pregnant… which Gilda enjoyed seeing and if I'm honest the fantasy and sensation my ever expanding belly was giving off made that pop out to a few months overdue size. And fifth and finally is that Changeling's can apparently go at it for way longer than I ever have before. Seriously, my record with Gilda with potions is forty minutes, as a Changeling with the special venom, it's been four hours according to my phone. When all was done and finished through my love stomach had me so bloated I felt like I was pregnant with easy over a dozen babies all due. I was unable to move but Gilda did fetch Thorax for me. "Woah." He said upon seeing me. "I knew some of the collectors would get quite large from their trips, but I believe your current size puts you in a new record."  "We've had...practice." I said sheepishly. "So...now what?" "Now just use your tongue to go down your throat and grab a ball of the love goo out and pull it back up and out your mouth. From there I can get it to the others." Thorax said as he grabbed a nearby bucket. I sighed, but remembering what I was able to do with this tongue while with Gilda found it surprisingly easy to take out ball after ball of good til the bucket was full. I was still quite large looking and barely went down any. "I'll be right back." Thorax said as he ran off to the others. Gilda simply sat next to me, rubbing my literally love swollen belly. "Does make you think… when will we consider having kids? And how will they come out?" "No idea, and no idea…" I sighed out sadly. "I just...don't understand this stupid mutation that's fucking with my forms…" I complained about my lack of abilities as I...really didn't want to think of having kids at the moment, even if I really wanted kids. "Maybe it's because it was a soul and not Pyreflies? Or maybe it was because of how Changeling's are?" Gilda said with a sigh. Thorax came back three times before everyone was fully fed and healed. I still looked nine months pregnant with octuplets, but at least I could move now. "Now that everyone is healed the excess love in you can help keep everyone stable and fine for when we get out of here." He stated as everyone began gathering around. “Alright...so mind if I talk to the old King real quick? I have...a few questions to ask him.” I said honestly. "Oh, sure. This way." Thorax said, leading us to the back of this area. Here we saw the old King. He was thin, really thin with his age shown clearly in the cracks along his chitin. He looked up at me, smiling. "Ah, the soul eating Shapeshifter. I've been wondering when I'd meet you." “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.” I said honestly. “But also… my actual ‘shapeshifting’ abilities aren’t working after I… absorbed Ocellus…” "I see. The girl was so bright, so hopeful. I felt her pass the other day in her attempt to arrive here. It's a sad thing when a Changeling Princess passes so young." “She...was a princess?” I asked in shock. “Then why didn’t you send her away before things went to shit!? She could have found help, she could have…” I cut myself off, tears threatening to fall again as the bright future Ocellus wished to see and be apart of rushed to the front of my mind. “I’m...I’m sorry King…” I sighed out sadly. "All the lings before you, have the chance to become a King, or a Queen. They are all princes and princesses, it is up to The Hive if they ascend to it." “Alright.” I nodded. “But...this shouldn’t be happening...what the hell caused Chrysalis to do this?” "Desperation, greif, take your pick. Her time as queen has not been well." "By the way...why didn't any one of you just ask for help?" I inquired. "Is the love you absorb lethal in someway?",." "If stolen, yes." “Then why didn’t you ask?” I asked. “I know the Ponies would have been happy to share if it meant helping a species survive.” "It is our rules, written by our ancestors back when the Alicorn Faust was still so young, as was the world." "Your race is that old?" Gilda asked. The old king simply nodded. “That’s a dumbass rule, and whoever thought it was a good idea is an idiot.” I frowned. "Bite your tongue." He snapped, surprising me. The old King took a few deep breaths before speaking again. "To understand our rules, you must understand our origins. Long ago, when cosmic beings of dark and light walked these lands to battle and conquer, two found love within each other amongst the blood soaked battlegrounds. A fallen cherub, and a succubus queen. "The two were powerful, more so than you could believe. The forces of dark and light disapproved of this union, and armies chased the two down at every corner of the globe. To hide and survive, the two married, and joined into a single being, their child, and the first Changeling, Princess Monochrome. She hid herself within both armies, tricking them back into bloodshed against one another, and when only she remained, formed the first hive, and the first brood of Changeling's. She split, forming the cherub and the succubus again, and the two gave Monochrome a form and body of her own through birth. "As the eons passed, the two became more like their children, and became the first King and Queen Changelings. Despite the victory and creation of our race, the sides of light and dark still despise us. We are abominations in their eyes, back then and always. We hide to survive. As you can see, the Canterlot invasion failed because we let ourselves be seen." “That’s...quite a history lesson.” I said honestly. “Also...I’m human originally...and as someone from a race that has its own checkered past...the only reason why people hate your race right now is because you invaded, not because of some ancient stuff that happened eons ago.” I frowned. “Trust me, one country started a world war twice on my world, and before my world went straight to hell it was an ally to a lot of the countries it warred with both times.” I explained. “Talking is a lot better than starting a war…but then both of those world wars either started because an important person was murdered or…attempted genocide…” “Your intentions are well, but we were meant to stay hidden, neutral and observant. We only followed Chrysalis because she is the Queen.” “You said her time as queen wasn’t good, how so?” Gilda asked. “She became Queen little over three hundred years ago when the last queen, Queen Star, my wife, passed. The Hive picked her, and at the time the hive itself wasn’t in a good place. Love reserves were low, our current numbers were barely half of what they were before this tragedy. Somehow, Chrysalis brought us into prosperity. We had so many in our numbers and the love reserves had to be expanded. Before ascending into the Queen, she worked as a collector, and she was good at it. Clearly, she taught her skills after becoming queen to the rest. Sadly… her confidence went to her head, and she believed our future was outside the shadows and the undergrounds we call home. She craved the skies, the surface.” “And that’s when she planned the Canterlot invasion.” Gilda summarized. “Yes. Had she kept her guize as the princess of love a secret, she’d have won that city, but she grew confident, bold, and foolish. After the failure, and fifty thousand of ours gone, she wanted desperately to redeem herself, to the hive, to the old queen, to everyone. When she returned, she was a monster…” “Yet another falls under Father’s bullshit…” I growled. “I’ll save your people, and I’ll revert those who’ve become monsters...this shouldn’t be happening to anyone…” “Heh, not like that.” He said, poking my still large gut. I blushed a bit. “And not as a common Princess. You’d need to somehow become a Queen, and as is, I can feel The Hive’s confusion at your existence and as a newfound member.” “I really wish my shapeshifting abilities weren’t acting up...something about some weird mutation that’s stopping me…” I frowned. “Hm, may I?” He asked, raising a hand to me. I kneeled down a bit and he placed his hand to my head. “Ah… I see. This does confirm some suspicions. And perhaps… offers opportunities.” He said, taking his hand back. “You say you absorbed the soul of youngling Ocellus, correct?” “Yes I did…” I nodded. “It was...quite an nce."experience, a lot different then absorbing Pyreflies.” “I can feel her within you. Her soul and memories are alive within you. She is scared, terrified, and confused. This imbalance within her is affecting your body’s form. Pyreflies are mindless fragments of souls with memories dotted within them, but a whole soul with it’s memories, she must be calmed, and accept her place within you.” “Alright...so let’s try and change that.” I said while bringing out my staff. “Don’t know if this will work…” I muttered as I tried to summon Ocellus. “Come on out Ocellus… we have a lot to talk about.” Nothing happened… I tried again, still nothing and the old king gave a chuckle. "I'm afraid the issue will need to be resolved like a Changeling." “And summoning magic isn’t a changeling thing?” I frowned. “How the hell am I just not allowed to use any of my abilities because of this?” "The soul and the body are perfectly synchronized, being the same entity. When a new soul enters the body and can't synchronize, the primary soul and the body lose connection. This is typically known as possession, the body trying to adapt to the new soul, hence your form as a Changeling. However, in this case it has reversed somewhat. When you took in Ocellus and transformed, the body you appear as synchronized to her soul, making you the possessor of your own body. Such are the troubles of Shape Shifters." “That’s bullshit.” I frowned. “Alright, so I can’t talk to Ocellus and get this fixed, I can’t use any of my abilities besides storing emotions...what can I do until I figure out how to fix this?” "As I said, you need to fix this like a Changeling. In the past, Kings, Queens and even the common ling have accidentally swallowed the soul of others, resulting in a situation similar to your own. To correct this, there are two options." “And those two options are...?” I asked, moving my hand for him to continue. "Firstly is to find Ocellus using the Hive Link, second removes Ocellus and rebirthes her within a new body, but only the Queen is capable of it." "So our options are Anna going Mind Walking again or fight a monsterfiend Shapeshifter queen and her army…" Gilda said. "That is all that can be done." "And how does using this Hive Mind Link thing help?" "Once she is found, Anna can speak with her, calm her down and with luck, Ocellus will merge with Anna as the Pyreflies due, letting her live on inside Anna as part of her soul like two others have before." “You can see Tidus and Jecht?” I asked in surprise, believing the King could see those two’s souls inside me somehow. "See, no. But sense, yes. Two souls aside from yours have merged with yours, becoming one. Fragments of a fourth are there, but not a complete soul, and that one is so much darker." He can sense Sombra too then. “That would be Sombra, he’s an asshole but...well he at least helps in some cases.” I shrugged. "So, shall we begin?" The elder Changeling asked, taking my hand. I blinked, suddenly It was just myself and the old king here in the blackness of space, surrounded only by stars. "Welcome Anna, to the Hive Mind. Memories of every ling from our raves Beginning, to the youngest grub all reside here. “Jesus...this is...quite a bit to take in.” I said in surprise. "Every star you see is a ling. The brightest you see at are the ones alive, the smaller ones are those whom live on as memories, and if you look to yourself, you will see Ocellus's light, shining next to your own." "Cool." I said as I looked down to see if Ocellus was truly there. "This is...kind of trippy to be honest…" "It would feel strange to one who wasn't born a Changeling." He said. There was another bright light next to mine, both hovering where my heat should be. Gently I reached over, placing a hand on the light what was Ocellus, and watched as the young ling appeared between the old king and I, almost like a ghost and crying, curled up into herself. "Hello." I said softly, carefully walking over to Ocellus. "We're here for you Ocellus." She flinched, sitting up and backing up until she bumped into the old King. Realizing who she bumped into, she panicked. "My king! I'm so-" The king cut her off, laughing a little. "There is no reason to apologize youngling." He said, giving her head a pat that seemed to calm her down. "This here is Anna." He introduced me, Ocellus looking over at me. "She is the Shapeshifter who swallows souls to obtain her forms. And by swallowing yours, she saved you, Ocellus." She looked at me for a time, clearly processing that. "That… that's right… I… I died…" She said, shivering as that realization hit her and sunk in. "You… swallowed my soul?" “Normally I absorb Pyreflies...it was something very different absorbing a person’s actual soul.” I said nervously. “But my name's Anna, I’m not some bad person like Chrysalis...I’m here to help.” "But… Queen Chrysalis isn't bad. I know the invasion put her in a bad light but she cares about us. She wanted us to live under the sun and moon. Most of us here in the hive never saw the surface before the invasion… she's not bad, it's those freaky lights, she's pumped full of them, they're making her crazy I know it!" “And wanting to be on the surface is fine, but invading people isn’t really a good idea.” I started. “Asking is a lot better than invading and believing in ancient history still matters to this day. And right now, I’m here to help take those Pyreflies away from the changelings...hopefully my backup doesn’t start a full blown war and just get the refugees out…” "You can save her?" Ocellus asked. “Hopefully I can.” I nodded. “I haven’t really...tried to take away Pyreflies from someone when their alive...plus the last time I experienced this...the person fell apart and the pyreflies...kind of exploded.” "We will see the outcome. Now, Ocellus," The King Spoke. "You must calm yourself, relax, and accept yourself as part of Anna now. Otherwise, her powers will remain locked away by your fears, and she won't be able to save anyone." Ocellus nodded. "Okay… so, do you know what will happen to me Anna?" “Well...either one of two things.” I said honestly. “Either you’re soul fuses with me and...I get another mental roommate, or...I become Queen and...she becomes my daughter?” I asked the King carefully. "Possibly… possibly." The king said with a smile. "We will see what The Hive chooses." “Fine fine.” I sighed out. “Alright so...any questions you have for me Ocellus?” "Uh… did you collect love recently?" She asked, giving my belly a poke. Shit that showed up here?! I didn't even notice! “I literally just fed like...close to five hundred changelings.” I said nervously. “With the help of my loving boyfriend...I still look like I’m due with octuplets or something…” "Well if it was freely given then that's why." She stated. She stood up though, looking up at me. "You will save my mom, right?" “Of course.” I nodded. “I’ll save as many as I can.” The tunnels I rushed down were set ablaze as I rammed into a half Chimera Changeling, shifting from Ifrit to a Changeling and, much like absorbing love, began absorbing the Pyreflies out of this one. It took a few moments but they reverted to normal, that's thirty saved… a fuck ton more to go. "How you holding up?" Gilda asked as they checked on the Changeling I had saved. These Pyreflies were indeed those fake ones, but I can absorb them in my changeling form, and then I guess my body just processes them somehow. “If I don’t swap to changeling form then it’ll be a bitch and a half to deal with...these are all fake, and I don’t know how or why these are being created…” I sighed out, seeing some of the changeling refugees take the unconscious bodies away. “But being Ifrit is fun to say the least.” "Yeah, looks like. View is nice too~" Gilda teased. “I know, I did manage to look at myself in the mirror.” I giggled. “So there’s thirty down so far...another four hundred thousand or so to go.” "Think if you take out Chrysalis the rest revert?" Gilda asked, peeking around the next opening corner as I shifted back to Ifrit form “I hope to god it’s that simple.” I sighed out. “I mean...wait, no it would be that simple, the fuck am I thinking? Chrysalis most likely has the ‘leader’ Pyreflies in her that’s controlling all the other changelings.” I frowned. “Especially when I beat the Queen in a fight...then wouldn’t that make me the Queen by that point?” "Well, according to that old king a new queen only appears after the last one passes. So, if she dies maybe?" “I’d...rather that not happen to be honest.” I said sheepishly. “But...if need be, I might need to bang Chrysalis to get Ocellus to be born again.” “... Wait, so would that make you her mom or Chrysalis cause Changelings have both genders, meaning they probably just lean more towards one gender identity than others, or are you gonna do it as a Changeling and be the dad and fuck this is hurting my head… I need a beer after this…” “Listen, I’m going to be sleeping this off like a bad hangover, cause this is a whole lot of shit to take in all at once.” I sighed out. “And this is all assuming you can save Chrysalis… How bad do you think Chrysalis is? I know the others said she turned into a monter, but they didn’t specify how or what she turned into.” “I’m probably gonna have to do some mental dive to save her.” I said honestly. “If she was given the help from Father like I think she did, and just the ability to either get a fuck ton of artificial Pyreflies or make them herself…” I trailed off worriedly. “She’s most likely inside the Throne Room.” Thorax said from behind us. “It’s the only room that could… fit her.” “And how big did she get… and what did she turn into?” Gilda asked. “Big, easily the size of an Ursa Major… as for what… well, at first I thought she was a giant worm or grub, but then the mouth opened, showing her… linked to it from the inside. It looked almost like… ah, what was that animal?” “A whale.” A changeling from the back said. “Right, one of those.” Thorax nodded. “Gross.” I shuddered. “But...if she’s a whale...wait, what did her body look like?” I asked nervously. “Did it look like her skin was...shifting weirdly?” I asked, the fact she looked like a whale and just had all these Pyreflies making me think of the only thing in FFX that fit that description. “Sorta. Her… body, was the same color as her normal look just… wider, but it did look off… Oh, and these… small scales dropped off her a lot. They were like roaches or something.” “Oh for fuck sakes!” I snapped. “We gotta hurry, NOW!” I snapped, Gilda hearing honest to god panic in my voice as I realized who were up against. “If we don’t move fast, it’s not just the changelings we have to worry about…” Gilda and Thorax raced behind me, trying to keep up. “Wait, the Thorne Room is at the Center of the hive! From where we are we have a lot of ways to turn and-” I broke the wall down, smashing through this pulsating ‘stone’ towards the center. “Well… that works…” I rammed through stones, tossing aside Fiend Changelings and rushed into the massive chamber that was the throne room. Gathering around my feet was what I feared… Sin Scales, moving around like small roaches, circling me. “Ah…” Spoke a tired, deep feminine voice from the darkness around me. “It’s you, he told me you’d arrive… Mother.” “I’m not ‘Mother’.” I frowned. “Chrysalis…” I looked at the darkness, unable to see her. “Why? Even if you were really low...from what I heard Ocellus tell me, you’d never stoop this low.” “I had failed. Thousands died, thousands of my CHILDREN, killed when I promised them a future, a life outside the stone and dirt we’ve burrowed for well over a million years. I promised them the sun, the stars… I felt it, you know, each one of them die, crying in pain as their bodies gave out. Few got the mercy of it being quick enough to be painless. One mother to another, how could I ever redeem myself after letting so many of my children die? The answer is simple, I do whatever it takes to ensure their survival, and Father promised me that this path will save them all.” “This is the quickest way to get your entire hive killed!” I snapped. “You’re own children are slaughtering each other all because you went to the worst person imaginable! Why didn’t you ask anyone for help? Why did you promise to be outside when you had to do the one stupid thing to push you back into the dark?” I asked bluntly. “My children will endure. Father blessed me, much like you, I can absorb them, rebirth them. All that have died so far are safe and sound within me. All part of his plan. Such complex tactics, he knows you so well Mother. It’s almost like you two have a Hive Link yourselves.” “Then he should know that he should stay the fuck away from me before I kick his ass.” I frowned. “But I’m going to save you from this madness Chrysalis...no one deserves to be turned into a monster like this.” “Hehehehe… But you see, how else was I going to get you here, so rapidly? To make you desperate enough to rush your way here when the normal tunnels would take you weeks to navigate naturally. With this power, and this form, Father assured me I can save my people.” “That’s because the creature you became is one of the most dangerous creatures from another world! He’s going to use you to do terrible things!” I panicked. “Who’s controlling you? Who’s using you as a host?” “No one. He gave me this form, and told me all I have to do to save my children was lure you here…” The room shook violently as the darkness broke, showing light and… mouth… inside… giant mouth… I looked before me, seeing Chrysalis, her body linked to the sickly mixture of flesh and Pyreflies. “And let you devour my soul.” “I’m not going to devour your soul, I’m going to get rid of all those Pyreflies in your body.” I said nervously. “And...where the hell are we? Please don’t tell me we’re inside you…” “The mouth, and you will. Even with your new Changeling form young Ocellus provided, you can’t absorb all I can generate without taking my soul entirely… and if you don’t… the southern Border falls. Three hundred thousand of my enhanced children are already marching their way there. Absorb me, save everyone, or waste time and try another way.” “Their not ‘enhanced’...their mindless monsters at the will of Father, you sold yourself, and your entire race to a mad man that wants to kill everything!” I snapped. “How fucking brain dead do you need to be to not notice you just sold your children to something even worse than death! Why!?” “So you can save them! He knows you, your heart, your drives and your morals… you won’t let them die. Absorb me, and they’re all safe and alive, don’t… well,” The mouth shut, darkness returning, the only light’s the Pyrflies around Chrysalis illuminating the room. “So...you’re putting your faith for your race's future in my hands?” I asked. “You’re not doing this because Father or Seymore is controlling you? You...truly believe I can help them all?” I was honestly a tad stunned by that. “What did Father tell you about me?” “You are kind, stubborn, driven, and won’t let another die before you if you can stop it. So, to force your hand to care for them, he told me I had to put them at risk, put them in danger… They’re arriving within range of the southern border’s long range spell casters and new heavy artillery Machina… Anna, please… I never wanted to be the queen. The hive chose me… well screw that ancient collection of memories… I choose you.” “At least you have a little more of a brain then obeying some eon’s old ‘mission’.” I said honestly. “But, given I’m absorbing your soul...get ready to have some roommates.” I said honestly. “Never thought I’d say this, but show me your love sack lady.” To my surprise, she lifted her hand up, tearing into her chitin and tearing it off. Among all her organs and… blood, I saw the glowing blue organ that kept their souls alive. "So uh...how are you with roommates?" I asked as I walked over to the organ. "Cause I know at least one person you'd like to meet inside my head." I said, thinking Chrissy and Jecht would have a wonderful time just hanging out doing not much. "I'm a Changeling dear, I was born in a brood of over twenty thousand." She said with a chuckle. I laughed at that, placing a hand to the organ. She flinched, it was probably very painful for her. After all, you don't usually have your inside organs touched. "Well...here goes nothing." I muttered as I tried to absorb Chrysalis's soul, just feeling better to know I'm helping someone in dire need and their race instead of bad for killing someone. I felt that same intensity as before, shaking as I did and the body of Sin around us began fading. Soon it was just Chrysalis and myself, or rather, her empty body. It was alive still, and even reverted from looking like a Queen to like every other Changeling. Her eyes opened, no longer green and predatory, now more like the others, a light blue with white for the iris. She stared at Me, blankly… Drone… her body is a drone now. Mindless… souless… "All changelings!" I mentally called out, not entirely sure how but I'm doing it. "Return to the Hive, a new Queen has arisen." I declared, my words feeling more...powerful as I told all the changelings. Shapeshifting Mutated. Changeling Shapeshifting now aquired. New form Obtained. Changeling Queen. New form Obtained. Succubus Queen. Succubus Queen form restricted use. "Weird that Succubus Queen is restricted…" I muttered as I changed into my Changeling Queen Form. "Let's hope my call worked…" Shortly all the Changelings were here, and some were carrying unconscious ones too. Good, those ones reverted… woah that's a lot still. "Anna…" Thorax said, surprised to see my firm but lead me to… oh no. "Heh, I lived to see two Queens arise." The old king said, looking even thinner and weak than before as he was laid on the ground. "So the Hive chose you, good." "Hold on, we'll get you some love." I panicked, not wanting him to die after all this. "Why...I swore I gave enough to everyone...why are you thinner?" I asked, worried for the old king's health. "A Changeling's lifespan is typically two hundred years or so. A King and Queen is over five thousand years… I am seven thousand, eight hundred and fifty nine years old. I outlived my Queen… and her successor. My time was due, regardless of how much love is fed to me." "Just...wish your passing could have been a little happier to be honest." I said sadly. "It can be. Will be. Remember the story I told, of how Monochrome came to exist? While she walked the first time, the Cherub and the Succubus were the happiest, being united as one." He took my hand, placing it over his stomachs. "In that form, Monochrome was truly immortal as well. Anna, reunite the Queen and King, give my people a ruler that can stand with Celestia, Luna, immortal, godly, and caring. Forever unite our ancestors, and lead my people." “Well...Blueblood did want me to be a Queen of a sovereign nation.” I chuckled. “So...just...take your soul then?” I asked. “Cause if that’s the case...well either you’ll be sent off to a happy place, or you’ll be stuck inside my head.” "Either way, I die knowing the fate of my race is in capable, caring hands. A comfort so few King's of the past got to know." "And don't worry...I'll let our people out to see the sun." I said softly. "And you'll also see it through my eyes." I said as I started to absorb the old King's soul. "And Chrysalis will be happy to see you as well." Slowly, as I absorbed the old King's soul, his body reverted to that of a normal Changeling. Unlike Chrysalis however, this body was much older, and once the last of his soul was within me, the old body crumbled to dust under my gentle touch. New form Obtained. Changeling King. New form Obtained. Angel, Class: Cherub. New form Obtained. Fallen Angel, Class: Cherub. Forms Angel, Class Cherub and Fallen Angel, Class: Cherub restricted use. "Why is it restricted still?" I questioned. Most of the other Changelings, the ones not drones or unconscious, cried, but one by one all the conscious ones began to bow at me on hands and knees. I felt a surge through my head, the Hive Mind Link, stronger than before, and so much more… detailed. The entirely of the Hive, past and present, saying one thing unanimously. "All Hail, Queen Anna." "Uh...thanks everyone." I said sheepishly. "Where's Gilda?" Shortly after I asked that Gilda arrived, looking tired and breathing heavily. "You ... run… fast." He finished, taking deep breaths. "Shit I gotta work on my running." "You're more of a flier than anything." I shrugged.  Some time Later that back up arrived and I explained everything and when all was said and done, Neck Snapper just shrugged and pulled the army she brought with her back. Sweetie Drops was interviewing Changeling's and Thorax was giving me a tour of the hive. "And here is the archives room." He said, this tunnel had an actual door and doorway, all made from stone. "Our entire races history is behind these doors as well as notes and spells left behind by past queens and kings for future kings and queens… given you are both now I guess you should look at both." He stated. Before I could speak though. Synchronization complete.  New form Obtained. Changeling Princess Monochrome obtained. Ability to fuse together forms and mixed shapeshifting unlocked. "Hold up." I started. "What do you mean I can turn into Monochrome?" Answer: Yes. The fusion of the Fallen Cherub and Succubus Queen created a higher form of Changeling compared to her rebirth some time later, as such, Princess Monochrome is her own race of Changeling between the common princes and princesses and the King and Queen, despite being more powerful than the two individually. Her racial abilities and powers also differ from the common ling and the royals as well as the diadies that came together and formed her. Thanks to the Hive Mind Link, 43% of her total memories from her existence as a fusion and rebirth have been recalled and are generating in her restoration once a proper soul has been generated. "Oh...okay…" I started. "Crap that's...a lot to take in for that bit." I started. "Well...let's see if I can turn into them really…" I muttered while trying to transform into Monochrome. "You okay?" Gilda asked me. “Just trying to turn into Monochrome real quick.” I said honestly. "But uh...how does my changeling Queen look?" Gilda looked me over. "Kinda like Chrysalis but more curved and a bit shorter." I changed, and to my surprise she looked way different than I expected. Rather than bug like wings they were skeletal bird wings, or angel wings I guess, and while my skin was the usual Changeling chitin it was a pale grey. My body also looked… well, from a first person perspective I was just a bit taller than my Mibotaur form, and looked like an Amazonian. Seriously, this body was built to be sexy… given a Cherub and an Succubus fused to make it, that's actually probably accurate. Gilda was drooling, Thorax blushed but covered his eyes and it was at that moment I realized that I was naked in this form… and having both sets ment it was hanging free… woah that a big one on me… christ, I don't even thing an Minotaur could handle it… "Sweet faust you look hot…" Gilda finally spoke, still slack jawed. "Well...I'm part succubus...but I don't know about the Cherub part...thought it was some weird creature with four heads and a bunch of wings or something…" "Uh, my queen, do you require any… clothing?" Thorax asked, eyes still covered. "Yes please." I said nervously. "And please be quick...even if this feels fine, I'm not really into full frontal nudity." Rapidly Thorax and a few other Lings adorned me in a robe-like attire that reminded me a lot of greek clothing and gods. It didn't leave that much to the imagination but covered me regardless. I tried to arrange and fix it to cover up a bit more but for some reason it kept slipping back to being, well, sexy. Stupid Succubus half, that's probably what it is. "Now then, onto the final areas of the hive, the Nursery, the Kindergarden, the Love Reserves, the Cemetery and the Asylum." Thorax said. “Alright, lead the way.” I nodded, trying to just ignore the massive problem with my clothes and the continued ogling of my mate. The Nursery reminded me a lot of a bee hive. Eggs, all small, round and white, almost like cantaloupes, were placed in secure holes in the walls and covered in that love good. "The slime that stores the excess love we gather never goes bad, helps keep the eggs insulated and warm and when the grub hatches in a month they eat it clean and are then taken to the Kindergarden." Thorax said. The next massive chamber was I imagine the Kindergarden, filled with cocoons all along the ceiling, walls and floor. "Once they have fed enough they are brought here to cocoon themselves for two months of gestation and growth to become a youngling, from there they spend several weeks getting accustomed to their new bodies and learn mostly through the Hive Link and practice how to be a Changeling. From there they are given basic Hive tasks and fed love until they reach adulthood and can serve the Hive, and yourself my Queen, in other more important ways." “Alright, so uh...how do I...give Ocellus a body again?” I asked nervously. “Do I literally need to have a kid? Cause if what me and Gilda did beforehand was...like, double our record before just on ‘love making’, both figuratively, and now literally…” "As Queen you can give birth without needing another, however the laying season isn't for another three months. Until then you can store and fertilize them. While we can lay when we want the Queen has four laying seasons a year." Thorax explained. "Ah…" I nodded. "So uh...how many changelings can a queen make on...average?" "Well, this last brood of Chrysalis's was over two thousand eggs, taking her about three weeks of laying to complete. But I heard the last Queen was able to lay twice as many. Mostly it varies from queen to queen from what I know. The average Ling can lay about three to five eggs at once." "And...does it depend on their King as well?" I asked nervously. "No, actually. Each King and Queen always come in a pair and Chrysalis never got her King as the old King was the late Queens. The Queen lays the mass population of the hive and assigns jobs and even alters her children if needed to fit their job, The King is primarily in charge of collectors and defending the hive from the natural threats of the badlands. If a queen passes and no new queen is chosen by The Hive, the still living King becomes the new Queen and typically a new king is selected immediately after. Once a King and Queen were the same Ling, shifting from king to queen during the laying seasons." "And laying season is just heat season right?" I inquired. "Sorta. Like I said, it's the season you can lay eggs, you can store and fertilize them throughout the off seasons." "Good to know." I nodded. "Gonna need to double check on all that constantly…" I muttered to myself  From the Kindergarden, Thorax lead me to the Love Reserves and Holy fuck! It's like an underground lake of love slime… and it's barely at halfway. "As you can see, we have enough to last most of the year." Thorax stated. "And I'm pretty sure there will be a whole lot more when me and Gilda are done." I chuckled. "Heh, given… earlier I can imagine we might need to make another store room." "Probably." Gilda said with a nod. Now was the cemetery. It was… not what I was expecting. It was a room filled with statues of Changeling's. "And here we have the cemetery." Thorax stated. "Statues of all the dead changelings?" I asked curiously. "Close. You see, there is a reason our hive is the way it is. When we die and are placed within the cemetery, the earth absorbs our flesh and magic, leaving a petrified chitin shell behind and the land adapts to our magic." Thorax explained. "Over time the remains become dust and finish becoming part of the physical hive." "So that's why this place is alive." I said honestly. "Uh...so question...when does this place just pack up and leave an area?" "It doesn't." Thorax said. "With the throne, all magic casters lose the ability and the guards and King handle whoever can bypass that. Mostly tunneling monsters but they hate the taste of the hives soil so they typically ignore us." "So when is it going to be able to?" I asked nervously. "Cause seriously...at some point all the magic and body parts it gains is gonna do something even more drastic...I can feel it." "I don't know. I guess we'll have to hope for the best." With that Thorax lead us to the last room. The Asylum. It was a large room where Drones were placed so they didn't get hurt or in the way with some healthy Changeling's keeping them fed and cleaned. It honestly seemed more like a nursing home. "I left this room for last because of something I believe you can do to help then." Thorax said. "I can give them back their souls?" I asked curiously. "Actually… it involves giving them, or rather, their bodies purpose again. As Queen whatever you are capable of changing into, so are we. All our forms come from the queen." Thorax demonstrated, shifting in a flash of green fire into a Dingo, an Evil Eye, then back to normal. "This rule still applies to Drones… but they can only follow orders, and not well. I once headed rumors about a queen of the past who was able to merge a Changeling with another race, and give them our powers." "Really?" I asked in surprise. "Well...I suppose I can figure something out." "Any leads will be within the archives. It was just a rumor but… it's better than just leaving them like this, and more humane than letting them starve to death." Thorax said. He lead Gilda and I back to the Archive room and took his leave. I sighed, opening the doors and… woah… Twilight is gonna have a field day when she gets her hands on this room. Gilda and I picked up some books and began reading… christ this is gonna be a while. "I'd rather not read all of this…" I groaned. "But sadly I have to…" And so Gilda and I began reading through them all. Most of them were diaries or an assortment of notes compiled into something akin to a spell book. I did find something, a few entries from Princess Doka. Apparently one of her collectors fell in love with the stallion she was collecting from, and he her. Even after telling him the truth he loved her. He moved to the hive and was one of few ever willing sources of love for the hive. Apparently the time came where they wanted a child, but Changeling Magic and DNA make hybrids impossible, the child will always be born the race of the mother parent. To rectify this issue, they asked Queen Doka if it would be possible to unify them in body, mind and soul, like the Cherub and Succubus. Later entries talk about its success, and the new hive member Grota was the first ever Pony-Changeling Hybrid. They didn't require love at all, in fact they generated it like a storm generates lightning. They fed the hive for seven hundred and forty three years before passing of old age, living over tripple the typical Changeling lifespan. “Well would you look at that, the ‘ancient rules’ is actually hot garbage.” I said honestly. “I mean...this is a rare case but it wouldn’t be that rare if they didn’t hide themselves everywhere…” Still, willingly binding yourself with another like that, not an easy choice. Becoming someone else yet… still you and also not you. Ugh, it's giving me a headache just thinking about it.  With that information in tow Gilda and I now went searching through all the 'spell books' Queen Doka left behind, and finally found it. Apparently the Queen must cocoon both the willing Ling and lover in a gestation pod. The pod will actually keep the pony, or any non Changeling race alive and healthy but digest the Ling, and merge them into the none Changeling race member, and as the Ling's body rebuilds it modifies the body, mind and biology of the non Changeling. The resulting spawn has memories, and abilities of both parents and the process can not be reversed. The process also merges the two's souls into one, thus completely creating a new lifeform. “Huh...didn’t think that was a thing…” I said. “Gives you a headache just thinking about it…” "Creepy, so Thorax wants to do this with Drone Changeling's? I guess since they are soulless and mindless only the non Changeling member would still be in control. Is it worth it?" “If it gives them a new life…” I said sadly. “Not sure how it’ll fully work given that this needs to be consensual…” "True… though, if it merges their bodies… what do you think it can do for someone who's sick? Reading these texts, Changeling's don't get sick with illnesses of other races, complete immunity even to the lethal ones. It can also save lives… well… I think Blueblood might know people willing to be… test subjects." Gilda said that with worry. "Zebra hybrid researchers." “Saving lives is one thing...but are we really going to just use real people as test subjects for this crap?” I asked nervously. “I mean...back on my world this is basically Stem Cell research but...this feels worse…” "I know. But Thorax has a point, they're just… there, lifeless and they can either stay like that til age gets them or let them starve. Both are terrible and… agh fuck… I hate to admit it, but we need help on this. It's too big to just… not talk about openly." “I know…” I sighed out. “Christ, this isn’t gonna be a happy time for anyone...but we’re gonna need to make a decision soon, and I...kind of wish Blueblood or Luna were here, since those two would actually know what to do in this special situation.” "Well, maybe we can call them here… or…" Gilda sighed. "Discord?" There was a poof of lemon scented smoke and the spirit of chaos appeared. "You called?" "How did I know your magic works here?"  "If it doesn't make sense, I can do it." He stated. "Need something?" "What will it cost us for a portal from here to the house?" "Oh I won't dare charge a dime. The energy Anna absorbed now is going to be quote entertaining in the near future. I almost can't wait!" He said, snapping his fingers as a door in a frame appeared on the table. "Ta ta young lovers." And he vanished in a poof of candy corn that fell to the floor. “Well...that was a lot simpler then I thought it would be.” I said honestly. "Best shift back to your sexy human self before we head over, most of them might still have bad memories with Changeling's from Canterlot." I did so and we opened the doors finding ourselves in one of the many hallways back home and managed to find Blueblood in the living room, filling out paperwork. "Anna? Gilda? You both are back early, did something happen?" “You...would not believe.” I sighed out. “Can someone please make me and Gilda...a sandwich at least? It’s been a while and I need something to eat that isn’t emotions.” Blueblood got everyone together, and to my surprise Celestia was here too. Thinking about it, this is the first time I've seen here in person. She was taller than Luna by half a foot easily, larger horn and wings too, and her curves… matched her height perfectly… After telling them everything that happened, Luna, Blueblood, Celestia and Twilight were still here with Gilda and I to discuss this. "So this whole time the Changelings were the offspring of Aheel and Algira. I never suspected." Celestia said. "And I'm the queen now, and I'm going to bring the Changelings into the light of day, and get past some ancient crap that means nothing anymore." I stated. "It is largely a moral delema. Completely soulless bodies l, not even memories, they're basically brain dead…" Blueblood said, looking thoughtful. "Moral, ethical. It crosses so many lines yet… so many could benefit." Luna added. "How many Changeling are drones?" Twilight asked. "Thorax said it was about five thousand." Gilda said, that made everyone look more down. "We can give suggestions, advice, pros and cons but in the end the choice falls to Anna. She is the Queen of the Changelings now." "That's basically all I wanted at the moment…" I sighed out. "So many can benefit…but it feels worse then stem cell research for some reason…" "I don't like decisions like this." Celestia said, reviewing the notes from Princess Doka. "There are so many from all the kingdoms who can be saved with this, but even so, it's hardly ethical and will change the patient forever. Even if they can just shift to look just as before, they'll be different for the rest of their life. What do the other Changelings think?" "It was Thorax's idea, and from what I can tell the majority all agree." Gilda sighed. "It's like they accepted the drones are no different from the dead, and given what being a drone means… they aren't too far off." "The benefits seem to be all positives. Mostly." Blueblood started. "The only downsides seem to be the permit biological changes and the ethical backlash." "It would only be a problem if we were forcing it on people, and we're not." I said honestly. "Cause...I don't know if the changes will be like how a living changeling and their mate would do it…cause the Drone is sadly a walking corpse…" "In the end this should only be considered for the near death patients, and with complete and total consent of them, and if the patient is unable to give consent for some reason, by their representative." Luna stated. "The biggest one will be children… how would they adapt?" Celestia asked. "And to live for so long… seven hundred years. That's so much longer than a normal pony lifespan." "Same for the basic Changeling." Gilda added. "If we are going to do this, allow this, it will be done right." Blueblood said. "But before we can… Anna needs to… test it. She just gained these forms and abilities, and only she can create the cocoon that will do this… there needs to be a test first before we start offering it as some miracle cure." "I'm not going to do it to any of you." I stated quickly. "I'm not going to do it to my family…" I said bluntly. "So...who has any ideas on who it should be done on?" "There are many possible candidates, hospitals have no shortage of death bed patients, comatose patients, with this Hive Link, Anna could wake them up where I wasn't able." Luna stated.  "I… might just know the perfect candidate…" Blueblood said. Celestia looked over at him. "Are you sure?" "She'd be perfect, her training, her condition, it will work out well. Sugar Drops can get a second chance at life." "You sure about that Blueblood?" I asked curiously. "Yes. Former agent Sugar Drops, she's been completely paralyzed after a mission went bad. She just spends her days in the hospital. I'm sure her sister will be happy to see her walking again." "It'll surely be something that's for sure." I nodded. "But...well need her permission, and Sweeties if need be." "Well, let's get to it."  Blueblood called Sweetie Drops back to the GoE and we all rode to Canterlot. Once there we went over to Sugar Drops room and… woah. She and Sweetie Drops are twins. They're completely identical. The only difference I can see is that the bon bons on sugar Drops cutie mark are green, not blue. "Blueblood, Sis? What's with the visit?" She asked. Her body was so thin and atrophied. "We have a… treatment. With luck you will be able to walk again." Blueblood stated. "Really? What's the catch?" "You'll become half Changeling." Sweetie said. "Seriously? How'd you pull this one off?" "Me." I said simply. "I'm the new Changeling Queen after a whole lot of things happened, but an ancient queen documented the procedure and...well, it has history to back it up." "Really? Huh… well, at least I'll be able to see Lyra again. Stars only know how she's been." Sugar said. "She misses you a lot." Sweetie said. “And why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” I frowned at Sweetie. “We could have saved you breaking my leg instead of being a bitch.” "You broke her legs?" Sugar asked. "You know I hate talking about my personal life." Sweetie huffed. Sugar just laughed. "That's my little sister." "By twelve minutes…" Sweetie growled. “No, you didn’t say anything about not liking to talk about your personal life.” I frowned. "Because, Anna, if I'm gonna be blunt… I don't like you. Why, I'm not sure, something about you just ticks me off." “Join the club, Blueblood can bake some cookies.” I shrugged. “At least Blueblood knew why he wanted me to hate him.” "Back to the point." Blueblood spoke up. "Sugar Drops, do you give full consent to Anna, the GoE, and Equestrian medical science and studies to undergo this… experimental treatment?" "If it means I don't need a catheter up my bladder and I can rutt my girlfriend again, yes." Blueblood rolled his eyes. "And Sweetie Drops? Do you also give consent as Sugar Drop's legal representative and only living family?" "Yes." Sweetie said plainly. "Right then… Anna, I believe you should shift and… tell the Changeling to… prepare a room, with a drone…" “Alright.” I nodded while shifting into my Queen form. ”Thorax? Can you hear me?” I mentally called out to the changeling. "Yes my Queen. What are your orders?" He replied immediately. Man I wish we all had this, so much easier than letters. ”Prepare a room and a Drone, we’re going to...heal someone with the fusion thing.” I said, not entirely sure how to properly name this. "Yes, It will all be prepared by the time you arrive." Getting Sugar Drops to the hive was easy, thankfully, and the room made up looked brand new, freshly dug and carved. A lone drone Changeling lay on the ground before us. "Creepy." Sugar stated. I read through the… spell, ritual thing several times before I began making the cocoon. It was weird, but felt natural. After a bit, most of it was built and the drone and Sugar were both placed inside and I finished closing it up and, according to the books, had to fill it with a mix of Love Goop and my own stomach acids from the second stomach. Once that was all done we just had to wait for three days. “Alright…” I nodded. “Seems simple enough...just this and then three days of waiting.” "So, what do we do til then?" Gilda asked. "I'll be… telling Lyra about this." Sweetie Drops said, taking her leave. "I'll fill out the report and paperwork for this." Blueblood said, also taking leave. Now it was just Gilda and I in the pod room. “So...what do you want to do now?” I asked Gilda. “Oh and uh...just to...double check...me having a dick doesn’t...do anything bad with you right?” I asked nervously, just wanting to double check on that whole escapade. "Anna, you forget when you were first stuck as a normal Changeling that I let you rutt me. Honestly I don't mind, I know now I do swing both ways and… I'd be lying if I said the fantasy never crossed my mind." “I didn’t forget, and I’m just double checking.” I said while softly hugging Gilda. “I just...don’t want to do something you’re uncomfortable with...cause I love you my wonderful griffon.” "I love you too, my adorkable Shapeshifter." Gilda said, returning the hug. "Well, we can spend some time topping off the Hive love reserves. But, I did want this fantasy to be special." Gilda said, breaking the hug and reaching into our bag of holding. To my surprise he pulled out a gender swap potion. "This thing has been a less than pleasant part of my life, as a kid, with Zer… but tonight, it will give me memories I want to look back on. So, Anna, care to make me your woman?" Gilda asked me with a small laugh. “Gilda…” He moved over and shifting into my Monochrome form, softly picking Gilda up with ease. “I’m going to make you my woman, and I’m going to make sure you love every single second of it.” I said as I kissed Gilda passionately. I carried them to the Queens chambers, Gilda downing the potion. Physically they looked the same, til the clothes came off. I made sure Gilda enjoyed the entirety of that potions length, and when it wore off, continued til we decided to switch. In the end, it was three long days of love making, six gender swapping potions used, and the only times we stopped was from food and drink, and even then. And the bathroom, of course. The Love Reserves became so full Thorax and the hive began working on a second to hold it all. I have to admit, Gilda as they are is amazing, but Gilda as a lady… well, they have this glow to them that just… stunning. It was the third day and Gilda and I were just in afterglow. Their last potion was still in effect and my mate just purred happily from their place as the small spoon within my rather large forms embraced. Gilda told me once I'm the best treasure in their Griffon hord… well you're mine. I'm a griffon too, probably a dragon soon, and any other hoarding race, you'll be my treasure Gilda. “You are the best Gilda.” I said softly. “You’re my greatest treasure.” We stayed like that for a long time before I finally shifted back to human. With all the Changeling additions I learned pretty quick I can now shift just specific part of myself, like be human but have the wings of an Evil Eye or the chitin of the Changelings, or even just the unicorns horn. It's all really neat. Of course it didn't take me long to learn how to get my… Changeling genitals as a human or other forms.  Finally though when the potion wore off and Gilda was a male again, they greeted me with a kiss and one final rutt before we got cleaned off and dressed. "You should bottle that Changeling venom, you'd make a killing." Gilda said as they finished getting their clothes on. “It would.” I chuckled as I got my clothes back on as well. “Can’t believe Thorax and the others had to make an entire second room filled with Love just because of us.” "I can't believe how much you had. You did not look nearly bloated enough to be holding in enough love to fill that thing up and then some." Gilda said, giving me a hug and a kiss. "I imagine under your rule, the Changelings shall never go hungry again, or fear becoming a Drone. Speaking of, it's been three days, let's go check up on the pod." “Alright.” I nodded. “Hopefully everything went well in there while we just...probably made every changeling love drunk in a five mile radius…” And so Gilda and I headed off to the pod room, finding it easily enough and I saw that Cricket was keeping watch. He saw me and bowed. "My Queen." He said. "I believe the pod and Miss Sugar Drops are ready. It's been forming cracks since the early morning, it will finish breaking open any minute now." “That’s good.” I nodded. “Let’s see how they changed...and hopefully our love making didn’t...do something weird to any changelings.” "While we can passively absorb love, we can choose when to and when. Not to." Cricket said. The pod broke open, goop, liquids and such rushed out onto the floor and inside, what I saw made my eyes go wide. She looked more Changeling than pony, only her mane, tail and Cutie mark were still visible. Looking closer though her chitin hide was growing fur in patches around her body, or maybe that's what was left? She was also… naked but that was kinda expected. She grunted, opening her eyes which still looked very much pony. Shakily, she shifted, moving her arm and when she looked at her arm, her own eyes went wide but calmed almost immediately.  She then moved the other arm, moving her fingers and felt along her body, and finally took a step out if the cocoon and walked two steps before almost losing balance. "Heh… hehehe..  I can move again." She said, smiling as Cricket placed a robe over her. "I can feel touch…" "Holy shit, it did work…" Gilda said, looking as amazed as I. “Holy shit on a shingle…” I muttered in absolute amazement. After that Blueblood and a few doctors came by to run mandatory tests.  "Alright, physically she's not as in shape as she was before the accident. So far we theorize the reason she looked more like a Changeling over pony is because of the damage and poor state her body was in." The doctor began explaining. "She has no issue shape shifting, she can consume and collect love but she also can make and give it just like ponies and other races. She also can eat normal foods but also meat now too, her teeth show the more omnivore structure of the changelings than pony. In regards to her earth pony magic it is there but weakened, we will be monitoring that to see if it returns to full strength or not. "As far as we can tell, she is healthy, but oddly enough given her biology she actually could go without food indefinitely, since she makes love but can feed and survive off it also she could possibly go without physical foods forever if she chose. Unlike Changeling's she has four stomaches. Two are for holding and digesting love and the other is for making that love slime they eat, the other two we will examine. Lastly, she also has two hearts, one on each side of her torso and oddly enough both beat off sync from the other." “That is very interesting.” I said honestly. “Didn’t think biology would also change that much.” "It is, and we don't know if these changes will be constant with future participants or if each is unique. Only time will tell." “Alright.” I nodded. “So all around good news...hopefully.” More people showed up in the following days to the Hive, mostly to conduct research on the Changelings lifestyle and culture. All in all it was peaceful again. Gilda and I got payed and now it was time for another date night. This one was a mare I personally was looking forwards to. Cream Heart. "So for Rarity you complained about dresses, hair and makeup but for Cream Heart you are worried about that now?" Gilda asked, working on my hair. "Gonna have to get used to it sooner or later " I said honestly. "Plus Rarity was gonna throw more of a fit then me if I didn't look good." "Heh, true enough. You sure it's not because when she let you touch her ass it sank in and now that you have your own penis you wanna own it?" My blush made Gilda laugh. "Called it." "It's not my fault…" I grumbled. "And these are supposed to be your girls, not mine…" I said, not wanting to take Gildas harem from him. "Hun, Herds are males and females coming together to make one family, even if I am head male, you are free to screw the other members if they want to as well. It's like an Orgy you married." "I...didn't think that's how it worked." I said sheepishly  "Being a part of a herd means the love extends passed just the head male and other males. From what I heard most mares in a herd form bonds of love so deep, they're beyond co-wives and mother's, lovers and even sisters. Same goes often for a herd with multiple males. Lot of times brothers would form a herd together, makes everyone in the family that much closer, same reasons so many sisters join herds together, the bonds of love and family are just naturally stronger cause of bonding, parenting and the love shared. Yeah some herds were just males displaying dominance and wealth but majority were focused solely on family and love." "That's amazing." I said honestly and warmly. "Love is...a lot better here." "From what you tell me about earth, sure seems like a lot of things are better here." Gilda said, finishing up my makeup and giving some final touches to my hair. "Speaking of… what do you miss the most about it? Earth I mean?" "Technology mostly." I said honestly. "Mostly game systems...god do I miss those…" "Didn't discord give you a whole room in this place filled with them?" "Yes he did, and I would sooner be stuck in there for days on end but we have stuff to deal with." I shrugged. "I don't see the big deal, why play pretend Adventures and hero when you can go on them here and are one?" "Because some world's we can't go to?" I brought up. "That portal thing Discord gave you begs to differ." Gilda finished up my hair and as per usual, I look amazing. Gilda wore a stunning sapphire blue dress that seemed to have actual sapphires in it with cure shoulder poofs and the dress itself flowed with each step they made. I was wearing something more akin to a suit this time, a violet shade with light blue at the cuffs and for the under coat. Honestly this was he best way I could get Rarity to keep me in clothes that don't require high heels. Gilda and I took a fair long look at one another, and we both laughed. "Heh, wow. We make cross dressing look good."  "Yes we do." I chuckled happily. "Also wearing a suit feels a lot better than a dress." "Given my body type dresses were just less constricting." Gilda said with a shrug. "We're meeting Cream Heart at her place, but she said dress fancy so, eh." "Well, I bet she's gonna dress fancy and bring us somewhere she really likes." With that, Gilda and I headed out… "My Queen." One of the Changelings, Ion, the Hive Link told me, said as we got out of the house. He stood next to a large decorative and fancy carriage, pulled by two bulls the Link told me were also Changelings. "Did you…" Gilda started to ask. "No…" I started. "I don't think I asked...Ion, what's going on?" "Well, my Queen, much like how you can broadcast your orders to us all or individually to communicate, we can do the same to each other, and we picked up a few likely unintentional broadcasts about your date this evening. We live to serve you, so the hive took it upon ourselves to prepare this chariot, the pathway to miss Cream Hearts house, and even tweaked her plans for you three for the night." "Well...I didn't ask for this but cool." I said honestly. "It is impressive." Gilda said. We got inside and… woah… this cloth is so soft… and these seats, firm yet fluffy. They then headed off, and I saw what Ion meant by preparing the way. Bright street lamps, a paved dirt road and lots of gorgeous floral decorated what must be a direct pathway to Ponyville. "Damn, Changeling's have style… and efficiency."  “Jesus, what is this stuff made out of?” I asked curiously, loving the soft cloth. "Selfrodian Silk. Many Changelings shifted into then to make them, others into the sheep the stuffing was made from. It's a unique trait that Changeling can shift into animals and such but the products we make. Milk, fur, tusks, they remain even when we shift back. Too much though and we begin to starve. Though thanks to you, that's not really an issue anymore my Queen." Ion said. “So basically we’re going to solve a metric fuck ton of problems that would involve running low on certain resources?” I asked curiously. "Depends. Fur, tusks and that stuff is easy to do, milk and all, but plants are… harder. Having an apple picked off you while you're transformed into an apple tree is like ripping a finger off…" "Ouch…" Gilda winced. “That doesn’t sound good…” I said nervously. “But good to know...best not to force that unless it’s really necessary.” "Hey… can you make clothes that shape shift?" Gilda asked. "Easily." Ion said. "Our chitin when shed or broken off still retains the ability to transform. With some focus we can change them into fibers and see clothing's that transform as we do and retain their natural armor density no matter the appearance." "So Anna gets Shapeshifting armor too, sweet." “That would be amazing since some forms aren’t good for my clothes.” I sighed out thankfully. "Ten bits says your monochrome form still gets a sexy dress." “I blame the succubus half.” I said honestly. “Cream is going to flip when she sees all of this...hell, everyone’s going to flip when they see this.” "Speaking of though, you said you got a pure Succubus and two versions of an angel form. Have you used them yet?" “No, and that’s mostly because it says they're ‘restricted’.” I said honestly. “Don’t know why though…” "Well, maybe it's because an angel and a demon are pretty hard core cosmic beings. Even the lowest form of either can… destroy whole planets. A Cherub may not be too powerful but they are extremely high up, and a Succubus Queen… I don't even know how the royalties of hell work, all I know is that they are not to be fucked with… ironic considering it's a succubus." “Yeah...this is all sorts of new for me.” I said honestly. “And I don’t know what the Cherub looks like, it could either be that tiny baby looking thing, or it could be a fusion of a human, lion, eagle and bull heads with a ton of wings for all I know.” I shrugged. "There's texts and paintings but no one in half a million years has actually seen an angel on Equis soil. Their forms also carry from world to world from what I understand, but this information is all old stories and legends so odds are not all of it is completely accurate." “So basically it boils down to ‘who knows’.” I shrugged. "Basically." The ride was nice, something out of a fairy tail actually. Ponyville was more than surprised but it's usual daily brand of madness left it back to business as usual. “I’ve barely been here, but having the town’s folk see this crap and be like ‘eh, that’s fine’ is still surprising to me.” I said honestly. "Heh, yeah I'll never get this town." After a short bit we got off at Cream Heart's house. It was a nice one story place with a small front and backyard. Green paint and all that. We got off and- Drool… Cream Heart was in a lovely, tight yellow sundress with purple polka dots that was just short enough to cover her lower bottom. "Wow, and here I am underdressed." She said with a chuckle. “Lies…” I said bluntly. “You look stunning Cream.” "Awh, heh, thanks." She said, letting us In. I saw Changeling. Ovulo, Deru, and Kipo running around the kitchen. "I was planning on a picnic in the park, but then your lovely Changeling friends appeared and offered to make the date more romantic. It's honestly been amazing, they cleaned, cooked and even made repairs around the house. They're amazing helpers." “I mean, if you said you wanted a simple picnic then we wouldn’t have dolled up like this.” I said honestly. “But...well now you get five star service.” "We often held jobs while collecting." Deru said. "We've worked in kitchens all across Equestria, the Griffon Kingdoms and the Minotaur kingdoms." "Every race has those that absolutely love good food " Kipo added. “Good food is good.” I nodded with a smile. Cream lead us to the back yard where a lovely table was set up with very fancy and beautiful silverware, crystal glasses and candles. Another Changeling, Flick, stood with a few bottles of wine. "My Queen." He said with a bow. "Woah. Where did you all get this stuff?" Gilda asked. "Over the years the hive members acquired bits from jobs. We don't really need money or use it, so we just put it in a treasury of sorts, and sometimes bought things past queens might have enjoyed… and sometimes stole them." Flick explained. “Sometimes stole them?” I asked curiously. “Why steal when you had enough money?” "Not all the creatures we collected love from were… pleasant. It was a petty payback, but it was enough to make them angry and spend lots of time hunting a maid or a cook or a mistress that never really existed." He had a grin as he said that. “Petty, but effective.” I chuckled. We all took our seats and Flick poured us all from a very nice looking bottle. "This is Brandulgu wine. The company went under over a hundred and thirty years ago, and was bottled and kept sealed for a little over two hundred years." "Two hundred year old wine from a company that doesn't even exist anymore? How much would this even cost?" Gilda asked, nursing the… very tasty wine. I'm not a wine person but wow. "This brand, the condition and age… historical value… around sixty thousand bits." Gilda nearly did a spit take. "Per glass." We all stared at our glasses. "If it's supply you worry about your Majesty, we still have about three hundred of these bottles of this year in the Treasury." Now I almost did a spit take. "Of… this… year?" Cream asked, wide eyed. "Yes. There's others, all stored safely in the Treasury. We've never really kept stock of it given it's more or less a storage room for things we've gathered for fun throughout the hives existence." “Jesus christ…” I couldn’t help but laugh at how absurd this was becoming. “How much booze do we have stored up?” "Not entirely sure. I'll have someone take inventory." Flick said. I could feel him send out the message to take inventory of the treasury. A few minutes passed. "Roughly in alcohol alone… seven quintillion bottles of various wines, scotches, brandies, vodka, whiskies, spirits, and beers. In counting." "And this is just the alcohol you all collected for the hive over the years?" Gilda asked. "So far." “Fucking god…” I muttered. “That would be one hell of a party.” "What's the oldest bottle you have there?" Cream asked. "A bottle of wine dated before the founding of Equestria, back in the early years of the three tribes brewed and sealed by earth ponies." Flick said. "Damn." Gilda said. “Strongest booze we probably got here...but I don’t know how age affects wine all that well.” I shrugged. "It depends on how well it is sealed. Wine sealed properly, in just the right dry low light place left to age can ferment and get a better flavor and a stronger in the alcohol department." Gilda said. "The grapes also play a factor in the flavor and the longer the time the better the fermentation takes. The best wines are fermented for tenz fifteen even twenty years and cost thousands of bits, Anna, you have a keg if wine that-" "Two hundred and three legs of ancient pre Equestria earth pony wine." Flick stated. "Right, basically I think one keg of that could possibly buy you Equestria… fuck all those kegs could buy you the planet." “I’m pretty sure we’re going to drink it all before that.” I joked. "Heh, who knows."  Our food arrived and sweet Jesus, it's amazing. Gilda and I received a lemon pepper chicken fried in butter with mashed potatoes with white gravy and mixed veggies. Cream Heart got the same but replaced the chicken with tofu. It. Tasted. Amazing. “Okay so...maybe being royalty isn’t that bad if we get this great of food.” I said honestly. "You said it." Gilda said. "I wish I could cook this good." Cream Heart said with a giggle. "So, at this point in the date, do you two have any questions for me? I know a lot about you both but I know you two still don't know that much about me. Ask away."  “Alright so…” I sighed out. “Might as well address the elephant in the room...what happened with your previous husband? Cause I believe you told us something happened but left it at that.” She sighed, looking at her wine glass and gave a small smile. "His name was Shark Tank. He passed away when Button was barely a year old. Heart failure." She took a sip. "It was hard, being a solo mother and working, my mother helped a lot when Button was younger, but she passed away too when he was six. Couldn't afford a babysitter and I was worried what Button would do alone in the house for so long.  "Thankfully, the arcade owner, Plugs, offered to watch over him while I worked. It's how Button got into video games, he'd do small cleanings and such for tokens to play. Eventually I got a stable job and Button was old enough to be safe home alone, but he still spends most of his time at the arcade. I don't blame him." “Well...at least things worked out I suppose.” I said honestly. She chuckled. "Yeah. When the fiends started showing up and causing trouble, Button almost got attacked by one of those Dingos. You saved him Anna. When the GoE was looking for recruits, I knew if I wanted to keep him safe I'd have to join. So I did. I didn't expect it would lead to being in a herd with the mare who saved my son's life." “Well, I am a great hero.” I said with joking pride. "That you are." Gilda said with a nod. "So, any hobbies?" "Not particularly. Before Button was born I'd garden but to an earth pony that's like breathing." "What about your Cutie Mark?" "Heh, Ironically I got it when I took my finals in adult classes. Beginners parenting. Basic things like cooking, scheduling, washing, changing and feeding the babies. My special talent is literally mothering. Especially when they're young." “And you...especially look the part.” I blushed a little at the Milf. "Heh. I'm well aware of that. Even by earth pony standards I'm quite built for it." “So, how are you enjoying being in the herd?” I asked curiously. “Quite a lot to go from humble housewife, to kind of royalty, to know actual royalty.” "Heh, well it's not official until I move in with you all, but… it feels nice. Button will have a father, two, siblings. I always wanted to have a big family, so this really is a dream come true for me." "When do you want to, or plan on moving in with us?" Gilda asked. "Well, if you offer now I'd happily start packing, but if I'm being honest I was hoping to move in after our first night sharing a bed." "Heh, rather forewords aren't you?" "Well, as much as I probably should wait like Rarity and most of the others are, I just feel like I can trust you both already. You've done so much for me, Equestria, I'd just like to repay you both in some way." “If that’s what you want Cream Heart, then we’ll happily accept.” I nodded. “As long as you're up for it and are perfectly fine with it.” She gave me a smile, then looked over at Gilda. "I believe the final decision is yours, head male." Gilda blushed, downing their wine and gave a cough. "You mares are gonna be the death of me." He said, giving a laugh as he stood. Cream and I finished our wines too. "Button's not here though, right?" "Sleeping over with Anna's little brother and Pip at the library. Given they're going to all become brothers, I felt it was appropriate." "Fair." I said simply. "So...how long have you...lasted before?" I asked sheepishly, my cheeks blushing just as bright as Gildas. "Well, with Shark Tank we went about a full hour, alone with toys though it takes me almost two." "How do you feel about...three days long?" I asked sheepishly. "I might be wheelchair bound after the fact, but it just might be worth it." She took my and Gilda's hands. "Shall we?" She asked, walking us back inside. The Changelings saw this and took their leave. I woke up feeling oh so buttery and sticky in all the good ways. I was underneath Gilda and Cream Heart and it felt great. We stayed like that for a few more hours before Finally getting up and dressed, and helping Cream Heart pack her and Button's things. “Best date you ever had Cream?” I asked with a warm smile. "Oh yeah. I always fantasized about doing most of what we did last night. Just a question though Anna, are your… Changeling parts fertile? You did get between my legs about as much as Gilda." “Uh...as far as I know, it’s possible?” I said nervously. “I don’t know, and if what I was told about Gender Swapping potions, Gilda wouldn’t be a guy right now.” "She does have a point. With that potion I couldn't get pregnant, and if Cream took it Anna couldn't, but Anna's Shapeshifter… genitals do leave that in the air. I know I took a quick anti fertility potion before we started… but I don't think Anna did… did you?" Gilda asked me. “Oh…” I started. “Then I have absolutely no idea.” "Huh. If I do end up pregnant, I won't mind, though I do wonder if they will be half human or half Changeling? Or a mix of pony, human and Changeling." Cream thought aloud. "That… actually is a good question…" Gilda said. “From what I was told and read up, if the mother is a changeling, they’ll be born from the Mother's race, and vice versa...but given I’m a Shapeshifter, and not a Changeling…” "First we should check if Cream is actually pregnant before we worry…" And so I called my Changelings to come and get Cream Hearts stuff from her old home to our new home and we all went to the doctors.  Currently he was using magic on his hand and feeling over her belly. "Well, she is definitely pregnant. Looks like twins." “Can you tell who’s who?” I asked nervously. "Well, one is definitely Gilda's, the other is… yours, Anna." "Wait what, but how am I the dad, I took an infertility potion?" Gilda asked. "Hmm… well, from the notes and such I got from my colleges working with the Changelings on their biology and history, I can make a guess." He said, taking a seat. "The Changelings are descendants of a Cherub and Succubus, that is correct?" “Yes.” I nodded. “They are both descendants of those races. Succubus I can see why, but Cherub?” "Well, the Succubus is a creature of lust and desire, targeting fertile prey, typically the younger the better, and draining them to reproduce and feast. This is probably why Love from sex is a more potent form of food for them. Possibly even why they are emotivores entirely. The cherub though is similar yet different, they don't hunt or prey on the young and fertile, in fact they bless couples struggling with conceiving with fertility, no matter the issue a Cherub blessing can allow two mates to conceive a child. This added with the natural high fertility rate of the succubus explains why Changeling queens can lay so many eggs every laying season, and even why a normal Ling can lay up to five or so daily if they wanted. "In Anna's case though it seems her… newfound biology and abilities from these two nullified the infertility potions Gilda took when… both seeds were within Cream Heart." “So basically...I’ll get anyone pregnant if possible and…” My eyes slowly widened. “Check me, now!” I shifted quickly to a Changeling, thinking if it worked one way...it might work the other way. The doctor nodded, recasting that spell and feeling over my stomach. "Hmm… yes… oh my. You are indeed pregnant Anna… very pregnant." “Uh...how pregnant?” I asked nervously. “Saying ‘very pregnant’ is a little worrying...and now check Gilda cause I plowed him as a woman for three days straight…” "I'm not worried about Gilda. The new gender swapping potions aren't like the old ones. The old ones were basically a transfiguration potion mixed with an alchemical ingredient that turns testosterone into estrogen, and vice versa from the drinker's body when transformed. The new potions recipe is a complete overhaul, changing the genitals and body but keeping them producing their original… products. For Gilda pregnancy is impossible with the new potions. "And in terms of how many… well, how many eggs does a Changeling Queen typically lay? I hear it varies." I went pale… really pale… “Uh…” I trailed off. “Uh...Thorax? What’s the record for Queen’s laying eggs?” I asked nervously. "My Queen. The record? Well, the most eggs ladies by a queen was Queen Monochrome herself, after our founding ancestors passed and she became Queen along with the new King, she supposedly laid about a million eggs. Though some say more, the records from back then are not the best, but the well kept ones have it that Queen Echo laid seventy thousand in a single laying season." “Uh...a lot.” I started. “A lot of eggs, I’m not going to like the fact that I’m going to be laying eggs...a lot of eggs...in like...two months…” I whined as I put my face in my hands. "We're assuming egg." The doctor spoke up. "For all we know your pony, Minotaur, griffon and other reproductive capable forms were also impregnated." "So… what are we looking at? Two months? Six, nine… what?" Gilda asked, their paleness matching mine. "My advice… you'll need a medical God's diagnosis, and preferably fast." The doctor said. “Goody.” I said while pulling out that key Discord gave me. “Thank god Discord gave me this…” "We should get Luna." Gilda said, shaking their head to regain their train of thought. "Best to have a guide " “Alright…” I sighed out. “Christ, I didn’t expect this to happen…” I muttered. “Where’s Luna right now?” "Probably in Canterlot still, but we can find Twilight and Spike to get a message to her."  “That would also work.” I nodded. “Everyone’s going to flip...I don’t know if I’ll be ready to be a mother…”” "Hey, be it one, two or… a million at once you'll have help." Cream said. "Peppermint, myself, Celestia too from what I hear. You won't be alone and whatever happens we will all be there for you." “Thanks.” I said softly. “Just...kinda wish to have my parents here as well...just to see their reactions would help a lot.” I chuckled, only to sigh as I missed my parents dearly. "Well, when you do get them back, you get to see their reactions to their daughter mothering basically an entire empire, fathering one, or more kids and… everything else you've done so far." Gilda said, giving me a hug. "Everything will end fine Anna. I promise." To be continued...