//------------------------------//
// Chapter 11: The Hives 
// Story: Son of the Howlite Howler 
// by JNKing 
//------------------------------//

As Celine and Shining Armor were led into Vespin Hive, Celine couldn’t help but stare around in awe. 
“Captain Armor,” Celine noted. “You… never got to see a changeling hive, did you?
“If you’re referring to Chrysalis…” Shining replied, similarly awestruck. “I don’t think anything she had came close to this.”
Indeed, while the Hive retained an insectoid style of architecture not unlike a bee’s hive, the place had a warm ‘lived-in’ feel that made the Hive somehow feel safe and welcoming. 
As they entered into the massive hive, they noticed armored seals opening and shutting as changelings entered and left on business of their own, acting almost as hanger bay doors to keep anything else from getting in. As Shining and Celine followed Skippy and Scorpia inside, one of those same hanger bay doors shut behind them, yet a honey colored light was there alongside the cozy warmth of a hearth fire to compensate. Moving under a honey comb patterned archway, the non-changelings quickly found themselves surrounded by changelings with lit horns.
“Peace, my children,” Scorpia soothed. “These are allies to the Hive.”
The changelings backed off, but still watched the non-changelings carefully.
“Very dedicated to their job,” Shining mumbled. “Aren’t they?” 
“I know,” Flash muttered. “We could take notes, right?” 
“Well…” Shining started to say, before the grins from Scorpia, Skippy and even Celine swayed him. “Yeah.”
Rolling his eyes, Flash glanced at one guard with glasses under his helmet, who promptly whipped out a pad of paper and a quill, and started writing. 
The group slowly made their way through the maze-like hive. With pegasi and changelings working together to help those not capable of flight, the group made their way to a peanut shaped cell containing a massive throne. On this throne sat a Changeling Queen.  
For a moment, Shining tensed. Celine cautiously rested a claw on his shoulder, and her pack link flared, giving her a vision of Chrysalis. But this Queen was nothing like the treacherous queen that had threatened Shining’s wife. This one had a much more fuller appearance to her, and her eyes had a friendlier, bottle blue gaze to them. Though wrinkles around her eyes gave her an experienced look, there was power in her carapace muscles, and the frill that served as hair to her was full like butterfly wings. 
At her side were two younger versions of her, one a bright butterfly green, and the other a more subdued beetle blue. They rose, smiles gracing their features as Scorpia gained a bit of a spring to her step and bowed eagerly before them.
“My Queen,” Scorpia whispered, as the others bowed behind her. “My mother.” She grinned at the two by her side. “My sisters.” 
The sisters gave their mother a cautious look. But the Queen motioned, and they flew down to their sister. 
“It’s wonderful to see you, Scorpia,” they said, glancing back at the others. “Though… who are these outsiders?” 
“Members of the Crystal Empire,” Scorpia explained, as Celine cautiously inched forward. “They come asking for aid.” She turned to Celine before she could overstep her boundaries. “My friends,” she said. “This is Queen Vespa IV, Leader of Vespin Hive.” She indicated her sisters. “And these are Princesses Lintra and Orenta. My sisters, and fellow heirs to the throne.” 
Queen Vespa leaned forward on her throne, taking in Celine’s appearance as she bowed before the queen. 
“You look so much like your mother,” Vespa noted. 
Celine flinched at the mention of Shiva. “Funny you should mention her…” Celine said nervously, glancing up at the Queen. “Shiva’s been kidnapped. By King Sombra.”
Vespa’s grin faded, while Lintra and Orenta began whispering to each other.
“Sombra’s also… taken control of my brother’s mind,” Celine continued. “He’s made him and my father and pack attack Equestria. We have to stop him.” Her head bowed. “But I don’t know how.” 
Shining stepped closer. “We were hoping…” he offered hesitantly. “You’d be able to help us.”
Vespa shut her eyes with a sigh. Skippy shifted closer to his mother, as Scorpia watched her mother with tension. 
“The cruel and unfortunate truth,” Vespa began softly. “Is that while Equestria’s fall would be catastrophic, the conflict will not leave only one side the victor.”
Celine blinked. “W-What do you mean?”
“Even if Celestia defeats your brother,” Vespa noted. “Will you stand by and allow her to destroy your family?”
Celine shuddered. “I can’t,” she said. 
Vespa nodded, turning to Shining. “And even if the Son of the Howlite Howler defeats Celestia,” Vespa continued. “Will you stand by and allow your species to be enslaved, Captain Shining Armor.”
Shining’s eyes narrowed. “Never.”
Vespa nodded. “Exactly,” she said, turning back to Celine. “Diamond dog or pony; there will be survivors. And those survivors will have a grudge against the winners… and all who help them.”
“F-Forgive me, Mother,” Scorpia said. “But Vespin Hive is not some struggling colony. We have the means to defend ourselves.” 
“We do,” Vespa admitted. “But how many changelings could be lost ensuring that we don’t fall. Ponies are smart, and diamond dogs are stubborn. I’m not interested in having either as an enemy.” She gave Celine a sad look. “My apologies, Daughter of the Howlite Howler. But my direct aid… is something I cannot give you.”
Shining and the ponies began to look down in horror. But Celine tilted her head in realization.
“But what about your ‘indirect’ help?” Celine asked. “As long as we assured that neither the ponies or the diamond dogs could trace your aid back to you…”
Queen Vespa’s eyes sparkled. “You really are your mother’s daughter,” Vespa praised.
Orenta stood. “My changelings can help,” she said. 
Lintra did not move. “Mine will have to stand back,” she admitted, before giving Shining a smile. “However, they can lead you to a certain Hive that would be overjoyed to help you.”
Shining blinked. “They would?” he asked. 
Lintra clicked, and a swarm of darker colored changelings hovered up before them.
“Gaol,” Lintra commanded. “Bring them to Caritatin Hive. And inform their Queen that reinforcements are soon to arrive.” 

#

Meanwhile, in the dark of the Ever-Free Forest, Princess Luna marched through the ruins of the Castle of Two Sisters.
The portal to the Human world gleamed between the thrones she and her sister had once occupied. But though the absence of the Element of Kindness and Twilight’s faithful dragon bothered her, she let the portal be. 
Instead, she moved beyond the Castle. To an old temple, shrouded by what once was the shadow of the castle’s ramparts. Only visible in the light of the full moon. As Luna altered the moon’s path, ensuring that it’s light bathed the field in silver, her heart tore as she found the temple destroyed. Vandalized with depictions of Nightmare Moon being struck down by Celestia. 
Never mind that Celestia has her own inner demons, Luna thought venomously, before shaking her head and returning her focus to her task. 
Her horn glowing, she launched a beam of magic into the sky. Crackling through the stars like thunder, an Aurora Australis appeared, streaking through the night sky like a rampant paint brush endowed with neon green. 
At first, nothing happened. But Luna expected it. Flaring her wings, she lifted herself into the air. And as her silhouette darkened the moon, she spoke. Not in the normal language, but with the clicks and squeaks of another language. 
“Soldiers of the Night,” Luna beseeched. “Heed the voice of the one who forgave you for your crimes, who came to you in dreams with tales of better times.”
As she spoke, the sound of wings began to respond to her call. The forests began to move, and spots like fireflies began to glow as thousands of eyes alighted on the Lunar Princess.
“The sun fades away, the yellow turns to gray,” Luna warned. “But moonlight shines across the land; a calling I plead you obey. The purest of shadows must fight a greater fight. Join me, my brothers and sisters; my Soldiers of the Night.”  
A sound responded. At first hard to hear – impossible for some creatures – the sheer number allowed it to be heard as a sharp, “EEEEEEEEEEEE” noise. 
The forest shifted again, and those glowing eyes began bodies as thousands upon thousands of thestrals rose into the air, answering Luna’s call. 
Yet, in many of their eyes, Luna saw resentment. Suspicion. Guilt. She bowed her head. 
“For all the good I claim to create, it doesn’t make me right,” she admitted. “But we who hide in darkness see a different kind of light.”
Her horn glowed, revealing a vision to the thestrals: Kodo, Sombra at his shoulder, howling as his diamond dogs rushed the broken solar guard.
“The times we live in now have changed,” Luna claimed. “Honor is long gone. Good and evil are shades of gray, and a cruel impasse has drawn. Now day shivers in the gutters, far away from home. They lose the last vestige of hope, freezing and alone.”
The thestrals winced at the suffering of the ponies. The angry looks began to fade. Luna let herself drift closer, before noticing a familiar fleet of airships approaching fast.
“Come forth from the shadows,” she asked. “Fill their souls with dread. Fight tonight to rule tomorrow; face the dark days that lie ahead.” 
The thestrals hissed. But rather than retreat, they joined their princess, rising to serve the lady of the night. 
Taking wing, they launched for Ponyville. As they settled over the sleeping town, Luna felt a presence in the dreamscape.
One she could not afford to let slip by.
Quickly settling herself couchant, Luna dove into the dreamscape. 
Kodo was waiting for her. No longer in Ponyville, he and his pack were long past Ponyville. On the way to the changeling hives.
Sombra curled around Kodo’s sleeping mind like a snake around a trunk. Luna fired a spell into his dreams, distracting him with nightmares of Celestia overthrowing him. As the demon king struggled with his nightmares, Luna dipped into Kodo’s dreams…
And found the poor wolf in a nightmare of his own. A more distorted looking Sombra held him by puppet strings, pulling him away from his beloved mother, and forcing him to march on a helpless Celine.
“Brother, please!” Celine whimpered. “Don’t do this!”
“I… don’t want to!” Kodo insisted. He looked up to Sombra, who forced him closer and closer to his sister. “Sombra. Please; I don’t want to do this!”
Sombra merely laughed at him, forcing him to raise a sword over his sobbing sister. 
“Celine… no!” Kodo whimpered. 
Luna didn’t let it progress farther. Firing a spell, she cut the puppet strings binding Kodo. With an additional beam, she dissipated the dream Sombra. In seconds, Kodo found himself with his family. Though, even as he embraced them, his ears flattened, and they faded from his arms. 
“You’re the one Celestia told me about,” Kodo mused, turning to Luna. "You fought her before.”
Luna tilted her head, before his memories came to her. Talking with Celestia. 
“There is someone that would know what you are going through,” she had said. “And there is a way you can talk to her.” 
“Yes,” Luna admitted, settling next to Kodo as his dream shifted to Outer Haven. “I… know what it is like to be overtaken by evil.” 
“I don’t…” Kodo winced, gazing down at his claws. “I don’t think that Sombra is evil. At least… not all the way. He could’ve done so many horrible things to me for revenge for Shiva. But he didn’t…”
“Please, use caution, young one,” Luna insisted. “I once thought that Nightmare was merely a way for me to vent my anger and frustration. Then it became something much worse.”
“Maybe it already is something much worse,” Kodo admitted, looking into his dreams as they took the form of Shiva. “Oh, Mother…” Kodo almost sobbed, reaching out for her. “All I wanted was to have her back.” His fist clenched over his mother, only for her image to dissipate into steam. 
Luna’s ears flattened in pity. She gently touched Kodo’s back. 
“Celestia was wrong,” Luna whispered. “You are better than I, Beta Kodo. Love motivates you, where envy was what motivated Nightmare Moon.” 
“But how do I get her back?” Kodo whispered, turning back to Luna. “How do I reunite my family and bring things back to the way they were?”
"Even now, the Element of Kindness and the Dragon Spike move to find your mother," Luna assured him. She settled a wing against him. "Please, Kodo; when she returns, call off your dogs. There was never a need for war." 
Kodo, however, turned to where Sombra had been. "But what about Sombra?" he noted. "He will have to be taken, right? And then..." Kodo's ears flattened. "I'll be punished." 
Luna winced. Indeed, the ponies would be very reluctant to let Kodo go without retribution for the suffering he had inflicted. Luna herself still knew the dreams of some ponies that thought she had gotten off too lightly. She huffed; another thing she might share in common with this young wolf. 
"I'll see to it that your punishment isn't severe," Luna offered. "For now... be patient. Lead your pack away from Canterlot. And dream of your family." 
Kodo obeyed, despite himself. And as warm images of Shiva, Luke and Celine formed around him, Luna left his side, gazing on him with pity and wishing that she could do more for the poor, misguided wolf. 

#

Meanwhile, inside the human world, Spike moaned as he reached a street.
“There’s too many scents here,” he whispered. “I-I think Shiva got into a car. But then a bunch of cars shot through here. I have no idea which one had her in it.”
“Well, we have to figure it out somehow,” Fluttershy insisted. “Everyone in Equestria is counting on us.” She pet Spike's head. "I know you're doing the best you can." 
Spike nodded, moving to try and pick up some sort of clue… when one of the humans passing by did a double take.
“Fluttershy?” she asked. 
Fluttershy looked up with a blink. “Tree Hugger?” she whispered. 
Admittedly, it was the human version of Tree Hugger. But her smile was just as kind as her pony counterpart.
“Good to see you again,” the human greeted. “I thought you went off on that big camping trip with your new pet.” 
Fluttershy and Spike paused, glancing at each other. “New… pet?” Fluttershy asked.
“Or animal companion,” Tree Hugger rectified. “You know, the big white husky, or whatever dog breed she was. The one you found wandering outside Canterlot High, looking like it had taken a serious knock on the head, and you were all worried about what happened to her pups, before you decided to adopt her.” She shrugged, grinning as she saw Fluttershy’s grin. “I think you know the one I’m talking about.” 
She started to walk away, before Fluttershy darted in front of her.
“Eh-heh,” Fluttershy chuckled nervously. “And could you remind me where I was going to take my new animal friend?” Fluttershy giggled, before knocking on her own head. “I’ve got a bit of a slow memory.”
Tree Hugger just shrugged. “Eh. I get it. You wanted to take her on a trip to Camp Ever-Free. Apparently, your dog was really curious about checking the place out.”
Spike and Fluttershy nearly squealed in delight.
“We got her!” Spike cheered, before pausing. “Wait… where is Camp Ever-Free?”
Fluttershy glanced at Tree Hugger expectantly.